Oct. 10. 1850.
If one, who is but a charmed listener to Shakspeare, may presume to offer
an opinion to practised interpreters, I should suggest to MR. SINGER and
MR. COLLIER, another and a totally different reading of the passage in
discussion by them from the exquisite opening scene of the 3d Act of the
_Tempest_.
There can be little doubt that "most busy" applies more poetically to
_thoughts_ than to _labours_; and, in so much, MR. SINGER'S reading is to
be commended. But it is equally true that, by adhering to the early text,
MR. COLLIER'S school of editing has restored force and beauty to many
passages which had previously been outraged by fancied improvements, so
that his unflinching support of the original word in this instance is also
to be respected. But may not both be combined? I think they may, by
understanding the passage in question as though a transposition had taken
place between the words "least" and "when".
"Most busy _when least_ I do it,"
or,--
"Most busy when least employed."
forming just the sort of verbal antithesis of which the poet was so fond.
An actual transposition of the words may have taken place through the fault
of the early printers; but even if the _present order_ be preserved, still
the _transposed sense_ is, I think, much less difficult than the forced and
rather contradictory meaning contended for by MR. COLLIER. Has not _the
pause_ in Ferdinand's labour been hitherto too much overlooked? What is it
that has induced him to _forget_ his task? Is it not those delicious
thoughts, most busy in the _pauses_ of labour, making those pauses still
more refreshing and renovating?