Page:The Plays and Poems of William Shakspeare (1790) - Vol. 1a.djvu/31

Rh says Romeo, when provoked by the appearance of his rival. Instead of this, which is the reading of the quarto 1597, the line, in the quarto, 1599; is thus corruptly exhibited:

"And fire end fury be my conduct now!” In the subsequent quarto copy and was substituted for end; and accordingly in the folio the poet’s fine imagery is entirely lost, and Romeo exclaims,

"And fire and fury be my conduct now!"

The other instance in the same play is not less remarkable. In the quarto, 1599, the Friar, addressing Romeo, is made to say,

"Thou puts up thy fortune, and thy love.” The editor of the folio perceiving here a gross corruption, substituted these words: "Thou puttest up thy fortune, and thy love;" not perceiving that up was a misprint for upon, and puts for pouts, (which according to the ancient mode was written instead of powt'st,) as he would have found by looking into another copy without a date, and as he might have conjectured from the corresponding line in the original play printed in 1597, had he ever examined it:

"Thou frown'st upon thy fate, that smiles on thee.”

So little known indeed was the value of the early impressions of books, (not revised or corrected by their authours,) that King Charles the First, though a great admirer of our poet, was contented with the second Vol. I. Part I.