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Line 3610, etc. - Commentary Note (CN) More Information

Notes for lines 2951-end ed. Hardin A. Aasand
For explanation of sigla, such as jen, see the editions bib.
3610+1 {com to Court Laertes, belieue me an absolute gentlemen, ful of most}5.2.107
3610+2 {excellent differences, of very soft society, and great showing: in-} {N2v}5.2.108
1765 john1
john1
3610 +1-3610+2 full of most excellent Differences] Johnson (ed. 1765) : “full of distinguishing excellencies.”
1773 v1773
v1773 = john1
3610 +1-36102 full of most excellent Differences]
1778 v1778
v1778 = v1773
3610 +1-3610+2 full of most excellent Differences]
1784 ays1
ays1 = v1778 w/o attribution
3610 +1-3610+2 full of most excellent Differences]
1785 v1785
v1785 = v1778
3610 +1-3610+2 full of most excellent Differences]
1787 ann
ann = v1785
3610 +1-3610+2 full of most excellent Differences]
1790 mal
mal = v1785
3610 +1-3610+2 full of most excellent Differences]
1791- rann
rann
3610 +1-3610+2 full of most excellent Differences] Rann (ed. 1791-) : “distinguishing excellencies, such as place him above the common level.”
1793 v1793
v1793 = v1785
3610 +1-3610+2 full of most excellent Differences]
1803 v1803
v1803 = v1793
3610 +1-3610+2 full of most excellent Differences]
1813 v1813
v1813 = v1803
3610 +1-3610+2 full of most excellent Differences]
1819 cald1
cald1
3610 +1-3610+2 full of most excellent Differences] Caldecott (ed. 1819) : “A finished gentleman, full of various accomplishments, of gentle manners, and very imposing appearance.”
1821 v1821
v1821 = v1813
3610 +1-3610+2 full of most excellent Differences]
1826 sing1
sing1 = v1821
3610 +1-3610+2 full of most excellent Differences]
1832 cald2
cald2 = cald1 + magenta underlined
3610 +1-2 full of most excellent Differences] Caldecott (ed. 1832) : “Full of—differences , is master of every nice puntilio of good breeding; of every form and distinction, that place or occasion may require.”
1833 valpy
valpy ≈ standard
3610+2 excellent differences] Valpy (ed. 1833): “Distinguishing excellences.”
1854 del2
del2
3610 +1-3610+2 full of most excellent Differences] Delius (ed. 1854) : “soll in Osrick’s Kaudewelsch=different excellences heissen.” [It should in Osrick’s gibberish stand different excellences.]
1856 hud1 (1851-6)
hud1 = sing1
3610 +1-3610+2 full of most excellent Differences]
1856 sing2
sing2 = sing1
3610 +1-3610+2 full of most excellent Differences]
1856 Ramsay
Ramsay
3610+1-3610+4 Ramsay (1856, pp. 123-24): <p. 123> “Laertes became what his father wished and intended him to be, a finished gentleman, a perfect man of the world; in the poet’s own words— [cites 3610+1-+4]. While Hamlet is at once ready to forgive and forget, nay, to make the first advance towards reconciliation, with ‘I am very sorry, good Horatio, That to Laerts I forgot myself,’ Laertes stands on minute points of honour, and ‘Will no reconcilement, ‘Till by some elder masters of known honour I have a voice and precedent of peace.’ Bishop Warburton and others speak of Laertes as a ‘good character.’ What these gentlemen’s notions of ‘goodness’ were they have not explained; unless they were peculiarly eccentric, it is somewhat difficult to conceive that they could have read the play with sufficient attention to </p. 123> <p. 124>observe, that before the fatal encounter between Hamlet and himself, while the unsuspicious Hamlet presumes at once ‘These foils have all all a length,’ Laertes not only arranges beforehand, in compliance with the king’s suggestion, to have an ‘unbated sword,’ but of himself proposes to steep the point of that weapon in a deadly poison; ‘For the purpose I’ll anoint my sword,’ is his own proposal.” </p. 124>
1857 elze1
elze1 : john1 ; del2
3610 +1-3610+2 full of most excellent Differences]
1864-68 c&mc
c&mc
3610 +1-3610+2 full of most excellent Differences] Clarke & Clarke (ed. 1864-68, rpt. 1874-78): “Various and distinguishing excellences.’”
1869 tsch
tsch
3610+1 absolute] Tschischwitz (ed. 1869): “Das adjectivische Particip ist hier im Sinne des lat. summus, perfectus, gebraucht, wie es bei den Lateinern, namentlich bei Cicero, häufig ist; z.B. philosophus perfectus atque absolutus.” [The adjectival participle here is used in the sense of the Latin summus, perfectus, as it is frequently for the Latin, especially in Cicero: for example, philosophus perfectus atque absolutus.]
tsch
3610 +1-3610+2 full of most excellent Differences] Tschischwitz (ed. 1869): “Die Ausleger suchen mit Unrecht den Witz in einer Verwechslung der Begriffe excellent und different, indem sie bemerken O. habe sagen wollen: different excellences; im Gegentheil ist difference im euphuistischen Gebrauch zu dem Begriff ‘Auszeiehnung’ gekommen. Schon oben sagt Oph. you may wear your rue with a difference [[4.5.83]]. Der Ephuismus folgt hier dem Vorgange der roman. Sprachen, die auf sein Entstehen überhaupt von wesentlichem Einflusse sind.” [The commentators search wrongly for the humor in the confusion of the notion excellent and different; while they remark O[[sric]] would have said: different excellences; in distinction, difference occurred in the euphuistic use for the idea ‘distinction’. Already earlier Oph. says ay wear your rue with a difference. The euphuism here follows from the precedence of the Romance languages, which are for its origin generally from an essential influence.]
3610+2 soft society] Tschischwitz (ed. 1869): “society=sociality, von sanftem Umgangston u. vornehmem Aeusseren.” [society= sociality, of the smooth association and noble appearance.]
1872 del4
del4 = del2
3610 +1-3610+2 full of most excellent Differences]
1872 cln1
cln1
3610+1 absolute] Clark & Wright (ed. 1872): “perfect. So [Wiv. 3.3.66 (1406)]: ‘You wouldst make an absolute courtier.”
cln1
3610+2 differences] Clark & Wright (ed. 1872): “distinctions marking him out from the rest of men. This affected phrase was probably suggested by the heraldic use of the word.”
1872 hud2
hud2 ≈ hud1
3610+2 differences] Hudson (ed. 1872): “In the conceited phrase-making of this lordly dandiprat, excellent differences probably means distinctive excellences.”
1877 v1877
v1877 : knt1 (see n. 3610)
3610+1 sir here . . . ]
v1877 :≈ cald2 ;≈ del4 ; = cln1
3610+2 differences]
1881 hud3
hud3 ≈ hud2
3610+2 differences] Hudson (ed. 1872): “In the conceited phrase-making of this euphuist, excellent differences probably means distinctive excellences.”
1885 macd
macd ≈standard
3610+2 differences]
macd
3610+2 of very soft society] MacDonald (ed. 1885): “gentle manners.”
macd
3610+2 great showing] MacDonald (ed. 1885): “fine presence.”
1885 mull
mull ≈ standard
3610+1 absolute
mull ≈ standard
3610+2 differences]
mull ≈ standard
3610+2 great showing]
1889 Barnett
Barnett
3610+1 absolute] Barnett (1889, p. 63): <p. 63>“perfect. Cf. [Ham. 5.1.130 (3328-9)].” ,/p. 63>
Barnett
3610+2 differences] Barnett (1889, p. 63): <p. 63>“marks of distinction,” </p. 63>
1890 irv2
irv2 : standard (via v1877)
3610+2 differences] Symons (in Irving & Marshall, ed. 1890): “distinctions from others; probably an allusion to the term in heraldry.”
1899 ard1
ard1 ≈ cln1 w/o attribution
3610+1 absolute]
ard1 ≈ cln1 w/o attribution
3610+2 differences] Dowden (ed. 1899): “In heraldry a difference (alteration of or addition to a coat of arms) distinguishes a junior member or branch of a family from the chief line.”
1906 nlsn
nlsn : standard
3610+2 difference] Neilson (ed. 1906, Glossary)
1909 Rushton
Rushton
3610+2-3610+15 excellent differences . . . wrap . . . rawer breath] Rushton (1909, pp. 27): <p.27> “Osric speaks of Laertes as a gentleman of most excellent differences, and the zealous Poet speaks of the maiden Queen’s most excellent parts [ref. to King Henry V., Act iv. Scene 1: ’”Tis not the balm . . . labour to his grave.”]. Hamlet says, ‘to divide him inventorily would dizzy the arithmetic of memory;’ and afterwards he says, ‘Why do we wrap the gentleman in our more rawer breath?’—that is, Why do we, instead of distributing every part of Laertes’ most excellent differences, wrap themup in a few words entirely comprehending them? The rawer breath may represent ‘fewer words.’ A commentator suggests ‘warp’ for ‘wrap’ twice in his description of </p.27><p.28> this Figure, the Distributor, to which Shakespeare here refers.”
[Ed: See also 257-67]
1929 trav
trav
3610+2 excellent difference] Travers (ed. 1929): “distinguishing qualities ((cp. IV, v, 172) that are excellences; rather than different (i.e. various} excellences (Schmidt, II, p. 1417, c. I).”
1931 crg1
crg1 ≈ standard
3610+2 soft]
crg1 ≈ standard
3610+2 differences]
crg1 ≈ standard
3610+2 showing]
1934 cam3
cam3
3610+2 of very soft society] Wilson (ed. 1934): “After Laer.’s conduct in the previous scene this is esp. ludicrous.”
cam3 : Schmidt
3610+2 showing] Wilson (ed. 1934, Glossary): “‘great showing’=distinguished appearance (Schmidt).”
cam3 : standard
3610+2 differences] Wilson (ed. 1934, Glossary)
perhaps through ARD1?
cam3 : standard
3610+3 fellingly] Wilson (ed. 1934, Glossary): “sellingly]] in commercial language (v. note [above].”
1939 kit2
kit2 ≈ standard
3610+1 absolute]
kit2 ≈ standard
3610+1 absolute] Kittredge (ed. 1936, Glossary):
kit2 ≈ standard
3610+2 differences]
3610+2 differences] Kittredge (ed. 1936, Glossary):
kit2 ≈ standard
3610+2 great showing]
kit2
3610+2 soft society] Kittredge (ed. 1936): “agreeable manners.”
kit2
3610+2 soft] Kittredge (ed. 1936, Glossary): “agreeable.”
1937 pen1a
pen1a :
3610+1 absolute gentlemen] harrison (ed. 1937) calls Osric the ’perfect little courtier," whose ornate jargon finds an analogue in Lodge’s mocking imitation in Wit’s Misery: "My diminutive and defective slave, give me the coerage of my corpse to ensconce my person from frigidity."
pen1a : standard
3610+2 differences]
1938 parc
parc ≈ standard
3610+1 absolute]
parc ≈ standard
3610+2 differences]
1947 cln2
cln2 ≈ standard
3610+2 differences]
cln2 ≈ standard
3610+2 soft]
1951 alex
alex ≈ standard
3610+2 differences] Alexander (ed. 1951, Glossary)
1951 crg2
crg2=crg1
3610+2 soft]
crg2=crg1
3610+2 great showing]
crg2=crg1
3610+2 differences] Alexander (ed. 1951, Glossary)
1957 pel1
pel1 : standard
3610+2 differences]
pel1 : standard
3610+2 soft society]
pel1 : standard
3610+2 great showing]
1970 pel2
pel2=pel1
3610+2 differences]
pel2=pel1
3610+2 soft society]
pel2=pel1
3610+2 great showing]
1974 evns1
evns1≈ standard
3610+1 absolute]
evns1≈ standard
3610+2 differences]
evns1≈ standard
3610+2 soft]
evns1≈ standard
3610+2 great showing]
1980 pen2
pen2
3610+1-3610+5 absolute . . . see] Spencer (ed. 1980): “Osrick’s panegyric has been arranged by the King ((IV.7.130 [3121])).”
pen2 ≈ standard
3610+1 absolute]
pen2 ≈ standard
3610+2 differences]
pen2 ≈ standard
3610+2 soft]
pen2 ≈ standard
3610+2 great showing]
1982 ard2
ard2 ≈ standard
3610+1 absolute]
ard2 ≈ standard
3610+2 differences]
ard2 ≈ standard
3610+2 soft society]
1984 chal
chal : standard
3610+2 differences]
chal :
3610+2 society] Wilkes (ed. 1984): "social behaviour."
1985 cam4
cam4 ≈ v1877 (Delius)
3610+2 differences]
CAM4 ≈ standard
3610+2 soft society]
CAM4 ≈ standard
3610+2 great showing]
1987 oxf4
oxf4 ≈ standard
3610+1 absolute]
oxf4 : OED (sb. 4)
3610+2 differences]
oxf4 : OED (soft a. 14c)
3610+2 soft society]
oxf4 : Schmidt
3610+2 great showing] Hibbard (ed. 1987, Appendix A, p. 367): “distinguished appearance.”
1988 bev2
bev2: standard
3610+1 absolute]
bev2: standard
3610+2 differences]
bev2: standard
3610+2 soft society]
bev2: standard
3610+2 great showing]
1993 dent
dent: standard
3610+2 differences]
dent
3610+2 soft society]
dent
3610+2 great showing]
2008 OED
OEDstandard
3610+2 differences]OED 4. a. A mark, device, or characteristic feature, which distinguishes one thing or set of things from another. Now rare or Obs. exc. as in b and c. 1481 CAXTON Myrr. II. xiii. 94 Pictagoras..by his grete entendement fonde the poyntes and the difference of musyque. 1513 DOUGLAS {c6}neis X. vii. 81 Markyt ou swa with sic rude differens, That by hys keyll [th]e may be knaw fra thens. [etc.]
2008 OED
OEDstandard
3610+2 soft society] OED c. Refined, delicate. rare. 1601 SHAKES. Twel. N. V. i. 331 For your seruice done him,..So farre beneath your soft and tender breeding.[etc.]
3610+1 3610+2