influence exerted by the memory of the old pronunciation of the two terminations just mentioned even after it had come to be universally or generally disused. For instance, although the word satisfaction had already come in the age of Shakespeare to be generally pronounced exactly as it is at the present day, the line “ But for your private satisfaction,” was the more readily accepted as a sufficient verse by reason of the old syllabication of the word, which, even by those who had abandoned it (as Shakespeare himself evidently had done), was not forgotten. Other lines having nothing more for their tenth syllable than the verbal affix ed, in which also an elision had become usual, would be acted upon in the same manner; the ed would still retain something of the effect of a separate syllable even after it ceased to be so pronounced. But after the public ear had thus become reconciled and accustomed to such a form of verse, it might be expected to be sometimes indulged in by poetic writers when it had to be produced in another way than through the instrumentality of the half separable ed and the half dissyllabic tion. The line “ But for your private satisfaction," pronounced as we have assumed it to have been, would make such a line as She dreamt to night she saw my statue" seem to have an equal right to be accounted legitimate, seeing that its effect upon the ear was precisely the same. Still the conservative principle in language would keep the later and more decided deviation from the normal form comparatively infrequent. Sometimes a singular effect of suddenness and abruptness is produced by such a form of verse; as in the sharp appeal of Menenius, in the opening scene of Coriolanus,

66

to the loud and grandiloquent leader of the mutinous citizens,

"What do you think,

You, the great toe of this assembly ?”

Unless, indeed, we are to assume the verse here to be complete and regular, and that assembly is to be read as a word of four syllables, as-sem-bl-y. In the present Play, however, at 295, we have an instance to which that objection does not apply. The line there

"Look, how he makes to Cæsar: mark him "—is of precisely the same rhythm with " She dreamt to night she saw my statue," and also with the one by which it is immediately preceded,-"I fear our purpose is discovered" (in 294), as well as with "He says he does, being then most flattered" (in 195), and many others, read (as it is probable they were intended to be) without the distinct syllabication of the ed.

After all, Shakespeare's word may really have been statua, as Reed and Steevens suppose. This is decidedly the opinion of Mr. Dyce, who, in his Remarks on Mr. Collier's and Mr. Knight's editions (p. 186), calls attention to the following line from a copy of verses by John Harris, prefixed to the 1647 Folio of the Plays of Beaumont and Fletcher ;—

"Defaced statua and martyr'd book."

"I therefore have not," he adds, "the slightest doubt that wherever statue occurs, while the metre requires three syllables, it is a typographical error for statua.” Perhaps the best way would be to print statua in all cases, and to assume that that was the form which Shakespeare always wrote. Statua would have the

prosodical value either of a dissyllable or of a trisyllable according to circumstances, just as Mantua, for instance, has throughout Romeo and Juliet, where we have in one place such a line as

“For then thou canst not pass to Mantu-a” (üi. 3),

or

“But I will write again to Mantu-a" (v. 2), and in another such as

“Sojourn in Mantua ; I'll find out your man” (iii. 3), or

“So that my speed to Mantua there was stayed" (v. 2). 246. Which, like a fountain with an hundred spouts. - This is the reading of both the First and Second Folio. Mr. Collier, however, has “ a hundred.”

246. And these does she apply for warnings, and portents. This is the reading of all the Folios. It is not quite satisfactory; and the suspected corruption has been attempted to be cured in various ways. Shakespeare's habitual accentuation of portent seems to have been on the last syllable. If the passage were in any one of certain others of the Plays, I should be inclined to arrange the lines as follows :

“And these does she apply for warnings, and
Portents, and evils imminent; and on her knee

Hath begged that I will stay at home to day.” The crowding of short syllables which this would occasion in the second line is much less harsh and awkward than what the received arrangement gives us in the first. But, so slight a monosyllable as and in the tenth place would give us a structure of verse of which, although common in several of the other Plays, we have no example in this. See Prolegomena.

Of evils imminent.--This conjectural emendation appears to be Warburton's; but it is also adopted by Mr. Collier, and possibly may have the sanction of his manuscript annotator. The reading in all the old copies is " And evils."

247. For tinctures, etc.--Tinctures and stains are understood both by Malone and Steevens as carrying an allusion to the practice of persons dipping their handkerchiefs in the blood of those whom they regarded as martyrs. And it must be confessed that the general strain of the passage, and more especially the expression “shall press for tinctures,” etc., will not easily allow us to reject this interpretation. Yet does it not make the speaker assign to Cæsar by implication the very kind of death Calphurnia's apprehension of which he professes to regard as visionary ? The pressing for tinctures and stains, it is true, would be a confutation of so much of Calphurnia's dream as seemed to imply that the Roman people would be delighted with his death,

CG

* Many lusty Romans
Came smiling, and did bathe their hands in it.”

Do we refine too much in supposing that this inconsistency between the purpose and the language of Decius is intended by the poet, and that in this brief dialogue between him and Cæsar, in which the latter suffers himself to be so easily won over,-persuaded and relieved by the very words that ought naturally to have confirmed his fears, we are to feel the presence of an unseen power driving on both the unconscious prophet and the blinded victim ? Compare 408.

Johnson takes both tinctures and cognizance in the heraldic sense as meaning distinctive marks of honour and armorial bearings (in part denoted by colours). But the stains and relics are not so easily to be accounted for on this supposition; neither would it be very natural to say that men should press to secure such distinctions. The speech altogether Johnson characterizes as “intentionally pompous" and "somewhat confused.”

249. The senate have concluded.—To conclude, for to resolve, is one of numerous expressions, which, although no longer used, are nevertheless almost as universally intelligible as ever. They are the veterans, or emeriti, of the language, whose regular active service is over, but who still exist as a reserve force, or retired list, which may always be called out on special occasions.

249. Apt to be rendered.-Easy and likely to be thrown out in return or retaliation for your refusing to come.

249. Shall they not whisper ? —We should now say “ Will they not?” Vid. 238.

249. To your proceeding.-To your advancement.

249. And reason to my love is liable.--As if he had said, And, if I have acted wrong in telling you, my excuse is, that my reason where you are concerned is subject to and is overborne by my affection. Vid. 67.

250. In the original stage direction the name of Publius stands last, instead of first.

252. Are you stirred. We have lost this application of stirred (for out of bed). The word now commonly used, astir, does not occur in Shakespeare ; and, what is remarkable, it has hitherto, although we have long