That still records with moan 2; or when She sung, and made the night-BIRD mute, That still RECORDS WITH MOAN ;] The first quartó reads: "the night-bed mute, "That still records with moan; for which in all the subsequent editions we find 66 and made the night-bed mute, "That still records within one." There can, I think, be no doubt, that the author wrote-nightbird. Shakspeare has frequent allusions, in his works, to the nightingale. So, in his 101st Sonnet : As Philomel in summer's front doth sing, "And stops her pipe in growth of riper days, "Than when her mournful hymns did hush the night," &c. Again, in his Rape of Lucrece, 1594: 66 And for, poor bird, thou sing'st not in the day, "As shaming anie eye should thee behold." So, Milton's Paradise Lost, book iv. : "These to their nests "Were slunk; all but the wakeful nightingale ; To record anciently signified to sing. So, in Sir Philip Sydney's Ourania, by N. B. [Nicholas Breton] 1606: 66 Recording songs unto the Deitie." See vol. iv. p. 126, n. 7.-" A bird (I am informed) is said to record, when he sings at first low to himself, before he becomes master of his song and ventures to sing out. The word is in constant use with bird-fanciers at this day." Malone. 3 with rich and constant pen VAIL to her mistress Dian;] To vail is to bow, to do homage. The author seems to mean- When she would compose supplicatory hymns to Diana, or verses expressive of her gratitude to Dionyza.' We might indeed read-Hail to her mistress Dian; i. e. salute STEEVENS. her in verse. I strongly suspect that vail is a misprint. We might read: "Wail to her mistress Dian." i. e. compose elegies on the death of her mother, of which she had been apprized by her nurse, Lychorida. With absolute Marina: so With the dove of Paphos might the crow All praises, which are paid as debts, That Dian, i. e. Diana, is the true reading, may, I think, be inferred from a passage in The Merchant of Venice; which may at the same time perhaps afford the best comment on that before us: "Come, ho, and wake Diana with a hymn ; "With sweetest touches pierce your mistress' ear, Again, in A Midsummer-Night's Dream: "To be a barren sister all your life, Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon." MALONE. 4 With ABSOLUTE Marina:] i. e. highly accomplished, perfect. So, in Antony and Cleopatra: Again, in Greene's Tu Quoque, 1614: ·from an absolute and most complete gentleman, to a most absurd, ridiculous, and fond lover." MALONE. S VIE feathers white.] See note on The Taming of a Shrew, vol. v. p. 427, n. 4. STEEVENS. Old copy: "The dove of Paphos might with the crow The sense requires a transposition of these words, and that we should read: "With the dove of Paphos might the crow "Vie feathers white." M. MASON. I have adopted Mr. M. Mason's judicious arrangement. STEEVENS. In Philoten all graceful marks,] So, in Coriolanus : That Cleon's wife, with envy rare, The pregnant instrument of wrath R Only I carry 2 winged time3 Post on the lame feet of my rhyme ; 7 — with ENVY rare,] Envy is frequently used by our ancient writers, in the sense of malice. It is, however, I believe, here used in its common acceptation. MALONE. 8 The PREGNANT instrument of wrath-] Pregnant is ready. So, in Hamlet: "And crook the pregnant hinges of the knee-." MALONE. Pregnant, in this instance, means prepared, instructed. It is used in a kindred sense in Measure for Measure. See vol. ix. p. 8, n. 5. STEEVENS. 9 PREST for this blow.] Prest is ready; pret. Fr. So, in The Tragicall History of Romeus and Juliet, 1562: "I will, God lendyng lyfe, on Wensday next be prest "To wayte on him and you-." MALONE.. 1- The unborn event I do commend to your content:] I am not sure that I understand this passage; but so quaint and licentious is the phraseology of our Pseudo-Gower, that perhaps he means-' I wish you to find content in that portion of our play which has not yet been exhibited.' Our author might indeed have written consent, i. e. cooperation, your assistance in carrying on our present delusion. STEEVENS. 2 Only I CARRY-] Old copy-carried. STEEVENS. 3-winged time-] So, in the Chorus to The Winter's Tale: "I "Now take upon me, in the name of time, Which never could I so convey, Unless your thoughts went on my way.→ Dionyza does appear, With Leonine, a murderer. [Exit. SCENE I. Tharsus. An open Place near the Sea-shore. Enter DIONYZA and LEONINE, DION. Thy oath remember; thou hast sworn to do it 4: 'Tis but a blow, which never shall be known. Again, in King Henry V.: "Thus with imagin'd wing our swift scene flies, "Than that of thought." MALONE. 4 Thy oath remember; thou hast sworn to do it :] Here, I think, may be traced the rudiments of the scene in which Lady Macbeth instigates her husband to murder Duncan : "I have given suck, and know "How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me; I would, while it was smiling in my face, "Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums, MALONE. -inflame love in thy bosom,] The first quarto reads"Let not conscience which is but cold, in flaming thy love bosome, enflame too nicelie, nor let pitie," &c. The subsequent impressions afford no assistance. Some words seem to have been lost. The sentiment originally expressed, probably was thisLet not conscience, which is but a cold monitor, deter you from executing what you have promised; nor let the beauty of Marina Inflame too nicely; nor let pity, which LEON. I'll do't; but yet she is a goodly creature". DION. The fitter then the gods should have her'. Here enkindle the flame of love in your bosom ;-nor be softened by pity, which even I, a woman, have cast off.-I am by no means satisfied with the regulation that I have made, but it affords a glimmering of sense. Nearly the same expression occurred before: ·That have inflam'd desire in my breast-." I suspect, the words "enflame too nicely" were written in the margin, the author not having determined which of the two expressions to adopt; and that by mistake they were transcribed as a part of the text. The metre, which might be more commodiously regulated, if these words were omitted, in some measure supports this conjecture: "Nor let pity, which ev'n women have cast off, "Melt thee, but be a soldier to thy purpose." MALONE. We might read: 66 inflame thy loving bosom : With Mr. Malone's alteration, however, the words will bear the following sense :-Let not conscience, which in itself is of a cold nature, have power to raise the flame of love in you, raise it even to folly.-Nicely, in ancient language, signifies foolishly. Niais, Fr. Perhaps, indeed, the passage originally stood thus: Let not conscience, "Which is but cold, inflame love in thy bosom ; "Melt thee, but be a soldier to thy purpose." "Inflame too nicely "-and-" which even," are the words I omit. I add only the pronoun-that. STEEVENS. 6 -but YET SHE IS A GOODLY CREATURE.] So, in King Henry VIII.: 66 and yet my conscience says "She's a good creature." STEEVENS. 7 - but yet she is a goodly creature. Dion. The fitter then the gods should have her.] So, in King Richard III.: 66 O, he was gentle, mild, and virtuous. "The fitter for the King of Heaven." STEEVENS. |