Critical Notes. BY ISRAEL GOLLANCZ. LUCRECE: 8. ' unhappily'; Quartos 1, 2, 3, ‘vnhap’ly.' 56. o'er'; Quartos 1, 2, 3, ore'; Quarto 4, 'or'e'; Malone (1780),' or' (i.e. gold). 134-136. Many emendations have been proposed to render clear the meaning of these lines, but no change is necessary: "the covetous have not, i.e. do not possess, that which they possess, longing for the possessions of others"; the second clause of line 135 is in apposition to the first. 195. 'let'; Schmidt conj. 'lest.' 239. 'ay, if'; early Quartos, 'I, if?' 637. i.e. “who, in consequence of their own misdeeds, look with indifference on the offences of others" (Schmidt). 649. 'debt'; early Quartos 'det' (rhyming with fret): similarly line 696, 'balk'; Quartos, 'bauk' (rhyming with 'hawk '). 782. misty'; Quartos 1, 2, mustie.' 841. guilty'; Malone, 'guiltless,' but no change is necessary; Lucrece's self-reproach at first assigns the guilt to herself. 930. Perhaps we should read, injurious-shifting Time.' 939. 'Time's glory is ... Veritas filia temporis was a favourite motto in the sixteenth century, as is seen from the engravings on page 189 (1) of the reverse of a silver groat issued by Queen Mary, and (2) of a design found in Whitney's Emblems (1586). 1134. descant'st'; Quartos, 'descants.' 1338. ' court'sies'; Quartos, ‘cursies.' 1662. 'wretched'; S. Walker conj. 'wreathed? A LOVER'S COMPLAINT: 12. 'scythed'; Quarto, 'sithed.' 37. 'beaded'; Quarto, 'bedded' (?="imbedded, set "). 39.weeping margent'; Malone conj. margent weeping.' 6 51. "gan to tear'; Quarto, 'gaue to teare'; Gildon, ' gave a tear. 60. observed as they flew'; the clause is probably connected with 'hours'; "the reverend man had not let the swift hours pass by without gaining some knowledge of the world"; it is possible, however, that they refers to the torn-up letters. 112. 'manage'; Quarto, 'mannad'g.' 118. came'; Sewell's correction; Quarto, 'can'; Sewell's 2nd ed. ' can for additions get their purpose trim.' 182. 'woo'; Quarto, 'vow.' 164. 'sweets that seem'; Quarto, 'sweets that seemes'; Capell MS. sweet that seems.' 228. 'Hallow'd'; Quarto, 'hollowed'; Sewell's correction. 241. playing the place'; some error due to the printer has spoilt the line; the first word of the line has been caught up by the compositor's eye from the first of the next line, or vice versâ; the most ingenious and plausible emendation is 'paling' for 'playing.' 260. nun'; Quarto, Sunne.' 261. ay'; Quarto, 'I' 271. 'Love's arms are peace'; so Quarto; Capell MS. and Malone conj. proof' for peace,' a plausible change, if any is necessary; other readings are:- Love aims at peace'; 'Love charms our peace'; 'Love aims a piece,' etc. 286. who glas'd with crystal gate'; Malone, who, glaz'd with crystal, gate' (i.e. gate" the ancient perfect tense of the verb to get," flame being its object). 308. 'swound'; Quarto, 'sound' cp. 305, 'swounding'; Quarto, 'sounding.' 'Time's glory is to... bring Truth to light, (939, 40). |