‘ 
. 
S04 
; ‘ 
ings to govern wrong.” For he founds 
the prerogative of the crown and the 
rights of the subject on the same basis, 
“fair sequence and succession.” The 
proud boast of the infatuated monarch 
himself, indeed, in asubsequent scene, is, 
WNotall the water in the rough rude sea, ~ 
@an wash the balm from an anointed king; 
The breath of worldly men cannot depose 
‘The deputy elected by the Lord.— 
And this at a period when, to use the 
words of Scroop, 
The very beadsmen learnt to bend their 
bows 
Of double-fatal yew against his state. 
«“ Here,” says Dr. Johnson, somewhat 
triumphantly, “ we have the doctrine ‘of 
indefeasible right expressed in the stron~ 
gest terms.” True, and the venerable 
bishop of Carlisle makes use of the same 
arguments in his speech against the de- 
position of Richard, which furnishes, in 
Dr. Johnson’s opinion, another proof of 
Shakespeare’s “‘ elevated notions of tie 
right of kings.” But Shakespeare, care- 
ful only to adhere to the truth of history 
aiid the preservation of character, might 
possibly hold the bishop’s arguments in 
as much contempt as the Earl of Nor- 
thumberland, who disdainfully replies 
€¢ Well have you argued, sir, and for your 
pains, h 
Of capital treason we arrest you here.” 
But ere the crown he looks for live in 
peace, 
'Ten thousand bloody crowns of mothers” sons, 
Shall ill become the flower of England’s face. 
Act IIT. Scene 3. 
. 
Mr. Theobald thinks we ought to read, 
«the floor of England’s face.” And Sir 
Thomas Hanmer, “the flowery England’s 
face.” Dr. Warburton, not without 
reason, rejects with contempt these 
effurts at emendation, and asserts ‘‘ that 
the flower of England’s face is a fine and 
noble expression to denote her choicest 
youth.” But, as the learned annotator 
has not deigned to explain to’us how the 
words will bear this construction, I 
should prefer, and with deference pro-_ 
pose, reading *‘ the flower of England’s 
race.” ; 
Henry IV. . Part T= Ace I. Scene t. 
Wo more the thirsty entrance of this soil 
Shall damp her lips with her own children’s 
blood, 
Wo more shall trenching war channel her 
fields, 
Nor bruise her flow’rets with the armed 
: hoofs 
Of hestile paces. 
Critical Remarks on Shakespeare. 
[May 1, 
This passage has been the subject of 
much critical contention. Dr. Warbur= 
ton proposes trempe’ for damp. Dr. 
Johnson entrails, and. Mr. Steevens 
entrants, for entrance. The thirsty en= 
trance of the soil, apparently means the 
dry or parched surface of the ground, 
which the king declargs shall no more be’ 
damped or moistened with the blood of 
her children, or the natives of the land 
slaughtered in civil contest. The per- 
sonification is somewhat. harsh but not 
unpoetical. 
Ibid, Scene 2.—** There’s neither ho= 
nesty, manhood, nor good fellowship, in 
thee, nor thou cam’st not of the blood 
royal, if thou darest not cry Stand for 
ten shillings.” 
The coins formerly most in use were 
the mark, 3s. 4d. the noble, 6s. 8d. and 
the angel or royal, 10 shillings. ‘To the 
latter of these Falstaff alludes. Queen 
Elizabeth, it is said, once attending cha- 
pel service, the preacher in an affected, 
strain of admiration, exclaimed, “ My 
angel queen!” And soon afterwards, 
my noble queen! Upon which the queen 
turning to one of her courtiers, whis< 
pered, “What am I ten groats worse 
than I was?” : : 
Act V. Scene 3.—“If Percy be alive 
T'll pierce him. If he do come in my 
way so—if he do not, if I come in his, wile 
lingly let him make a carbonado of me,” 
The declaration of Falstaff respecting 
Percy, is merely a humorous boast in« 
tended for the prince’s hearing. The re- 
maining part of the speech is spoken as a 
soliloquy after the prince’s departure. 
HenrvlyV. Part Ul.—2Act. I. Scene 1. 
Even so my limbs 
Weakened with grief, being now enrag’d with 
grief, 
Are thrice themselves. 
; thou nice crutch 5 
A scaly gauntlet new with joints of steel, 
Must glove this hand, 
Hence. therefore, 
Mr. Malone does not like this grief upon 
grief, and proposes to read weakened 
with age or pain, “ because the crutch 
was used to aid the infirmity of limbs 
weakened by age or distemper, and not 
by grief.” And he observes that, when a 
word is repeated without propriety, in 
the same or in the succeeding lines, thera 
is great reason tosuspect some corruption* 
fram the negligence of the transcriber. 
This remark, however just, is not applis 
cable to the passage in question, which 
bears the genuine stamp of Shakespeare, 
The word “ grief” is used ambiguously, 
and meags first affliction arising from 
disease, 
