Gifts, Letters, louing Embaffies, that they haue feem'd to be together, though absent: shooke hands, as ouer a Vaft; and embrac'd as it were from the ends of opposed Winds. The Heauens continue their Loues.

Arch. I thinke there is not in the World, either Malice or Matter, to alter it. You haue an vnspeakable comfort of your young Prince Mamillius: it is a Gentleman of the greatest Promife, that euer came into my Note.

Cam. I very well agree with you, in the hopes of him : it is a gallant Child; one, that (indeed) Phyficks the Sub

31. Gifts] Gift F.

32. Vaft] Vaft Sea Ff, Rowe, Pope,

Han.

34. Heauens] heaven's Johns.

31

35

40

Heav'ns Rowe +.

40. one, that] one that Ff.

31. Vast] WALKER (Crit. ii, 38) devotes an article, with many examples, to the peculiar use of vast, Lat. vastus, empty, waste. This use of vast, and in like manner of vasty, is common in the poets of Shakespeare's age.'-STEEVENS called attention to its use as applied to the sea, in Per. III. i, 1: Thou god of this great vast, rebuke these surges.'-HENLEY suggests, with probability, that there is a reference here to 'a device, common in the title pages of old books, of two hands extended from opposite clouds, and joined as in token of friendship over a wide waste of country.' Vast is applied to time as well as space in Temp. I, ii, 327; Ham. I, ii, 198.

34. Loues] WALKER (Crit. i, 233): The interpolation of an s at the end of a word, generally, but not always, a noun substantive,—is remarkably frequent in the Folio. Those who are conversant with the MSS of the Elizabethan age may perhaps be able to explain its origin. Were it not for the different degree of frequency with which it occurs in different parts of the Folio,-being comparatively rare in the Comedies (except perhaps in The Winter's Tale), appearing more frequently in the Histories, and becoming quite common in the Tragedies,-I should be inclined to think it originated in some peculiarity of Shakespeare's hand-writing. [In the present passage Walker (p. 252) would read Love, and rightly, inasmuch as in the next speech Archidamus says: I thinke there is not . . . Malice . . . to alter it.' See also hands,' II, iii, 99, post.]

35-38. LADY MARTIN: In this speech two notes are struck which reverberate in in the heart, when these bright anticipations are soon afterward turned to anguish and dismay by the wholly unexpected, jealous, frenzy of Leontes.

40. Subiect] JOHNSON: Affords a cordial to the state; has the power of assuaging the sense of misery. [The Subject' is plural in sense, like the wicked, the elect. Cf. Lear, IV, vi, 110: 'see how the subject quakes,' or Ham. II, ii, 416: ''twas caviare to the general.' STAUNTON, while conceding that this may be the meaning, thinks that from the words which immediately follow-" makes old hearts fresh" -it has a more particular meaning: The sight and hopes of the princely boy were cordial to the afflicted and invigorating to the old.' A distinction which I cannot say is quite clear.-ED.]

iect, makes old hearts fresh: they that went on Crutches ere he was borne, defire yet their life, to see him a Man. Arch. Would they else be content to die?

Cam. Yes;ifthere were no other excufe, why they should defire to liue.

41

45

Arch. If the King had no Sonne, they would defire to liue on Crutches till he had one.

Exeunt.

47

Scana Secunda.

Enter Leontes, Hermione, Mamillius, Polixenes, Camillo.

Pol. Nine Changes of the Watry-Starre hath been The Shepheards Note, fince we haue left our Throne Without a Burthen: Time as long againe

5

3. Watry-Starre] watry star Rowe et seq.

hath] have Cap. Steev. Var. Knt, Sing. Coll. Dyce.

4. The Shepheards Note] In parenthesis, Warb.

5. Burthen] burden Johns.

3. Nine Changes] JOHN HUNTER: That is, nine quarters of the moon; nine weeks.-HUDSON correctly understands these ‘nine changes' as meaning nine lunar months; and adds justly and delicately if the time had been but nine weeks, it is not likely that Leontes would speak, as he afterward does, touching Perdita.'

3. Watry-Starre] DYER (p. 74): The moisture of the moon is invariably noticed by Shakespeare. Cf. Ham. I, i, 118, 'the moist star upon whose influence Neptune's empire stands'; Mid. N. D. II, i, 103, 'the moon, the governess of floods'; Rom. and Jul. I, iv, 62, 'the moonshine's watery beams.' The same idea is frequently found in old writers.

3. hath] This may be the singular by attraction after 'Starre'; it may be a 3d pers. plu. in th; and, lastly, its nominative may beNote.'

4. Shepheards] HUNTER (i, 418); Why Shepherds? It is because there was an opinion abroad that the shepherds feeding their flocks by night were great observers of the heavenly bodies. In an old book, entitled The Shepherd's Calendar, a translation from the French, there is much relating to the sciences, and especially astronomy; the first chapter has this title: A great question asked between the Shepherds touching the stars, and an answer made to the same question.' Again, another chapter is entitled: How Shepherds, by calculation and speculation, know the Twelve Signs in their course.'

4. Note] SCHMIDT and others draw a distinction between note here and note in 1. 38 of the preceding scene. It is hardly necessary. Both are adequately interpreted by observation.-ED.

Would be fill'd vp(my Brother)with our Thanks,
And yet we should, for perpetuitie,

Goe hence in debt: And therefore, like a Cypher

(Yet ftanding in rich place) I multiply

With one we thanke you, many thousands moe,
That goe before it.

Leo. Stay your Thanks a while,

And pay them when you part.

Pol. Sir, that's to morrow:

I am queftion'd by my feares, of what may chance,

Or breed vpon our abfence, that may blow

No fneaping Winds at home, to make vs fay,

6

ΙΟ

15

15. I am] I'm Pope+, Dyce ii, iii, Huds.

feares,] fears Rowe, Pope.

16. abfence,] Ff, Rowe, Pope, Theob. Warb. Johns. Sing. ii. absence: Han. et cet.

that...No] there may blow Some Han. Cap. may there blow No Warb. Coll. (MS).

16, 17. blow No...to make] grow To ...and make Cartwright.

10. moe] KOCH (Grammatik, ii, 292): The difference seems to be firmly established that more is used with the singular and mo with the plural; whence it comes that the oldest grammarians, like Gil and Wallis, maintain that mo is the comparative of many, and more the comparative of much.-W. A. WRIGHT: So far as I am aware, there is but one instance in Shakespeare where moe is not immediately followed by a plural, and that is in Temp. V, i, 234 (First Folio): And mo diuersitie of sounds.' But in this case also the phrase 'diversity of sounds' contains the idea of plurality. [See IV, iv, 301; V, ii, 127, post; and As You Like It, III, ii, 257; V, i, 34, in this edition.]

16. that may blow, etc.] FARMER: Dr. Warburton calls this nonsense'; and Dr. Johnson tells us it is a 'Gallicism.' It happens, however, to be both sense and English. 'That' for Oh, that, is not uncommon. In an old translation of the famous Alcoran of the Franciscans: St. Francis observing the holiness of friar Juniper, said to the priors, "That I had a wood of such Junipers !" And, in The Two Noble Kinsmen: "In thy rumination, That I, poor man, might eftsoones come between!" [III, i, 12. In accordance with this note STEEVENS (1778) adopted as his text: ' upon our absence: That may blow No . . . say, This . . . too truly!' and he was followed substantially by all subsequent editors.]—HANMER, clearly influenced by the 'sneaping winds,' interprets 'put forth' as referring to buds; hence his change of 'truly' to early.-CAPELL, who adopts Hanmer's reading (see Text. Notes), interprets 'put forth' as referring to 'putting forth towards home,' and rejects Hanmer's 'gard'ning, sense,' as he calls it.—COLLIER (ed. ii) does not adopt his MS corrections, which are partly Warburton's and partly Hanmer's. The poet's meaning is clear,'

This is put forth too truly: befides, I haue stay'd

To tyre your Royaltie.

Leo. We are tougher (Brother)

Then you can put vs to't.

18. This...truly] As a quotation, Theob. Warb. et seq.

truly] early Han. Coll. (MS). tardily Cap.

18

20

18. I haue] I've Dyce ii, iii, Huds.

21. Then] Than Rowe.

he adds, though the wording of the passage may be defective.'-R. G. WHITE (ed. i) considers the whole sentence from that may blow' to 'too early' as parenthetical. Polixenes,' he says, 'gives his fears as one reason of his departure, and before assigning the other pauses to ejaculate a prayer that his apprehensions may not have been put forth, i. e. uttered, too truly.'-JOHN HUNTER, HUDSON, and ROLFE refer 'put forth' to 'fears.' HUDSON, therefore, changes 'fears' to fear, so as to make it the grammatical antecedent to 'This is'; he also reads, with Warburton, 'may there blow'; and says he does not see how the last clause can be understood otherwise than as referring to fear.' ABBOTT (§ 425) says the passage is explained by the omission of there: that (there) may blow No' etc.-STAUNTON (Athenæum, April, 1874, p. 461): How the words 'that may blow' can be made equivalent to may there blow surpasses my power of perception. I have very little doubt the passage is corrupt, and that we should get much nearer Shakespeare's meaning by reading :-'that may blow In sneaping . . . too early.' The sense being, 'that may be developed under untoward circumstances which may make me say "this was too premature."' Does not the expression 'put forth' point rather to something blossoming than to the blowing of the winds? [Hereupon follow several quotations from Shakespeare to show that put forth' may mean to put forth leaves. These examples are somewhat superfluous; the phrase is quite familiar to us in the Bible. Cf. Matt. xxiv, 32.]— DEIGHTON: This is generally taken as a wish. But the expression may be elliptical, and as 'fears' that a thing may happen necessarily involves hopes' that it may not, the full expression would be, I am questioned by my fears as to what may happen, and only hope that no sneaping winds,' etc. [This is one of those sentences, whereof there are others in this play, from which we obtain at once a meaning, but which cannot be reconciled to grammar without some change or addition. I prefer to make no change. None can be now proposed which will be acceptable to every one, or it would have occurred to every one long ago; in general, Shakespeare's obscurity is quite as clear as any emendation. The interpretation which makes Polixenes interject a prayer for protection against sneaping winds at home is not in character; moreover, 'sneaping' is not strong enough to elicit a prayer, or even a perfervid wish. Deighton's explanation seems to be the best.—ED.]

17. sneaping] HOLT WHITE: That is, nipping winds. So, in Gawin Douglas's Translation of Virgils Eneid, Prologue of the seuynth Booke: Scharp soppis of sleit, and of the snyppand snaw.'

19. Royaltie] I doubt that this is here the title. I think it refers to the royal dignity or state, as in Royalties repayre' V, i, 40.

21. put vs to 't] SCHMIDT (Lex.) has collected many instances of this phrase where it is used, as here, in the sense of to drive to extremities.

Pol. No longer stay.

22

Leo. One Seue'night longer.

Pol. Very footh, to morrow.

Leo. Wee'le part the time betweene's then:and in that Ile no gaine-saying.

Pol. Preffe me not ('befeech you) fo :

There is no Tongue that moues;none, none i'th'World

So foone as yours, could win me: so it should now,
Were there neceffitie in your request, although
'Twere needfull I deny'd it. My Affaires
Doe euen drag me home-ward: which to hinder,
Were (in your Loue) a Whip to me; my stay,
To you a Charge, and Trouble: to faue both,
Farewell (our Brother.)

Leo. Tongue-ty'd our Queene? speake you.
Her. I had thought (Sir) to haue held my peace,vntill
You had drawne Oathes from him, not to stay: you(Sir)
Charge him too coldly. Tell him, you are sure

All in Bohemia's well: this fatisfaction,

23. Seue'night] fev'night F. sev'n night Rowe. seven-night Var. '73, Hal. Cam. s'en-night White ii.

25, 26. Prose, Rowe i, Hal.

27. ('beseech you) fo] 'beseech you, so Rowe. 'beseech you! Han. Coll. ii (MS). so, 'beseech you: Cap.

28. moues;] Ff, Rowe i, Cap. moves. Johns. moves, Rowe ii et cet.

25

30

35

40

28. World] Would F, world, Theob. Warb. et seq.

29. yours] your's Coll. ii.

36. Tongue-ty'd] Ff, Rowe, Pope, Han. Dyce, Cam. Wh. ii. Tongue-ty'd, Theob. et cet.

37. to haue] to've Pope, Theob. Warb. Johns.

38. You had] You 'ad Theob. Warb. Johns.

28, 29. COLERIDGE (p. 254): How admirably Polixenes' obstinate refusal to Leontes to stay, prepares for the effect produced by his afterwards yielding to Hermione.

28. World] The comma which almost all editors have placed after 'world' is, I think, needless. The semicolon after 'moues' is, of course, wrong; a dash would be better, to be repeated after 'yours.'—ED.]

30. ABBOTT (§ 499) calls this line an apparent Alexandrine followed by a foot, more or less isolated, containing one accent.'

32, 33. which... to me] DEIGHTON thus paraphrases: To hinder which (i. e. my return home) would be to make your love to me a punishment. [I think it rather means: To hinder which would be a punishment to me, although you inflicted it out of love.-ED.]

38. drawne oathes] That is, so as to make her success the greater.-ED.

40. this satisfaction] JOHNSON: We had satisfactory accounts yesterday of the state of Bohemia.