The expression of our author is, like many of his phrases, sufficiently constrained and affected, but it is not incapable of explanation. The _comma_ is the note of _connection_ and continuity of sentences; the _period_ is the note of _abruption_ and disjunction. Shakespeare had it perhaps in his mind to write, That unless England complied with the mandate, _war should put a_ period _to their amity_; he altered his mode of diction, and thought that, in an opposite sense, he might put, that _Peace should stand a_ comma between their amities_. This is not an easy stile; but is it not the stile of Shakespeare? V.ii.43 (327,6) as's of great charge] _Asses_ heavily _loaded_. A quibble is intended between _as_ the conditional particle, and _ass_ the beast of burthen. That _charg'd_ anciently signified _leaded_, may be proved from the following passage in _The Widow's Tears_, by Chapman, 1612. "Thou must be the _ass charg'd with crowns_ to make way." (see 1765, VIII, 294, 2) V.ii.53 (327,7) The changeling never known] A _changeling_ is a _child_ which the fairies are supposed to leave in the room of that which they steal. V.ii.68 (328,1) To quit him] To requite him; to pay him his due. V.ii.84 (329,2) Dost know this water-fly] A _water-fly_, skips up and down upon the surface of the water, without any apparent purpose or reason, and is thence the proper emblem of a busy trifler. V.ii.89 (329,3) It is a chough] A kind of jackdaw. V.ii.112 (330,5) full of most excellent differences] Full of _distinguishing_ excellencies. V.ii.114 (330,6) the card or calendar of gentry] The general preceptor of elegance; the _card_ by which a gentleman is to direct his course; the _calendar_ by which he is to choose his time, that what he does may be both excellent and seasonable. V.ii.115 (330,7) for you shall find in him the continent of what part a gentleman would see] _You shall find him containing_ and comprising every _quality_ which a _gentleman_ would desire to _contemplate_ for imitation. I know not but it should be read, _You shall find him the continent_ V.ii.119 (330,9) and yet but raw neither in respect of his quick sail] [W: but slow] I believe _raw_ to be the right word; it is a word of great latitude; _raw_ signifies _unripe, immature_, thence _unformed, imperfect, unskilful_. The best account of him would be _imperfect_, in respect of his quick sail. The phrase _quick sail_ was, I suppose, a proverbial term for _activity of mind_. V.ii.122 (330,1) a soul of great article] This is obscure. I once thought it might have been, _a soul of great altitude_; but, I suppose, _a soul of great article_, means _a soul of_ large comprehension, of many contents; the particulars of an inventory are called _articles_. V.ii.122 (331,2) his infusion of such dearth and rareness] _Dearth_ is _dearness_, value, price. And his internal qualities of such value and rarity.