  Act i. Oldcraft's speech:— “I'm arm'd at all points,” &c. It would be very easy to restore all this passage to metre, by supplying a sentence of four syllables, which the reasoning almost demands, and by correcting the grammar. Read thus:— “Arm'd at all points 'gainst treachery, I hold My humour firm. If, living, I can see thee Thrive by thy wits, I shall have the more courage, Dying, to trust thee with my lands. If not, The best wit, I can hear of, carries them. For since so many in my time and knowledge, Rich children of the city, have concluded For lack of wit in beggary, I'd rather Make a wise stranger my executor, Than a fool son my heir, and have my lands call'd After my wit than name: and that's my nature!” Ib. Oldcraft's speech:— “To prevent which I have sought out a match for her.” Read— “Which to prevent I've sought a match out for her.” Ib. Sir Gregory's speech:— ... “Do you think I'll have any of the wits hang upon me after I am married once?” Read it thus:— ... “Do you think That I'll have any of the wits to hang Upon me after I am married once?” and afterwards— ... “Is it a fashion in London To marry a woman, and to never see her?” The superfluous “to” gives it the Sir Andrew Ague-cheek character. |
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