p. 231. p. 232. p. 233. p. 234. p. 235. - Mr. Collier's "A contract of eternal bond of love": folio of 1632 has" and eternal bond of love, a plausible change, yet made doubtless because the construction of the text seemed old-fashioned to the corrector, or to the actor from whose lips he was in the habit of hearing the passage. 66 and a passy measures paynim" : Thus the original, except the obvious typographical error of panyn for "paynim," which, when the word was often spelled panym, was the slightest that could possibly occur. Paynim' = pagan, heathen, barbarian, was of old a common term of reproach; and Sir Toby, who uses another of a similar kind, Cataian,' wishes to call Malvolio not only a paynim, but one passing measure = egregious, out of all bounds. Pope read "a past measure paynim," which expresses the knight's thought, but loses the whimsical conversion of his intended words, by his drunken tongue, into nonsensical gibberish. Sir John Hawkins explained 'passy measures as a corruption of passamezzo, a favorite air in the days of Queen Elizabeth; and Malone, resting upon this explanation, and following in part the text of the second folio," after a passy measures pavin I hate," &c., read" and a passy-measures pavin," the pavin or pavan (from pavo= peacock) being a grave and stately dancewith the explanation that "Sir Toby means only by this quaint expression, that the surgeon is a rogue, and a grave and solemn coxcomb." This reading and explanation have been hitherto accepted. But the intentional calling of a man by the name of two dances is not quaint; and although it is absurd, it is not so with that whimsical and humorous sort of absurdity which Shakespeare, or even an inferior writer, would seek in such a situation. It has no drollery or character, and is simply senseless; whereas a drunken stumbling away from sense into nonsense, which yet has some likeness to what would be sense if it were appropriate, is droll and characteristic of the vinous condition. It is yet possible that the reading of the second folio, which is not entirely unsuited to Sir Toby's lips on this occasion, may give the true text. It is not disturbed in Mr. Collier's copy. "A natural perspective":- 'Perspective' was applied to a glass, or any other aid to the sight. "I'll bring you to a captain's":-The original has "captain;" the correction, which is justified by "where" in the next line, was made in Mr. Collier's folio of 1632. "A most extracting frenzy":- It occurred to Malone, as it must to every reader, that we might read “distract ing frenzy," and that change was found in Mr. Collier's folio of 1632; but in Shakespeare's day extracting' was used in a sense similar to that of 'distracting.' The second folio reads "exacting frenzy." 66 p. 235. has here writ," &c.: - So the original. Modern editors hitherto have read "he has here writ; and the pronoun is found in Mr. Collier's folio of 1632. But it was common to omit 'he' as a nominative when it had occurred as such in an immediately precedent clause of the sentence. Numberless instances might be quoted. p. 237. p. 238. "How now, art thou mad?". Notes incomprehensibly from the purpose, even in editions of the present day, justify the otherwise impertinent exegesis, that the Clown, beginning to read Malvolio's letter, which commences, "By the Lord, Madam, you wrong me, and the world shall know it," as he utters the first four words, is instantly reproved by Olivia for his supposed profanity in her presence. What is his reply? — 66 "I do but read madness." So in Ivanhoe, when the Templar begins to read the summons sent to Torquilstone, "I Wamba, the son of Witless," &c., Front de Bouf exclaims, "What! art thou mad? See also the next two speeches. "You must allow vox," is the Clown's whimsical way of saying 'you must let me speak.' 66 · geck and gull” : — Geck' is still used in the North of England for 'fool.' thou cam'st in smiling":- The original has "then cam'st," &c., from which no sense can be extracted. The obvious typographical error was strangely left for Zachary Jackson to point out, and has been hitherto retained. As he well remarks, the ou in manuscript might be easily mistaken for en. Indeed, in reading the best manuscript of Shakespeare's day, the closest examination can with difficulty distinguish one from the other. Then, the bow of e, usually very small, was turned to the left instead of the right. nity. Sir Toby's great importance":- - i. e., importu 66 some have greatness thrown upon them": Mr. Collier's folio of 1632 has "thrust upon them;" but it is not necessary or natural that the Clown, quoting from memory what he has heard but once, should be letter perfect. p. 239. "Song." - It has been reasonably conjectured by previous editors that this whimsical Song was not written by Shakespeare, and was probably added to the play by the actor who played the Clown, or to please him. He was evidently a singing man. The same doubt has been cast upon other Songs in this play. In the fourth stanza Mr. Collier's folio of 1632 reads, "With toss-pots I had drunken head." The Winter's Tale occupies twenty-seven pages in the folio of 1623; viz., from p. 277 to p. 303, inclusive, in the division of Comedies; p. 276 being left blank. It is there divided into Acts and Scenes; and at the end a somewhat imperfect list of the Dramatis Personæ is given, headed "The Names of all the Actors." |