Act i. sc. I.
'Gis'. He is indeed the perfect character
Of a good man, and so his actions speak him.
This character of Aubrey, and the whole spirit of this and several other plays of the same authors, are interesting as traits of the morals which it was fashionable to teach in the reigns of James I. and his successor, who died a martyr to them. Stage, pulpit, law, fashion,—all conspired to enslave the realm. Massinger's plays breathe the opposite spirit; Shakspeare's the spirit of wisdom which is for all ages. By the by, the Spanish dramatists—Calderon, in particular,—had some influence in this respect, of romantic loyalty to the greatest monsters, as well as in the busy intrigues of B. and F.'s plays.
THE WILD GOOSE CHASE.
Act II. sc. 1. Belleur's speech:—
—that wench, methinks,
If I were but well set on, for she is a fable,
If I were but hounded right, and one to teach me.
Sympson reads 'affable,' which Colman rejects, and says, 'the next line seems to enforce' the reading in the text.
Pity, that the editor did not explain wherein the sense, 'seemingly enforced by the next line,' consists. May the true word be 'a sable,' that is, a black fox, hunted for its precious fur? Or 'at-able,'—as we now say,—'she is come-at-able?'