V.ii.105 (380, 5) [that rare Italian meter, Jolio Romano] [Theobald praised the passage but called it an anachronism] Poor Theobald's eucomium of this passage is not very happily conceired or expressed, nor is the passage of any eminent excellence; yet a little candour will clear Shakespeare from part of the impropriety imputed to him. By _eternity_ he means only i_mmortality_, or that part of eternity which is to come; so we talk of _eternal_ renown and _eternal_ infamy. _Immortality_ may subsist without _divinity_, and therefore the meaning only is, that if Julio could always continue his labours, he would mimick nature. V.ii.107 (381, 6) [would beguile nature of her custom] That is, _of her trade,_--would draw her customers from her. V.ii.118 (381, 7) [Who would be thence, that has the benefit of access?] It was, I suppose, only to spare his own labour that the poet put this whole scene into narrative, for though part of the transaction was already known to the audience, and therefore could not properly be shewn again, yet the two kings might have met upon the stage, and after the examination of the old shepherd, the young lady might have been recognised in sight of the spectators. V.ii.173 (383, 8) [franklins say it] _Franklin_ is a _freeholder_, or _yeoman_, a man above a _Villain_, but not a _gentleman_. V.ii.179 (383 ,9) [tall fellow] _Tall_, in that time, was the word used for _stout_. V.iii.17 (384,1) [therefore I keep it Lonely, apart] [Hammer: lovely] I am yet inclined to _lonely_, which in the old angular writing cannot be distinguished from lovely. To say, that _I keep it alone, separate from the rest_, is a pleonasm which scarcely any nicety declines. V.iii.46 (385,2) [Oh, patience] That is, _Stay a while, be not go eager_. V.iii.56 (386,3) [Indeed, my lord, If I had thought, the sight of my poor image Would thus have wrought you, (for the stone is mine) I'd not have shew'd it] [Tyrwhitt: for the stone i' th' mine] To change an accurate expression for an expression confessedly not accurate, has somewhat of retrogradation. (1773) V.iii.131 (389,6) [You precious winners all] You who by this discovery have _gained_ what you desired may join in festivity, in which I, who have lost what never can be recovered, can have no part. (300) General Observation, Of this play no edition is known published before the folio of 1623. This play, as Dr. Warburton justly observes, is, with all its absurdities, very entertaining. The character of Antolycus is very naturally conceived, and strongly represented, (see 1765, II, 349) TABLE OF CONTENTS General Introduction Introduction on Comedies Notes to _The Tempest The Two Gentlemen of Verona The Merry Wives of Windsor Measure for Measure The Comedy of Errors Much Ado About Nothing Love's Labour's Lost A Midsummer-Night's Dream The Merchant of Venice As You Like It The Taming of the Shrew All's Well that Ends Well Twelfth-Night The Winter's Tale