How can _that_ be? I have often heard objectors say. Being convinced by his opponent--_i. e._, convinced that his opponent's view is the right one--how can he retain his own original opinion, which by the supposition is in polar opposition. But this argument rests on a false notion of the sense attached originally to the word _convinced_. That word was used in the sense of _refuted; redargued_, the alternative word, was felt to be pedantic. The case supposed was that of a man who is reduced to an absurdity; he cannot deny that, from his own view, an absurdity _seems_ to follow; and, until he has shown that this absurdity is only apparent, he is bound to hold himself _provisionally_ answered. Yet that does not reconcile him to his adversary's opinion; he retains his own, and is satisfied that somewhere an answer to it exists, if only he could discover it. Here the meaning is, 'I will convince his chamberlains with wine'--_i. e._, will refute by means of the confusion belonging to the tragedy itself, when aided by intoxication, all the arguments (otherwise plausible) which they might urge in self-defence. ['_Thrice_ and once the hedge-pig whined:'-- This our friend COR. alters to _twice_; but for the very reason which should have checked him--namely, on Theobald's suggestion that '_odd_ numbers are used in enchantments and magical operations;' and here he fancies himself to obtain an odd number by the arithmetical summation--_twice_ added to _once_ makes thrice. Meantime the odd number is already secured by viewing the _whines_ separately, and not as a sum. The hedge-pig whined thrice--that was an odd number. Again he whined, and this time only once--this also was an odd number. Otherwise COR. is perfectly right in his general doctrine, that 'Numero Deus _impare_ gaudet.' Nobody ever heard of _even_ numbers in any case of divination. A dog, for instance, howling under a sick person's window, is traditionally ominous of evil--but not if he howls twice, or four times. ['I _pull_ in resolution.'--_Act V. Scene 5._ COR. had very probably not seen Dr Johnson's edition of _Shakspere_, but in common with the Doctor, under the simple coercion of good sense, he proposes 'I _pall_;' a restitution which is so self-attested, that it ought fearlessly to be introduced into the text of all editions whatever, let them be as superstitiously scrupulous as in all reason they ought to be. [HAMLET. _Act II. Scene in the Speech of Polonius._ 'Good sir, or so, or friend, or gentleman,' is altered by COR., and in this case with an effect of solemn humour which justifies itself, into 'Good sir, or sir, or friend, or gentleman;'