“How fairly this lord strives to appear foul!—takes virtuous
copies to be wicked; _like those that under hot, ardent zeal would
set whole realms on fire. Of such a nature is his politic love_.”
This latter clause I grievously suspect to have been an addition of the
players, which had hit, and, being constantly applauded, procured a
settled occupation in the prompter’s copy. Not that Shakespeare does not
elsewhere sneer at the Puritans; but here it is introduced so _nolenter
volenter_ (excuse the phrase) by the head and shoulders!—and is besides so
much more likely to have been conceived in the age of Charles I.