A noble Neapolitan, Gonzalo, Out of his charity, (who being then appointed "Some food we had, and some fresh water, that A noble Neapolitan, Gonzalo, Out of his charity, (who being then appointed Master of this design) did give us ;] Mr Steevens has suggested, that we might better read-he being then appointed; and so we should certainly now write: but the reading of the old copy is the true one, that mode of phraseology being the idiom of Shakspeare's time. So, in the Winter's Tule: "And son unto the king, (whom heavens directing,) Again, in Coriolanus: 66 - waving thy hand, "Which, often, thus, correcting thy stout heart, "That will not hold the handling; or, say to them," &c. MALONE. I have left the passage in question as I found it, though with slender reliance on its integrity. What Mr. Malone has styled "the idiom of Shakspeare's time," can scarce deserve so creditable a distinction. It should be remembered that the instances adduced by him in support of his position are not from the early quartos which he prefers on the score of accuracy, but from the folio 1623, the inaccuracy of which, with equal judgement, he has censured. The genuine idiom of our language, at its different periods, can only be ascertained by reference to contemporary writers whose works were skilfully revised as they passed through the press, and are therefore unsuspected of corruption. A sufficient number of such books are before us. If they supply examples of phraseology resembling that which Mr. Malone would establish, there is an end of controversy between us: Let, however, the disputed phrases be brought to their test before they are admitted; for I utterly refuse to accept the jargon of theatres and the mistakes of printers, as the idiom or grammar of the age in which Shakspeare wrote. Every gross departure from literary rules may be countenanced, if we are permitted to draw examples from vitiated pages; and our readers, as often as they meet with restorations founded on such authorities, may justly exclaim, with Othello,-" Chaos is come again." STEEVENS. Rich garments, linens, stuffs, and necessaries, Which since have steaded much; so, of his gentle ness, Knowing I lov'd my books, he furnish'd me, I prize above MIRA. But ever see that man! PRO. 'Would I might Now I arise:8 Sit still, and hear the last of our sea-sorrow. Have I, thy school-master, made thee more profit 9 Now I arise:] Why does Prospero arise? Or, if he does it to ease himself by change of posture, why need he interrupt his narrative to tell his daughter of it? Perhaps these words belong to Miranda, and we should read: Mir. 'Would I might But ever see that man!-Now I arise. Pro. Sit still, and hear the last of our sea-sorrow. Prospero, in p. 14, had directed his daughter to sit down, and learn the whole of this history; having previously by some magi'cal charm disposed her to fall asleep. He is watching the progress of this charm; and in the mean time tells her a long story, often asking her whether her attention be still awake. The story being ended (as Miranda supposes) with their coming on shore, and partaking of the conveniences provided for them by the loyal humanity of Gonzalo, she therefore first expresses a wish to see the good old man, and then observes that she may now arise, as the story is done. Prospero, surprized that his charm does not yet work, bids her sit still; and then enters on fresh matter to amuse the time, telling her (what she knew before) that he had been her tutor, &c. But soon perceiving her drowsiness coming on, he breaks off abruptly, and leaves her still sitting to her slumbers. BLACKSTONE. As the words" now I arise"-may signify, "now I rise in my narration," 66 --- now my story heightens in its consequence," I have left the passage in question undisturbed. We still say, that the interest of a drama rises or declines. STERVens. 9 — princes] The first folio reads-princesse. HENLEY. Corrected by Mr. Rowe. MALone. For vainer hours, and tutors not so careful. MIRA. Heavens thank you for't! And now, I pray you, sir, (For still 'tis beating in my mind,) your reason For raising this sea-storm? PRO. Know thus far forth. By accident most strange, bountiful fortune, Now my dear lady,' hath mine enemies Brought to this shore: and by my prescience I find my zenith doth depend upon A most auspicious star; whose influence Come away, servant, come: I am ready now; Enter ARIEL. ́ ARI. All hail, great master! grave sir, hail! I come Now my dear lady,] i. e. now my auspicious mistress. I find my zenith doth depend upon A most auspicious star; whose influence STEEVENS. If now I court not, but omit, &c.] So, in Julius Cæsar: "Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; "Omitted, all the voyage of their life "Is bound in shallows and in miseries." MALONE. -'tis a good dulness,] Dr. Warburton rightly observes, that this sleepiness, which Prospero by his art had brought upon Miranda, and of which he knew not how soon the effect would begin, makes him question her so often whether she is attentive to his story. JOHNSON. To answer thy best pleasure; be't to fly,* On the curl'd clouds; to thy strong bidding, task Ariel, and all his quality. PRO. Hast thou, spirit, Perform'd to point' the tempest that I bade thee? ARI. To every article. I boarded the king's ship; now on the beak, * All hail, great master! grave sir, hail! I come To answer thy best pleasure; be't to fly, &c.] Imitated by Fletcher in The Faithful Shepherdess : 66 tell me sweetest, "What new service now is meetest "The sailing racke, or nimbly take "Hold by the moone, and gently make "Suit to the pale queene of night, "For a beame to give thee light? "And bring thee coral, making way "Through the rising waves, &c. HENLEY. On the curl'd clouds;] So, in Timon-Crisp heaven. STEEVENS. and all his quality.] i. e. all his confederates, all who are of the same profession. So, in Hamlet: "Come give us a taste of your quality." See notes on this passage, Act II. sc. ii. STEEVENS. 7 Perform'd to point] i. e. to the minutest article; a literal translation of the French phrase-a point. So, in the Chances, by Beaumont and Fletcher: 66 are you all fit? "To point, sir." Thus, in Chapman's version of the second book of Homer's Odyssey, we have 66 every due "Perform'd to full:." STEEVENS. - now on the beak,] The beak was a strong pointed body at the head of the ancient gallies; it is used here for the forecastle, or the boltsprit. JOHNSON. So in Philemon Holland's translation of the 2d chapter of the Now in the waist, the deck, in every cabin, cursors O' the dreadful thunder-claps,2 more momentary And sight-out-running were not: The fire, and cracks Of sulphurous roaring, the most mighty Neptune Seem'd to besiege, and make his bold waves tremble, Yea, his dread trident shake.3 32d book of Pliny's Natural History:-" our goodly tall and proud ships, so well armed in the beake-head with yron pikes," &c. STEEVens. 9 Now in the waist,] The part between the quarter-deck and the forecastle. JOHNSON. And burn in many places;] Perhaps our author, when he wrote these lines, remembered the following passage in Hackluyt's Voyages, 1598: "I do remember that in the great and boysterous storme of this foule weather, in the night there came upon the toppe of our maine yard and maine-mast a certaine little light, much like unto the light of a little candle, which the Spaniards call the Cuerpo Santo. This light continued aboord our ship about three houres, flying from maste to maste, and from top to top; and sometimes it would be in two or three places at once." MALONE. Burton says, that the Spirits of fire, in form of fire-drakes and blazing stars," oftentimes sit on ship-masts," &c. Melanch. P.I. 2. p. 30. edit. 1632. T. WArton. precursors O' the dreadful thunder-claps,] So, in King Lear: STEEVENS. 3 Yea, his dread trident shake.] Lest the metre should appear defective, it is necessary to apprize the reader, that in Warwickshire and other midland counties, shake is still pronounced by the common people as if it was written shaake, a dissyllable. FARMER. |