This, the reading of the quarto, I believe, is right: "Since thou hast sought to make us break our vow," &c.. "Our potency make good.”— i. e. Since you have dared thus to offend us, now prove or evince our power to punish you. 321. "Upon our kingdom: if, on the tenth day following." "On" should be ejected. "The moment," &c. I would propose this regulation: "That moment is thy death: Away-begone! By Jupiter, this shall not be revok'd". " 322. "My lord of Burgundy." Something has been lost here. Perhaps, "They are welcome both, my lord of Burgundy." "We first, &c. 324. Should in this trice of time "Commit a thing so monstrous, to dis mantle "So many folds of favour !". "So monstrous, to dismantle." The omission as," here, of the comparative conjunction though not singular, is unwarrantable. “That monsters it, or your fore-vouch'd affec tion "Fall into taint: which to believe of her, "Must be a faith," &c. "Which," here, very loosely refers to its antecedent," her offence." Perhaps, we might, with better connexion, read-" and to believ't of her, &c. What succeeds wants regulation, both for the metre and the meaning. I would propose: "Must be a faith, that, without miracle, "Reason could never plant in me." Cord." I yet "Beseech your majesty, if, for I want "The glib and oily art to speak, and not "To purpose, (since what I do well intend, "I'll do't before I speak,) you will make known." 326. " What I well intend, "I'll do't before I speak.". What I conceive to be right, I will do, without speaking of it. B. STRUTT. This may be the true interpretation, but I am rather inclined to explain it thus :-What I well intend-what I purpose to do, that is laudable or good, I always fully determine in my mind, before I talk about it. 327. "That it intends to do?-My lord of Burgundy." "To do," should be ejected." "Duchess of Burgundy." Lear. "Nothing: I have sworn; I am firm." "I have sworn," could be spared. "That you must lose a husband," &c. We might repair the metre here: "That you must lose a husband too." Cord." Well, peace Fr. "Be to my lord of Burgundy! for since O, fairest "Cordelia, that art most rich, being poor," &c. 328. "Come, noble Burgundy," &c. "Noble" may well be spared. The jewels of our father, "Cordelia leaves you." 66 It appears strange that Mr. Steevens should not have adopted (especially after his fair defence of it) the change from "the" to ye." 329. " (So) farewell (to you both.)" Gon. "Prescribe not us (our duties.)" But let your study." Reg. The words enclosed might be omitted. "Time shall unfold what plaited cunning hides; "Who_cover faults, at last shame them derides.' " This passage, notwithstanding the endeavours of the ingenious commentators, remains in perplexity, both with regard to sense and construction. Perhaps it is incorrigible. The best I can do with it is this: "Time shall unfold that (which) plaited cunning (i. e. specious outsides) hides; "Which covers faults, (but) at last with shame derides." 66 Who," indeed, might remain, as in the text, for "which." Derides," in this case, is neuter. Derides, for deride, as it stands in the text, is a sacrifice of grammar, in these works not uncommon, to obtain a rhyme. 330. Exeunt France, Cord. &c. &c. What follows between Regan and Goneril is abrupt, unnatural, and unnecessary. I am persuaded it is interpolated. 331. "Slenderly known himself." Not been in the full possession of his faculties, -had a weak understanding. Exeunt Goneril and Regan. In a very judicious endeavour to regulate the scenes of this play, published by Mr. Eccles, in 1792, with another Essay, by that gentleman, upon Cymbeline, the following scene of the Bastard is postponed to the opening of the second act, and its place here supplied by the scene between Goneril and the steward. SCENE II. 334. "Got 'tween asleep and wake ?—Well then." Perhaps, better, "Begot between asleep and wake?-What then." Or "Got 'tween asleep and wake?-Well then ?What then?" 335. "Now, gods, stand up for bastards !” This fragment I should be inclined to reject as spurious and unnecessary. 336. "Confin'd to exhibition !". "Exhibition (says Dr. Johnson) is allowance." But I rather think it is exterior shew-the "name and all the addition to a king." "Done upon the gad!". Dr. Johnson's explanation of this phrase is, I believe, the true one. In K. Henry IV. Hotspur is "nettled and stung" with pismires. Mr. Ritson says, it means done suddenly, or while "the iron is hot ;" because (says he) a gad is an iron bar." But unless it were a hot iron bar, it might, for the present purpose, as well be any thing else." 338. If the matter were good, my lord, I durst swear it were his." It should be "was" his; the subjunctive mood only belongs to the preceding member of the sentence and again I would fain think it were not;-it ought to be "is not." SCENE III. We might read, preserving the measure349. "What, did my father strike my gentleman for only chiding of his fool ?" Stew. "Ay, madam." 350. "He's coming, madam; I hear him." This might be repaired : "He's coming hither madam now; I hear him." |