Notes and Queries, Number 184, May 7, 1853 | Page 6

which would redeem a fine passage that
otherwise must always remain a stumbling-block to the most intelligent
reader. We have all I trust but one object, i. e. to free the text of our
great poet from obvious errors occasioned by extremely incorrect
printing in the folios, and at the same time to strictly watch over all
attempts at its corruption by unnecessary meddling. This, and not the
displaying of our own ingenuity in conjectures, ought to be our almost
sacred duty; at least, I feel conscious that it is mine.
S. W. SINGER.
"That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain." Hamlet.
The notable quotation of this line by the Earl of Derby, in the Lords, on
Monday evening, April 25, has once more reminded me of my
unanswered Query respecting it, Vol. vi., p. 270.
On the 26th February (Vol. vii., p. 217.) MR. COLLIER was good
enough to say, that his only {450} reason for not answering it was, that
he had not then within his reach the copy of "N. & Q." wherein it had
been proposed; politely adding, that if I would reprint the Query, he
would at once answer it.
Supposing, however, that MR. COLLIER'S absence from his library
would be only temporary, I deemed it less troublesome to the Editor of
"N. & Q." to wait until MR. COLLIER could refer to the Query, as
already printed.
Two months have since elapsed, and I now no longer hesitate to ask the
Editor for an opportunity of again referring to it, trusting that a

sufficient excuse will be found in the importance of the subject, as
affecting the fundamental sense of a passage in Shakspeare.
A. E. B.
Leeds.
Mr. J. Payne Collier's "Notes and Emendations."--There can be no
doubt that many of these emendations are rational and judicious; but I
cannot help thinking, on the whole, that MR. COLLIER has rather
overrated their value, and placed too implicit faith in the infallibility of
his unknown guide. At all events, there is not a shadow of authority
given for any one of the corrections, and we have therefore a full right
to try them, as the lawyers would say, "upon the merits;" or, in other
words, to treat them as mere speculative alterations, and to adopt or
reject them, as may appear advisable in each particular case. It is
difficult to conjecture what can have been the position in life, or the
occupation of this mysterious annotator. That his pursuits were not
purely literary, I think is plain: first, from the very circumstance of his
not authenticating any of his notes, which a literary inquirer would
certainly have done; and, secondly, from the very minute attention
which is paid to the business of the scene and the movements of the
actors. These considerations, coupled with the fact of his frequently
striking out whole passages of the text (which a literary enthusiast
would not have done), would at first lead us to suppose that the writer
was a theatrical manager, and that the alterations were made to suit
either the fancies, or perhaps the peculiar qualifications of certain
performers. But in this case one can hardly suppose that the remarks
would have extended to more than a certain number of plays, which
were most frequently acted. Thus much, however, appears certain, that
the commentaries are rather those of an habitual play-goer, than of a
studious critic; and it will be easy to show that a great portion of the
new readings he proposes are really changes for the worse, while a still
larger number are at least unnecessary! I shall content myself with only
a few instances, on this occasion, as I am unwilling to encroach too far
on your space; but I can easily multiply them, if I am encouraged to
renew the subject.

In the first place, I differ from MR. COLLIER entirely as to the famous
passage from Henry VIII., p. 324., which he brings so prominently
forward as to give it special notice in his Introduction. To me, I confess,
the phrase--
"To steal from spiritual labour a brief span,"
appears quite tame and poor in comparison with
"To steal from spiritual leisure a brief span,"
and, moreover, destroys all the poetry of the thought. Nor can I see the
slightest difficulty in the sense of the original passage. The king means
to say that Wolsey cannot steal from the little leisure afforded him by
his spiritual labours "a brief span, to keep his earthly audit:" and surely
this is much more poetical than the substituted passage.
In p. 323., from the same play, we have--
"to the sharp'st kind of justice,"
transformed to "sharp'st knife of justice:" but I cannot assent to this
change. The obvious meaning of the poet