J. O. Halliwell
P.S. The subject is, of course, capable of almost indefinite extension, but the above hasty notes will probably occupy as much space as you would be willing to spare for its consideration.
Alcides' Shoes.—There is merit, in my opinion, in elucidating, if it were only a single word in our great dramatist. Even the attempt, though mayhap a failure, is laudable. I therefore have made, and shall make, hit or miss, some efforts that way. For example, I now grapple with that very odd line—
"As great Alcides' shoes upon an ass."—King John, Act II. Sc. 1.
out of which no one has as yet extracted, or I think ever will extract, any good meaning: Argal,
it is corrupt. Now it appears to me that the critic who proposed to read shows, came very near the truth, and would have hit it completely if he had retained Alcides', for it is the genitive with robe understood. To explain:
Austria has on him the "skin-coat" of Cœur-de-Lion, and Blanch cries,—
"O! well did he become that lion's robe,
That did disrobe the lion of that robe."
"It lies," observes the Bastard,