I.ii.112 (334,2) These late eclipses in the sun and moon portend no good to us: tho' the wisdom of nature can reason it thus and thus, yet nature finds itself scourg'd by the frequent effects] That is, though natural philosophy can give account of eclipses, yet we feel their consequences. I.ii.156 (338,8) I promise you, the effects he writes of, succeed unhappily] The folio edition commonly differs from the first quarto, by augmentations or insertions, but in this place it varies by omission, and by the omission of something which naturally introduces the following dialogue. It is easy to remark, that in this speech, which ought, I think, to be inserted as it now is in the text, Edmund, with the common craft of fortune-tellers, mingles the past and future, and tells of the future only what he already foreknows by confederacy, or can attain by probable conjecture. (see 1765, VI, 27, 6) I.ii.178 (339,1) that with the mischief of your person it would scarcely allay] This reading is in both copies; yet I believe the author gave it, _that_ but _with the mischief_ of your person it would scarce allay. I.iii.19 (341,2) Old fools are babes again; and must be us'd/ With checks, as flatteries when they are seen abus'd] These lines hardly deserve a note, though Mr. Theobald thinks them _very fine_. Whether _fools_ or _folks_ should be read is not worth enquiry. The controverted line is yet in the old quarto, not as the editors represent it, but thus: With checks as flatteries when they are seen abus'd. I am in doubt whether there is any error of transcription. The sense seems to be this: _Old men must be treated with checks_, when as _they are seen to be deceived with flatteries_: or, _when they are weak enough to be_ seen abused by flatteries, they are then weak enough to be _used with checks_. There is a play of the words _used_ and _abused_. To _abuse_ is, in our author, very frequently the same as to _deceive_. This construction is harsh and ungrammatical; Shakespeare perhaps thought it vicious, and chose to throw away the lines rather than correct them, nor would now thank the officiousness of his editors, who restore what they do not understand. I.iv.118 (347,5) Would I had two coxcombs, and two daughters] Two fools caps, intended, as it seems, to mark double folly in the man that gives all to his daughters. I.iv.133 (347,7) Lend less than thou owest] That is, _do not lend all that thou hast_. To _owe_, in old English, is _to possess_. If _owe_ be taken for _to be in debt_, the more prudent precept would be, Lend _more_ than thou owest. I.iv.153-170 (348,9) This dialogue, from _No, lad; teach me_, down to, _Give me an egg_, was restored from the first edition by Mr. Theobald. It is omitted in the folio, perhaps for political reasons, as it seemed to censure monopolies.