all the lands thou hast
Lie in a pitch'd field.
_Alc._ I' defiled land, my lord]
This is the old reading, which apparently depends on a very low quibble.
Alcibiades is told, that _his estate lies in a_ pitch'd _field_. Now
_pitch_, as Falstaff says, _doth defile_. Alcibiades therefore replies,
that his estate lies _in defiled land_. This, as it happened, was not
understood, and all the editors published,
_I defy land_,--
I.ii.237 (301,8) Serving of becks] [W: serring] The commentator
conceives _beck_ to mean the _mouth_ or the _head_, after the French,
_bec_, whereas it means a salutation made with the head. So Milton,
"Nods and _becks_, and wreathed smiles."
To _serve a beck_, is to offer a salutation.
I.ii.238 (301,9) I doubt, whether their legs] He plays upon the word
_leg_, as it signifies a _limb_ and a _bow_ or _act of obeisance_.
I.ii.247 (302,1) I fear me, thou/Wilt give away thyself in paper
shortly] [W: in proper] Hanmer reads very plausibly,
--_thou
Wilt give away thyself_ in perpetuum.
I.ii.235 (302,2) I'll lock/Thy heaven from thee] The pleasure of being
flattered.
II.i.10 (304,5) No porter at his gate;/But rather one that smiles, and
still invites] I imagine that a line is lost here, in which the
behaviour of a surly porter was described.
II.i.12 (304,6) no reason/Can found his state in safety] The supposed
meaning of this [Can sound his state] must be, _No reason_, by
_sounding_, fathoming, or trying, _his state_, can find it _safe_. But
as the words stand, they imply, that _no reason can_ safely _sound his
state_. I read thus,
--_no reason
Can_ found _his state in safety_.--
_Reason_ cannot find his fortune to have any _safe_ or solid
_foundation_.
The types of the first printer of this play were so worn and defaced,
that _f_ and _s_ are not always to be distinguished.
II.ii.5 (305,9) Never mind/Was to be so unwise, to be so kind] Of this
mode of expression conversation affords many examples: "I was always to
be blamed, whatever happened." "I am in the lottery, but I was always to
draw blanks." (1773)
II.ii.9 (306,1) Good even, Varro] It is observable, that this _good
evening_ is before dinner; for Timon tells Alcibiades, that they will
_go forth again as soon as dinner's done_, which may prove that by
_dinner_ our author meant not the _coena_ of ancient times, but the
mid-day's repast. I do not suppose the passage corrupt: such
inadvertencies neither author nor editor can escape.
There is another remark to be made. Varro and Isidore sink a few lines
afterwards into the servants of Varro and Isidore. Whether servants, in
our author's time, took the names of their masters, I know not. Perhaps
it is a slip of negligence.
II.ii.47 (308,4) _Enter Apemantus and a Fool_] I suspect some scene to
be lost, in which the entrance of the fool, and the page that follows
him, was prepared by some introductory dialogue, in which the audience
was informed that they were the fool and page of Phrynia, Timandra, or
some other courtesan, upon the knowledge of which depends the greater
part of the ensuing jocularity.
II.ii.60-66 (309,4) Poor rogues] This is said so abruptly, that I am
inclined to think it misplaced, and would regulate the passage thus:
Caph. _Where's the fool now?_
Apem. _He last ask'd the question._
All. _What are we, Apemantus?_
Apem. _Asses._
All. _Why?_
Apem. _That you ask me what you are, and do not know yourselves. Poor rogues', and usurers' men! bawds between
gold and want! Speak_, &c.
Thus every word will have its proper place. It is likely that the
passage transposed was forgot in the copy, and inserted in the margin,
perhaps a little beside the proper place, which the transcriber wanting
either skill or care to observe, wrote it where it now stands.
II.ii.71 (309,5) She's e'en setting on water to scald] The old name for
the disease got at Corinth was the _brenning_, and a sense of _scalding_
is one of its first symptoms.
II.ii.117 (311,7) with two stones more than's artificial one] Meaning
the celebrated philosopher's stone, which was in those times much talked
of. Sir Thomas Smith was one of those who lost considerable sums in
seeking of it.
II.ii.152 (312,9) Though you hear now, yet now's too late a time]
[Warburton objected to this, an emendation by Hanmer] I think Hanmer
right, and have received his emendation.
Il.ii.155 (313,1) and at length/How goes our reckoning?] [W: Hold good
our] It is common enough, and the commentator knows it is common to
propose interrogatively, that of which neither the speaker nor the
hearer has any doubt. The present reading may therefore stand.
II.ii.171 (314,2) a wasteful cock] [i.e. a _cockloft_, a garret. And a
_wasteful cock_, signifies a garret lying in waste, neglected, put to no
use. HANMER.] Hanmer's explanation is received by Dr. Warburton, yet I
think them both apparently mistaken. A _wasteful cock_ is a _cock_ or
pipe with a turning stopple _running_ to _waste_. In this sense, both
the terms have their usual meaning; but I know not that _cock_ is ever
used for _cockloft_, or _wasteful_ for _lying in waste_, or that lying
in waste is at all a phrase.
Il.ii.187 (314,4) And try the arguments] [_Arguments_ for natures.
_WARB_.] How _arguments_ should stand for natures I do not see. But the
licentiousness of our author forces us often upon far fetched
expositions. _Arguments_ may mean _contents_, as the _arguments_ of a
book; or for _evidences_ and _proofs_.
II.ii.209 (315,5) I knew it the most general way] _General_ is not
speedy, but _compendious_, the way to try many at a time.
II.ii.219 (316,6) And so, intending other serious matters] _Intending_
is _regarding, turning their notice_ to other things.
II.ii.220 (316,7) these hard fractions] [Warburton saw an allusion to
fractions in mathematics] This is, I think, no conceit in the head of
Flavius, who, by _fractions_, means _broken_ hints, _interrupted_
sentences, _abrupt_ remarks.
II.ii.221 (316,8) half-caps] A _half cap_ is a _cap_ slightly moved, not
put off.
II.ii.241 (317,3) I would, I could not] The original edition has, _I
would, I could not think it, that thought_, &c. It has been changed
['Would], to mend the numbers, without authority.