-There is Siward's fon,

And many unrough youths', that even now
Proteft their firft of manhood. Macbeth, A. 5, S. 2.
Choak his days

With barbarous ignorance, and deny his youth

The rich advantage of good exercise 2.

King John, A. 4, S. 2.

Do you fet down your name in the fcroll of youth, that are written down old with all the characters of age? Have you not a moift eye? a dry hand? a yellow cheek? a white beard? a decreafing leg? an increasing belly? Is not your voice broken? your wind fhort? your chin double? your wit fingle 3 ? and every part about you blafted with antiquity?

Henry IV. P. 2, A. 1, S. 2.

unrough youths.] An odd expreffion. It means smoothfaced, unbearded. STEEVENS. "Unrough" is furely unhardy; fuch as have never experienced the fatigues of war.

2

A. B.

good exercife.] In the middle ages, the whole education of princes and noble youths confifted in martial exercises, &c. Thefe could not be eafily had in a prison, where mental improvements might have been afforded, as well as any where elfe; but this fort of education never entered into the thoughts of our active, warlike, but illiterate nobility. PERCY.

If, in the middle ages, the whole education of princes and noble youths confifted in martial exercifes, &c.-what is meant by the following paffage?

66

to choak his days

"With barbarous ignorance."

A. B.

3 Your wit fingle.] We call a man fingle-witted, who attains but one fpecies of knowledge. This fenfe I know not how to apply to Falstaff, and rather think that the Chief Justice hints at a calamity always incident to a grey-haired wit, whofe misfortune is, that his merriment is unfashionable. His allufions are to forgotten facts; his illuftrations are drawn from notions obfcured by time; his wit is therefore fingle, such as none has any part in but himself. JOHNSON. "Single" is poor, weak. Single beer is the weakest kind of malt liquor.

A. B.

And, like a gallant in the brow of youth',
Repairs him with occafion?

I

Henry VI. P. 2, A. 5, S. 3.

gallant in the brow of youth.] The brow of youth is an expreffion not very easily explained. I read, the blow of youththe bloffom, the fpring.

JOHNSON. The brow of youth is the height of youth, as the brow of a hill is its fummit. STEEVENS. "Brow of youth." We may, perhaps, read browse of youth. The metaphor from the browse wood, or early fhoots of trees.

A. B.

FIN IS.