"Th' archbishop's grace of York, Douglas, and Mórtímér."

349." Dearest enemy."

"Dearest," says Dr. Johnson, is "most fatal." But this is by no means an accurate definition. "Dear," 66 dearer," or dearest," no more implies fatality, or mischief, than it does tenderness, cordiality, or kindness; it only denotes a close and ardent affection of the mind, no matter whether hostile or friendly. Thus we sometimes meet with "dearest love," and at others "dearest foe."

I take it, this became one of the middle words capable of opposite senses, thus: dearest is that which we consider as costing us most, which may be said of an enemy, or as above price or estimation, which may be said of a friend. CAPEL LOFFT.

"And stain my favours in a bloody mask."

Surely Dr. Warburton is right in saying we ought to read "favour,” (i. e. countenance.) Mr. Steevens very properly, I think, denies Dr. Johnson's assertion, that "favours" means "features," although "favour" does often signify countenance; but unless he can shew that the decorations called "favours," are worn upon the face, or else that a mask covers not only the face, but all those parts whereon decorations or trophies usually appear, his explanation cannot be admitted. A line in exact consonance with this we find in K. Richard III.

350.

"Or hew my way out with a bloody axe."

This same child of honour.".

Thus in K. Henry VIII.

"The great child of honour, Cardinal Wolsey."

SCENE III.

352. "While I am in some liking."

While I yet preserve some remnant of comeli

ness.

253. "The inside of a church."

Mr. Malone's latter conjecture is certainly right: "the inside of a church" is merely an exclamatory repetition, referring to his want of religious devotion, and not an object of comparison with himself.

66

Cheap" says Dr. Johnson, is "market,” and good cheap," a bon marché; but how will this accord with the context:-the sack which thou hast drunk would have bought me lights as good market, &c. Is not the plain meaning this?The light from thy nose has often, of a dark night, saved me the expence of a torch; and yet what I have paid for sack, to feed that nasal illumination, would have purchased torch light as good, ay, and comparatively cheap too, though purchased at the dearest chandler's. I would point-" Lights as good, cheap, &c.

366. "Enrich'd with any other injuries," &c.

368. O, I could wish, this tavern were my drum."

Falstaff is now going out with a recruiting commission, and the inn where the officer is quartered is called, I believe, the Drum-head, and perhaps, emphatically, the "Drum :" if so, Falstaff only wishes that he could carry this tavern along with him.

369.

ACT IV. SCENE I.

If speaking truth,

"In this fine age, were not thought flattery."

If in an age, so sophistically refined and false as this is, the language of truth and honest commendation were not likely to be mistaken for mere compliment and flattery, &c.

I defy

"The tongues of soothers."

"To defy," is to abjure; as in other places : "All studies here I solemnly defy," &c. "Thou art the king of honour."

Perhaps

"I doubt it not; thou art the king of honour."

370. "These letters come from your father."

I suppose we should read:

"These letters, good my lord, come from your father."

How has he the leisure to be sick,

"In such a justling time?".

The same thought is introduced by Beaumont and Fletcher, in the Loyal Subject:

"The general sick now! Is this a time
"For men to creep into their beds ?"

371. "I would, the state of time had first been whole."

I

suppose it should be "the state o' the time." The same expression, and the same apparent error, we find in Hamlet:

The whips and scorns of time."

373. "We may boldly spend upon the hope."

Mr. Ritson very properly proposes an amendment of this line, by beginning-" We now may," &c. But what is to be done with what follows? The best answer that occurs to me is, in another question, what is the use of these words, "of what is to come in?" The sense is clear and full, without any hemistic or hyper

meter.

"And vaulted with such ease, &c.

"As if an angel dropt down from the clouds," &c.

Who vaulted? According to the structure of the sentence, the speaker: the tense, too, is wrong of the verb "dropt:" concord requires a different reading:

"And vault with such an ease-or so much ease, &c.

"As if an angel håd dropt down from the clouds,"

&c.

Mr. Malone's easy emendation perhaps ought to be adopted:

"And vault it," &c.

382. Harry to Harry shall, hot horse to horse."

The quarto, 1613, reads "not horse to horse," which certainly affords only a feeble sense, but I cannot reconcile myself to "hot horse," I should rather suppose that the word wanting is the simple conjunction "and,"

Harry to Harry shall, and horse to horse."

That bears a frosty sound."

For an expression similar to this Dryden was ridiculed by the wits who wrote the Rehearsal, but it may be justified: we commonly say, ill news damps our expectation, freezes our hopes, and, this sound, like a frost, chills and disheartens

us.

"My father and Glendower being both away, "The powers of us may serve so great a day."