P. 28, 1. 23. Gre. He that has the two fair daughters: is't (Aside to TRANIO.) he you mean?] In the old copy, this speech is given to Biondello. STEEVENS.

It should rather be given to Gremio; to whom, with the others, Tranio has addressed himself. The following passages might be written thus:

Tra. Even he. Biondello!

Gre. Hark you, Sir; you mean not her too.

TYRWHITT.

I think the old copy, both here and in the preceding speech is right. Biondello adds to what his master had said, the words He that has the two fair daughters," to ascertain more precisely the person for whom he had enquired; and then addresses Tranio; is't he you mean?" MALONE.

1 have followed Mr. Tyrwhitt's regulation.

STEEVENS.

P. 29, 1. 27. Please ye we may contrive this afternoon.] Mr. Theobald asks what they were to contrive? and then says, a foolish corruption possess es the place and so alters it to convive; in which he is followed as he pretty constantly is, when wrong, by the Oxford editor. But the common reading is right, and the critic was only ignorant of the meaning of it. Contrive does not signify here to project but to spend, and wear out.

WARBURTON,

Contrive, I suppose, is from contero. So, in the Hecyra of Terence. ..Totum hunc contrivi diem." STEEVENS.

P. 29, 1. 29. By adversaries in law, I believe, our author means not suitors, but barristers, who, however warm in their opposition to each other in the courts of law, live in greater harmony and friendship in private, than perhaps those of any other of the liberal professions. Their clients seldom

..eat and drink with their adversaries as friends."

MALONE.

P. 29, 1. 31. Fellows means fellow-servants. Grumio and Biondello address each other, and also the disguised Lucentio. MALONE.

.P. 30, 1.1. Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong yourself,] Do not

act in a manner unbecoming a woman and a sister.

P. 30, 1. 7.

reads

-

MALONE.

these other gawds,] The old copy these other goods. STEEVENS.

This is so trifling and unexpressive a word, that I am satisfied our auther wrote gawds, (i. e. toys, trifling ornaments;) a term that he frequently uses and seems fond of. THEOBALD.

P. 30, l. 21. - to keep you fair] I wish to read to keep you fine. But either word may serve.

JOHNSON.

P. 30, last. 1. The word hilding or hinderling, is a low wretch; it is applied to Katharine for the coarseness of her behaviour. JOHNSON.

P. 31, l. 10. To lead apes" was in our author's time, as at present, one of the employments of a bear-herd, who often carries about one of those animals along with his bear: but I know not how this phrase came to be applied to old maids. We meet with it again in Much ado about Nothing: Therefore (says Beatrice, ) I will even take sixpence in earnest of the bear-herd, and lead his apes to hell." MALONE.

That women who refused to bear children, should, after death, be condemned to the care of apes in leading-strings, might have been considered as an act of posthumous retribution. STEEVENS.

P. 32, 1. 23. Baccare! you are marvellous forward.] We must read, Baccalare; by which the Italians

mean,

thon arrogant, presumptuous man! the word is used scornfully upon any one that would assume a port of grandeur. WARBURTON.

The word is neither wrong nor Italian: it was an old proverbial one, used by John Heywood; who hath made, what he pleases to call, Epigrams upon it. Take two of them, such as they are:

Backare, quoth Mortimer to his sow,

Went that sow backe at that bidding, trow you?"
..Backare, quoth Mortimer to his sow: se,

Mortimer's sow speaketh as good Latin as he." Howel takes this from Heywood, in his Old Saws and Adages; and Philpot introduces it into the proverbs collected by Camden. FARMER.

11

P. 32, 1. 26. 28. I doubt it not, Sir; but you will curse your wooing. Neighbour, this is a gift -] The

old copy gives the passage as follows:

I doubt it not, Sir. But you will curse
Your wooing neighbors: this is a guift.

STEEVENS.

This nonsense may be rectified by only pointing it thus: I doubt it not, Sir, but you will curse your wooing. Neighbour, this is a gift, etc. addressing himself to Baptista. WARBURTON.

P. 32, 1. 30. 31. I freely give unto you this young scholar,] Our modern editors had been long content with the following sophisticated reading: free leave give to this young scholar, STEEVENS.

This is an injudicious correction of the first folio, which reads freely give unto this young scholar. We should read, I believe

I freely give unto you this young scholar,
That hath been long studying at Rheims; as

In Greek, etc. TYRWHITT.

cunning

P. 33, l. 16. In Queen Elizabeth's time the young ladies of quality were usually instructed in the learned languages, if any pains were bestowed on their minds at all. Lady Jane Grey and her sisters, Queen Elizabeth, etc. are trite instances. PERCY.

P. 33, 1. 18. Bap. Lucentio is your name?] How should Baptista know this? Perhaps a line is lost, or perhaps our author was negligent. Mr. Theobald supposes they converse privately, and that thus the name is learned; but then the action must stand still; for there is no speech interposed between that of Tranio and this of Baptista. Another editor imagines that Lucentio's name was written on the packet of books. MALONE.

P. 33, 1. 21. I know him well;] It appears in a subsequent part of this play, that Baptista was not personally acquainted with Vincentio. The pedant indeed talks of Vincentio and Baptista having lod, ged together twenty years before at an inn in Genoa; but this appears to have been a fiction for the nonce; for when the pretended Vincentio is introduced, Baptista expresses no surprise at his not being the same man with whom he had formerly been acquainted; and, when the real Vincentio appears, he sup poses him an impostor. The words therefore, Į know him well, must mean, I know well who he is." Baptista uses the same words before, speaking of Petruchio's father: ..I know him well; you are welcome for his sake" where they must have the same meaning; viz. I know who he was; for Pe truchio's father is supposed to have died before the commencement of this play. MALONE.

P. 3, 1. 2. And every day I cannot come to woo.] This is the burthen of part of an old ballad entitled The Ingenious Braggadocio:

And I cannot come every day to woo." STREVENS.

P.55. 1.

P. 35, 1. 6. A fret is that stop of a musical instru ment which causes or regulates the vibration of the string. JOHNSON.

P. 35, l. 16. To twangle is a provincial expression, and signifies to flourish capriciously on an instru ment, as performers often do after having tuned it, previous to their beginning a regular composition. HENLEY.

Twangling Jack is, mean, paltry lunatist.

MALONE.

I do not see with Mr. Malone, that twangling Jack means paltry lunatist," though it may paltry musician." DOUCE.

P. 36, l. 27. A joint-stool.] This is a proverbial expression:

..Cry you mercy, I took you for a join'd stool." STEEVENS. P. 36, 1. 31. No such jade,] Perhaps we should read no such jack. However there is authority for jade in a male sense. So, in Soliman and Per seda, Piston says of Basilico, He just like á knight! He'll just like a jade." FARMER.

P. 37, 1. 5. Ay, for a turtle; as he takes a buzzard.] Perhaps we

may read better

Ay, for a turtle, and he takes a buzzard. That is, he may take me for a turtle, and he shall find me a hawk. JOHNSON.

P. 37, 1. 28. A craven is a degenerate, dispirited cock. STEEVENS.

Craven was a term also applied to those who in appeals of battle became recreant, and by pronouncing this word, called for quarter from their oppo nents: the consequence of which was, that they for ever after were deemed infamous. REED.

VOL. VI.

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