V.ii.762 (464,3) [Honest plain words best pierce the ear of grief] As it seems not very proper for Biron to court the princess for the king in the king's presence, at this critical moment, I believe the speech is given to a wrong person. I read thus, Prin. _I understand you not, my griefs are double: Honest plain words best pierce the ear of grief._ King. _And by these badges_, &c. V.ii.779 (465,4) [Suggested us] That is, _tempted_ us. V.ii.790 (465,5) [As bombast, and as lining to the time] This line is obscure. _Bombast_ was a kind of loose texture not unlike what is now called wadding, used to give the dresses of that time bulk and protruberance, without much increase of weight; whence the same name is given a tumour of words unsupported by solid sentiment. The Princess, therefore, says, that they considered this courtship as but _bombast_, as something to fill out life, which not being closely united with it, might be thrown away at pleasure. V.ii.795 (466,7) [We did not quote them so] [We should read, _quote_, esteem, reckon. Warburton] though our old writers spelling by the ear, probably wrote _cote_, as it was pronounced. (see 1765, II,218,5) V.ii.823 (467,8) [To flatter up these powers of mine with rest] Dr. Warburton would read _fetter_, but _flatter_ or _sooth_ is, in my opinion, more apposite to the king's purpose than _fetter_. Perhaps we may read, _To flatter_ on _these_ hours of time _with rest_; That is, I would not deny to live in the hermitage, to make the year of delay pass in quiet. V.ii.873 (469,2) [dear groans] _Dear_ should here, as in many other places, be _dere_, sad, odious. V.ii.904 (470,3) [_When daisies pied, and violets blue_] The first lines of this song that were transposed, have been replaced by Mr. Theobald. V.ii.907 (470,5) [_Do paint the meadows with delight_] [W: much bedight] Much less elegant than the present reading. (472,7) General Observation. In this play, which all the editors have concurred to censure, and some have rejected as unworthy of him. Vol. III A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM I.i.6 (4,2) [Long withering out a young man's revenue] [W: wintering] That the common reading is not good English, I cannot perceive, and therefore find in myself no temptation to change it. I.i.47 (5,6) [To leave the figure, or disfigure it] [W: 'leve] I know not why so harsh a word should be admitted with so little need, a word that, spoken, could not be understood, and of which no example can be shown. The sense is plain, _you owe to your father a being which he may at pleasure continue or destroy_. I.i.68 (6,8) [Know of your youth] Bring your youth to the question. Consider your youth. (1773) I.i.76 (7,9) [But earthlier happy is the rose distill'd] Thus all the copies, yet _earthlier_ is so harsh a word, and _earthlier happy_ for _happier earthly_, a mode of speech so unusual, that I wonder none of the editors have proposed _earlier happy_.