LIBEAEY 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 np om- theory that his intention 

 was to make every reader an editoi-, 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 then- 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 pln-ase, " 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,]/ wm, — a printer's error for 

 / am." Dignus vindice nodtis ! 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 

 lieads " ! 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 frizadd sute, skarce eate good meate, 

 Anchoves, caviare, but hee's satyred 



T 



