ABB. Whoever bound him, I will loose his bonds, ÆGE. If I dream not, thou art Æmilia: ABB. By men of Epidamnum, he, and I, DUKE. Why, here begins his morning story right. And these two Dromios, one in semblance,- ANT. S. No, sir, not I; I came from Syracuse. DUKE. Stay, stand apart; I know not which is which. ANT. E. I came from Corinth, my most gracious lord. DRO. E. And I with him. ANT. E. Brought to this town by that most famous warrior Duke Menaphon, your most renowned uncle. ADR. Which of you two did dine with me to-day? ANT. S. I, gentle mistress. ADR. And are not you my husband? ANT. E. No, I say nay to that. ANT. S. And so do I, yet did she call me so; ANG. That is the chain, sir, which you had of me. ANT. S. I think it be, sir; I deny it not. ANT. E. And you, sir, for this chain arrested me. DRO. E. No, none by me. ANT. S. This purse of ducats I receiv'd from you, ANT. E. These ducats pawn I for my father here. ANT. E. There, take it; and much thanks for my good cheer. ABB. Renowned duke, vouchsafe to take the pains To go with us into the abbey here, And hear at large discoursed all our fortunes: The duke, my husband, and my children both, Go to a gossip's feast, and go with me; After so long grief, such nativity! DUKE. With all my heart, I 'll gossip at this feast. [Exeunt DUKE, ABBESS, ÆGEON, Courtezan, Merchant, ANGELO, and Attendants. DRO. S. Master, shall I fetch your stuff from shipboard? ANT. E. Dromio, what stuff of mine hast thou embark'd? DRO. S. Your goods, that lay at host, sir, in the Centaur. ANT. S. He speaks to me; I am your master, Dromio: Come, go with us; we 'll look to that anon: Embrace thy brother there, rejoice with him. [Exeunt ANT. S. and E., ADR., and Luc. DRO. S. There is a fat friend at your master's house, That kitchen'd me for you to-day at dinner; She now shall be my sister, not my wife. DRO. E. Methinks, you are my glass, and not my brother: I see, by you, I am a sweet-fac'd youth. Will you walk in to see their gossiping? DRO. S. Not I, sir; you are my elder. DRO. E. That's a question: how shall we try it? DRO. S. We'll draw cuts for the senior: till then, lead thou first. DRO. E. Nay, then thus: We came into the world like brother and brother: And now let's go hand in hand, not one before another. [Exeunt. VARIOUS READINGS. "Yet, that the world may witness that my end "The manuscript corrector of the folio, 1632," says Mr. Collier, "states that nature ought to be fortune, since Ægeon was not about to lose his life in the course of nature." (ACT I., Sc. 1.) He was brought to his end by nature, by the impulses of nature, in the desire to find his children, as he subsequently tells;not by "offence" against the laws of Ephesus. "To seek thy hope by beneficial help." (ACT I., Sc. 1.) Mr. Collier, in his edition of 1842, suggested this alteration of the line of the folio, "To seek thy help by beneficial help." The MS. Corrector has the same change. Malone holds to the original. We have not altered the text, but we have expressed a former opinion that Mr. Collier's own suggestion was valuable. But still, it may be asked, what hope has Ægeon? He is ready to welcome death. His character is stoical. "If thou had'st been Dromio to-day in my place, Thou would'st have chang'd thy face for a name, or thy name for a fuce." The original has, "thy name for an ass." This correction would 66 seem more accurately to preserve the antithesis and the rhyme." (ACT III., Sc. 1.) at It is scarcely necessary to preserve the antithesis. Antipholus had called him 66 an ass," which he is very indignant; and he cannot forget his indignation. "Far more, far more to you do I incline." (ACT III., Sc. 2.) The original line is, "Far more, far more, to you do I decline." Mr. Collier thinks the change of the Corrector is preferable. Mr. Dyce truly says of this proposed change, that the MS. corrector merely substituted a word more familiar to himself, and those of his time, than "decline." 66 "No, he 's in Tartar limbo, worse than hell : A devil in an everlasting garment hath him, fell: Who has no touch of mercy, cannot feel." (Acr IV., Sc. 2.) Mr. Collier gives the additional word, and the additional line of the MS. Corrector, as valuable things that had been lost. We cannot but consider these additions as sentimental stuff, very much out of character-added in a more recent period than that of Shakspere, to make couplets. GLOSSARY. A-ROW. Act. V., Sc. 1. In a row; one after the other. ASSURED. Act III., Sc. 2. Affianced. "Swore I was assured to her." The word is used in the same sense of contracted or affianced, in 'King John.' BAND. Act IV., Sc. 2. Bond. So, in 'Richard II.' "Hast thou, according to thy oath and band." BUFF. Act IV., Sc. 2. "A fellow all in buff." The "shoulder-clapper," the bailiff, of Shakspere's time, was clothed in the buffjerkin, the coat of ox-skin, which was worn for defence by great captains as well as by humble ministers of the law. CARCANET. Act III., Sc. 1. Chain, or necklace. CIRCE. Act V., Sc. 1. "I think you all have drunk of Circe's cup." The companions of Ulysses, as described in Homer's Odyssey,' were transformed into swine, upon drinking out of the cup of the enchantress Circe. COMPACT OF CREDIT. Act III., Sc. 2. Credulous. |