for you sink.] Here, possibly, as in two or three other instances, "for" is a misprint of fore.

b All there is thine.] Southern changed this to "All then," &c., and Mr. Collier's annotator availed himself of the alteration.

c Strike the vessels,-] To strike means to tap, to broach, or pierce a cask.

d Possess it, I'll make answer:] There is some ambiguity in the word "possess," which, if not a misprint, is employed here in a sense we are unaccustomed to; but the meaning of the passage is plain enough. In former days it was the practice, when one good fellow drank to another, for the latter to "do him right", by

Mine honour, it. Repent that e'er thy tongue
Hath so betray'd thine act: being done unknown,
I should have found it afterwards well done;
But must condemn it now.(6)

Desist, and drink. MEN. [Aside.] For this, I'll never follow thy pall'd fortunes more.—

Who seeks, and will not take when once 't is offer'd,
Shall never find it more.
POM.
This health to Lepidus!
ANT. Bear him ashore.-I'll pledge it for him,
Pompey.

ENO. Here's to thee, Menas.
MEN.

Enobarbus, welcome!

(+) First folio, grow. Corrected by Theobald.

(*) Old text, then he is. (1) Old text, beat. imbibing a quantity of wine equal to that quaffed by the health giver. Antony proposes a health to Cæsar, but Cæsar endeavour! to excuse himself, whereupon Antony urges him by saying, “Be a child o' the time," i. e. do as others do; indulge for once. Cæsar then consents to pledge the health, and says "possess it," or propose it, I'll do it justice. Mr. Collier's annotator suggests that we should read, "Profess it," &c.

AGR. What, are the brothers parted?
ENO. They have dispatch'd with Pompey, he is
gone;

The other three are sealing. Octavia weeps
To part from Rome; Cæsar is sad; and Lepidus,
Since Pompey's feast, as Menas says, is troubled
With the green sickness.

AGR.

"T is a noble Lepidus. ENO. A very fine one: O, how he loves Cæsar ! AGR. Nay, but how dearly he adores Mark Antony!

ENO. Cæsar? Why, he's the Jupiter of men. AGR. What's Antony? The god of Jupiter. ENO. Spake you of Cæsar? Ho! the nonpareil !

AGR. O, Antony! O, thou Arabian bird! ENO. Would you praise Cæsar, say,—C'œsar; -go no further.

AGR. Indeed, he plied them both with excellent praises.

ENO. But he loves Cæsar best ;-yet he loves Antony:

Ho! hearts, tongues, figures,* scribes, bards, poets,

cannot

Think, speak, cast, write, sing, number,-ho!—
His love to Antony. But as for Cæsar,
Kneel down, kneel down, and wonder!
AGR.

Both he loves.
ENO. They are his shards," and he their beetle.
So,-
[Trumpets.

This is to horse.-Adieu, noble Agrippa. AGR. Good fortune, worthy soldier; and farewell. [AGRIP. and ENOB. retire.

Enter CESAR, ANTONY, LEPIDUS, and OCTAVIA.

ANT. No further, sir.

CES. You take from me a great part of myself;
Use me well in 't.-Sister, prove such a wife
As my thoughts make thee, and as my farthest
band

Shall pass on thy approof.-Most noble Antony,
Let not the piece of virtue which is set
Betwixt us as the cement of our love,
To keep it builded, be the ram to batter
The fortress of it: for better might we
Have lov'd without this mean, if on both parts
This be not cherish'd.

(*) Old text, figure.

a Grants scarce distinction.] The meaning seems to be, as Warburton was the first to show,-Thou hast that, (wisdom, or prudence) wanting which a soldier shows himself hardly better than his senseless sword. Mr. Collier's annotator, it should be observed, would read,

"Gains scarce distinction."

b his shards,-] His scaly wings. So in "Macbeth," Act III. Sc. 3,

"The shard-borne beetle," &c.

e-band.] That is, bond.

d curious,-] Over punctilious, or scrupulous.

e The elements be kind, &c.] Johnson's explanation of this wish,"May the elements of the body, or principles of life, maintain such proportion and harmony as may keep you cheerful," has been decried as too profound, and the expression said to mean no more than,-"May the elements of air and water be kind to you." In other words,-"May you have a prosperous voyage." But there is a passage, altogether forgotten by the commentators, in "Julius Caesar," Act V. Sc. 5, which is entirely confirmatory of Dr. Johnson's interpretation,

"His life was gentle; and the elements

So mix'd in him, that Nature might stand up,
And say to all the world, This was a man!"

MESS. Madam, I heard her speak; she is lowvoic'd.

CLEO. That's not so good:-he cannot like her long.

CHAR. Like her? O, Isis! 't is impossible. CLEO. I think so, Charmian: dull of tongue, and dwarfish!

What majesty is in her gait? Remember,
If e'er thou look'dst on majesty.
She creeps,

MESS.
Her motion and her station are as one:
She shows a body rather than a life;
A statue than a breather.

There's gold for thee. Thou must not take my former sharpness ill :I will employ thee back again; I find thee Most fit for business: go, make thee ready; Our letters are prepar❜d. [Exit Messenger. CHAR.

A

proper man.

b- a cloud in's face.] This is said of a horse which has a black

or dark spot on his forehead between the eyes.

c As low as she would wish it.] "The phrase is still a cant one.

I once overheard a chambermaid say of her rival-that her legs were as thick as she could wish them.'"-STEEVENS.