An exact parallel to the sense in which I take "contents" is found in—
"But heaven hath a hand in these events,
To whose high will we bound our calmly contents."
Rich. II., Act V. Sc. 2.
In conclusion, I must add that I still regard this emendatory criticism as a "game," the Latin ludus, as it gives scope to sagacity and ingenuity, but can rarely hope to arrive at certainty; and it does not, like questions of ethics or politics, involve important interests, and should never excite our angry feelings. As to "cogging and falsification," which Mr. A. joins with it, they can have no just reference to me, as I have never descended to the employment of such artifices.
Thos. Keightley.
P. S.—I have just seen H. C. K.'s observation on "clamour your tongues" in the Winter's Tale, and it really seems strange that he should not have read, or should have forgotten my view of it in "N. & Q.," which is precisely similar to his own. As to suspecting him of pilfering from me, nothing is farther from my thoughts.
Meaning of Delighted.—With reference to the word delighted in Shakspeare, much discussed in "N. & Q.," may I remind you that we call that which carries (or is furnished, or provided with) wings, winged; that which carries wheels, wheeled; that which carries masts, masted; and so on. Why then should not a pre-Johnsonian writer call that which carries delight, delighted? It appears to me that this will sufficiently explain "delighted beauty;" and "the delighted spirit" I would account for in the same way: only remarking that in this case, the borne delights meant are delights to the bearer; in the other case, delights to all whom the bearer approaches.
J. W. F.