Notes to Shakespeare — Volume 01: Comedies by Samuel Johnson
page 36 of 292 (12%)
page 36 of 292 (12%)
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This love will end in a _foolish action_, to produce which you are
long to spend your _wit_, or it will end in the loss of your _wit_, which will be overpowered by the folly of love. I.i.69 (109,7) [Made wit with musing weak] For _made_ read _make_. _Thou_, Julia, _hast_ made _me war with good counsel, and_ make _wit weak with muting_. I.i.70 (109,8) [_Enter Speed_] [Pope found this scene low and full of "trifling conceits" and suggested it was possibly an interpolation by the actors.] That this, like many other scenes, is mean and vulgar, will be universally allowed; but that it was interpolated by the players seems advanced without any proof, only to give a greater licence to criticism. I.i.153 (112,4) [you have testern'd me] You have gratified me with a _tester, testern_, or _testen_, that is, with a sixpence. I.ii.41 (114,5) [a goodly broker!] A _broker_ was used for matchmaker, sometimes for a procuress. I.ii.68 (115,6) [stomach on your meat] _Stomach_ was used for _passion_ or _obstinacy_. I.ii.137 (117,8) [I see you have a month's mind to them] [_A month's mind_ was an _anniversary_ in times of popery. Gray.] A _month's mind_, in the ritual sense, signifies not desire or inclination, but remonstrance; yet I suppose this is the true original of the expression. (1773) I.iii.1 (118,9) [what sad talk] _Sad_ is the same as _grave_ or _serious_. |
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