If any alteration be necessary, I should only propose, Be ’t known, that we at greatest, &c.

V.ii.185 (259,1) Make not your thoughts your prisons] I once wished to read,

  make not your thoughts your poison:—­

Do not destroy yourself by musing on your misfortune.  Yet I would change nothing, as the old reading presents a very proper sense. Be not a prisoner in imagination, when in reality you are free.

V.ii.215 (261,2) scald rhimers] Sir T. Hanmer reads,

  —­stall ’d rhimers.

Scald_ was a word of contempt, implying poverty, disease, and filth.

V.ii.216 (261,3) quick comedians] The gay inventive players.

V.ii.226 (261,5) Their most absurd intents] [T:  assured] I have preserved the old reading.  The design certainly appeared absurd enough to Cleopatra, both as she thought it unreasonable in itself, and as she knew it would fail.

V.ii.243 (263,7) the pretty worm of Nilus] Worm is the Teutonick word for serpent; we have the blind-worm and slow-worm still in our language, and the Norwegians call an enormous monster, seen sometimes in the northern ocean, the sea-worm.

V.ii.264 (263,9) the worm will do him kind] The serpent will act according to his nature.

V.ii.305 (205,2) He’ll make demand of her, and spend that kiss,/ Which is my heaven to have] He will enquire of her concerning me, and kiss her for giving him intelligence.

V.ii.352 (267,5) something blown] The flesh is somewhat puffed or swoln.

(268) General Observation.  This play keeps curiosity always busy, and the passions always interested.  The continual hurry of the action, the variety of incidents, and the quick succession of one personage to another, call the mind forward without intermission from the first act to the last.  But the power of delighting is derived principally from the frequent changes of the scene; for, except the feminine arts, some of which are too low, which distinguish Cleopatra, no character is very strongly discriminated.  Upton, who did not easily miss what he desired to find, has discovered that the language of Antony is, with great skill and learning, made pompous and superb, according to his real practice.  But I think his diction not distinguishable from that of others:  the most tumid speech in the play is that which Caesar makes to Octavia.

The events, of which the principal are described according to history, are produced without any art of connexion or care of disposition.

TIMON OF ATHENS

I.i.3 (271,3)

Poet.  Ay, that’s well known:  But what particular rarity! what strange, Which manifold record not matches?  See, Magick of bounty!]

The learned commentator’s [Warburton’s] note must shift for itself.  I cannot but think that this passage is at present in confusion.  The poet asks a question, and stays not for an answer, nor has his question any apparent drift or consequence.  I would range the passage thus: