[Note XV.]
IV. Prol. 45. Theobald's reading of this obscure passage is as follows:
'Then, mean and gentle, all
Behold, (as may unworthiness define)
A little touch, &c.'
In his note he says: 'The poet, first, expatiates on the real influence that Harry's eye had on the camp: and then addressing himself to every degree of his audience, he tells them, he'll shew (as well as his unworthy pen and powers can describe it) a little touch, or sketch of this hero in the night.'
Hanmer reads,
'Then mean and gentle all
Behold, &c.'
Capell, following substantially Theobald, reads,
'Then, mean and gentle all,
Behold, &c.'
Theobald supports his reading by two quotations from previous speeches of the chorus (I. prol. 8; II. prol. 35) in which the audience are addressed as 'gentles;' but this does not justify the supposition that he would address any of them as 'mean.' The phrase 'mean and gentle' appears to us to refer to the various ranks of the English army who are mentioned in the previous line. Delius's conjecture that a line is lost after the word 'all' seems very probable.