We will our youth lead on to higher fields, War. Both which, we doubt not but your majesty K. Hen. Humphrey, my son of Gloster, Where is the prince your brother? P. Humph. I think, he 's gone to hunt, my lord, at Windsor. K. Hen. And how accompanied? P. Humph. I do not know, my lord. K. Hen. Is not his brother, Thomas of Clarence, with him? P. Humph. No, my good lord; he is in presence here. Cla. What would my lord and father? K. Hen. Nothing but well to thee, Thomas of Clarence. How chance, thou art not with the prince thy brother? He loves thee, and thou dost neglect him, Thomas; Thou hast a better place in his affection, Than all thy brothers: cherish it, my boy; And noble offices thou may'st effect Of mediation, after I am dead, Between his greatness and thy other brethren:- Yet notwithstanding, being incens'd, he 's flint; 8 6 Our navy is address'd,] i. e. Our navy is ready, prepared. So, in King Henry V: 7 for our march we are address'd." Steevens. if he be observ'd;] i. e. if he has respectful attention, shown to him. So, in The Merry Wives of Windsor: "Follow'd her with doting observance" Steevens. As flaws congealed in the spring of day.' Till that his passions, like a whale on ground, Mingled with venom of suggestion,1 8 - humorous as winter,] That is, changeable as the weather of a winter's day. Dryden says of Almanzor, that he is humo. rous as wind. Johnson. So, in The Spanish Tragedy, 1607: "You know that women oft are humorous." Again, in Cynthia's Revels, by Ben Jonson: "-a nymph of a most wandering and giddy disposition, humourous as the air." &c. Again, in The Silent Woman: "as proud as May, and as humourous as April." Steevens. "As humorous as April" is sufficiently clear. So, in Heywood's Challenge for Beauty, 1636: "I am as full of humours as an April day of variety;" but a winter's day has generally too decided a character to admit Dr. Johnson's interpretation, without some licence: a licence which yet our author has perhaps taken. He may, however, have used the word humorous equivocally. He abounds in capricious fancies, as winter abounds in moisture. Malone. 9 congealed in the spring of day.] Alluding to the opinion of some philosophers, that the vapours being congealed in the air by cold, (which is most intense towards the morning) and being afterwards rarified and let loose by the warmth of the sun, occasion those sudden and impetuous gusts of wind which are called flaws. Warburton. So, Ben Jonson, in The Case is alter❜d: "Still wrack'd with winds more foul and contrary Again, in Arden of Feversham, 1592: "And saw a dreadful southern flaw at hand." Chapman uses the word in his translation of Homer; and, I believe, Milton has it in the same sense. Steevens. Our author and his contemporaries frequently use the word flaw for a sudden gust of wind; but a gust of wind congealed is, I confess, to me unintelligible. Mr. Edwards says, that "flaws are small blades of ice which are struck on the edges of the water in winter mornings." The spring of day our author might have found in our liturgy: "whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us." Malone. (As, force perforce, the age will pour it in,) Shall never leak, though it do work as strong As aconitum,2 or rash gunpowder.3 Cla. I shall observe him with all care and love. K. Hen. Why art thou not at Windsor with him, Tho Cla. He is not there to-day; he dines in London. K. Hen. And how accompanied? canst thou tell that? Is overspread with them: Therefore my grief The blood weeps from my heart, when I do shape, War. My gracious lord, you look beyond him quite: The prince but studies his companions, Like a strange tongue: wherein, to gain the language, 'Tis needful, that the most immodest word Be look'd upon, and learn'd; which once attain'd, 1 Mingled with venom of suggestion,] Though their blood be inflamed by the temptations to which youth is peculiarly subject. See Vol. II, p. 182, n. 3. Malone. 2 As aconitum,] The old writers employ the Latin word instead of the English one, which we now use. So, in Heywood's Brazen Age, 1613: Again: 3 till from the foam "The dog belch'd forth, strong aconitum sprung." "With aconitum that in Tartar springs." Seeevens. rash gunpowder,] Rash is quick, violent, sudden. This representation of the prince is a natural picture of a young man, whose passions are yet too strong for his virtues. Johnson. his affections] His passions; his inordinate desires. Johnson. But to be known and hated. So, like gross terms, By which his grace must mete the lives of others; K. Hen. 'Tis seldom when the bee doth leave her comb In the dead carrion.5-Who's here? Westmoreland? Enter WESTMORELAND. West. Health to my sovereign! and new happiness Added to that that I am to deliver! Prince John, your son, doth kiss your grace's hand: K. Hen. O Westmoreland, thou art a summer bird, Which ever in the haunch of winter sings The lifting up of day. Look! here 's more news. Har. From enemies heaven keep your majesty; 5'Tis seldom, when the bee &c.] As the bee having once placed her comb in a carcase, stays by her honey, so he that has once taken pleasure in bad company, will continue to associate with those that have the art of pleasing him. Johnson. 6 in his particular.] We should read, I think-in this particular; that is, in this detail, in this account, which is minute and distinct. Johnson. His is used for its, very frequently in the old plays. The modern editors have too often made the change; but it should be remembered, (as Dr. Johnson has elsewhere observed) that by repeated changes the history of a language will be lost. Steevens. It may certainly have been used so here, as in almost every other page of our author. Mr. Henley, however, observes, that his particular may mean the detail contained in the letter of Prince John. A Particular is yet used as a substantive, by legal conveyancers, for a minute detail of things singly enumerated. Malone. The earl Northumberland, and the lord Bardolph, K. Hen. And wherefore should these good news make me sick? Will fortune never come with both hands full, I should rejoice now at this happy news; [Swoons. Cla. O my royal father! West. My sovereign lord, cheer up yourself, look up! War. Be patient, princes; you do know, these fits Are with his highness very ordinary. Stand from him, give him air; he 'll straight be well. The incessant care and labour of his mind 7 Hath wrought the mure, &c.] i. e. the wall. Pope. Wrought it thin, is made it thin by gradual detriment. Wrought is the preterite of work. Mure is a word used by Heywood, in his Brazen Age, 1613: "Till I have scal'd these mures, invaded Troy." Again, in his Golden Age, 1611: "Girt with a triple mure of shining brass." Again, in his Iron Age, 2d Part, 1632: "Through mures and counter-mures of men and steel." Again, in Dyonese Settle's Last Voyage of Capteine Frobisher, 12mo. bl. 1. 1577: "- the streightes seemed to be shutt up with a long mure of yce -." The same thought occurs in Daniel's Civil Wars, &c. Book IV. Daniel is likewise speaking of the sickness of K. Henry IV: "As that the walls worn thin, permit the mind "To look out thorow, and his frailtie find." The first edition of Daniel's poem is dated earlier than this play of Shakspeare. Waller has the same thought: |