Complete Works of Samuel Johnson

by Samuel Johnson

  III.iii.82 (69,3) [clear life] Pure, blameless, innocent.

  III.iii.86 (69,4)

  [so with good life, And observation strange, my meaner ministers Their several kinds have done]

  This seems a corruption. I know not in what sense life can here be used, unless for alacrity, liveliness, vigour, and in this sense the expression is harsh. Perhaps we may read, — with good lift, with good will, with sincere zeal for my service. I should have proposed, — with good lief, in the same sense, but that I cannot find lief to be a substantive. With good life may however mean, with exact presentation of their several characters, with observation strange of their particular and distinct parts. So we say, he acted to the life. (see 1765, I,60,4)

  III.iii.99 (70,5) [bass my trespass] The deep pipe told it me in a rough bass sound.

  IV.i.2 (71,7) [for I Have given you here a third of mine own life] [Theobald had argued that Miranda was at least half of Prospero’s life and had emended.] In consequence of this ratiocination Mr. Theobald printed the text, a thread of my own life. I have restored the ancient reading. Prospero, in his reason subjoined why he calls her the third of his life, seems to allude to some logical distinction of causes, making her the final cause.

  IV.i.7 (71,8) [strangely stood the test] Strangely is used by way of commendation, merveilleusement, to a wonder; the sense is the same in the foregoing scene, with observation strange.

  IV.i.37 (72,1) [the rabble] The crew of meaner spirits.

  IV.i.59 (73,4) [No tongue] Those who are present at incantations are obliged to be strictly silent, “else,” as we are afterwards told, “the spell is marred.”

  IV.i.166 (80,4) [We must prepare to meet with Caliban] To meet with is to counteract; to play stratagem against stratagem. — The parson knows the temper of every one in his house, and accordingly either meets with their vices, or advances their virtues.

  HERBERT’s Country Parson.

  IV.i.178 (80,5)

  [so I charm’d their ears,

  That, calf-like, they my loving follow’d through

  Tooth’d briars, sharp furzes, pricking goss, and thorns,

  Which enter’d their frail shins]

  Thus Drayton, in his Court of Fairie of Hobgoblin caught in a

  Spell:

  ”But once the circle got within,

  ”The charms to work do straight begin,

  ”And he was caught as in a gin:

  ”For as be thus was busy,

  ”A pain he in his head-piece feels,

  ”Against a stubbed tree he reels,

  ”And up went poor Hobgoblin’s heels:

  ”Alas, his brain was dizzy.

  ”At length upon his feet he gets,

  ”Hobgoblin fumes, Hobgoblin frets;

  ”And as again he forward sets,

  ”And through the bushes scrambles,

  ”A stump doth hit him in his pace,

  ”Down comes poor Hob upon his face,

  ”And lamentably tore his case

  ”Among the briers and brambles.”

  IV.i.196 (81,7) [your fairy … has done little better than play’d the Jack with us] Has led us about like an iguis fatuus, by which travellers are decoyed into the mire.

  IV.i.246 (83,3) [put some lime] That is, birdlime.

  V.i.102 (90,7) [Ari. I drink the air before me] Is an expression of swiftness of the same kind as to devour the way in Henry IV.

  V.i.144 (92,1)

  [Alon. You the like loss? Pro. As great to me, as late;]

  My loss is as great as yours, and has as lately happened to me.

  V.i.174 (93,2) [Yes, for a score of kingdoms] I take the sense to be only this: Ferdinand would not, he says, play her false for the world; yes, answers she, I would allow you to do it for something less than the world, for twenty kingdoms, and I wish you well enough to allow you, after a little wrangle, that your play was fair. So likewise Dr. Gray.

  V.i.213 (94,3) [When no man was his own] For when perhaps should be read where.

  V.i.247 (96,4)

  [at pick’d leisure

  (Which shall be shortly) single I’ll resolve you,

  (Which to you shall seem probable) of every

  These happen’d accidents]

  These words seem, at the first view, to have no use; some lines are perhaps lost with which they were connected. Or we may explain them thus: I will resolve you, by yourself, which method, when you hear the story [of Anthonio’s and Sebastian’s plot] shall seem probable, that is, shall deserve your approbation.

  V.i.267 (97,5)

  [Mark but the badges of these men, my lords,

  Then say, if they be true]

  That is, honest. A true man is, in the language of that time, opposed to a thief. The sense is, Mark what these men wear, and say if they are honest.

  Epilogue.10 (100,7) With the help of your good hands] By your applause, by clapping hands. (1773)

  General Observation (100) It is observed of The Tempest, that its plan is regular; this the author of The Revisal thinks, what I think too, an accidental effect of the story, not intended or regarded by our author. But whatever might be Shakespeare’s intention in forming or adopting the plot, he has made it instrumental to the production of many characters, diversified with boundless invention, and preserved with profound skill in nature, extensive knowledge of opinions, and accurate observation of life. In a single drama are here exhibited princes, courtiers, and sailors, all speaking in their real characters. There is the agency of airy spirits, and of an earthly goblin. The operation of magick, the tumults of a storm, the adventures of a desert island, the native effusion of untaught affection, the punishment of guilt, and the final happiness of the pair for whom our passions and reason are equally interested. (1773)

  THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA

  It is observable (I know not for what cause) that the stile of this comedy is less figurative, and more natural and unaffected than the greater part of this author’s, though supposed to be one of the first he wrote. [Pope.] To this observation of Mr. Pope, which is very just, Mr. Theobald has added, that this is one of Shakespeare’s worst plays, and is less corrupted than any other. Mr. Upton peremptorily determines, that if any proof can be drawn from manner and stile, this play must be sent packing, and seek for its parent elsewhere. How otherwise, says he, do painters distinguish copies from originals, and have not authors their peculiar stile and manner from which a true critic can form as unerring judgment as a painter? I am afraid this illustration of a critic’s science will not prove what is desired. A painter knows a copy from an original by rules somewhat resembling these by which critics know a translation, which if it be literal, and literal it must be to resemble the copy of a picture, will be easily distinguished. Copies are known from originals, even when the painter copies his own picture; so if an author should literally translate his work, he would lose the manner of an original.

  Mr. Upton confounds the copy of a picture with the imitation of a painter’s manner. Copies are easily known, but good imitations are not detected with equal certainty, and are, by the best judges, often mistaken. Nor is it true that the writer has always peculiarities equally distinguishable with those of the painter. The peculiar manner of each arises from the desire, natural to every performer, of facilitating his subsequent works by recurrence to his former ideas; this recurrence produces that repetition which is called habit. The painter, whose work is partly intellectual and partly manual, has habits of the mind, the eye and the hand, the writer has only habits of the mind. Yet, some painters have differed as much from themselves as from any other; and I have been told, that there is little resemblance between the first works of Raphael and the last. The same variation may be expected in writers; and if it be true, as it seems, that they are less subject to habit, the difference between their works may be yet greater.

  But by the internal marks of a composition we may discover the author with probability, though seldom with certainty. When I read this play, I cannot bu
t think that I find, both in the serious and ludicrous scenes, the language and sentiments of Shakespeare. It is not indeed one of his most powerful effusions, it has neither many diversities of character, nor striking delineations of life, but it abounds in [Greek: gnomahi] beyond most of his plays, and few have more lines or passages, which, singly considered, are eminently beautiful. I am yet inclined to believe that it was not very successful, and suspect that it has escaped corruption, only because being seldom played, it was less exposed to the hazards of transcription.

  I.i.34 (108,6)

  [However, but a folly bought with wit;

  Or else a wit by folly vanquished]

  This love will end in a foolish action, to produce which you are long to spend your wit, or it will end in the loss of your wit, which will be overpowered by the folly of love.

  I.i.69 (109,7) [Made wit with musing weak] For made read make. Thou, Julia, hast made me war with good counsel, and make wit weak with muting.

  I.i.70 (109,8) [Enter Speed] [Pope found this scene low and full of “trifling conceits” and suggested it was possibly an interpolation by the actors.] That this, like many other scenes, is mean and vulgar, will be universally allowed; but that it was interpolated by the players seems advanced without any proof, only to give a greater licence to criticism.

  I.i.153 (112,4) [you have testern’d me] You have gratified me with a tester, testern, or testen, that is, with a sixpence.

  I.ii.41 (114,5) [a goodly broker!] A broker was used for matchmaker, sometimes for a procuress.

  I.ii.68 (115,6) [stomach on your meat] Stomach was used for passion or obstinacy.

  I.ii.137 (117,8) [I see you have a month’s mind to them] [A month’s mind was an anniversary in times of popery. Gray.] A month’s mind, in the ritual sense, signifies not desire or inclination, but remonstrance; yet I suppose this is the true original of the expression. (1773) I.iii.1 (118,9) [what sad talk] Sad is the same as grave or serious.

  I.iii.26 (119,2) [Valentine, Attends the emperor in his royal court] [Theobald had tried to straighten out an historical error.] Mr. Theobald discovers not any great skill in history. Vienna is not the court of the emperor as emperor, nor has Milan been always without its princes since the days of Charlemaigne; but the note has its use.

  I.iii.44 (120,3) [in good time] In good time was the old expression when something happened which suited the thing in hand, as the French say, a propos.

  I.iii.84 (121,4) [Oh, how this spring of love resembleth] At the end of this verse there is wanting a syllable, for the speech apparently ends in a quatrain. I find nothing that will rhyme to sun, and therefore shall leave it to some happier critic. But I suspect that the author might write thus:

  Oh, how this spring of love resembleth right,

  The uncertain glory of an April day;

  Which now shews all the glory of the light,

  And, by and by, a cloud takes all away.

  Light was either by negligence or affectation changed to sun, which, considered without the rhyme, is indeed better. The next transcriber, finding that the word right did not rhyme to sun, supposed it erroneously written, and left it out.

  II.i.27 (123,1) [Hallowmas] That is, about the feast of All-Saints, when winter begins, and the life of a vagrant becomes less comfortable.

  II.i.39 (123,2) [without you were so simple, none else would] None else would be so simple.

  II.i.148 (127,5) [reasoning with yourself?] That is, discoursing, talking. An Italianism.

  II.iii.22 (129,2) [I am the dog] This passage is much confused, and of confusion the present reading makes no end. Sir T. Hammer reads, I am the dog, no, the dog is himself and I am me, the dog is the dog, and I am myself. This certainly is more reasonable, but I know not how much reason the author intended to bestow on Launce’s soliloquy.

  II.iv.57 (133,1) [not without desert] And not dignified with so much reputation without proportionate merit.

  II.iv.115 (134,2) [No: that you are worthless] I have inserted the particle no to fill up the measure.

  II.iv.129 (135,4)

  [I have done penance for contemning love;

  Whose high imperious thoughts have punish’d me

  With bitter fasts, with penitential groans]

  For whose I read those. I have contemned love and am punished. Those high thoughts by which I exalted myself above human passions or frailties have brought upon me fasts and groans.

  II.iv.138 (136,5) [no woe to his correction] No misery that can be compared to the punishment inflicted by love. Herbert called for the prayers of the liturgy a little before his death, saying, None to them, none to them.

  II.iv.152 (136,6) [a principality] The first or principal of women.

  So the old writers use state. She is a lady, a great state.

  Latymer. This look is called in states warlie, in others

  otherwise. Sir T. More.

  II.iv.167 (137,8) [She is alone] She stands by herself. There is none to be compared to her.

  II.iv.207 (138,1) [with more advice] With more prudence, with more discretion.

  II.iv.209 (138,2) [’Tis but her picture I have yet beheld] This is evidently a slip of attention, for he had seen her in the last scene, and in high terms offered her his service.

  II.v.28 (139,4) [My staff understands me] This equivocation, miserable as it is, has been admitted by Milton in his great poem. B. VI.

  ” —— The terms we sent were terms of weight,

  ”Such as we may perceive, amaz’d them all,

  ”And stagger’d many who receives them right,

  ”Had need from head to foot well understand,

  ”Not understood, this gift they have besides,

  ”To shew us when our foes stand not upright.”

  II.vi (141,5) [Enter Protheus] It is to be observed, that in the first folio edition, the only edition of authority, there are no directions concerning the scenes; they have been added by the later editors, and may therefore be changed by any reader that can give more consistency or regularity to the drama by such alterations. I make this remark in this place, because I know not whether the following soliloquy of Protheus is so proper in the street.

  II.vi.7 (141,6) [O sweet-suggesting love] To suggest is to tempt in our author’s language. So again:

  “Knowing that tender youth is soon suggested.”

  The sense is, O tempting love, if thou hast influenced me to sin, teach me to excuse it. Dr. Warburton reads, if I have sinn’d; but, I think, not only without necessity, but with less elegance.

  II.vi.35 (142,7) [Myself in counsel, his competitor] Myself, who am his competitor or rival, being admitted to his counsel.

  II.vi.37 (142,8) [pretended flight] We may read intended flight.

  II.vi.43 (142,9) [Love, lend me wings to make my purpose swift, As thou hast lent me wit to plot this drift!] I suspect that the author concluded the act with this couplet, and that the next scene should begin the third act; but the change, as it will add nothing to the probability of the action, is of no great importance.

  III.i.45 (146,1) [be not aimed at] Be not guessed.

  III.i.47 (147,2) [of this pretence] Of this claim made to your daughter.

  III.i.86 (148,4) [the fashion of the time] The modes of courtship, the acts by which men recommended themselves to ladies.

  III.i.148 (150,5) [for they are sent by me] For is the same as for that, since.

  III.i.153 (150,6) [why, Phaeton (for thou art Merops’ son)] Thou art Phaeton in thy rashness, but without his pretensions; thou art not the son of a divinity, but a terrae filius, a low born wretch; Merops is thy true father, with whom Phaeton was falsely reproached.

  III.i.185 (151,7) [I fly not death, to fly his deadly doom] To fly his doom, used for by flying, or in flying, is a gallicism. The sense is, By avoiding the execution of his sentence I shall not escape death. If I stay here, I suffer myself to be destroyed; if I go away, I destroy myself.

  III.i.261 (153,8) [Laun. I am but a fool, look you; and yet I h
ave the wit to think my master is a kind of a knave: but that’s all one, if he be but one knave] [W: but one kind] This alteration is acute and specious, yet I know not whether, in Shakespeare’s language, one knave may not signify a knave on only one occasion, a single knave. We still use a double villain for a villain beyond the common rate of guilt.

  III.i.265 (154,9) [a team of horse shall not pluck] I see how Valentine suffers for telling his love-secrets, therefore I will keep mine close.

  III.i.330 (156,4) [Speed. Item, she hath a. sweet mouth] This I take to be the same with what is now vulgarly called a sweet tooth, a luxurious desire of dainties and sweetmeats.

  III.i.351 (157,5) [Speed. Item, she will often praise her liquor]

  That is, shew how well she likes it by drinking often.

  III.i.355 (157,6) [Speed. Item, she is too liberal] Liberal, is licentious and gross in language. So in Othello, “Is he not a profane and very liberal counsellor.”

  III.ii.7 (158,8) [Trenched in ice] Cut, carved in ice. Trencher, to cut, French.

  III.ii.36 (159,9) [with circumstance] With the addition of such incidental particulars as may induce belief.

  III.ii.51 (160,1)

  [Therefore as you unwind her love from him,

  Lest it should ravel, and be good to none,

  You must provide to bottom it on me]

  As you wind off her love from him, make me the bottom on which you wind it. The housewife’s term for a ball of thread wound upon a central body, is a bottom of thread.

  III.ii.68 (160,2) [lime] That is, birdlime.

  III.ii.98 (161,4) [Duke. Even now about it. I will pardon you]

  I will excuse you from waiting.

  IV.i.36 (163,2) [By the bare scalp of Robin Hood’s fat friar] Robin Hood was captain of a band of robbers, and was much inclined to rob churchmen.

  IV.i.46 (163,3) [awful men] Reverend, worshipful, such as magistrates, and other principal members of civil communities.

  IV.ii.12 (165,1) [sudden quips] That is, hasty passionate reproaches and scoffs. So Macbeth is in a kindred sense said to be sudden; that is, irascible and impetuous.

  IV.ii.45 (166,2) [For beauty lives with kindness] Beauty without kindness dies unenjoyed, and undelighting.