Notes to Shakespeare, Volume III: The Tragedies. Samuel Johnson

all thy powers that heavenly power to praise,

      That gave thee power to do.—

      II.iii.18 (348,3) many-headed multitude] Hanmer reads, many-headed monster, but without necessity. To be many-headed includes monstrousness.

      II.iii.115 (352,7) I will not seal your knowledge] I will not strengthen or compleat your knowledge. The seal is that which gives authenticity to a writing.

      II.iii.122 (352,8)

      Why in this woolvish tongue should I stand here

      To beg of Bob and Dick, that do appear,

      Their needless vouches?]

      Why stand I here in this ragged apparel to beg of Bob and Dick, and such others as make their appearance here, their unnecessary votes. I rather think we should read [instead of voucher], Their needless vouches. But voucher may serve, as it may perhaps signify either the act or the agent.

      II.iii.122 (352) this woolvish gown] Signifies this rough hirsute gown.

      II.iii.182 (355,1) ignorant to see't?] [W: "ignorant" means "impotent"] That ignorant at any time has, otherwise than consequentially, the same meaning with impotent, I do not know. It has no such meaning in this place. Were you ignorant to see it, is, did you want knowledge to discern it.

      II.iii.208 (356,2) free contempt] That is, with contempt open and unrestrained.

      II.iii.227 (357,4) Enforce his pride] Object his pride, and enforce the objection.

      II.iii.258 (358,7) Scaling his present bearing with his past] That is, weighing his past and present behaviour.

      II.iii.267 (359,8) observe and answer/The vantage of his anger] Mark, catch, and improve the opportunity, which his hasty anger will afford us.

      III.i.23 (360,9) prank them in authority] Plume, deck, dignify themselves.

      III.i.58 (362,3) This paltring/Becomes not Rome] That is, this trick of dissimulation, this shuffling.

      Let these be no more believ'd

      That palter with us in a double sense. Macbeth.

      III.i.60 (362,4) laid falsly] Falsly for treacherously.

      III.i.66 (362,5) Let them regard me, as I do not flatter, and/ Therein behold themselves] Let them look in the mirror which I hold up to them, a mirror which does not flatter, and see themselves.

      III.i.89 (363,6) minnows] a minnow is one of the smallest river fish, called in some counties a pink.

      III.i.90 (364,6) 'Twas from the canon] Was contrary to the established role; it was a form of speech to which he has no right.

      III.i.98 (364,9) Then vail your ignorance] [W: "ignorance" means "impotence."] Hanmer's transposition deserves notice

      —If they have power,

      Let them have cushions by you; if none, awake

      Your dang'rous lenity; if you are learned,

      Be not as commmon fools; if you are not,

      Then vail your ignorance. You are Plebeians, &c.

      I neither think the transposition of one editor right, nor the interpretation of the other. The sense is plain enough without supposing ignorance to have any remote or consequential sense. If this man has power, let the ignorance that gave it him vail or bow down before him.

      III.i.101 (365,1) You are Plebeians,

      If they be Senators: and they are no less,

      When, both your voices blended, the greatest taste

      Most palates theirs]

      These lines may, I think, be made more intelligible by a very slight correction.

      —they no less [than senators]

      When, both your voices blended, the great'st taste

      Must palate theirs.

      When the taste of the great, the patricians, must palate, must please [or must try] that of the plebeians.

      III.i.124 (366,3) They would not thread the gates] That is, pass them. We yet say, to thread an alley.

      III.i.129 (366,4) could never be the native] [Native for natural birth. WARBURTON.] Native is here not natural birth, but natural parent, or cause of birth. But I would read motive, which, without any distortion of its meaning, suits the speaker's purpose.

      III.i.151 (367,7) That love the fundamental part of state/More than you doubt the change of't] To doubt is to fear. The meaning is, You whose zeal predominates over your terrours; you who do not so much fear the danger of violent measures, as wish the good to which they are necessary, the preservation of the original constitution of our government.

      III.i.158 (368,2) Mangles true judgment] Judgment is judgment in its common sense, or the faculty by which right is distinguished from wrong.

      III.i.159 (368,3) that integrity which should become it] Integrity is in this place soundness, uniformity, consistency, in the same sense as Dr. Warburton often uses it, when he mentions the integrity of a metaphor. To become, is to suit, to befit.

      III.i.221 (370,5) are very poisonous] I read, are very poisons.

      III.i.242 (371,7) One time will owe another] I know not whether to owe in this place means to possess by right, or to be indebted. Either sense may be admitted. One time, in which the people are seditious, will give us power in some other time; or, this time of the people's predominance will run them in debt; that is, will lay them open to the law, and expose them hereafter to more servile subjection.

      III.i.248 (372,8) Before the tag return] The lowest and most despicable of the populace are still denominated by those a little above them, Tag, rag, and bobtail. (1773)

      III.ii.7 (376,4) I muse] That is, I wonder. I am at a loss.

      III.ii.12 (376,5) my ordinance] My rank.

      III.ii.51 (378,8) Why force you] Why urge you.

      III.ii.56 (378,9) bastards, and syllables/Of no allowance, to your bosom's truth] I read,

      Of no alliance,—

      therefore bastards. Yet allowance may well enough stand, as meaning legal right, established rank, or settled authority. (see 1765, VI, 566, 7)

      III.ii.64 (379,1) I am in this/Your wife, your son] I rather think the meaning is, I am in their condition, I am at stake, together with your wife, your son.

      III.ii.66 (379,2) our general lowts] Our common clowns.

      III.ii.69 (379,3) that want] The want of their loves.

      III.ii.71 (379,4) Not what] In this place not seems to signify not only.

      III.ii.77 (379,5) Waving thy head,/With often, thus, correcting thy stout heart] [W: thy hand,/Which soften thus] The correction is ingenious, yet I think it not right. Head or hand is indifferent. The hand is waved to gain attention; the head is shaken in token of sorrow. The word wave suits better to the hand, but in considering the authour's language, too much stress must not be laid on propriety against the copies. I would read thus,

      —waving thy head,

      With often, thus, correcting thy stout heart.

      That is, shaking thy head, and striking thy breast. The alteration is slight, and the gesture recommended not improper.

      III.ii.99