Tamburlaine the Great — Part 2

249 (return (#x4_x_4_i221))

[ furthest] So the 4to.—The 8vo "furthiest."]

250 (return (#x4_x_4_i225))

[ Thorough] So the 8vo.—The 4to "Through."]

251 (return (#x4_x_4_i230))

[ Like to an almond-tree, &c.] This simile in borrowed from Spenser's FAERIE QUEENE, B. i. C. vii. st. 32;

"Upon the top of all his loftie crest,
A bounch of heares discolourd diversly,
With sprincled pearle and gold full richly drest,
Did shake, and seemd to daunce for iollity;
Like to an almond tree ymounted hye
On top of greene Selinis all alone,
With blossoms brave bedecked daintily;
Whose tender locks do tremble every one
At everie little breath that under heaven is blowne."

The first three books of THE FAERIE QUEENE were originally printed in 1590, the year in which the present play was first given to the press: but Spenser's poem, according to the fashion of the times, had doubtless been circulated in manuscript, and had obtained many readers, before its publication. In Abraham Fraunce's ARCADIAN RHETORIKE, 1588, some lines of the Second Book of THE FAERIE QUEENE are accurately cited. And see my Acc. of Peele and his Writings, p. xxxiv, WORKS, ed. 1829.]

252 (return (#x4_x_4_i230))

[ y-mounted] So both the old eds.—The modern editors print "mounted"; and the Editor of 1826 even remarks in a note, that the dramatist, "finding in the fifth line of Spenser's stanza the word 'y-mounted,' and, probably considering it to be too obsolete for the stage, dropped the initial letter, leaving only nine syllables and an unrythmical line"! ! ! In the FIRST PART of this play (p. 23, first col.) we have,—

"Their limbs more large and of a bigger size
Than all the brats Y-SPRUNG from Typhon's loins:"

but we need not wonder that the Editor just cited did not recollect the passage, for he had printed, like his predecessor, "ERE sprung."]

253 (return (#x4_x_4_i232))

[ ever-green Selinus] Old eds. "EUERY greene Selinus" and "EUERIE greene," &c.—I may notice that one of the modern editors silently alters "Selinus" to (Spenser's) "Selinis;" but, in fact, the former is the correct spelling.]

254 (return (#x4_x_4_i233))

[ Erycina's] Old eds. "Hericinas."]

255 (return (#x4_x_4_i233))

[ brows] So the 4to.—The 8vo "bowes."]

256 (return (#x4_x_4_i234))

[ breath that thorough heaven] So the 8vo.—The 4to "breath FROM heauen."]

257 (return (#x4_x_4_i236))

[ chariot] Old eds. "chariots."]

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[ out] Old eds. "our."]

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[ respect'st thou] Old eds. "RESPECTS thou:" but afterwards, in this scene, the 8vo has, "Why SEND'ST thou not," and "thou SIT'ST."]

260 (return (#x4_x_4_i264))

[ of] So the 8vo.—The 4to "in."]

261 (return (#x4_x_4_i283))

[ he] So the 4to.—The 8vo "was."]

262 (return (#x4_x_4_i285))

[ How, &c.] A mutilated line.]

263 (return (#x4_x_4_i286))

[ eterniz'd] So the 4to.—The 8vo "enternisde."]

264 (return (#x4_x_4_i291))

[ and] So the 4to.—Omitted in the 8vo.]

265 (return (#x4_x_4_i313))

[ prest] i.e. ready.]

266 (return (#x4_x_4_i314))

[ parle] Here the old eds. "parlie": but repeatedly before they have "parle" (which is used more than once by Shakespeare).]

267 (return (#x4_x_4_i320))

[ Orcanes, king of Natolia, and the King of Jerusalem, led by soldiers] Old eds. (which have here a very imperfect stage-direction) "the two spare kings",—"spare" meaning— not then wanted to draw the chariot of Tamburlaine.]

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[ burst] i.e. broken, bruised.]

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