Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale, Vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man; And bitter shame hath spoilt the sweet world's tafte, Thy foot to England's throne; and, therefore, mark. Lewis. But what fhall I gain by young Arthur's fall? Pand. You, in the right of lady Blanch your wife, May then make all the claim that Arthur did. Lewis. And lofe it, life and all, as Arthur did. Pand. How green you are, and fresh in this old world! John John lays you plots; the times confpire with you : But hold himself safe in his prifonment. Arthur's Pand. O, Sir, when he fhall hear of your approach, If that young Arthur be not gone already, Even at this news he dies; and then the hearts true blood] The blood of him that has the juft claim. JOHNSON. 3 No 'scape of nature,-] The author very finely calls a monftrous birth, an escape of nature. As if it were produced while the was bufy elsewhere, or intent on fome other thing. But the Oxford editor will have it, that Shakespeare wrote, No fhape of nature. E 3 WARBURTON. Or, 4 Or, as a little snow, tumbled about, Lewis. Strong reafon makes strong actions: let us go; If you fay, ay, the king will not fay, no. ACT IV. [Exeunt. SCENE I. Changes to England. A prifon. H Enter Hubert and executioners. HUBERT. EAT me these irons hot; and, look, thou ftand Within the arras: when I ftrike my foot Upon the bofom of the ground, rush forth; And bind the boy, which you fhall find with me, Faft to the chair. Be heedful: hence, and watch. Exec. I hope your warrant will bear out the deed. Hub. Uncleanly fcruples! fear not you; look to't. Young lad, come forth; I have to say with you. Enter Arthur. Arth. Good morrow, Hubert. Hub. Good morrow, little prince. Arth. As little prince (having fo great a title To be more prince) as may be.-You are fad. Hub. Indeed, I have been merrier. Or, as a little fnow,-] Bacon, in his hiftory of Henry VII. fpeaking of Perkin's march, obferves, that their snow-ball did not gather as it rolled. JOHNSON, ་མ་་ Arth. Arth. Mercy on me! Methinks, no body fhould be fad but I: $ Young gentlemen would be as fad as night, Is it my fault that I was Geffrey's fon? No, indeed, is it not; and I would to heaven, [Afide. Arth. Are you fick, Hubert? you look pale to-day: In footh, I would you were a little fick; That I might fit all night and watch with you. I warrant, I love you more than you do me. Hub. His words do take poffeffion of my bofom. Read here, young Arthur How now, foolish rheum, 6 [Shewing a paper. [Afide. Turning difpiteous torture out of door! I must be brief; left resolution drop Out at mine eyes, in tender womanifh tears.- Arth. Too fairly, Hubert, for so foul effect. Muft you with hot irons burn out both mine eyes? Hub. Young boy, I must. Arth. And will you? 5 Young gentlemen, &c.] It fhould feem that this affectation had found its way to England, as it is ridiculed by Ben Jonion in the character of Master Stephen in Every Man in his Humour. So in Beaumont and Fletcher's Queen of Corinth, Onos fays, "Come let's be melancholy." STEEVENS. Turning difpitecus torture out of door!] For torture Sir T. Hanmer reads nature, and is followed, I think, without neceffity, by Dr. Warburton. JOHNSON. Hub. And I will. Arth. Have you the heart? When your I knit my handkerchief about your brows, head did And with my hand at midnight held your head; Hub. I have fworn to do it; And with hot irons muft I burn them out. Arth. Ah, none but in this iron age would do it! The iron of itself, tho' heat red-hot, Approaching near thefe eyes, would drink my tears, And quench its fiery indignation, Even in the matter of mine innocence: Nay, after that, confume away in rust, Are you more ftubborn-hard, than hammer'd iron? 7 I would not have believ'd him; no tongue, but Hu bert's. [Hubert ftamps, and the men enter, Hub. Come forth; do, as I bid you do. Arth. 7 I would not have believed a tongue BUT HUBERT's.] Thus Mr. Pope found the line in the old editions. According to this reading it is fuppofed that Hu ert had told him, he would not put out his eyes; for the angel who lays be would, is brought |