serve, however, that Mr. Holt is nearly correct in what he asserts. But the proper word, as used in some parts of England for the limpet, is cham, and not scam. Chame (limpet) Chambaud Dic. fr. It should at the same time be considered that Caliban in his savage state, would be much more likely to think of procuring shell-fish for food, particularly such as required no preparation whatever, than he would birds. We are told by Ainsworth that the Latin, or rather Greek name for the limpet is lepas, and which he thus describes : a kind of shell-fish, less than au oyster, sticking close to the rocks.' The original (Aéñas) is explained by Schrevelius as follows;-concha petræ adhærens. If then my opinion respecting chams, chamels, or rather chamets, be thought reasonable, clung must be substituted for young,' or, as it was anciently written, yung. Sometimes I'll get thee Clung chamets from the rocks.' i. e. Limpets are found sticking to the rocks; and these I will get for you.' The adhærens, and the sticking close of the lexicographers, will perhaps warrant this change. It may be further noted, that this fish, by reason of its adhesive quality, is sometimes known by the name of clam. The following passage is from Cook's remarks on New Zealand: We had shell-fish in great variety, particularly clams, cockles, and oysters.' The cham, or clam, has by naturalists been mistakenly placed in the order of pholades. But the pholas, as the word implies, is hidden, or buried in stone: not merely clinging to it, as is the case with the first. B. Ste. He that dies, pays all debts: I defy thee:-Mercy upon us. Cal. Art thou affeard? Affeard.] Thus the old copy. To affear is an obsolete verb, with the same meaning as to affray. So in the Shipmannes Tale of Chaucer, v. 13330: 'This wif was not aferde ne affraide.' Between aferde and affraide, in the time of Chaucer, there might have been some nice distinction which is at present lost. STEEV. Affeard.' A play on the words affeared (frightened) and affeered (law terms). To affeere an account in the Exchequer is to pass an account as being good, true. Stephano says He that dies pays all debts!' On this Caliban asks, 'is your account passed?' meaning, will you be received in Heaven as good and true? We must not be told that this is not a language for Caliban. Shakspeare frequently speaks instead of his characters. Mr. S. has mistaken the meaning of the line in Chaucer. The sense is— None feared him, neither had he any fear.' B. SHAK. II. T Alon. I cannot too much muse, Such shapes, such gesture, and such sound, expressing (Although they want the use of tongue) a kind Of excellent dumb discourse. Too much muse.] To muse, in ancient language, is to admire. So in Macbeth: "Do not, muse at me, my most worthy friends." STEEV. 'Too much muse.' 'To muse' is to ponder, to weigh in the mind, to consider. Was Mr. S. to be told that fools admire, but men of sense' consider, or weigh things well? Do not muse at me,' in Macbeth is, do not mind me, do not regard me, do not think on my imperfection: and not as Mr. Steevens supposes, do not admire me. B. Pro. With good life, And observation strange, my meaner ministers With good life. This seems a corruption. I know not in what sense life can here be used, unless for alacrity, liveliness, vigor; and in this sense the expression is harsh. Perhaps we may read, with good list, with good will, with sincere zeal for my service. I should have proposed, with good lief, in the same sense, but that I cannot find lief to be a substantive. With good life may however mean, with exact presentation of their several characters, with observation strange of their particular and distinct parts. So we say, he acted to the life. JOHN. With good life.' 'Life' should assuredly be 'lefe.' Lefe, in Chaucer, is love, affection. Good lefe' will therefore mean with and that is the sense required here. B. earnestness; with true love; Pro. Then, as my gift, and thine own acquisition My gift. My guest, first folio. Rowe first read gift. JouN. My gift. The first folio is right. Guest' should, however, be written gest (gestum, Lat.) act. Then as my act,' &c. B. Iris. Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep, And flat meads thatch'd with stover, them to keep, Thatch'd with stover.] Stover from Estovers, a law word, signifies an allowance in food, or other necessaries of life. It is here used for provision in general for animals. From the following instance, stover should mean the pointed blades of grass or corn: "Beard, be confin'd to neatness, that no hair And in the Muses Elyzium: Love's Sacrifice, 1633. "Their brows and stover waxing thin and scant." STEEV. Estovers or stovers (in law) are allowances of wood to tenants, as house-bote, hedge-bote, plough bote. Stover consequently is not the word required here, but stovel, which signifies fodder for cattle. - Stover, in Love's Sacrifice, is used in allusion to the thorns of hedges, and in the Muse's Elysium, it is meant to speak of the prickles of the beard in reference to the same. B. Iris. And thy broom groves, Whose shadow the dismissed batchelor loves. And thy broom groves.] A grove of broom, I believe, was never heard Hanmer reads brown groves. of, as it is a low shrub and not a tree. STEEV. Broom is here used adjectively, for thick, close. The broom shrub is remarkably close knit, and almost impervious. Such shade would naturally suit with the supposed melancholy of a rejected lover. B. Cer. My bosky acres, and my unshrubb'd down, My bosky acres, &c.] Bosky is woody. Bosquet, Fr. STEEV. used in that sense. B. Cer. Foison plenty, Barns, and garners, never empty; Foison plenty, i. e. plenty to the utmost abundance; foison signifying plenty. STEEV. Foison' is necessaries, food. Foison plenty,' plenty of neces saries, and not plentiful plenty, as Mr. S. is inclined to think. B. Iris. You nymphs, call'd Naiads, of the wandring brooks, With your sedg'd crowns, and ever harmless looks, Wandring brooks.] The modern editors read winding brooks. The old copy, windring. I suppose we should read wandring, as it is here printed. STEEV. 'Wandring brooks.' The right reading is wind'red. Winder, in Chaucer, is gay, trim. Windred brooks,' i. e. ornamented brooks: brooks whose banks are decorated with flowers. B. Leave your crisp, channels.] Crisp, i. e. curling, winding. Lat. crispus. So Hen. IV. part i.act 1. sc. iv. Hotspur speaking of the river Severn: "And hid his crisped head in the hollow bank." Crisp, however, may allude to the little wave or curl (as it is commonly called) that the gentlest wind occasions on the surface of waters. STEEV. 'Leave your crisp channels.' Crisp' is shining, glittering, a Latin sense. B. Pro. And, like this insubstantial pageant faded, Leave not a rack behind.] "The winds" (says lord Bacon) "which move the clouds above, which we call the rack, and are not perceived below, pass without noise." Sir T. H. instead of rack, reads track, which may be supported by the following passage in the first scene of Timon of Athens: "But flies an eagle flight, bold, and forth on, 'Leave not a rack behind.' Track must be right. Track, as we now say, trace. Leave not a track behind,' not the smallest appearance of its having ever been. B. Pro. This was well done, my bird: "Thy shape invisible retain thou still.' Shape invisible' must Pro. Now does my project gather to a head: And time Goes upright with his carriage.] Alluding to one carrying a burthen. This critical period of my life proceeds as I could wish. Time brings forward all the expected events, without faultering under his burthen. STEEV. 'And Time Goes upright with his carriage.' No such matter, Mr. S. Time upright with his carriage,' means not, Time carrying a burthen, but Time carrying himself well. The literal meaning is, the hour is every way favourable to me. Pro. And shall not myself, One of their kind, that relish all as sharply, That relish all as sharply, Passion as they.] Passion is a verb in Shakspeare. STEEV. Passion as they' B. 'Passion' is not, in this place, a verb, but a substantive. 'Relish all as sharply,' is, have the same fine or exquisite sense of❜-the comma at 'sharply' must be struck out. B. |