We are Blessed in the change. Cant. Her his but reason in cormity, hang, with an inward wish Yers world daire, the king were made a prelate: Hear him debate of commonwealth affairs, • Never came reformation in a flood, Alluding to the method My which Mercules cleansed the famous stables, when he turned a river through them. Hercules still is in our author's head, when hs mentions the Hydra. JOHNSON. The air, a charter'd libertine, is still,1 Which is a wonder, how his grace should glean it, His companies unletter'd, rude, and shallow; From open haunts and popularity.* Ely. The strawberry grows underneath the nettle; And wholesome berries thrive and ripen best, Neighbour'd by fruit of baser quality: And so the prince obscur'd his contemplation Cant. It must be so: for miracles are ceas'd; Ely. But, my good lord, How now for mitigation of this bill The air, &c.] This line is exquisitely beautiful. * So that the art and practick part of life -) He discourses with so much skill on all subjects, that the art and practice of life must be the mistress or teacher of his theorick; that is, that his theory must have been taught by art and practice; which, says he, is strange, since he could see little of the true art or practice among his loose companions, nor ever retired to digest his practice into theory. Art is used by the author for practice, as distinguished from science or theory. JOHNSON. 3 companies-] is here used for companions. It is used by other authors of Shakspeare's age in the same sense. 4 popularity.] i. e. plebeian intercourse; an unusual sense of the word. - crescive in his faculty.] Increasing in its proper power. A hundred alms-houses, right well supplied; A thousand pounds by the year: Thus runs the bill. Ely. This would drink deep. Cant. 'Twould drink the cup and all. Ely. But what prevention? Cant. The king is full of grace, and fair regard. Ely. And a true lover of the holy church. Cant. The courses of his youth promis'd it not. The breath no sooner left his father's body, Seem'd to die too: yea, at that very moment, To envelop and contain celestial spirits. Never came reformation in a flood, With such a heady current, scouring faults; So soon did lose his seat, and all at once, As in this king. Ely. We are blessed in the change. Cant. Hear him but reason in divinity, And, all-admiring, with an inward wish You would desire, the king were made a prelate: Hear him debate of commonwealth affairs, You would say, it hath been all-in-all his study: List his discourse of war, and you shall hear A fearful battle render'd you in musick: Turn him to any cause of policy, The Gordian knot of it he will unloose, Familiar as his garter; that, when he speaks, : • Never came reformation in a flood, Alluding to the method by which Hercules cleansed the famous stables, when he turned a river through them. Hercules still is in our author's head, when he mentions the Hydra. JOHNSON. 2 The air, a charter'd libertine, is still,1 His companies unletter'd, rude, and shallow; Any retirement, any sequestration From open haunts and popularity.* Ely. The strawberry grows underneath the nettle; And wholesome berries thrive and ripen best, Neighbour'd by fruit of baser quality: And so the prince obscur'd his contemplation Cant. It must be so: for miracles are ceas'd; How things are perfected. Ely. But, my good lord, How now for mitigation of this bill The air, &c.] This line is exquisitely beautiful. * So that the art and practick part of life -) He discourses with so much skill on all subjects, that the art and practice of life must be the mistress or teacher of his theorick; that is, that his theory must have been taught by art and practice; which, says he, is strange, since he could see little of the true art or practice among his loose companions, nor ever retired to digest his practice into theory. Art is used by the author for practice, as distinguished from science or theory. JOHNSON. 3 companies-] is here used for companions. It is used by other authors of Shakspeare's age in the same sense. 4 popularity.] i. e. plebeian intercourse; an unusual sense of the word. - crescive in his faculty.] Increasing in its proper power. He seems indifferent; Incline to it, or no? Or, rather, swaying more upon our part, Ely. How did this offer seem receiv'd, my lord? Ely. What was the impediment that broke this off? Cant. The French ambassador, upon that instant, Crav'd audience: and the hour, I think, is come, To give him hearing: Is it four o'clock? Ely. It is. Cant. Then go we in, to know his embassy; Which I could, with a ready guess, declare, Before the Frenchman speak a word of it. Ely. I'll wait upon you; and I long to hear it. [Exeunt. • The severals, and unhidden passages,] This line I suspect of corruption, though it may be fairly enough explained: the passages of his titles are the lines of succession by which his claims descend. Unhidden is open, clear. JOHNSON. |