To 'cide this title is impannelled ' A queft of thoughts, all tenants to the heart; The clear eye's moiety, and the dear heart's part: XLVII. Betwixt mine eye and heart a league is took, ▪ To 'cide this title is impannelled] To 'cide, for to decide. The old copy reads-fide. MALONE. A quest of thoughts,] An inqueft or jury. So, in K. "What lawful queft have given their verdict up 3 The clear eye's moiety,] Moiety in ancient language fignifies any portion of a thing, though the whole may not be equally divided. So, in K. Henry IV. P. I: "Methinks my moiety, north from Burton here, "In quantity equals not one of yours." Here the divifion was into three parts. MALONE. 4 So either by thy picture or my love,] The modern editions read unintelligibly: So either by the picture of my love. MALONE. 619 XLVIII. XLVIII. How careful was I when I took my way, XLIX. Against that time, if ever that time come, 5 Within the gentle clofure of my breaft,] So, in K. Rich. Ill: "Within the guilty closure of thy walls." STEEVENS. • For truth proves thievifh for a prize fo dear.] So, in Venus and Adonis: "Rich preys make rich men thieves." C. 7 Whenas thy love has caft his utmost fum,] Whenas, in an, cient language, was fynonymous to when. MALONE, When love, converted from the thing it was, Shall reafons find of fettled gravity,] A fentiment fome what fimilar, occurs in Julius Cæfar: When love begins to ficken and decay, "It ufeth an enforced ceremony," STEEVENS. Againft Againft that time do I enfèonce me here? To leave poor me thou haft the ftrength of laws, L. How heavy do I journey on the way, When what I feek,-my weary travel's end,- For that fame groan doth put this in my mind, 9-do I enfconce me here] I fortify myfelf. A fconce was a fpecies of fortification. MALONE. Thus far the miles are measur'd from thy friend!] So, in one of our author's plays: Meafuring our steps from a departed friend.” Again, in K. Richard 11: Every tedious ftride I make, "Will but remember me what a deal of world "I wander from the jewels that I love." MALONE. Plods dully on,] The quarto reads-Plods duly on. The context fupports the reading that I have chofen. So, in the next Sonnet : "Thus can my love excufe the flow offence LI. Thus can my love excufe the flow offence Of my dull bearer, when from thee I speed: From where thou art why should I hafte me thence? Till I return, of posting is no need. O, what excuse will my poor beast then find, Then should I fpur, though mounted on the wind *; When fwift extremity can feem but flow ?] So, in Macbeth: STEEVENS. 4 Then fhould I fpur, though mounted on the wind;] So, in Macbeth: "And Pity, like a naked new-born babe, "Striding the blaft, or Heaven's cherubin, bors'd "Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye." It is likewife one of the employments of Ariel, MALONE. 5 Shall neigh (no dull flefb) in his firy race;] The expreffion is here fo uncouth, that I ftrongly fufpect this line to be corrupt. Perhaps we fhould read: Shall neigh to dull flefh, in his firy race. Defire, in the ardour of impatience, fhall call to the fluggish animal (the borse) to proceed with fwifter motion. MALONE. Perhaps this paffage is only obfcured by the aukward situation of the words no dull flesh. The fenfe may be this: "Therefore defire, being no dull piece of horse-flesh, but compofed of the most perfect love, fhall neigh as he proceeds in his hot career." "A good piece of horse-feh," is a term ftill current in the stable. Such a profufion of words, and only to tell us that our author's paffion was impetuous, though his horfe was flow! STEEVENS. LII. So am I as the rich, whose bleffed key So is the time that keeps you, as my cheft, Bleffed are you, whofe worthinefs gives scope, For blunting the fine point of feldom pleasure.] That is, for fear af blunting &c. 7 Voluptates commendat rarior ufus. Hor. MALONE. Mutato toties. Alicubi. STEEVENS. Therefore are feafts fo folemn and fo rare, Like ftones of avorth &c.] So, in K. Henry IV. P. I: "To fport would be as tedious as to work; "But when they feldom come, they wish'd-for come; "And nothing pleafeth but rare accidents." MALONE. feafts fo folemn and fo rare,] He means the four feftivals of the year. STEEVENS. Or captain jewels in the carcanet.] Jewels of fuperior worth. So, in Timon of Athens: "The als more captain than the lion, and the felon Again, in the 66th Sonnet: "And captive Good attending captain III.” The carcanet was an ornament worn round the neck. MALONE. 9 Or as the wardrobe which the robe doth hide, To make fome Special inftant fecial-bleft,] So, in King Henry IV. P. I "Then did I keep my perfon fresh and new; "Ne'er feen but wonder'd at." STEEVENS. |