ACT IV. INDUCTION.-C. p. 323; K. p. 92. "And in this kind hath our Cleon One daughter, and a wench full grown, Even ripe for marriage sight: this maid For certain in our story," &c. "i. e. ripe for the sight of marriage ;-a very clear reading, requiring no change of sight' to fight, as Malone altered it. That sight' is the true word we have this evidence that in Malone's copy of the quarto, 1609, this passage stands, Even right for marriage sight;' whereas in the Duke of Devonshire's copy of the same edition, right was corrected (as the sheet went through the press) to 'ripe:' if 'sight' had been an error, that word would probably not have been passed over. We might possibly read, Even ripe for marriage rite,' on the supposition that in the manuscript rite was spelt right, and misprinted sight."" COLLIER. I do not exactly understand what Mr. Collier means by "a very clear reading;" but I feel confident that the one in question is utterly wrong; for to no writer of prose or verse would it ever have occurred to say that a maid was "ripe for marriage SIGHT," i. e. for the SIGHT of marriage. Malone's alteration " ripe for marriage fight" (which he defends by the words "Cupid's wars" in an earlier part of the play) has been adopted by Mr. Knight: but such an expression is utterly at variance with the homely language which throughout this drama is put into the mouth of ancient Gower,—who in his Induction to the first act tells us that the beauty of Antiochus's daughter 66 "Made many princes thither frame, In marriage-pleasures play-fellow :" it was not for him to talk (like a Greek or Latin poet) of marriage-fight."-In short, what Mr. Collier thinks" we might possibly read," is undoubtedly the genuine lection, viz.; "Even ripe for marriage-rite." SCENE 1.-C. p. 326. "Dion. How now, Marina! why do you weep alone? A nurse of me. Lord! how your favour's chang'd Malone tells us that the earliest copies read keep for 'weep.' Such is not the case with the quarto, 1609, the property of the Duke of Devonshire, which, like all the subsequent impressions, has 'weep alone.' Either word may be right, but, from what follows,' weep' seems preferable, and probably was substituted for keep." COLLIEr. To say nothing of the parallel line in Macbeth, act iii. sc. 2; 'How now, my lord! why do you keep alone ?” the context proves that "weep" is a misprint. Dionyza first asks Marina why she keeps alone, without the company of Philoten; and then bids her not indulge in grief. SCENE 3.-C. p. 331; K. p. 95. "Mar. The more my fault, To 'scape his hands where I was like to die." Passed over without any note by Messrs. Malone, Collier, and Knight. Here "fault" means misfortune;' as in The Merry Wives of Windsor, act i. sc. 1, " 'tis your fault, 'tis your fault" (which passage also is left unexplained by Mr. Collier and Mr. Knight). See Gifford's note on Massinger's Works, ii. 98, ed. 1813. Whom thou hast poison'd too. If thou hadst drunk to him, it had been a kindness Becoming well thy face." What is the meaning of "face," (which neither Mr. Collier nor Mr. Knight attempts to explain)? Malone gave M. Mason's conjecture, "feat."-Read "fact." Compare The Winter's Tale, act iii. sc. 2; ACT IV. INDUCTION.-C. p. 323; K. p. 92. And in this kind hath our Cleon For certain in our story," &c. "i. e. ripe for the sight of marriage ;-a very clear reading, requiring no change of sight' to fight, as Malone altered it. That' sight' is the true word we have this evidence that in Malone's copy of the quarto, 1609, this passage stands, Even right for marriage sight;' whereas in the Duke of Devonshire's copy of the same edition, right was corrected (as the sheet went through the press) to ripe :' if 'sight' had been an error, that word would probably not have been passed over. We might possibly read, 'Even ripe for marriage rite,' on the supposition that in the manuscript rite was spelt right, and misprinted sight.'" COLLIER. I do not exactly understand what Mr. Collier means by "a very clear reading;" but I feel confident that the one in question is utterly wrong; for to no writer of prose or verse would it ever have occurred to say that a maid was "ripe for marriage SIGHT," i. e. for the SIGHT of marriage. Malone's alteration" ripe for marriage fight" (which he defends by the words "Cupid's wars" in an earlier part of the play) has been adopted by Mr. Knight: but such an expression is utterly at variance with the homely language which throughout this drama is put into the mouth of ancient Gower,—who in his Induction to the first act tells us that the beauty of Antiochus's daughter 66 Made many princes thither frame, To seek her as a bed-fellow, In marriage-pleasures play-fellow :" it was not for him to talk (like a Greek or Latin poet) of marriage-fight."-In short, what Mr. Collier thinks" we might possibly read," is undoubtedly the genuine lection, viz. ; "Even ripe for marriage-rite." SCENE 1.-C. p. 326. "Dion. How now, Marina! why do you weep alone? A nurse of me. Lord! how your favour's chang'd Malone tells us that the earliest copies read keep for 'weep.' Such is not the case with the quarto, 1609, the property of the Duke of Devonshire, which, like all the subsequent impressions, has 'weep alone.' Either word may be right, but, from what follows, 'weep' seems preferable, and probably was substituted for keep." COLLIER. To say nothing of the parallel line in Macbeth, act iii. sc. 2; "How now, my lord! why do you keep alone ?” the context proves that "weep" is a misprint. Dionyza first asks Marina why she keeps alone, without the company of Philoten; and then bids her not indulge in grief. SCENE 3.-C. p. 331; K. p. 95. Mar. The more my fault, To 'scape his hands where I was like to die." Passed over without any note by Messrs. Malone, Collier, and Knight. Here "fault" means misfortune;' as in The Merry Wives of Windsor, act i. sc. 1, " 'tis your fault, 'tis your fault" (which passage also is left unexplained by Mr. Collier and Mr. Knight). See Gifford's note on Massinger's Works, ii. 98, ed. 1813. Whom thou hast poison'd too. If thou hadst drunk to him, it had been a kindness Becoming well thy face." What is the meaning of "face," (which neither Mr. Collier nor Mr. Knight attempts to explain)? Malone gave M. Mason's conjecture, "feat."-Read "fact." Compare The Winter's Tale, act iii. sc. 2; "As you were past all shame, (Those of your fact are so) so past all truth." SCENE 4.-C. p. 335; K. p. 96. "She did disdain my child, and stood between Whilst ours was blurted at, and held a malkin, "Steevens plausibly suggested that we ought to read distain my child,' inasmuch as Marina did not disdain' Philoten, but show her off to disadvantage. The old copies afford a clear meaning." COL LIER. Malone and Mr. Knight (the latter without a note) also retain "disdain"!-though poor Marina was so far from disdaining any one, that she is represented as meekness itself,though our old writers constantly use distain in the sense (absolutely required here) of sullying by contrast, - and though in the Induction to this act Gower has said, "Marina gets All praises, which are paid as debts, In Philoten all graceful marks, A present murderer does prepare," &c. SCENE 6.-C. p. 340; K. p. 98. "Bawd. We have here one, sir, if she would-but there never came her like in Mitylene. Lys. If she'd do the deeds of darkness, thou would'st say." So too Malone. Did he and Mr. Collier suppose that murder, house-breaking, robbery, &c. were alluded to?- Mr. Knight very properly prints "deed." SCENE 6.-C. "Persevere in that clear way thou goest," &c. |