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Line 2628+2 - Commentary Note (CN)

Commentary notes (CN):

1. SMALL CAPS Indicate editions. Notes for each commentator are divided into three parts:

In the 1st two lines of a record, when the name of the source text (the siglum) is printed in SMALL CAPS, the comment comes from an EDITION; when it is in normal font, it is derived from a book, article, ms. record or other source. We occasionally use small caps for ms. sources and for works related to editions. See bibliographies for complete information (in process).

2. How comments are related to predecessors' comments. In the second line of a record, a label "without attribution" indicates that a prior writer made the same or a similar point; such similarities do not usually indicate plagiarism because many writers do not, as a practice, indicate the sources of their glosses. We provide the designation ("standard") to indicate a gloss in common use. We use ≈ for "equivalent to" and = for "exactly alike."

3. Original comment. When the second line is blank after the writer's siglum, we are signaling that we have not seen that writer's gloss prior to that date. We welcome correction on this point.

4. Words from the play under discussion (lemmata). In the third line or lines of a record, the lemmata after the TLN (Through Line Number] are from Q2. When the difference between Q2 and the authors' lemma(ta) is significant, we include the writer's lemma(ta). When the gloss is for a whole line or lines, only the line number(s) appear. Through Line Numbers are numbers straight through a play and include stage directions. Most modern editions still use the system of starting line numbers afresh for every scene and do not assign line numbers to stage directions.

5. Bibliographic information. In the third line of the record, where we record the gloss, we provide concise bibliographic information, expanded in the bibliographies, several of which are in process.

6. References to other lines or other works. For a writer's reference to a passage elsewhere in Ham. we provide, in brackets, Through Line Numbers (TLN) from the Norton F1 (used by permission); we call these xref, i.e., cross references. We call references to Shakespearean plays other than Ham. “parallels” (//) and indicate Riverside act, scene and line number as well as TLN. We call references to non-Shakespearean works “analogues.”

7. Further information: See the Introduction for explanations of other abbreviations. Click here for more information about browsing the entries and here for more information about the special symbols used in Hamletworks. Click the question mark icon above to remove this help message.

Notes for lines 2023-2950 ed. Frank N. Clary

For explanation of sigla, such as jen, see the editions bib.

2628+2 {As leuell as the Cannon to his blanck,}	4.1.43

1745 han2

han2

2628+2 blanck] Hanmer (ed. 1745, glossary): “A blank, a white or mark to shoot at. Fr. Blanc.”

1773 mstv1

mstv1

2628+2 blanck] Steevens (ms. notes in Steevens, ed. 1773): “aim, point whereto directed, so called, because sometimes, to be more visible, mark’d with white.”

1774 capn

capn

2628+2 blanck] Capell (1774, 1:1: glossary, blank): “a Mark to shoot at, a White. Fre. Blanc. to blank, make blank.”

1793 v1793

v1793 ≈ v1785 + magenta underlined

2628+2 blanck] Steevens (ed. 1793): “The blank was the white mark at which shot or arrows were directed. So, in Lr. [1.1.159 (171)]:‘—let me still remain The true blank of thine eyes.’ Steevens.”

1822 Nares

Nares

2628+2 blanck] “See [3.2.220 (2086)].”

1826 sing1

sing1: WT //

2628+2 blanck] SINGER (ed. 1826): “The blank was the mark at which shots or arrows were directed. Thus in WT [2.3.5-6 (904-5)]:— ‘Out of the blank and level of my aim.’”

1854 del2

del2

2628+2 leuell] Delius (ed. 1854): “evel ist adjectivisch = in gerader Richtung.” [level is an adjective meaning in a straight direction.]

1856 hud1 (1851-6)

hud1 = sing1 on blanck minus WT // without attribution

1856b sing2

sing2 = sing1

1857 fieb

fieb

2628+2 leuell . . . blanck] Fiebig (ed. 1857): “Level for straight, directly; properly, in the same line with another thing.—The blank was the white mark at which shot or arrows were directed.”

1864a glo

glo ≈ sing1 without attribution

2628+2 blanck] Clark and Wright (ed. 1864a [1865] 9: glossary, Blank): “sb. the white mark in the middle of a target; hence, metaphorically, that which is aimed at. WT [2.3.5-6 (904-5)].”

1866 ktlyn

ktlyn: standard

2628+2 blanck] Keightley (ed. 1866, glossary): “the white or the white mark at which arrows are discharged.”

1872 hud2

hud2: standard

2628+2 blanck] Hudson (ed. 1872): “The blank was the mark at which shots or arrows were aimed.”

1872 cln1

cln1 ≈ sing1 (WT //) + magenta underlined

2628+2 blanck] Clark and Wright (ed. 1872): “mark, so called perhaps because it was painted white. Compare WT [2.3.5-6 (904-5)]: ‘out of the blank And level of my brain.’ And Oth. [3.4.128 (2284)]: ‘Within the blank of his displeasure.’ Where we should say ‘within the range.’”

1877 v1877

v1877 ≈ v1793

2628+2 blanck] Furness (ed. 1877): “Steevens: The white mark at which shot or arrows were aimed.”

1877 neil

neil ≈ v1793 (Lr. //) + magenta underlined

2628+2 blanck] Neil (ed. 1877): “the white mark in the centre of a target. Lr. [1.1.159 (171)]. See: ‘Twas I won the wager, though you hit the white’—Taming of a Shr. 2.2,186.”

1878 rlf1

rlf1: contra rug + magenta underlined

2628+2 ore . . . dyameter] Rolfe (ed. 1878): “M. explains this, ‘Slander can pass in direct line from hence to the antipodes without going round by the semicircumference of the earth;’ but we doubt whether S. thought of it in that mathematical way. O’er the world’s diameter probably meant to him to the ends of the earth.’”

rlf1: v1793 + magenta underlined

2628+2 blanck] Rolfe (ed. 1878): “"The white mark at which shot or arrows were aimed" (Steevens). Cf. WT [2.3.5-6 (904-5)], Tro. [3.3.231 (2088)], Lr. [1.1.159 (171)], etc.”

1881 hud3

hud3

2628+2 leuell . . . blanck] Hudson (ed. 1881): “As direct, or as sure-aimed, as the cannon to its mark. Direct is one of the old meanings of level. The blank was the white spot at which aim was taken in target-shooting.”

1885 macd

macd: WT//, xref.

2628+2 MacDonald (ed. 1885): “‘for the harlot king Is quite beyond mine arm, out of the blank And level of my brain, plot-proof: ‘WT [2.3.5-6 (904-5)]. ‘My life stands in the level of your dreams,’ ibid. 3.2.See [4.5.152 (2902)].”

1889 Barnett

Barnett

2628+2 blanck] Barnett (1889, p. 53): mark. Cf. the phrase, point blank.”

1891 dtn

dtn: standard

2628+2 blanck] Deighton (ed. 1891): “the white disc, now the ‘gold,’ in a target from F. blanc, white.”

1899 ard1

ard1 ≈ hud2; Oth. //

2628+2 blanck] Dowden (ed. 1899): “the white spot in the centre of a target; mark. Compare Oth, [3.4.128 (2284)].”

1903 rlf3

rlf3 ≈ rlf1 minus Steevens attrib. for blanck

1905 rltr

rltr: standard

2628+2 blanck] Chambers (ed. 1905): “target.”

1906 nlsn

nlsn: standard

2628+2 blanck] Neilson (ed. 1906, glossary): “sb., the white mark in the centre of a target.”

1931 crg1

crg1

2628+2 leuell] Craig (ed. 1931): “straight.”

crg1 ≈ nlsn

2628+2 blanck] Craig (ed. 1931): “white spot in the center of a target.”

1934 rid

rid

2628+2 blanck] Ridley (ed. 1934): “mark.”

1935 ev2

ev2

2628+2 Hereford (ed. 1935): “As unerringly as a cannon-shot to its mark.”

1939 kit2

kit2

2628+2 as leuell] Kittredge (ed. 1939): “with as sure an aim.”

kit2 ≈ crg1

2628+2 his blanck] Kittredge (ed. 1939): “its mark. The blank is literally the white circle or spot at the centre of the target.”

1942 n&h

n&h = rltr

2628+2 blanck] Neilson & Hill (ed. 1942): “target.”

1947 yal2

yal2 = crg1 for leuell

1957 pel1

pel1 ≈ kit2

2628+2 As leuell] Farnham (ed. 1957): “with as direct aim.”

pel1 ≈ crg1

2628+2 blank] Farnham (ed. 1957): “mark, central white spot on a target.”

1958 mun

mun

2628+2 blanck] Munro (ed. 1958, glossary): “white centre of the butts.”

1964 Falconer

Falconer

2628+2 - 2628+4 blanck] Falconer (1964, p. 119): “Cannons are said to shoot point blank when pointing or aiming straight at the mark in the horizontal level position. . . . It is the King’s hope in Hamlet, in his words of dismay to the Queen, that slander [quotes "As level . . . woundless air. 4.1.41.”

1974 evns1

evns1 ≈ kit

2628+2 As leuell] Evans (ed. 1974): “with aim as good.”

evns1 = n&h

2628+2 blanck] Evans (ed. 1974): “target.”

1980 pen2

pen2 ≈ pel1

2628+2 his blanck] Spencer (ed. 1980): “its point of aim (the ‘white’ in the middle of the target).”

1982 ard2

ard2: OED; WT, Lr. Oth. (in SQ,) //s

2628+2 As level . . . his blank] Jenkins (ed. 1982): “as straight as the cannon is to mark. The blank, however, is not, as usually explained (following OED), the while in the center of the target, but a target in the line of direct, or level, aim (i.e. pointblank, which is thus distinguished from the angled sight-line requisite at longer range). Properly blank refers to the line or range of fire, as in WT [2.3.5-6 (904-5)]. Oth. [3.4.128 (2284)] (see SQ, xix, 33-40), but it is also used (as here) for the object aimed at. Cf. Lr [1.1.159 (171)]. For his here and in the next line are n. 48.”

1984 chal

chal = evns1 for blanck

1988 bev2

bev2 = pel1 for As leuell

bev2

2628+2 his blanck] Bevington (ed. 1988): “its target at point-blank range.”

1997 evns2

evns2 = evns1

1998 OED

OED

2628+2 blanck] OED (Sept. 15, 1998): “2. a. The white spot in the centre of a target; hence fig. anything aimed at, the range of such aim.

“1554 Interl. Youth in Hazl. Dodsl. II. 35 Pink and drink, and also at the blank, And many sports mo. 1598 BARRET Theor. Warres III. i. 35 To cause them to leuell, and discharge at the blancke thereof. 1837 CDL. WISEMAN Fun. Orat. Cdl. Weld 23 Rome, the very blank and aim of religious partizanship in our country.

“Cf. the following with b, as illustrating its origin:

“1602 SHAKS. Ham. IV. i. 42 (Globe) As level as the cannon to his blank Transports his poisoned shot. 1604 –– Oth. III. iv. 128, I haue stood within the blanke of his displeasure.

“b. `Level line mark for cannon, as point-blank, equal to 800 yards.’ Smyth Sailor’s Wrd.-bk. 1747 Gentl. Mag. XVII. 398 Fired at the Bellona, which Capt. Barrington..did not return (being but just within blank).”

2000 Edelman

Edelman: Bourne, Sheriffe analogues (both in Hogg)

2628+2 Edelman (2000): “blank, point blank: The range of a gun or firearm when fired in a flat trajectory, and not, as some believe, a target (from the ‘white’ of an archery target).” Edelman refers to Bourne’s The Art of Shooting in Great Ordnaunce (1587, p. 23) and to Sheriffe’s Table of English Ordnance (in Hogg, 1963, pp. 26-34).

“For a cannon to achieve its full blank, it must be level. If the mouth is even slightly lower than the breech, then obviously the shot will hit the ground at a shorter distance; if the mouth is higher, then the shot will go much further, but not at full power . . . . A missing half-line from the §Q2 text of Hamlet forces us to guess what it is that Claudius compares to ‘a poisoned shot’ from a cannon, And what’s untimely done [[ . . .]] [ . . .] and he cites Theobald’s solution as apt.”

2006 ard3q2

ard3q2

2628+2 Thompson & Taylor (ed. 2006): “as straight as the cannon to its target.”