The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Israel Gollancz William Shakespeare [2406]
_How much low peasantry would then be pick'd
From the true seed of_honour? how much honour
Glean'd from the chaff?_
II.ix.70 (157,4) [Take what wife you will to-bed] Perhaps the poet had forgotten that he who missed Portia was never to marry any woman.
III.i.47 (160,7) [a bankrupt, a prodigal] There is no need of alteration. There could be, in Shylock's opinion, no prodigality more culpable than such liberality as that by which a man exposes himself to ruin for his friend.
III.ii.21 (163,9) [And so though yours, not yours.—Prove it so] It may be more grammatically read,
And so though yours I'm not yours.
III.ii.54 (165,2) [With no less presence] With the same dignity of mien.
III.ii.73 (166,5) [So may the outward shows] He begins abruptly, the first part of the argument has passed in his mind.
III.ii.76 (166,6) [gracious voice] Pleasing; winning favour.
III.ii.112 (167,9) [In measure rain thy joy] The first quarto edition reads,
In measure range thy joy.
The folio and one of the quartos,
In measure raine thy joy.
I once believ'd Shakespeare meant,
In measure rein thy joy.
The words rain and rein were not in these times distinguished by regular orthography. There is no difficulty in the present reading, only where the copies vary some suspicion of error is always raised, (see 1765, I,437,1)
III.ii.125 (168,1) [Methinks, it should have power to steal both his, And leave itself unfurnish'd] I know not how unfinish'd has intruded without notice into the later editions, as the quartos and folio have unfurnished, which Sir Tho. Banner has received. Perhaps it
might be
And leave himself unfurnish'd.
III.ii.191 (170,4) [you can wish none from me] That is, none away from me; none that I shall lose, if you gain it.
III.v.70 (182,5) [how his words are suited!] I believe the meaning is: What a series or suite of words he has independent of meaning; how one word draws on another without relation to the matter.
IV,i.21 (184,6) [apparent] That is, seeming; not real.
IV.i.22 (184,7) [where] for whereas.
IV.i.29 (184,8) [Enough to press a royal merchant down] This epithet was in our poet's time more striking and better understood, because Gresham was then commonly dignified with the title of the royal merchant.
IV.i.42 (185,1) [I'll not answer that; But, say, it is my humour] [Cf: By saying] Dr. Warburton has mistaken the sense. The Jew being asked a question which the law does not require him to answer, stands upon his right, and refuses; but afterwards gratifies his own malignity by such answers as he knows will aggravate the pain of the enquirer. I will not answer, says he, as to a legal or serious question, but since you want an answer, will this serve you?
IV.i.56 (187,4)
[For affection,
Masters of passion, sway it to the mood
Of what it likes, or loaths]
As for affection, those that know how to operate upon the passions of men, rule it by making it operate in obedience to the notes which please or disgust it. (1773)
[Woollen bag pipe] As all the editors agree with complete uniformity in this reading, I can hardly forbear to imagine that they understood it. But I never saw a woollen bag-pipe, nor can well conceive it. I suppose the authour wrote wooden bag-pipe, meaning that the bag was of leather, and the pipe of wood.
IV.i.90 (189,5) [many a purchas'd slave] This argument considered as used to the particular persons, seems conclusive. I see not how Venetians or Englishmen, while they practise the purchase and sale of slaves, can much enforce or demand the law of doing to others as we would that they should do to us.
IV.i.105 (189,6) [Bellario, a learned doctor, Whom I have sent for] The doctor and the court are here somewhat unskilfully brought together. That