the preference. The passage to which we refer is this—"Adieu, valour!" says the fantastical Armado, "rust rapier! be still drum, for your armiger is in love." This reading, we think, is worthy of being perpetuated in a note though scarcely entitled to be elevated into the text
Act III. Scene 1.—The corrector very soon relapses into his blunders. Passing over several, here is one, not so conspicuous perhaps, but as decided as any into which he has fallen. Armado, speaking to Moth his page, says, "Fetch hither the swain (i.e., Costard the clown), he must carry me a letter." Moth replies, "A message well-sympathed—a horse to be ambassador for an ass." The MS. corrector reads, "A messenger well-sympathised," not perceiving that this destroys the point, and meaning, and pertinency of Moth's remark. "A message well-sympathised" means a mission well concocted, an embassy consistent with itself, which, says Moth this one is, inasmuch as it is a case of horse (Costard) representing an ass—(to-wit, yourself; master mine.) Yet Mr Collier says that "we ought unquestionably to substitute messenger for message."
Moth, the page, having gone to fetch Costard, Armado says—
"A most acute juvenal, voluble, and free of grace.
By thy favour, sweet welkin, I must sigh in thy face,
Most rude Melancholy, valour gives thee place."
The MS. corrector alters the last line into "moist-eyed melancholy;" and Mr Collier remarks, "'Most rude melancholy' has no particular appropriateness, whereas 'moist-eyed melancholy' is peculiarly accordant with the sighs Armado breathes, in due apology, to the face of the welkin." No particular appropriateness! when the euphuist is in the very act of apologizing to the welkin for the breach of good manners of which his "most rude melancholy" has compelled him to be guilty. What else could he, in the circumstances, have called his melancholy with any degree of propriety? Oh, silly margins! you have much to answer for. You are not only stupid yourselves, but you are the cause of stupidity in other people.
Act IV. Scene 1.—Having considered the following passage very carefully, we are compelled to side with Mr Singer and Mr Dyce in favour of the old reading "fair" against " faith," which is advocated by the MS. corrector, Mr Collier, and Mr Hunter. The princess, giving money to the forester, whom she playfully charges with having called her any-thing but good-looking, says—
"Fair payment for foul words is more than due.
Forester. Nothing but fair is that which you inherit.
Princess. See, see, my beauty will be saved by merit.
Oh, heresy in fair, fit for these days!
A giving hand, though foul, shall have fair praise.
The new reading proposed is, "Oh, heresy in faith. "But this change is not necessary; indeed it spoils the passage. The princess, when the forester compliments her, says—See, see, my beauty will be saved" (not on its own account, for, in this man's opinion, I have little or none) but "by merit," that is, because I have given him money. He calls me an angel of light because I have given him half-a-crown. Oh, heresy in regard to beauty! None but the really beautiful ought to be so complimented. Those who like me are plain (as this man thinks me in his heart), and have "foul hands," ought not to obtain fair praise—ought not to be praised as fair, however "giving" or liberal these hands maybe. The heresy here playfully alluded to is the error of supposing that people can be beautified by their gifts as well as by their appearance; just as a religious heresy consists in the idea that a person can be justified by his works as well as by his faith.
Act IV. Scene 3.—The following passage has given some trouble to the commentators—
Black is the badge of hell,
The hue of dungeons, and the school of night."
Various substitutes have been proposed for the word "school." The variorum reads "scowl," which was introduced by Warburton. Theobald conjectured "stole." The marginalia present "shade" which is as poor as poor can be. We believe the original
