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Line 1010 - 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.”

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Notes for lines 0-1017 ed. Bernice W. Kliman

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

1010 I had not {coted} <quoted> him, I {fear’d} <feare> he did but trifle	2.1.109

1723- mtby2

mtby2

1010 coted] Thirlby (1723-): “fsql [low-level probability] noted Q[2] coted & D [Q3] v ad 389.15, 16 [1364].”

1733- mtby3

mtby3 ≈ mtby2

1010 coted] Thirlby (1733-): “noted. v. [1364].”

Ed. note: Thirlby has a note alluding to mtby2 (above): “M:fsql noted” He also says v. TLN 1364 (where Q has coted and F has coated) in mtby4 he crosses out warb’s noted (meaning that he highlights it as an emendation, not necessarily that he disagrees with it).

1744 han1

han1

1010 coted] Hanmer (ed. 1743, 6: Glossary): “Quote— to understand, to interpret, to rate, to estimate. ”

1747 warb

warb

1010 coted] Warburton (ed. 1747): “The old quarto reads coted. It appears Shakespear wrote noted. Quoted is nonsense.”

1765 john1

john1 = warb; john1 ≈ han without attribution

1010 coted] Johnson (ed. 1765): “To quote is, I believe, to reckon, to take an account of, to take the quotient or result of a computation.”

John1 lll ≈ han without attribution

1010 coted] Johnson (ed. 1765, 2:218 n. 5, LLL 5.2.786 (2745): “We should read Quote, esteem, reckon.”

1765- mDavies

mDavies

1010 coted] Davies (1765-): “To quote is to take an acct. of ye contents of a book on any passage or to make remarks on any subject—In doing this you may mistake or blunder.”

1773 v1773

v1773 = john +

1010 coted] Steevens (ed. 1773): “To cote is to overtake, and agrees well with speed. So in [3H6 1.1.267 (300)], ‘Whose haughty spirit winged with desire Will cote my crown.’ So in [Ham. 2.2.317 (1364)]: ‘—certain players We coted them on the way.’ The sense then will be—I am sorry that with better judgment and haste I had come up with, overtaken, or reached his meaning. The phrase is quaint, and therefore sufficiently characteristic of Polonius. ”

1773- mstv1

mstv1 = v1773 + not (marked in magenta)

1010 coted] Steevens (ms. note in Steevens, ed. 1773): “To cote is to overtake, and agrees well with speed. So in [3H6 1.1.267 (300)], ‘Whose haughty spirit winged with desire Will cote my crown.’ So in [Ham. 2.2.317 (1364)]: ‘—certain players We coted them on the way.’ The sense then will be—I am sorry that with better judgment and haste I had _^not come up with, overtaken, or reached his meaning. The phrase is quaint, and therefore sufficiently characteristic of Polonius.”

The caret marks a ms. insertion. I think he’s reaching in this v1773 note. In fact, he gives up his idea in later editions. So I don’t know if he would have used the ms. correction of the typo.

1776 Gent. Mag.

W. & D. [Denne]: warb; john

1010 coted] Denne (Gent. Mag. 46 [Nov. 1776]: 512): “The incongruity of metaphors in these well known words [he had just quoted ‘Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,’ 1714] has exercised the pens of many a critical admirer of Shakespeare; but there is another passage in the same play, which has not been so frequently noticed, though, according to the present reading, the images in it seem to be rather improperly blended. The lines to which I refer are in Act 2. Scene 2 [since Capell numbered 2.1], where Polonius, having discovered his want of sagacity in advising Ophelia, to discountenance Hamlet’s addresses, because he thought the Prince only trifled with his daughter, delivers himself as follows: ‘That hath made him mad. I’m sorry, that with better speed and judgment I had not quoted him.’

Dr. Warburton peremptorily pronounced quoted to be nonsense, and said it appeared, though he showed not how, that Shakespeare wrote noted. And Dr. Johnson, not approving of this alteration, was willing to believe, that quote here signifies to reckon, to take an account of, to take the quotient or result of a computation. However, as this very learned editor, notwithstanding ‘his longer acquaintance with the lexicography of our language than any other writer,’ has not cited an instance of this use of the word quote. I may venture to conclude he had never met with one in any author.—I am, I must own, inclined to suspect that for quoted we ought to read quoited. The omission of the i in the diphthong oi might easily happen through the negligence or inattention of the press; and some reasons may be given why this emendation ought not to be deemed a whimsical surmise. —In the old quarto the word is coted; and I have a notion, that coit or quoit, in our ancient English writers, was oftener spelt indiscriminately, with a c, or a q, than quote. Dr. Johnson, in his Dictionary, also specifies that the verb to quoit to be both of the active and the neuter kind; and it will be readily admitted that the words with speed and judgment are compleately adapting to the diversion of coyting, so styled in the stat. of 33 of Hen. VIII. It may be further remarked, that in the same speech the same metaphor is pursued by Polonius, when he acknowledges, ‘Beshrew my jealousy; It seems it is as proper to our age To cast beyond ourselves in our opinions As is it common for the younger sort To lack discretion.’ —.

“Quoited is undoubtedly a quaint expression, and therefore Shakespeare might with the greater propriety let it fall from the tongue of a conceited and pedantic old courtier.—This conjecture is, however, thrown out by one who professes himself to be little skilled in the game of criticism; but if it falls short of the mark, it may be a direction to some expert player, and enable him with better speed and judgment to quoit the true meaning of the poem.

I am, Sir, your, &c.

W. & D.

1778 v1778

v1778 = john + [retracting note from v1773]

1010 coted] Steevens (ed. 1778): “Since I proposed a former explanation, I met with a passage in the Isle of Gulls, a comedy, by John Day, 1633, which proves Dr. Johnson’s sense of this word [i.e., quoted] to be not far from the true one: ‘—’twill be a scene of mirth For me to quote his passions, and his smiles.’

“To quote on this occasion undoubtedly means to observe. Again, in Drayton’s Mooncalf: ‘This honest man the prophecy that noted, And things therein most curiously had quoted; Found all these signs, &c.’ Again, in The Woman Hater, by B[eaumont] and Fletcher, the Intelligencer says—‘I’ll quote him to a tittle.’ i.e., I will observe him. Again, in Certaine Satyres, 1598: ‘But must our moderne crittick’s envious eye, Seeme thus to quote some grosse deformity?’ Steevens.”

v1778

Note that v1778 does NOT include the paraphrase and // to 3H6 or the xref to 1364 that is in v1773.

1010 coted] Steevens (ed. 1778, 1:152 n. 3) for TGV 2.4.18 (672): “ ‘—how quote you my folly?’ To quote is to observe. So in Hamlet: ‘I am sorry that with better heed and judgment I had not quoted him.’ Steevens.”

1780 mals1

mals1

1010 coted] Malone (1780, 1:520-1 n. 2) defines quote in Luc. 812 “Will quote my loathsome trespass in my looks”: <p. 520>“Will mark or observe. So in Hamlet: [quotes 1009-10]. </p. 520><p. 521> Again, in [TGV]: ‘And how quote you my folly? —I quote it in your jerkin.’ Malone.” </p.521>

Ed. note: TGV puns on quote/cote.

1784 Davies

Davies ≈ mDavies

1010 coted] Davies (1784, 3:36): “To quote is to write notes and observations from sermons or books, or to make remarks in a table-book or memorandum. In doing this, a mistake or blunder may easily be made.”

1785 v1785

v1785 = v1778 minus the last analogue to Certaine Satyres, 1598.

1010 coted]

1785 Mason

Mason

1010 coted] Mason (1785, p. 379): “I am surprised that any reader who has arrived at the tenth volume of these plays, should form any doubt concerning the meaning of the verb to quote, which so frequently occurs in them and is invariably used in the sense of to observe.”

1787 ann

ann = warb VN and then Steevens, one sentence

1010 coted] Steevens: “To quote on this occasion undoubtedly means to observe.”

1790 mal

mal = mals1 +

1010 coted] Malone (ed. 1790): “I had not marked or observed him. So, in [Luc. 812] : ‘Yea, the illiterate—Will quote my loathed trespass in my looks.’ In this passage, in the original edition of 1594, the word is written cote, as it is in the quarto copy of this play. It is merely the old or corrupt spelling of the word. See [2:378 n.6]. In Minsheu’s Dict. 1617, we find, “To quote, mark, or note, à quotus. Numeris enim scribentes sententias suas notunt et distinguunt.’ See also Cotgrave’s Dict, 1611: ‘Quoter. To quote or marke in the margent; to note by the way.’”

note put into check original editions doc. re Cotgrave

mal LLL ≈ Ham.: john1

1010 coted] Malone (ed. 1790, 2: 378 n. 6) re LLL “Her amber hairs for foul have amber quoted” : “Quoted here, I think, signifies, marked, written down. So, in [AWW 5.3.205 (2931)]: “He’s quoted for a most perfidious slave.’ The word in the old copies is coted; but that (as Dr. Johnson has observed, in the last scene of this play,) is only the old spelling of quoted, owing to the transcriber’s trusting to his ear, and following the pronunciation. To cote is elsewhere used by our author, with the sifnification of overtake, but that will by no means suit here.Malone.”

mal: Luc. analogue; Minsheu; Cotgrave

1791- Wesley ms. in v1785

Wesley re john1

1010 coted] Wesley (1790-, p. 45): “This seems probable.”

1791- rann

rann: standard

1010 coted] “noted, observed. The word is frequently used in this sense by our author.”

1793 v1793

v1793 = john1; mal; ≈ Steevens v1785; Mason; Day, B&F

1010 coted] Steevens (ed. 1793): “I find a passage in The Ile of Gulls, a comedy by John Day, 1606, which proves Dr. Johnson’s sense of the word to be not far from the true one [&c. quotes Day, then Drayton, then “Beaumont and Fletcher”] To quote, as Mr. M. Mason observes, is invariably used by Shakspeare in this sense. Steevens.”

No Warb; diff. in magenta: he eliminates the ref to an earlier error and paraphrases Mason. Order is JOHN, Steevens ending with Mason, MAL.

1803 v1803

v1803 = v1793

1010 coted]

1807 Mason

Mason 1807 = Mason 1785

1010 coted] Mason (1807, pp. 436-7)

1807 Douce

Douce contra Steevens; mal; Mason;

1010 coted] Douce (1807, 1:230) on LLL 4.3.85 (1421): “Mr. Steevens’s explanation of coted, and of the whole line, is inadmissible. Foulness or cloudiness is no criterion of the beauty of amber. Mr. Malone has partly explained coted, by marked, but has apparently missed the sense of it here when he adds written down. Mr. Mason has given the true construction of the line, but he mistakes the meaning of coted, which, after all, merely signifies to mark or note. The word is from the French coter, which, in like manner as Mr. Malone has well observed of the English term, is the old orthography of quoter. The grammatical construction is, ‘her amber hairs have marked or shown that [real] amber is foul in comparison of themselves.’ ”

1813 v1813

v1813 = v1803

1010 coted]

1819 cald1

cald1: mal

1010 coted] Caldecott (ed. 1819): “Noted. [then Malone on Luc., Minsheu] It is the modern use of the word [quote] in the weekly reports or return of the price of grain.”

1822 Nares

Nares ≈ standard, Cotg. source word without attribution + in magenta underlined

1010 cote] Nares (1822): “To pass by, to pass the side of another. Costoyer, old French, in which the e was soon dropped and is now not written. The same as to Coast. [quotes 1010 and other plays].” Crants (3421) [Eric nb: Nares also pts out the connection to Rosencrantz],

Also, quote: Nares (1822): “To Quote. Often used for to note, mark, or distinguish; very differently from the modern usage. [quotes Rom., 1.4.31 (484),Jn 4.2. 222 (1947), Ham. 1010, and others)].”

1826 sing1

sing1: mals1 without attribution

1010 coted] Singer (ed. 1826): “To quote is to note, to mark. Thus in The Rape of Lucrece:— ‘Yea, the illiterate Will quote my loathed trespass in my looks.’ This word in the quarto is written coted, which was the old orthography of quoted. ”

1832 cald2

cald2 = Cald1 +

1010 coted] Caldecott (ed. 1832): i.e. noted. ‘quotes the leaves. [Tit. 4.1.50 (1595)] Mar. ”

[then Malone on Luc. Minsheu, and 1820 on grain]

1839 knt1

knt1 : standard

1010 coted] Knight (ed. [1839]): “observed, noted.”

1843 col1

col1 standard

1010 coted] Collier (ed. 1843): Quoted : “i.e. noted or observed him. See [4:74; 6:106; 393].”

His glossary, 1:ccci, with the same definitions, has the 4 ref. here and adds 1:115; 8:438.

1844 verp

verp = col1 without attribution

1010 coted] Verplanck (ed. 1844): “‘Quoted him.’—Noted or observed him.”

start here

1854 del2

del2

1010 coted] Delius (ed. 1854): “to quote eigentlich = eine Notiz machen, heisst dann bei Sh. ‘sich notiren, im Einzelnen beobachten,’ oder auch ‘die einzelnen Beobachtungen zusammenziehen.” [to quote, which actually means to make a memorandum, to Sh. means ‘to make note to observe in private,’ or also ‘to put together the individual observations.]

I am not sure this is right. DEL2 seems to be saying that Polonius wishes he had observed Hamlet more carefully, or that he had put two and two together better.

1856 hud1

hud1 standard

1010 coted] Hudson (ed. 1856): “To quote in to note, to mark, or observe.”

1856 sing2

sing2 = sing1

1010 coted]

1857 dyce1

dyce1

1010 coted] Dyce (ed. 1857, Glossary, for F1 quote): “To note, to mark,—formerly pronounced, and often written, cote . . . .”

1861 wh1

wh1: standard

1010 coted] White (ed. 1861): “‘I had not quoted him’ means, I had not observed him.”

1865 hal

hal = Steevens, Malone

1010 coted]

1867 dyce2

dyce2

1010 coted] Dyce (ed. 1867, Glossary): “To note, to mark,—formerly pronounced, and often written, cote. See [Rom. 1.4.31 (484)].”

1868 c&mc

c&mc ≈ dyceG without attribution + //

1010 coted] Clarke & Clarke (ed. 1868): “‘Noted,’ ‘observed,’ ‘remarked.’ See [Tro. 4.5.233 (2802), n. 69].”

1872 cln1

cln1:standard gloss, + //s Tro. , Rom. xref in magenta underlined

1010 coted] Clark & Wright (ed. 1872): “ . . . It means ‘observed,’ as in [Tro. 4.5.233 (2802)]: ‘I have with exact view perused thee, Hector, And quoted joint by joint.’ And in [Rom. 1.4.31 (484)]: ‘What curious eye doth quote deformities?’ The word is indifferently spelt ‘cote,’ ‘coat’ (or ‘coate’}, and ‘quote’ in the old editions. The side (Fr. cóté) or margin of a book was the place for observations or quotations. See [3622+1].

1872 hud2

hud2 = hud1

1010 coted]

1877 v1877

v1877: Mason, mal, dyce2 (quote)

1010 coted]

1881 hud3

hud3 = hud2

1010 coted]

1883 wh2

wh2: standard on quoted

1010 coted]

1885 mull

mull: stau, rug2 +

1010 Mull (ed. 1885): “The first clause is surely directed to Ophelia as a rebuke; and the subsequent serious reflection of Polonius, that ‘it is common . . . lack discretion’ [1014], contributes greatly to confirm my suggested alteration. It is inconceivable that Polonius should have fallen into a strain of self-rebuke, so extravagant an estimate of his own judgment and capacity did he entertain—egregiously conceited, and unsurpassed, as he thought, in penetration and foresight (see [1183-5], et passim).

“Further, the whole of the colloquy between Ophelia and Polonius in [554-601] lends powerful support to the change I suggest. Polonius there says to Ophelia, [quotes 557-63].

“Polonius it is, undoubtedly, who reproaches Ophelia, and not Polonius himself. In the perturbation he displays it would be his disposition to reflect upon her, which may be seen clearly, thus, [quotes 998, 1004, 1009-10]. ‘You should have looked into, scanned, marked him’ (as Staunton renders ‘quoted’): ‘I did fear he only trifled with your affections.’ The former is an obviously self-important assertion and reflection upon Ophelia; the latter a characteristic expression of his own sleepless and penetrating observation. Polonius but repeats here, concisely, the reproof he had previously administered to her in [quotes 587, 593a];

“It is impossible, I repeat, that Polonius could have so abased himself as to utter the self-reproach which is put into his mouth by all the copies. The man whose self-estimate is well touched off by the Rev. Charles Moberly in the following sentences, could never have assailed himself with want of ‘heed and judgment’: ‘There is much humour in the old man’s inveterate foible for omniscience. He absurdly imagines that he has discerned for himself all the steps of Hamlet’s love and madness, while of the former he had been unaware till warned by some friends, and the latter did not exist at all.’ [this quotation from mob goes more properly in 1162]

“Plainly, it was Ophelia who had not ‘quoted’ Hamlet as her father said she should have done, for in her disappointment and distress she says, ‘I, that suck’d the honey of his music vows’ [1811-12].”

1885 macd

macd

1010 coted] MacDonald (ed. 1885): “Quoted or coted: observed; Fr, coter, to mark the number. Compare [1364].”

1904 ver

ver:standard gloss +

1010 coted] Verity (ed. 1904) points out that either form, coted or quoted, will work, the former coming from the O. Fr. and the latter from Lat.

1929 trav

trav: standard

1010 coted] Travers (ed. 1929): Both variants “ = set him down, in my mind, as being this or that.”

1938 parc

parc

1010 coted] Parrott & Craig (ed. 1938): “observed.”

1939 kit2

kit2: standard

1010 coted] Kittredge (ed. 1939): "quoted: noted, observed."

1947 cln2

cln2: standard

1010 coted] Rylands (ed. 1947): "quoted: noted."

1957 pel1

pel1: standard

1010 coted] Farnham (ed. 1957): “observed.”

1970 pel2

pel2 = pel1

1010 coted] quoted Farnham (ed. 1970): “observed”

1980 pen2

pen2: standard

1010 coted] Spencer (ed. 1980): “made my observation.”

1982 ard2

ard2: standard gloss; ≈ ver without attribution

1010 coted] Jenkins (ed. 1982): “ quoted: observed. Cf. Rom. 1.4.31 (’What curious eye doth quote deformities?’); Tro. 4.5.233. Q2 coted is a variant form (Fr. coter).”

1985 cam4

cam4: standard

1010 coted] quoted Edwards (ed. 1985): "noted, observed. Q2’s ’coted’, a frequent Shakespearean spelling, indicates the contemporary pronunciation."

1987 oxf4

oxf4: OED; standard gloss and //

1010 coted] quoted Hibbard (ed. 1987): "observed (OED quote v. 5b). Compare Lucrece 810-12, ‘Yea, the illiterate . . . Will quote my loathsome trespass in my looks.’ "

1988 bev2

bev2: standard

1010 coted] Bevington (ed. 1988): “observed.”

2006 ard3q2

ard3q2: xref; F1

1010 coted] quoted Thompson & Taylor (ed. 2006): “Q2’s ’coted’ may mean ’outstripped’, i.e. outmanoeuvred, as at [1364], which is just about acceptable. But ’coted’ is a frequent Shakespearean spelling of ’quoted’, the F reading, which means ’observed’ or ’judged’ and makes better sense in the context.”

ard3q2: standard

1010 trifle] Thompson & Taylor (ed. 2006): “play (with your affection)”