Marry, would the word farewell have lengthen'd hours, K. Rich. He is our coufin, coufin; but 'tis doubt, What reverence he did throw away on flaves; Green. Well, he is gone, and with him go these thoughts. Now for the rebels, which ftand out in Ireland- For our affairs in hand: if that come fhort, Our fubftitutes at home fhall have blank charters; Enter Enter Busby. K. Rich. Bufhy, what news? Bushy. Old John of Gaunt is grievous fick, my lord, Suddenly taken; and hath fent post-haste To intreat your majefty to vifit him. K. Rich. Where lies he? Busby. At Ely-house. K. Kich. Now put it, heaven, in his physician's mind, To help him to his grave immediately! The lining of his coffers fhall make coats Pray heaven, we may make hafte, and come too late! [Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE I. London. A room in Ely-bouse. Gaunt brought in, fick; with the duke of York. GAUNT. ILL the king come? that I may breathe WILL In wholesome counsel to his unftay'd youth. my York. Vex not yourself, nor ftrive not with your breath; For all in vain comes counsel to his ear. Gaunt. Oh, but, they fay, the tongues of dying men Inforce attention, like deep harmony: Where words are scarce, they are feldom spent in vain; For they breathe truth, that breathe their words in pain, He, He, that no more must say, is liften'd more, Than they, whom youth and ease have taught to glofe, More are men's ends mark'd, than their lives before The setting fun, and mufic at the close, As the last taste of fweets, is sweetest last; Writ in remembrance, more than things long paft. York. No; it is stopt with other flattering charms, Where doth the world thruft forth a vanity For violent fires foon burn out themselves. Small showers last long, but fudden storms are short; 2 Report of fashions in proud Italy;] Our author, who gives to all nations the customs of England, and to all ages the manners of his own, has charged the times of Richard with a folly not perhaps known then, but very frequent in Shakespeare's time, and much lamented by the wifeft and beft of our ancestors. JOHNSON. 3 Where will doth mutiny with wit's regard.] Where the will rebels against the notices of the understanding. JOHNSON. whofe way himself will chufe ;] Do not attempt to guide him who, whatever thou shalt fay, will take his own courfe. 4 5 -ra- That is, hafty, violent. JOHNSON., JOHNSON. He He tires betimes that fpurs too faft betimes; Confuming means, foon preys upon itself. This fortrefs, built by nature for herself, This bleffed plot, this earth, this realm, this England, 6 Against infection] I once fufpected that for infection we might read invafion; but the copies all agree, and I fuppofe Shakespeare meant to say, that iflanders are fecured by their fituation both from war and peftilence. JOHNSON. 7 lefs happier lands;] So read all the editions, except Hanmer's, which has lefs happy. I believe Shakespeare, from the habit of faying more happier according to the custom of his time, inadvertently writ less happier. JOHNSON. Fear'd for their breed, and famous by their birth,] The first edition in 4to, 1598, reads, Fear'd by their breed, and famous for their birth. The fecond 4to, in 1615, . Fear'd by their breed, and famous by their birth. The first folio, though printed from the fecond quarto, reads as the first. The particles in this author feem often to have been printed by chance. Perhaps the passage, which appears a little difordered, may be regulated thus: royal kings, Fear'd for their breed, and famous for their birth, Renowned for their deeds as far from home As is the fepulchre. JOHNSON. Of Of the world's ransom, bleffed Mary's fon; Enter king Richard, queen, Aumerle, Busby, Green, York. The king is come: deal mildly with his youth; For young hot colts, being rag'd, do rage the more. Queen. How fares our noble uncle, Lancaster? King. Rich. What comfort, man? How is't with aged Gaunt? Gaunt. Oh, how that name befits my compofition! And who abitains from meat, that is not gaunt? Gaunt. No, mifery makes fport to mock itself: K. Rich |