224 LIBRARY OP OLD AUTHORS. 



lictors, who, with their bundles of rods, heralded not alone the 

 consuls, but all other Roman antiquities to us ! We dare not, 

 however, indulge in the grateful vision, since there are circum 

 stances which lead us to infer that Mr. Halliwell himself (mem 

 ber though he be of so many learned societies) has those vague 

 notions of the speech of ancient Rome which are apt to prevail 

 in regions which count not the betida in their Flora. On page 

 xv. of his Preface, he makes Drummond say that Ben Jonson 

 was dilated (delated Gifford gives it in English, accused} to 

 the king by Sir James Murray Ben, whose corpulent person 

 stood in so little need of that malicious increment ! 



What is Mr. HalliwelFs conception of editorial duty ? As we 

 read along, and the once fair complexion of the margin grew 

 more and more pitted with pencil-marks, like that of a bad 

 proof-sheet, we began to think that he was acting on the prin 

 ciple of every man his own washerwoman that he was making 

 blunders of set purpose (as teachers of languages do in their 

 exercises), in order that we might correct them for ourselves, 

 and so fit us in time to be editors also, and members of various 

 learned societies, even as Mr. Halliwell himself is. We fancied, 

 that, magnanimously waving aside the laurel with which a grate 

 ful posterity crowned General Wade, he wished us to see these 

 roads before they were made/ and develop our intellectual 

 muscles in getting over them. But no ; Mr. Halliwell has ap 

 pended notes to his edition, and among them are some which 

 correct misprints, and therefore seem to imply that he considers 

 that service as belonging properly to the editorial function. We 

 are obliged, then, to give up our theory that his intention was to 

 make every reader an editor, and to suppose that he wished 

 rather to show how disgracefully a book might be edited and yet 

 receive the commendation of professional critics who read with 

 the ends of their fingers. If this were his intention, Marston 

 himself never published so biting a satire. 



Let us look at a few of the intricate passages, to help us 

 through which Mr. Halliwell lends us the light of his editorial 

 lantern. In the Induction to What you Will occurs the 

 striking and unusual phrase, Now out up-pont, and Mr. 

 Halliwell favours us with the following note: Page 221, line 

 10. Up-pont. That is, upon t. Again in the same play we find 



Let twattling fame cheatd others rest, 

 I urn no dish for rumors feast. 



Of course, it should read 



Let twattling [twaddling] Fame cheate others rest. 

 1 am no dish for Rumor s feast. 



