Notes to Shakespeare, Volume III: The TragediesJohnson, Samuel
General
Notes to Shakespeare, Volume III: The Tragedies
Johnson, Samuel
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Criticism and interpretation
III.iv.92 (475,7) And all to all] I once thought it should be _hail_ to
all, but I now think that the present reading is right.
III.iv.105 (475,8) If trembling I inhabit] This is the original reading,
which Mr. Pope changed to _inhibit_, which _inhibit_ Dr. Warburton
interprets _refuse_. The old reading may stand, at least as well as the
emendation. Suppose we read,
_If trembling I_ evade _it_.
III.iv.110 (476,9) Can such things be,/And overcome us, like a summer's
cloud,/Without our special wonder?] [W: Can't] The alteration is
introduced by a misinterpretation. The meaning is not that _these things
are like a summer-cloud_, but can such wonders as these pass over us
without wonder, as a casual summer cloud passes over us.
III.iv.112 (477,1) You make me strange/Even to the disposition that I
owe] You produce in me an _alienation of mind_, which is probably the
expression which our author intended to paraphrase.
III.iv.124 (477,2) Augurs, and understood relations] By the word
_relation_ is understood the _connection_ of effects with causes; to
_understand relations_ as _an angur_, is to know how these things
_relate_ to each other, which have no visible combination or dependence.
III.iv.141 (479,5) You lack the season of all natures, sleep] I take the
meaning to be, _you want sleep_, which _seasons_, or gives the relish to
_all nature_. _Indiget somni vitae condimenti_.
III.v.24 (480,8) vaporous drop, profound] That is, a drop that has
_profound_, _deep_, or _hidden_ qualities.
III.v.26 (480,9) slights] Arts; subtle practices.
III.vi (481,1) _Enter Lenox, and another Lord_] As this tragedy, like
the rest of Shakespeare's, is perhaps overstocked with personages, it is
not easy to assign a reason why a nameless character should be
introduced here, since nothing is said that might not with equal
propriety have been put into the mouth of any other disaffected man. I
believe therefore that in the original copy it was written with a very
common form of contraction Lenox and An. for which the transcriber,
instead of Lenox and Angus, set down Lenox and _another Lord_. The
author had indeed been more indebted to the transcriber's fidelity and
diligence had he committed no errors of greater importance.
III.vi.36 (482,3) and receive free honours] [_Free_ for grateful.
WARBURTON.] How can _free_ be _grateful_? It may be either honours
_freely bestowed_, not purchased by crimes; or honours _without
slavery_, without dread of a tyrant.
IV.i (484,5) As this is the chief scene of enchantment in the play, it
is proper in this place to observe, with how much judgment Shakespeare
has selected all the circumstances of his infernal ceremonies, and how
exactly he has conformed to common opinions and traditions:
_Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd_.
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