Volp. Hark! who's there? I hear some footing; officers, the saffi,' Mos. To your couch, sir, you, Make that place good, however. [Volpone lies down, as before.]-Guilty men Suspect what they deserve still.* mad, merry, foolish, &c., and nothing can be more absurd than the attempts to fasten upon such expressions a constant and determinate sense. One happy specimen of this is before me. In the Lover's Melancholy, Cuculus, a foolish courtier, says—“ I come to speak with a young lady, the old Trojan's daughter of this house." To explain this obscure speech, the editor musters up all his wisdom. The popularity," he says, "of the achievements of the Greeks and Trojans led to an application of their names not very honourable to them," (Mr. Weber wanted Partridge at his elbow,)" the former being used for cheats, and the latter for thieves "-So that "old Trojan" in the text, means old thief; and being applied to the general of the Famagostan armies, and the most respectable character in the drama, does as much credit to the judgment of Ford, as to the sagacity of Mr. Weber. It would be a pity to withhold the grave conclusion of this note from the reader: "It is difficult to conceive a greater degradation, if we except the common misapplication of the venerable names of Hector, Cæsar, Pompey, &c. to dogs." venerable !—but let it go: it is some praise to be uniform even in folly. 7 -The saffi,]"These," says Whalley," as we learn from Coryat, are officers subordinate to the Podestaes and Prætors; of whom some have authority only by land, and some by sea. Their habit is a red camlet gown with long sleeves." It is impossible that Coryat could say this; for the saffi are mere bailiffs' followers, and subordinate to the commandadori. Whalley, probably mistook savi for saffi. The savi, indeed, wear a red gown, as doctors of law; but they rank above the Podestaes and Prætors, not below them, as he says. In short, his whole note is a blunder. * Guilty men, &c.] The occasional qualms of these two knaves, who pass with the rapidity of Falstaff " from praying to purse-taking," are marked throughout this scene with admirable truth and humour. Enter CORBACCIO. Signior Corbaccio! Corb. Why, how now, Mosca? Mos. O, undone, amazed, sir. Your son, I know not by what accident, Acquainted with your purpose to my patron, Touching your Will, and making him your heir, Enter'd our house with violence, his sword drawn, Sought for you, call'd you wretch, unnatural, Vow'd he would kill you. Corb. Me! Mos. Yes, and my patron. Corb. This act shall disinherit him indeed: Here is the Will. Be Mos. 'Tis well, sir. Corb. Right and well: you as careful now for me Enter VOLTORE behind. Mos. My life, sir, Is not more tender'd; I am only yours. Corb. How does he? will he die shortly, think'st thou? Mos. I fear He'll outlast May. Corb. To-day? Mos. No, last out May, sir. Corb. Could'st thou not give him a dram? Corb. Nay, I'll not bid you. Volt. [coming forward.] This is a knave, I see. Mos. [seeing Volt.] How! signior Voltore! did he hear me? Volt. Parasite ! [Aside. Mos. Who's that?-O, sir, most timely wel come Volt. Scarce, To the discovery of your tricks, I fear. You are his, only? and mine also, are you not? Mos. Who? I, sir! Volt. You, sir. What device is this About a Will? Mos. A plot for you, sir. Volt. Come, Put not your foists' upon me; I shall scent them. Mos. Did you not hear it? Volt. Yes, I hear Corbaccio Hath made your patron there his heir. Mos. 'Tis true, By my device, drawn to it by my plot, With hope Volt. Your patron should reciprocate? And you have promised? Mos. For your good, I did, sir. Nay, more, I told his son, brought, hid him here, Put not, &c.] Foists are juggling tricks, frauds; but the line contains also a punning allusion to a meaning, which our delicate ancestors affixed to the word, when they gave the name of foisting-hounds to the ladies favourites, the small chamber-dogs of those days. 9 And then his father's oft disclaiming in him ;] i. e. disclaiming him. Our poet's cotemporaries use the same diction: so Fletcher, 66 -Thou disclaim'st in me; "Tell me thy name.' And Shakspeare Philaster. Act. II. WHAL. "Cowardly rascal! Nature disclaims in thee." Lear. A. II. S. 2. The expression is very common in our old writers: it seems, however, to have been wearing out about this time, since it is (Which I did mean t' help on,) would sure enrage him To do some violence upon his parent, On which the law should take sufficient hold, Mos. Worth your patience, And your great merit, sir. And see the change! Volt. Why, what success? Mos. Most hapless! you must help, sir. Whilst we expected the old raven,2 in comes Corvino's wife, sent hither by her husbandVolt. What, with a present? Mos. No, sir, on visitation; (I'll tell you how anon ;) and staying long, Volt. Where is her husband? found far less frequently in the second than in the first impressions of these plays. Two instances of disclaim in occur in the quarto edition of Every Man in his Humour; both of which, in the folio, are simplified into disclaim. 1 My only aim was to dig you a fortune Out of these two old rotten sepulchres-] The expression is as natural, as the image is just: treasure has been often found in ancient monuments and sepulchres. WHAL. 2 Whilst we expected the old raven,] i. e. Corbaccio. WHAL. Volt. This must be stopt. Mos. O you do nobly, sir. Alas, 'twas labour'd all, sir, for your good; Volt. Will't please you, sir, to go along? [Exit Mos. Patron, go in, and pray for our success. Volp. [rising from his couch.] Need makes devotion: heaven your labour bless! [Exeunt. ACT IV. SCENE I. A Street. Enter sir POLITICK WOULD-BE and PEREGRINE. Sir P. I told you, sir, it was a plot; you see Only for this meridian, fit to be known Per. Sir, I have better. 3 Sir P. I will not touch, sir at your phrase, or clothes, For they are old. Per. Sir, I have better.] This captious kind of wit (such as it is) occurs in Donne: "Your only wearing is your grogram. Sat. iv. |