Some Textual Notes on the Tragedie of Antony and Cleopatra.
By Alfred Edward Thiselton. (C. S. Palmer. 2s. 6d.)—Mr. Thiselton takes up a conservative position in respect of the text of the folio, defending its readings and its punctuation against the conjectural emendations of later editors. On the punctua- tion, especially, he has some noteworthy remarks, founded, it would seem, on a careful study of Elizabethan usage in this matter. As to emendations, there are, be thinks, but few that can be accepted without reserve (" world " for "would " in iii. 5, 14, " Then, world, thou hest a pair of chaps," being one of them). In iii. 8, 20, he makes one of some ingenuity. The passage runs (it is in answer to Enobarbus's question, "How appears the fight P "):—
" On our side, like the tokened pestilence,
Where death is sure. You ribaudred hag of Egypt
Hoists sail and Illes."
" Hag " is commonly accepted for nag, and " riband-red " is now suggested for "ribaudred," a word not found elsewhere, though there are words not dissimilar. The objection is that the epithet is not forcible enough for the occasion. Mr. Thiselton says that " the reference is to the Plague, of which there were three varieties, the red, the yellow, the black-." This sounds a little farfetched. The pamphlet is a contribution of distinct value to Shakespearian criticism.
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