LIBRARY OF OLD AUTHORS. 305 



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 profes- 

 sional 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 favors 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 um no dish for rumors feast" 



Of course, it should read, 



" Let twattling [twaddling] Fame cheate others' rest, 

 I am no dish for Rumor's feast." 



Mr. Halliwell comes to our assistance thus : " Page 244, 

 line 21, [22 it should be,]/ um, a printer's error for 

 / am." Dignus vindice nodus ! Five lines above, we 

 have "whole" for "who'll," and four lines below, "helm- 

 eth " for " whelmeth " ; but Mr. Halliwell vouchsafes no 

 note. In the " Fawn " we read, " Wise neads use few 

 words," and the editor says in a note, "a misprint for 

 heads " ! Kind Mr. Halliwell ! 



Having given a few examples of our " Editor's " cor- 

 rections, we proceed to quote a passage or two which, it 

 is to be presumed, he thought perfectly clear. 



" A man can skarce put on a tuckt-up cap, 

 A button'd frizado sute, skarce eate good meat*, 

 Anchoves, caviare, but hee's satyred 



T 



