}

THE

BEAUTIES

OF

SHAKESPEAR.

The First Part of HENRY IV.

S

ACT I. SCENEI.

Peace after Civil War.

O fhaken as we are, so wan with care, Find we a time for frighted peace to pant,

And breathe short-winded accents of
new broils

To be commenc'd in stronds a-far remote.
No more, the thirsty entrance of this foil

(1) Shall damp her lips with her own children's
blood:

VOL. 11.

B

No

(1) Shall damp.] i. e. wet, moisten: the old editions, and with them the Oxford, read dawb; there seems to me something greatly like Shakespear in that word, but I have kept damp, as it is generally approv'd. The word files, in the fourth line

No more shall trenching war channel her fields,
Nor bruise her flowrets with the armed hoofs
Of hoftile paces. Those opposed files,
Which like the meteors of a troubled heav'n,
All of one nature, of one substance bred,
Did lately meet in the intestine shock
And furious close of civil butchery,
Shall now, in mutual, well-beseeming, ranks,
March all one way; and be no more oppos'd
Against acquaintance, kindred, and allies:
The edge of war, like an ill-sheathed knife,
No more shall cut his master.

:

SCENE. IV. Hotspur's Description of a finical Courtier.

But I remember, when the fight was done,
When I was dry with rage, and extreme toil,
Breathless, and faint, leaning upon my sword;
Came there a certain lord, neat, trimly dress'd :
Fresh as a bridegroom, and his chin, new-reap'd,
Shew'd like a stubble-land at harvest-home.
He was perfumed like a milliner ;

And 'twixt his finger and his thumb, he held
(2) A pouncet-box, which ever and anon
He gave his nose: (and took't away again;
Who, therewith angry, when it next came there,

following, is in the old editions eyes; and thus alter'd by Mr. Warburton: others read arms. I don't know whether eyes might not be justified, but I think files preferabie See UPT. p. 334.

(2) Pouncet-box.] A small box for musk, or other perfumes, then in fashion, the lid of which being cut with open work, gave it its name : from psinfoner, to prick, pierce, or engrave. So fays Mr. Warburton, and then condemns the next lines as a tupid interpolation of the players: they are certainly not very easy to be defended, but we find many fuch conceits as these in Shakespear.

Took

1

Took it in snuff). And still he smil'd and talk'd:
And as the foldiers bare dead bodies by,
He call'd them untaught knaves, unmannerly,
To bring a slovenly, unhandsome coarfe
Betwixt the wind, and his nobility.
With many holiday and lady terms

He question'd me: amongst the rest, demanded

My prisoners, in your majesty's behalf.

(3) I then, all smarting with my wounds, being cold, Out of my grief, and my impatience

To be so pester'd with a popinjay,

Answer'd, neglectingly, I know not what;
He should, or should not; for he made me mad,
To see him shine so brisk, and smell so sweet,
And talk so like a waiting gentlewoman,

Of guns, and drums, and wounds; (God save the

mark!)

And telling me the sovereign'st thing on earth
Was parmacety, for an inward bruise;
And that it was great pity, so it was,
This villainous falt-petre should be digg'd