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my opinion to the day of judgment. The truth is, it was awake 

 early in the adion, and fufpefling that fcene to be a Httle too 

 difturbed for keeping a good look out, it chofe ground of more 

 advantage. I believe this to be the natural and almofl univerfal 

 impreffion of the paffage. 



We come next to examine his adion with Douglas. The 

 writer has urged a great deal of matter on this head, and made 

 juft diftindions between courage and honour. But, indeed, 

 the text is too plain to be obfcured or refined away by his 

 comments. By comparing Falftaff's condud on this occafion with 

 his words on another, we may difcover fuch a contradidion as 

 fhews it did not arife from any fettled principle, v. g. a contempt 

 of honour. " If Percy be alive," fays he, " I'll pierce him— If 

 " he do come in my way, fo — If he do not— if I come in his, let 

 " him make a carbonado of me." Suppofe this to have been 

 fpoken by a perfon pofTeffed of conftitutional courage, we might 

 reafonably exped that although he would by no means feek 

 danger, yet he would m.eet it, if neceffary, with fome degree of 

 firmnefs. But how does Falftaff's condud anfwer this expeda- 

 tion ? In the moment of danger he counterfeits death. When 

 the writer advances this as a proof of a colleded mind, I think 

 he is run very hard indeed ; for unlefs we fuppofe that fear 

 fufpends all adion, and locks up every faculty of the mind, 

 (which very feldom happens) we muft admit Falftaff's refource 

 to have been very natural for a coward. But if we fuppofe the 

 leading idea in his mind during the battle to be a ftrong fenfe 

 of perfonal danger, the paffage juft now quoted and his condud 

 are eafily reconciled. " If Percy be ahve, I'll pierce him." Thefe 



words. 



