Notes to Shakespeare, Volume III: The Tragedies. Samuel Johnson

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      III.i.60 (362,4) laid falsly] Falsly for treacherously.

      III.i.66 (362,5) Let them regard me, as I do not flatter, and/ Therein behold themselves] Let them look in the mirror which I hold up to them, a mirror which does not flatter, and see themselves.

      III.i.89 (363,6) minnows] a minnow is one of the smallest river fish, called in some counties a pink.

      III.i.90 (364,6) 'Twas from the canon] Was contrary to the established role; it was a form of speech to which he has no right.

      III.i.98 (364,9) Then vail your ignorance] [W: "ignorance" means "impotence."] Hanmer's transposition deserves notice

      I neither think the transposition of one editor right, nor the interpretation of the other. The sense is plain enough without supposing ignorance to have any remote or consequential sense. If this man has power, let the ignorance that gave it him vail or bow down before him.

      These lines may, I think, be made more intelligible by a very slight correction.

      When the taste of the great, the patricians, must palate, must please [or must try] that of the plebeians.

      III.i.124 (366,3) They would not thread the gates] That is, pass them. We yet say, to thread an alley.

      III.i.129 (366,4) could never be the native] [Native for natural birth. WARBURTON.] Native is here not natural birth, but natural parent, or cause of birth. But I would read motive, which, without any distortion of its meaning, suits the speaker's purpose.

      III.i.151 (367,7) That love the fundamental part of state/More than you doubt the change of't] To doubt is to fear. The meaning is, You whose zeal predominates over your terrours; you who do not so much fear the danger of violent measures, as wish the good to which they are necessary, the preservation of the original constitution of our government.

      III.i.158 (368,2) Mangles true judgment] Judgment is judgment in its common sense, or the faculty by which right is distinguished from wrong.

      III.i.159 (368,3) that integrity which should become it] Integrity is in this place soundness, uniformity, consistency, in the same sense as Dr. Warburton often uses it, when he mentions the integrity of a metaphor. To become, is to suit, to befit.

      III.i.221 (370,5) are very poisonous] I read, are very poisons.

      III.i.242 (371,7) One time will owe another] I know not whether to owe in this place means to possess by right, or to be indebted. Either sense may be admitted. One time, in which the people are seditious, will give us power in some other time; or, this time of the people's predominance will run them in debt; that is, will lay them open to the law, and expose them hereafter to more servile subjection.

      III.i.248 (372,8) Before the tag return] The lowest and most despicable of the populace are still denominated by those a little above them, Tag, rag, and bobtail. (1773)

      III.ii.7 (376,4) I muse] That is, I wonder. I am at a loss.

      III.ii.12 (376,5) my ordinance] My rank.

      III.ii.51 (378,8) Why force you] Why urge you.

      III.ii.56 (378,9) bastards, and syllables/Of no allowance, to your bosom's truth] I read,

      therefore bastards. Yet allowance may well enough stand, as meaning legal right, established rank, or settled authority. (see 1765, VI, 566, 7)

      III.ii.64 (379,1) I am in this/Your wife, your son] I rather think the meaning is, I am in their condition, I am at stake, together with your wife, your son.

      III.ii.66 (379,2) our general lowts] Our common clowns.

      III.ii.69 (379,3) that want] The want of their loves.

      III.ii.71 (379,4) Not what] In this place not seems to signify not only.

      III.ii.77 (379,5) Waving thy head,/With often, thus, correcting thy stout heart] [W: thy hand,/Which soften thus] The correction is ingenious, yet I think it not right. Head or hand is indifferent. The hand is waved to gain attention; the head is shaken in token of sorrow. The word wave suits better to the hand, but in considering the authour's language, too much stress must not be laid on propriety against the copies. I would read thus,

      That is, shaking thy head, and striking thy breast. The alteration is slight, and the gesture recommended not improper.

      III.ii.99 (381,6) my unbarb'd sconce?] The suppliants of the people used to present themselves to them in sordid and neglected dresses.

      III.ii.113 (381,8) Which quired with my drum] Which played in concert with my drum.

      III.ii.116 (382,1) Tent in my cheeks] To tent is to take up residence.

      III.ii.121 (382,2) honour mine own truth] [Greek: Panton de malis aischuneui sauton]. Pythagoras.

      III.ii.125 (382,3) let/Thy mother rather feel thy pride, than fear/ Thy dangerous stoutness] This is obscure. Perhaps, she means, Go, do thy worst; let me rather feel the utmost extremity that thy pride can bring upon us, than live thus in fear of thy dangerous obstinacy.

      III.iii.17 (384,3)

      This is not very easily understood. We might read,

      III.iii.26 (384,4) and to have his word/Of contradiction] To have his word of contradiction is no more than, he is used to contradict; and to have his word, that is, not to be opposed. We still say of an obstinate disputant, he will have the last word.

      III.iii.29 (384,5) which looks/With us to break his neck] To look is to wait or expect. The sense I believe is, What he has in his heart is waiting there to help us to break his neck.

      III.iii.57 СКАЧАТЬ