(Vol. vii., p. 592.)
Will you allow me to suggest to your ingenious Leeds correspondent (whose
communications would be read with only the more pleasure if they evinced a
little more respect for the opinions of others) that before he asserts the
existence of a certain error which he points out in a passage in _King
Lear_ to be "undeniable," it would be desirable that he should support this
improved reading by other passages from Shakspeare, or from cotemporary
writers, in which the word he proposes occurs? For my own part, I think
A. E. B.'s suggestion well worthy of consideration, but I cannot admit that
it "demonstrates itself," or "that any attempt to support it by argument
would be absurd," for it would unquestionably strengthen his case to show
that the verb "recuse" was not entirely obsolete in Shakspeare's time.
Neither can I admit that there is an "obvious opposition between _means_
and _defects_," the two words having no relation to each other. The
question is, which of two words must be altered; and at present I must own
I am inclined to put more faith in the authority of "the old corrector"
than in A. E. B.
Having taken up my pen on this subject, allow me to remark upon the manner
in which MR. COLLIER's folio is referred to by your correspondent. I have
carefully considered many of the emendations proposed, and feel in my own
mind satisfied that _so great a number_ that, in the words of your
correspondent, _demonstrate themselves_, could not have been otherwise than
adopted from some authority. Even in the instance of the passage from Henry
V., "on a table of green friese," which A. E. B. selects, I presume, as
being especially absurd, I think "the old corrector" right; although I had
frequently cited Theobald's correction as particularly happy, and therefore
the new version was at first to me very distasteful. But, whatever opinion
may be held as to the value of the book, it is surely unbecoming to the
discussion of a literary question to indulge in the unsparing insinuations
that have been thrown out on all sides respecting it. I leave out of
question the circumstance, that the long and great services of MR. COLLIER
ought to protect him at least from such unworthy treatment.