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S. Ant. Then fhe bears fome breadth?

S. Dro. No longer from head to foot, than from hip to hip; fhe is fpherical, like a globe: I could find out countries in her.

S. Ant. In what part of her body ftands Ireland? S. Dro. Marry, Sir, in her buttocks, I found it out by the bogs.

S. Ant. Where Scotland?

S. Dro. I found it out by the barrenness, hard in the palm of her hand.

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8 S. Ant. Where France? S. Dro. In her forehead: arm'd and reverted, making War against ber Hair.] All the other Countries, mention'd in this Defcription, are in Dromio's Replies fatirically characteriz'd: but here, as the Editors have order'd it, no Remark is made upon France; nor any Reafon given, why it fhould be in her Forehead: but only the Kitchin-wench's high Forehead is rallied, as pushing back her Hair. Thus all the modern Editions; but the firft Folio reads making War against her Heir am very apt to think, this laft is the true Reading; and that an Equivoque, as the French call it, a double Meaning, is defign'd in the Poet's Allufion: and therefore I have replaced it in the Text. In 1589, Henry III. of France being ftab'd, and dying of his Wound, was fucceeded by Henry IV. of Navarre, whom he appointed his Succeffor; but whofe Claim the States of France refifted, on accont of his being a Proteftant. This, I take it, is

And I

S. Dro.

what he means, by France making War against her Heir. Now as, in 1591, Queen Elizabeth fent over 4000 Men, under the Conduct of the Earl of Ellex, to the Affiftance of this Henry of Navarre; it feems to me very probable, that during this Expedition being on foot, this Comedy made its Appearance. And it it was the finest Address imaginable in the Poet to throw fuch an oblique Sneer at France, for oppofing the Succeffion of that Heir, whose Claim his Royal Miftrefs, the Queen, had fent over a Force to eftablifh, and oblige them to acknowledge.

THEOBALD.

With this correction and explication Dr. Warburton concurs, and Sir T. Hanmer thinks an equivocation intended, though he retains hair in the text. Yet furely they all have loft the fense by looking beyond it. Our authour, in my opinion, only sports with an allufion, in which he takes too much delight, and means that his mistrefs had the French difeafe. The ideas are rather too offenfive,

S. Dro. In her forehead; arm'd and reverted, making war against her haiṛ.

S. Ant. Where England?

S. Dro. I look'd for the chalky cliffs, but I could find no whiteness in them; but I guess it stood in her chin, by the falt rheum that ran between France and it, S. Ant. Where Spain?

S. Dro. Faith, I faw it not, but I felt it hot in her breath.

S. Ant. Where America, the Indies?

S. Dro. Oh, Sir, upon her nofe, all o'er embellish'd with rubies, carbuncles, fapphires; declining their rich aspect to the hot breath of Spain, who fent whole armadoes of carracts to be ballaft at her nose.

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S. Ant. Where ftood Belgia, the Netherlands ? S. Dro. Oh, Sir, I did not look fo low. To conclude, this drudge, or diviner, laid claim to me, call'd me Dromio, fwore I was affur'd to her, told me what privy marks I had about me, as the marks of my fhoulder, the mole in my neck, the great wart on my left arm, that I, amaz'd, ran from her as a witch. › And, I think, if my breaft had not been made of faith,

be dilated. By a forehead armed, he means covered with incrufted eruptions; by reverted, he means having the hair turning backward. An equivocal word mufthave fenfes applicable toboth the fubjects to which it is applied. Both Forehead and France might in fome fort make war against their hair, but how did the forebead make war against its beir? The fenfe which I have given immediately occurred to me, and will, I believe, arife to every reader, who is contented with the meaning that lies before him, without fending our conjecture in fearch of refinements.

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faith, and my heart of steel, fhe had transform'd me to a curtal dog, and made me turn i'th' wheel.

S. Ant. Go, hie thee prefently; poft to the road; And if the wind blow any way from shore, I will not harbour in this town to night. If any bark put forth, come to the mart; Where I will walk, 'till thou return to me: If every one know us, and we know none, 'Tis time, I think, to trudge, pack and be gone. S. Dro. As from a bear a man would run for life, So fly I from her that would be

my

SCENE IV.

wife.

[Exit,

S. Ant. There's none but witches do inhabit here; And therefore 'tis high time that I were hence: She, that doth call me hufband, even my foul Doth for a wife abhor. But her fair fifter, Poffeft with fuch a gentle fovereign grace, Of fuch inchanting prefence and difcourfe, Hath almoft made me traitor to myself: But left myself be guilty of felf-wrong, I'll ftop mine ears against the mermaid's fong.

Enter Angelo, with a Chain.

Ang. Mafter Antipholis,

S. Ant. Ay, that's my name.

Ang. I know it well, Sir; lo, here is the chain; I thought t' have ta'en you at the Porcupine; The chain, unfinish'd, made me stay thus long.

S. Ant. What is your will, that I fhall do with this? Ang. What please yourself, Sir; I have made it for

you.

St. Ant. Made it for me, Sir! I bespoke it not.

however the Oxford Editor thinks curity, and has therefore put it a breaft made of fiint, better fe

in.

WARBURTON.

Ang.

Ang. Not once, nor twice, but twenty times you have:

Go home with it, and please your wife withal;
And foon at fupper-time I'll vifit you,

And then receive my mony for the chain.

S. Ant. I pray you, Sir, receive the mony now;
For fear you ne'er fee chain, nor mony, more.
Ang. You are a merry man, Sir; fare you well.

[Exit.
S. Ant. What I fhould think of this, I cannot tell;
But this I think, there's no man is fo vain,
That would refuse so fair an offer'd chain.
I fee, a man here needs not live by fhifts.
When in the streets he meets fuch golden gifts:
I'll to the mart, and there for Dromio ftay;
If any fhip put out, then ftrait awaay.

[Exit.

ACT

IV. SCENE I.

The STREET.

Enter a Merchant, Angelo, and an Officer.

MERCHANT.

U know, fince Pentecoft the fum is due;

You And fince I have not much importun'd you;

Nor now I had not, but that I am bound
To Perfia, and want gilders for my voyage:
Therefore make prefent fatisfaction;

Or I'll attach you by this officer.

Ang. Ev'n juft the fum, that I do owe to you, Is growing to me by Antipholis;

And, in the inftant that I met with you,

He had of me a chain: at five o'clock,

I fhall

I fhall receive the mony for the fame:

Please you but walk with me down to his house,
I will discharge my bond, and thank you too.

Enter Antipholis of Ephefus, and Dromio of Ephefus, as from the Courtezan's.

Offi. That labour you may fave: fee where he comes:
E. Ant. While I go to the goldfmith's houfe, gọ
thou

And buy a rope's end; that I will bestow
Among my wife and her confederates,
For locking me out of my doors by day.

. But, foft; I fee the goldfmith: get thee gone,
Buy thou a rope, and bring it home to me.

E. Dro. I buy a thousand pound a year! I buy a

rope!

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[Exit Dromio. E. Ant. A man is well holp up, that trufts to you: I promised your prefence, and the chain : But neither chain, nor goldsmith, came to me : Belike, you thought, our love would laft too long If it were chain'd together; therefore came not.

Ang. Saving your merry humour, here's the note, How much your chain weighs to the utmost carrat; The fineness of the gold, the chargeful fashion; Which do amount to three odd ducats more, Than I ftand debted to this gentleman; pray you, fee him presently discharg'd; For he is bound to fea, and ftays but for it.

E. Ant. I am not furnish'd with the prefent mony; Befides, I have fome, business in the town; Good Signior, take the ftranger to my house, And with you take the chain, and bid my wife Disburse the fum on the receipt thereof; Perchance, I will be there as foon as you.

Ang. Then you will bring the chain to her yourself? E. Ant. No; bear it with you, left I come not time enough.

Ang.

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