Thus Mr. POPE reads it, with a nice Regard to the Numbers; not confidering how perpetually the Poet, as I before remark'd, melts a Syllable in Pronunciation. The Generality, if not All, of the Editions have it with an emphatical Disjunctive in the Middle of the Reflexion. There is no more Reafon for the Hyphen here, than there would be a little lower at this Verfe, And I with them the third Night held &c. XIX. Ibid. Haml. Indeed, [] Sirs, but This troubles me. The fecond Folio Edition (as Mr. POPE might have obferv'd, who in so many Paffages has a particular Regard to the Numbers,) makes a full Verfe of this; Indeed, Indeed, Sirs, but This troubles me. Which Reduplication of the Word feems to give a much stronger Here again, with the old Editions, the Hyphen ought to be remov'd, and we must read, A Sable filver'd. i. e. a black, (fubintellig. Beard; and the Adjective is put like a Subftantive,) grown white, or filver'd over with Age. XXI. Act I. Scene 5. Page 360, 1. but you must fear [] His greatnefs weigh'd, his will is not his own. As this is pointed, the Senfe is abfolutely maim'd; for Greatnefs appears the Accufative Cafe to the Verb fear: Whereas, in the Poet's Meaning, it is an Ablative abfolute. Read it there fore, but you must fear, His Greatnefs weigh'd, his Will is not his own. That is, his Greatnefs being weigh'd or confider'd by you, you must have this Fear, that his Will is not in his own Power, but fubject to the State. The SANCTITY and Health of the whole State. I do not well understand the Force, or Reafon, of the Word rence Conje&tural Emendation. J°334 rence due to Majefty? They could not fo well fuffer by HAMLET'S Choice of a Wife; but the Health, or Prefervation, of the State might, in fome Degree, be concerned by it. The Quarto Edition of 1637 has a Various Reading, which I find Mr. Hughs has efpoufed in his Impreffion of this Play, viz. The Safety and Health &c. The Meaning, 'tis true, of the Poet is here implied, tho' not exprefs'd in his ownTermes; but the Verfification is miferably crippled by it. To depart therefore not above a Letter or two from the prefent Reading for the Poet's own Word, as I conceive; suppose, he might have wrote, for on his Choice depends The SANITY, and Health, of the whole State. i. e. The Welfare, Prefervation &c. The Word Sanity might not be fo well known to the first Editors, as the other; as therefore fufpecting it a Miftake of their Copy, they, with the more Readinefs, might fubftitute Sanctity in its Room. Not but this very Term occurs again afterwards in the fecond Act of this Play. And that Sanity and Health, put together, may not be thought a Tautology to be queftion'd in our Author, in the next Paffage, where I find it, it is likewife joined with a Synonymous Word of its own Efficacy and Signification. HAMLET, page. 386. How pregnant, fometimes, his Replies are? For by Sanity here is meant not the Health of Body, but Sound- which Reafon and Sanctity could not fo happily be deliver'd of. Here Sanctity, as in the other Paffage, is erroneoufly fubftituted in the Place of Sanity. And to deal freely, I have fufpected that the fame literal Slip upon this Word has been made in another Paffage of our Poet: I fay, it has been a Sufpicion of mine; for I urge it no farther than as fuch, and with the utmoft Diffidence. However, I fhall give it here, as Occafion offers, and submit it to the Decifion of better Judgments. The Place is in Macbeth, pag. 580. where Malcolme, Macduff, and an English Physician, are talking of the extraordinary Gift to King Edward the Confeffor, of curing by his Touch poor Souls that could find no Relief from the Aid of Phyfick, in that Diftemper which fucceeding Times have call'd the King's Evil. The Words are thefe: Malc. Comes the King forth to Day? Doctor. Ay, Sir; There are a Crew of wretched Souls That flay his Cure; their Malady convinces The great Affay of Art. But at his Touch, Such SANCTITY hath Heaven given his Hand, I do not enirely object to this Reading that has the Warrant of all the Copies on its Side; nor am I at a Lofs, I think, to understand its Meaning. Edward the Confeffor was a Man of fingular Holiness, for which Heaven blefs'd him with that miraculous Power of curing by a Touch. But did the Sanctity of his Hand do thefe Cures? Or was it an healing Property imparted by Heaven, in Reward of his rare Piety? Certainly, the latter: And This has induc'd me to fufpect that our Poet wrote; But at his Touch, Such SANITY hath Heaven giv'n his Hand, i. e. Such a Quality and Power of making whole all whom he touches. This Conjecture, perhaps, will receive fome Strength from certain Expreffions in the Reply of Malcolme to this Account of the Doctor. A Fines: T94 335 Conjectural Emendation, from a Various Reading. Amoft miraculous Work in this good King ; The healing Benediction shall leave it here naked, without any reinforcing, to be embraced, or rejected, at every Reader's Pleafure: Being refolved not to draw upon my felf the Odium of impofing what I profeffed to offer but as a Guefs; or the Chance of being laughed at for too fondly maintaining what may happen to be repugnant to every good Judge's Senfe and Understanding. XXIII. A& 1. Scene 6. Page 362. Tet here, Laertes! get aboard for Shame [,] The wind fits in the fhoulder of your Sail, And you are flaid for [] there [.] My Bleffing with you; Here again the Editor feems in the first Verse to have a nice Regard to the Numbers. In all the old Editions, that I have feen, the first Verse is; Tet here, Laertes! Aboard, aboard, for Shame; But the Variation is of no Moment. But then, in the third Line, why is not as good, and as full This Adverb in the Clofe and of no Ufe but to fupport the Measure of the Verfe. But if we come to point this Passage right, and to the Poet's Intention in it, we shall find it neither unneceffary, nor improper, in its Place. In the Speech |