to the high rank of Angelo, as Johnson supposes. M. MASON.

I imagine the meaning rather is pose I am mad,

unequally.

Do not sup

because I speak passionately and

MALONE.

P. 166, 1. 33. And hide the false, seems true.] And for ever hide, i. e. plunge into eternal darkness, the false one, i. e. Angelo, who now seems honest. Many other words would have expressed our poet's meaning better than hide: but he seems to have chosen it merely for the sake of opposition to the preceding line. Mr. Theobald unnecessarily reads Not hide the false, has been followed by the subsequent editors.

which

MALONE.

I do not profess to understand these words; nor can I perceive how the meaning suggested by Mr. Malone is to be deduced from them. STEEVENS. 'P. 167, last but one 1. To refel is to refute, The modern editors changed the word to repel. STEEVENS.

P. 168, 1. 3. To his concupiscible, etc.] Such is the old reading. The modern editors unauthoritatively substitute concupiscent. STEEVENS. P. 168, 1. 5. My sisterly remorse ]. e. pity. So, in King Richard III;

,,And gentle, kind, effeminate remorse." STEEVENS.

P. 168, 1. g. His purpose surfeiting,] Thus the old copy. We might read forfeiting, but the former word is too much in the manner of Shakspeare to be rejected. So, in Othello:

my hopes not furfeited to death."

STEEVENS.

P. 168, 1. 11. Like is not here used for probable, but for seemly. She catches at the

Duke's word, and turns it into another sense; of which there are a great many examples in Shakspeare, and the writers of that time.

WARBURTON.

I do not see why like may not stand here for probable, or why the lady should not wish, that since her tale is true, it may obtain belief. If Dr. Warburton's explication be right, we should read:

O! that it were as likely, as 'tis true! m Likely I have never found for seemly. JOHNSON, Though I concur in Dr. Johnson's explanation, I cannot help observing that likely is used by Shakspeare himself for seemly. The meaning, I think, is Othat it had as much of the appear ance, as it has of the reality, of truth!

MALONE.

P. 168, 1. 12. Fond wretch is foolish wretch. STEEVENS. P. 168, 1. 15. Practice was used by the old writers for any unlawful or insidious stratagem. JOHNSON. i.se. in par.

P. 168, 1. 29. In countenance! →→→ tial favour. WARBURTON.

Countenance, in my opinion, does not mean partial favour, as Warburton, supposes, but false appearance, hypocrisy, Isabella does not mean Arto accuse the Duke of partiality; but alludes to the sanctified demeanour of Angelo, which, as she supposes, prevented the Duke from believing ai her story. M. MASON. 201 • 17

P. 168, last 1. Practice in Shakspeare, very often means shameful artifice, unjustifiable ostratagem. STEEVENS. to P.169, 28. It is hard to know whato is meant by a temporary medler. In its usual sense, as opposed to perpetual, Tát cannot be used there.

It may stand for temporal: the sense will then abe, I know him for a holy man, one that meddles not with secular affairs. It may mean temporising I know him to be a holy man, one who rabould not temporise, or take the opportunity of your absence to defame you. Or we may read: 14.

Not scurvy, nor a tamperer and medler: not one who would have tampered with this woman to make her a false evidence against your deputy. JOHNSON. 1

Peter here refers to what Lucio had before 1 affirmed concerning Friar Lodowick. Hence it is sevident that the phrase,,temporary medler," was intended to signify one who introduced himself, sas often as he could find opportunity, into other men's concerns. See the context. HENLEY,

P. 169, last 1. his mere request,] i. e. his absolute request. STEEVENS.

P. 170, 1. 6. Whensoever he's convented.] The first folio reads, convented, and this is right: for to convene signifies to assemble; but convent, to cite, or summons. Yet because convented hurts the measure, the Oxford editor sticks to conven'd, though it be nonsense, and signifies, Whenever he is assembled together. But thus it will be, when the author is thinking of one thing, and his critic of another. The poet was attentive to g his sense, and the editor quite throughout his performance, to nothing but the measure;, which Shakspeare having entirely neglected, like all the E dramatic writers of that age, he has spruced him up with all the exactness of a modern measurer of syllables. This being here taken notice of once for all, shall, for the future, be forgot, as if sit had never been. WARBURTON

The foregoing account of the measure of Shakspeare, and his contemporaries, ought indeed to be forgotten, because it is untrue. To convent and to convene are derived from the same Latin verb, and have exactly the same meaning.

STEEVENS.

P. 170, 1. 8. vulgarly Meaning either so grossly, with such indecency of invective, or by so mean and inadequate witnesses. JOHNSON.

Vulgarly, I believe, means publickly. The vulgar are the common people. Daniel uses vulgarly for among the common people.

STEEVENS.

Mr. Steevens's interpretation is certainly the true one. MALONE.

Of your own cause. -] Surely, says Mr. Theobald, this Duke had odd notions of impartiality! He reads therefore, I will be partial, and all the editórs follow him: even Mr. Heath declares the observation unanswerable. But see the uncertainty of criticism! impartial was sometimes used in the sense of partial. In the old play of Swetnam; the Woman Hater, Atlanta cries out, when the judges decree against the women:

,,You are impartial, and we do appeal
,,From you to judges more indifferent."

P. 170, 1. 30.

FARMER.

Neither maid, widow, nor wife?] This is a pro

verbial phrase, to be found in Ray's Collection.

STEEVENS.

P. 171, 1. 27. Abuse stands in this place for

deception or puzzle. JOHNSON.

P. 172, first 1. A garden-house in the time of our author was usually appropriated to purposes of intrigue. MALONE.

for that her promised

proportions

Came short of composition;] Her for tune, which was promised proportionate to mine, fell short of the composition, that is, contract or bargain. JOHNSON..

P. 172, last but one 1. Informal signifies out, of their senses. STEEVENS.

P. 173, 1. 12. When any thing subject to coun terfeits is tried by the proper officers and appro ved, a stamp or seal is put upon it, as among us on plate, weights, and measures. So the Duke says, that Angelo's faith has been tried, approved, and seal'd in testimony of that approbation, and, like other things so sealed, is no more to be called in question. JOHNSON.

P. 173, 1. 24. Whom it concerns to hear this matter forth,] To

hear it to the end; to search it to the bottom.

--

JOHNSON.

P. 174, 1. 17. for women are light at midnight.] This is one of the words on which Shak, speare chiefly delights to quibble. Thus, Portia in The Merchant of Venice, Act V. sc. i:

,,Let me give light, but let me not be light."

STEEVENS.

P. 174, 1. 31. Respect to your great place! etc.] I suspect that a line preceding this has been lost. MALONE.

. I suspect no omission. Great place has reference to the preceding question ,,know you where you are?" STEEVENS.