Scene 3. Page 414.
Fri. O mickle is the powerful grace, that lies
In herbs, plants, stones, and their true qualities:
For nought so vile that on the earth doth live,
But to the earth some special good doth give;
Nor aught so good, but strain'd from that fair use
Revolts from true birth, stumbling on abuse.
Thus all the copies. But in Swan's Speculum mundi, the first edition of which was published in 1635, they are quoted with the following variations;
"O mickle is the powerful good that lies
In herbs, trees, stones, and their true qualities:
For nought so vile that on the earth doth live,
But to the earth some secret good doth give.
And nought so rich on either rock or shelf;
But, if unknown, lies uselesse to itself."
Scene 4. Page 427.
Mer. ... for this driveling love is like a great natural, that runs lolling up and down to hide his bauble in a hole.
When the physical conformation of idiots is considered, the latent but obscene allusion which this speech conveys will be instantly perceived. What follows is still less worthy of particular illustration. Mercutio riots in this sort of language. The epithet driveling is applied to love as a slavering idiot; but Sir Philip Sidney has made Cupid an old drivell. See the lines quoted from the Arcadia by Dr. Farmer, Much ado about nothing, Act III. Scene 2.
Scene 4. Page 431.
Nurse. I pray you sir, what saucy merchant was this, that was so full of his ropery?