Act V Sc. 1
“Full of good news. My master will be here ere morning.”
By reading morn we should get a rime.
“My friend, Stephano, I pray you signify.”
Both 4tos and folios read “signify I pray you.”
“Is thick-inlaid with patens of pure gold.”
The reading of the 2nd folio, patterns, the one usually followed, is decidedly wrong. In Spanish patena is a medal worn by country-women about the neck.
“By the sweet power of music; therefore the poets.”
I think we should read this in the plural, as no particular poet was regarded as the author of this mythe.
“Peace, ho! the moon sleeps with Endymion.”
In reading “ho!” for the how of the original editions, I had been anticipated by Malone.
“That she did give me, whose—poësy was
—For all the world like cutler’s poetry
Upon a knife—Love me and leave me not.”
By punctuating thus, we need not read, with Steevens, ‘to me.’
“Or your own honour to contain the ring.”
It might be better, with Pope, to read retain. (See on Two Gent. v. 4, ad fin.)
“In summer where the ways are fair enough.”
The usual confusion of where and when.
“Well while I live,” etc.
A waggish allusion to a story told by Poggio, Ariosto, Rabelais, La Fontaine, and Prior. Our poet probably got it from Rabelais, with whom he was familiar.