Page:The Plays and Poems of William Shakspeare (1790) - Vol. 1a.djvu/37

Rh Again, in Hamlet, Act III. sc. ii. instead of—"your wisdom should shew itself more richer, to signify this to the doctor;" we find in the copy of 1632, "—your wisdom should slew itself more rich," &c.

In The Winter's Tale, the word vast not being understood,

"—they shook hands as over a vast." Fisft Folio. we find in the second copy, "—as over a vast sea." In K. John, Act V. sc. v. first folio, are these lines:

"—————The English lords

"By his persuasion are again fallen off."

The editor of the second folio, thinking, I suppose, that as these lords had not before deserted the French King, it was improper to say that they had again fallen off, substituted "—are at last fallen off ;" not perceiving that the meaning is, that these lords had gone back again to their own countrymen, whom they had before deserted.

In K. Henry VIII. Act II. sc. ii. Norfolk speaking of Wolfey, says, "I'll venture one have at him." This being misunderstood, is changed in the second copy to—"I’ll venture one heave at him."

Julius Cæsar likewise furnishes various specimens of his ignorance of Shakspeare’ s language. The phrase, to bear hard, not being understood, instead of—

"Caius Ligarius doth bear Cæsar hard.” First Folio. we find in the second copy,

"Caius Ligarius doth bear Cæsar hatred."