"Neither Phoebus' fairest eye, Feasts nor friendly company: Mirth, or whatsoe'er it be, With their humour can agree. "Day or night they never rest, Spiteful hate so pecks their breast. Pinching their perplexed lungs With her fiery poison'd tongues. "Firebrands in their breasts they bear, As if Tisiphon were there. And their souls are pierc'd as sore As Prometheus' ghost, and more. "Wretches, they are woe-begone,[370] For their wound is always one. Nor hath Charon power or skill To recure them of their ill." [_Exit._ FOOTNOTES: [364] In the former edition Mr Dodsley had substituted, instead of the words in the text, _cry you ah me!_ The alteration was, however, entirely unnecessary. _To cry aim_, signified, as Dr Warburton observes, _to consent to_, or _approve of anything_. "The phrase was taken originally from archery. When any one had challenged another to shoot at the butts (the perpetual diversion, as well as exercise, of that time), the standers-by used to say one to the other, _Cry aim_, _i.e._, accept the challenge." See Dr Warburton's note on "Merry Wives of Windsor," act ii. sc. 3, where he has produced several examples of the use of the phrase. Dr Johnson says, "I once thought that it was borrowed from archery; and that _aim!_ having been the word of command, as we now say, _present!_ to cry _aim_ had been _to incite notice_, or raise attention. But I rather think that the old word of applause was _J'aime_, _I love it_, and that to applaud was to cry _J'aime_, which the English, not easily pronouncing _je_, sunk into _aime_ or _aim_." Mr Steevens is of opinion that Dr Johnson's first thought is best. See Notes on "King John," act ii. sc. 1. To the several instances produced by these gentlemen the following may be added:--Middleton and Rowley's "Fair Quarrel," act i. sc. 1-- "How now, gallants? Beleeve me, then, I must _give aime_ no longer." Beaumont and Fletcher's "False One," act v. sc. 4, edit. [Dyce, vi. 305]-- "By Venus, not a kiss 'Till our work be done! The traitors once despatched, To it, and we'll _cry aim_." It is remarkable that Mr Seward had made the same alteration in the last passage, and consequently fallen into the same mistake as Mr Dodsley had in the text. [365] [Quell, or overcome.] [366] _Crispy_ is curling. So, in Shakespeare's "Henry IV.," act i. sc. 3-- "Three times they breath'd, and three times did they drink, Upon agreement, of swift Severn's flood; Who then, affrighted with their bloody looks, Ran fearfully among the trembling reeds, And hid his _crisp_ head in the hollow bank, Blood-stained with these valiant combatants." See Mr Steevens's note on this passage. [367] This word is common to many writers. As, Shakespeare's "Third Part of Henry VI.," act ii. sc. 1-- "The proud, insulting queen, With Clifford, and the _haught_ Northumberland."