Enter GowER, before the Monument of MARINA at Tharsus. Gow. Thus time we waste, and longest Sail seas in cockles, have, and wish but for't; From bourn to bourn, region to region. was fated to perish: yet you lament and wonder at her death, as an extraordinary occurrence. MALONE. I doubt whether Malone's explanation be right; the words, swear to the gods, can hardly imply, to be angry with heaven, though to swear at the gods might: But if this conjecture be right, we must read superciliously, instead of superstitiously; for to arraign the conduct of heaven is the very reverse of superstition. Perhaps the meaning may be-" You are one of those who superstitiously appeal to the gods on every trifling and natural event." But whatever may be the meaning, swear to the gods, is a very aukward expression. A passage somewhat similar occurs in The Fair Maid of the Inn, where Alberto says: "Here we study "The kitchen arts, to sharpen appetite, "Dull'd with abundance; and dispute with heaven, "If that the least puff of the rough north wind "Blast our vine's burdens." M. MASON. It means, I think, 'you are so affectedly humane, that you would appeal to heaven against the cruelty of winter, in killing the flies." Superstitious is explained by Johnson-scrupulous beyond need. BOSWELL. 8 Sail seas in COCKLES,] We are told by Reginald Scott, in his Discovery of Witchcraft, 1584, that "it was believed that witches could sail in an egg shell, a cockle, or muscle shell, through and under tempestuous seas."-This popular idea was probably in our author's thoughts. MALONE. See vol. xi. p. 31, n. 4. STEEVens. 9 MAKING, (to take YOUR imagination,) From bourn to bourn,] Making, if that be the true reading, must be understood to mean-proceeding in our course, from bourn to bourn, &c.-It is still said at sea-the ship makes much way. I suspect, however, that the passage is corrupt. All the copies have our imagination, which is clearly wrong. Perhaps the author wrote-to task your imagination. MAlone. "Making (to take your imagination,) "From bourn to bourn," &c. Making is most certainly the true reading. So, in p. 112: By you being pardon'd, we commit no crime To learn of me, who stand i' the gaps to teach you The stages of our story1. Pericles Is now again thwarting the wayward seas2, "O make for Tharsus." Making, &c. is travelling (with the hope of engaging your attention) from one division or boundary of the world to another; i. e. we hope to interest you by the variety of our scene, and the different countries through which we pursue our story.-We still use a phrase exactly corresponding with-take your imagination; i. e. "To take one's fancy.' STEEVENS. 1 who stand I' THE GAPS to teach you - The stages of our story, &c.] So, in the Chorus to The Winter's Tale : "O'er sixteen years, and leave the growth untry'd "Of that wide gap." The earliest quarto reads-with gaps; that in 1619-in gaps. The reading that I have substituted, is nearer that of the old copy. MALONE. "To learn of me who stand with gaps-" I should rather read -the gaps. So, in Antony and Cleopatra: "That I may sleep out this great gap of time I would likewise transpose and correct the following lines thus: 66 "To learn of me, who stand i' the gaps to teach you 66 The stages of our story. Pericles "Is now again thwarting the wayward seas, "Attended on by many a lord and knight, "Well-sailing ships and bounteous winds have brought "So, with his steerage, shall your thoughts go on, 2 thwarting THE wayward seas,] So in King Henry V: and there being seen, "Heave him away upon your winged thoughts, (Attended on by many a lord and knight,) Well-sailing ships, and bounteous winds, have brought This king to Tharsus, (think his pilot thought; So with his steerage shall your thoughts grow on,) To fetch his daughter home, who first is gone. The wayward, &c. is the reading of the second quarto. The first has-thy. In the next line but one, the old copies readall his lives delight. MALONE. 3 Old Escanes, whom Helicanus late, &c.] In the old copies these lines are strangely misplaced : "Old Helicanus goes along behind "Is left to governe it, you beare in mind. "Advancde in time to great and hie estate. "Well sailing ships and bounteous winds have broght The transposition suggested by Mr. Steevens, renders the whole passage perfectly clear. MALONE. 4 (think HIS pilot thought; So with his steerage shall your thoughts GROW ON,) To fetch his daughter home, who first is gone.] The old copies read: 66 -think this pilot thought, "So with his steerage shall your thoughts groan, &c. but they are surely corrupt. I read-think his pilot thought; suppose that your imagination is his pilot. So, in King Henry V: 'Tis your thoughts, that now must deck our kings, Carry them here and there; jumping o'er times." 66 Again, ibidem: "Heave him away upon your winged thoughts "Athwart the seas." In the next line the versification is defective by one word being printed instead of two. By reading grow on instead of groan, the sense and metre are both restored. So, in A Midsummer-Night's Dream (fol. 1623 :) 66 and so grow on to a point." See vol. v. Like motes and shadows see them move awhile; Your ears unto your eyes I'll reconcile. Dumb show. Enter at one door, PERICLES with his Train; CLEON and DIONYZA at the other. CLEON shows PERICLES the Tomb of MARINA; whereat PERICLES makes lamentation, puts on Sackcloth, and in a mighty passion departs. Then CLEON and D10NYZA retire. Gow. See how belief may suffer by foul show! This borrow'd passion stands for true old woe"; p. 192. We might read-go on; but the other appears to be more likely to have been the author's word. MALONE. I cannot approve of Malone's amendment, but adhere to the old copies, with this difference only, that I join the words thought and pilot with a hyphen, and read: 66 -think this pilot-thought;-." That is, " Keep this leading circumstance in your mind, which will serve as a pilot to you, and guide you through the rest of the story, in such a manner, that your imagination will keep pace with the king's progress." M. MASON. The plainer meaning seems to be-" Think that his pilot had the celerity of thought, so shall your thought keep pace with his operations. STEEVENS. "who first is gone." Who has left Tharsus before her father's arrival there. MALONE. 5 LIKE motes and SHADOWS see them move awhile ;] So, in Macbeth: 6 "Come like shadows, so depart." STEEVENS. 66 Sit and see, "Minding true things by what their mockeries be." MALONE. All for true old woe;" i. e. for such tears as were shed when, the world being in its infancy, dissimulation was unknown. poetical writers are willing to persuade themselves that sincerity expired with the first ages. Perhaps, however, we ought to readtrue told woe. STEEVENS, And Pericles, in sorrow all devour'd, With sighs shot through, and biggest tears Leaves Tharsus, and again embarks. He swears He bears By wicked Dionyza. [Reads the inscription on MARINA's Mo nument. The fairest, sweet'st, and best, lies here, 7 A TEMPEST, which his MORTAL VESSEL tears,] So, in King Richard III.: 66 'O, then began the tempest to my soul!" What is here called his mortal by Cleopatra her mortal house. Now please you wit-] vessel, (i. e. his body,) is styled STEEVENS. 8 in Gower: Now, be pleased to know. So, 66 In which the lorde hath to him writte "That he would understonde and witte-." The editor of the second quarto (which has been copied by all the other editions) probably not understanding the passage, altered it thus: 9 "To the epitaph for Marina writ by Dionysia." MALONE. SWEET'ST, and best,] Sweetest is here used as a mono syllable. So highest in The Tempest: &c. MALONE. 66 Highest queen of state." We might more elegantly read, omitting the conjunctionand, "The fairest, sweetest, best, lies here-." STEEVENS. 1 Marina WAS SHE call'd; &c.] It might have been expected that this epitaph, which sets out in four-foot verse, would have confined itself to that measure; but instead of preserving such |
