Chapter CLVII: Act IV

SC. 2. "Grow, Patience!
And let the stinking elder, Grief, untwine
His perishing root with the increasing vine!"

The folio reads _patient_. I incline to read '_from_ with,' and _thy_ for 'the' in the last line.

* * * * *

"For defect of judgement
Is oft the cause of fear."

For 'defect' Theobald read _th' effect_, while Hanmer read _cure_ for 'cause.' I see no great need of change.

* * * * *

"Thou Divine nature how thyself thou blasonest."

'How' is Capell's correction for _thou_ of the folio.

* * * * *

"What does he mean? Since _the_ death of my dearest mother."

* * * * *

"To have turn'd my leaping-time into a crutch."

I feel almost inclined to read 'leaping-_pole_,' which was of course in use then as now, as it was known to the ancients.

* * * * *

"With female fairies will his tomb be haunted
And worms will not come to thee."

I agree with Steevens in reading _him_ for 'thee.'

* * * * *

"Yea and furr'd moss besides, when flowers are none,
To winter-ground thy corse."

"To winter-ground a plant," says Steevens, "is to protect it from the inclemency of the winter-season by straw, dung, etc., laid over it." This seems decisive; otherwise the mention of '_furr'd_ moss' would lead me to read, with Warburton, 'winter-_gown_.'

* * * * *

"Come on, away; apart upon our knees."

A line riming with this is evidently lost.

* * * * *

"Pisanio might have kill'd thee at the heart
And left this head on."

For 'this' we should probably read _thy_ or _the_.

* * * * *

"I fast and pray'd for their intelligence."

I think we should read 'fast_ed_.'

* * * * *

"Try many, all good, serve truly, _and yet_ never
Find such another master."

Some read '_and_ all good'; others 'serve _them_.'

* * * * *

SC. 3. "And _he_ will, no doubt, be found."

* * * * *

"I heard no letter from my master since."

Hanmer properly read _have had_ for 'heard.'