Chapter CXLII: Act IV

SC. 1. "During all question of the gentle truce."

If 'question' be genuine here it must mean intercourse, conversation, a sense of which I have met with no example.

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"We'll not commend what we intend to sell."

In Son. xxi. we have, "I will not praise that purpose not to sell." Hence some would add a negative here; but it is not necessary. He means that they would sell Helen dearly.

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SC. 2. "As infants empty of all thought."

Editors read 'infants' in the genitive. In either case I think _to_ has been omitted before it.

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"Beshrew the witch! with venomous wights she stays
As tediously as hell."

No sense has been, or, I think, can be made of 'venomous wights.' I think 'venomous' must be an error.

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"Good, good, my lord; the secrets of Nature have not
More gift in taciturnity _than I_."

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SC. 4. "To shame the seal of my petition to thee
In praising her."

We should read _zeal_, as is usually done.

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SC. 5. "No trumpet answers.--'Tis but early day[s]."

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"That give a coasting welcome ere it comes."

There can be little doubt, I think, that 'coasting' is a noun; and I regard it as the same as '_costing_ by aphæresis from _accosting_.

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"I shall forestall thee, Lord Ulysses, thou."--

Tyrwhitt's conjecture, _though_ for 'thou,' is a happy one, and should perhaps be admitted.

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"Can scarce entreat you to be odd with him."

Perhaps 'odd,' which is so unusual, should be _at odds_.