Finally, in the sixth line, the original has "let not that part of Nature.” The insertion of 's after of is proposed by Mr. P. A. Daniel, and is, I think, fairly required by the sense of the passage.

ACT III., SCENE 2.

66

P. 232. One of his men was with the Lord Lucullus to borrow fifty talents.- So Theobald. The original reads "borrow so many talents." But, surely, the context leaves no doubt that, as Dyce notes, "the author must have intended a specific sum to be mentioned.” Lettsom, also, remarks upon the passage as follows: The same words, three times occurring, show that a definite sum was the subject of conversation; and it is clear, from this and the two preceding scenes, that that definite sum was fifty talents. The earlier editors saw this." At the end of the third speech following, we have the phrase so many talents” again; but, as the expression is there made definite by what has gone before, I leave it unchanged.

66

P. 233. Requesting your lordship to supply his instant use with fifty talents. Here, again, the original has "with so many talents." See the preceding note.

P. 233. How unluckily it happen'd, that I should purchase the day before, and, for a little part, undo a great deal of honour! Servilius, now, before the gods, I am not able to do't, &c. - In the first of these sentences, the original reads "the day before for a little part, and undo." The transposition of and was proposed by Jackson, and seems the best way of reducing the passage into some sort of propriety. Theobald printed "for a little dirt," meaning land; and Johnson proposed "for a little park." In the last sentence, the original has do instead of do't, which is Capell's reading.

P. 234.

And just of the same piece

Is every flatterer's spirit. - So Theobald. The original has sport instead of spirit.

P. 234. Nor e'er came any of his bounties over me,

e'er.

To mark me for his friend.— So Capell. The old text omits

ACT III., SCENE 3.

P. 235. How! have they denied him? have Ventidius, Lucius, and Lucullus denied him. — Here the original omits Lucius; but the context shows beyond question that this name ought to be mentioned along with the other two. The omission was doubtless accidental. Both Hanmer and Capell insert Lucius.

P. 235. His friends, like physicians, thrice give him over. - The original has thrive instead of thrice. The correction is Johnson's; but I suspect, with Walker, that thrive is “an interpolation, originating in some way or other from give." The word thrice is to be understood as referring to the three friends mentioned just before.

P. 235. So I may prove an argument of laughter to the rest, and 'mongst lords be thought a fool.· - The original reads "so it may prove," &c. The second folio attempts to cure the defect by inserting I before "be thought a fool." Perhaps I ought to add, that in the original this whole speech is printed as verse; but, as it cannot possibly be made to read as such, I have no scruple in printing it as prose, all except the couplet at the close.

P. 236. This was my lord's last hope; now all are fled,

Save the gods only. — The original has “best hope." Walker says, "Read, of course, last: see context." The old text also has "Save onely the gods." Corrected by Pope.

ACT III., SCENE 4.

The original has a prodigal course."

P. 237. You must consider that a prodigal's course is like the Sun's; but not, like his, recoverable.

Corrected by Theobald.

66

P. 238. What do you ask of me, my friends?—The original has Friend. The context requires friends. Dyce's correction.

P. 239. An if he be so far beyond his health,

Methinks he should the sooner pay his debts.

reads “And if it be so far," &c. The printing of and for an is very common; and the context clearly shows it to be an error for he. Corrected by Walker and Rowe.

P. 239. We cannot take this for an answer, sir. — The old text omits an. As the next word begins with an, such an omission might easily happen. Inserted by Rowe.

P. 239. Hor. Serv. And mine, my lord. — In the old text, this speech has the prefix "I Var." Corrected by Capell.

P. 240.

Go, bid all my friends again, Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius; all. - The original has “Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius Ullorxa : All," &c. The second folio reads "Lucius, Lucullus, add Semprovius: All," &c. The reading in the text is that of the third folio. How Ullorxa got into the original text, it is impossible to say: that it ought not to be there, is evident enough.

ACT III., SCENE 5.

P. 241. My lords, you have my voice to it. So Dyce. The original has "My Lord." As the speaker is addressing the Senate, there can be no doubt that we ought to read lords.

P. 241. Most true; the law shall bruise him. The old text has em instead of him. Hardly worth noting.

P. 241. He is a man, setting this fault aside,

Of comely virtues. — The original reads "setting his Fate aside." Pope and Collier's second folio change Fate to fault; and the change of his to this seems to me equally necessary.

burton.

P. 241. But with a noble fury and free spirit,

He did oppose his foe.

And so War

The original has "and faire spirit." Walker notes upon the passage thus: "Fair, except in a modern sense, is inadmissible here. I suspect that for faire we should read free, that is, single-hearted, generous, ut passim apud Nostrum."

P. 242. He did behave his anger, ere 'twas spent. - The original has "did behoove his anger." The correction is Rowe's. Collier's second folio alters behoove to reprove; Singer, to behood, explaining it to mean "hide, or conceal as with a hood." For my own part, I doubt whether either of the three changes is the right one. See, however, foot-note 1.

P. 242. Why do fond men expose themselves to battle,
And not endure all threatenings? sleep upon't,

And let the foes quietly cut their throats,

Without repugnancy? Or, if there be

Such valour in the bearing. — In the second of these lines, the old text has threats instead of threatenings, which is Pope's correction. It also lacks Or in the fourth line. Inserted by Capell. As the passage was evidently meant to be metrical, it seems unlikely that the author would have allowed two such gaps in the verse. Walker thinks that "endure requires a different word," but proposes no substitute. Perhaps insults; threats having crept in from throats in the line below.

P. 243. And th' ass more captain than the lion; the felon

Loaden with irons wiser than the judge. — The original has fellow instead of felon. Johnson's correction.

P. 243. I say, my lords, 'has done fair service. - The original has "Why say my Lords ha's done," &c. The second folio inserts / before say. The sense clearly requires I, but the metre does not admit both I and Why.

P. 243. If there were no more foes, that were enough

To overcome him. - So Walker. The old text omits more,

which is needful alike to sense and metre.

My honours to you, upon his good return. The original has Honour and returnes.

P. 245. Attend our weightier judgment.

And, to quell your spirit, Instead of "And to quell your

He shall be executed presently. spirit," the original has “And not to swell our Spirit." This is generally, and no doubt justly, thought to be corrupt. Hanmer reads "And (not to swell our spirit) he shall," &c.; Warburton, “And, (now to swell your spirit,) He shall," &c.; Capell, "And, not to swell your spirit, He shall," &c. Various other changes have been made or proposed; but I can get no fitting sense out of any of them. Singer conjectured "not to quell our spirit"; and this suggested the present reading. I had thought to read "And now to quell," &c.; but now is altogether redundant both in sense and metre, and was probably written as an alternative reading with And.

P. 245. Now the gods keep you old enough; that you may live Only in bone, that none may look upon you! The expression "live only in bone" is certainly very odd. Staunton remarks that "what living in bone may mean, and why when ossified these aged senators should become invisible, are beyond our comprehension." He adds the following: "Hamlet, speaking to Ophelia of her father, says, 'Let the doors be shut upon him, that he may play the fool nowhere but in's own house,' and it may be questionable whether only in bone is not a typographical error for only at home, or only in doors." Dr. Ingleby thinks only in bed may be the right reading, and quotes from an address he had lately read: "People always ailing are tiresome, there is no denying it. I have a great dread of becoming an invalid. I have a great respect for invalids in bed, - out of sight." But why not read "only alone"? We all know how apt the aged are to be deserted and forlorn. And one of the greatest miseries of old age is the liability to be cast aside or shunned, as having nothing to interest or attract society.

P. 245. Pours into captains' wounds? Ha, banishment!—So the second folio. The first omits Ha.

ACT III., SCENE 6.

P. 246. He hath sent me an earnest inviting, which my many near occasions did urge me to put off. -The original reads " many my near occasions." Walker notes upon it, "Was this ever English? I doubt it."

P. 247. The swallow follows not Summer more willingly than we your lordship.—The original has willing; but the next speech shows it should be willingly. Corrected in the fourth folio.

P. 247. Feast your ears with the music awhile, if they will fare so harshly. O, the trumpets sound; we shall to't presently. - The original reads "If they will fare so harshly o' the Trumpets sound." The arrangement in the text is Walker's, who, however, would omit 0.

P. 248. The rest of your foes, O gods, the Senators of Athens, together with the common tag of people, &c.-The old text has Fees instead of foes, and legge instead of tag. Warburton changed Fees to foes, and both changes are made in Collier's second folio.