[315] A play upon words was the failing of almost every writer of the times. The quibble here upon gentles and Jew is also in Shakespeare’s “Merchant of Venice,” act ii. sc. 7. See the notes on that passage, by Dr Johnson, Mr Steevens, and Dr Farmer, vol. iii., edit. 1778, p. 173. To the instances there quoted may be added the following from “Euphues,” 1581, p. 65: “Consider with thyselfe that thou art a gentleman, yea, and a Gentile; and, if thou neglect thy calling, thou art worse than a Jewe.”
END OF VOL. IV.
Transcriber’s Note
Footnotes were renumbered sequentially and moved to the end of the play in which the related anchor appears. The players names, which appear in small caps in the original, are displayed as bold in handheld devices.
Missing end periods and end brackets were added, where needed. The following were adjusted: