Note VIII.
III. 2. 105. Malone (1790) says 'The word as has been substituted for which by the modern editors in the passage before us.' We have been unable to find it in Rowe, Pope, Theobald, Hanmer, Warburton, Johnson, Capell, or Steevens. It is probably a printer's emendation in some of the numerous reprints of the play.
Note IX.
IV. 5. 130. Mr Collier, in a note to this passage, says that the Earl of Ellesmere's copy of the first Folio has 'o'er-beare.' Mr Staunton, to whom the volume has been lent, has kindly consulted it for us, and says that the reading there is 'o're beate' or 'o're beare.' He adds 'It is difficult to say which. There are other cases in the Folio where the t and r so nearly resemble each other that I can hardly decide between them.'
Note X.
V. 1. 17. Mr Collier explains his reading by the following note: 'Menenius intends to say that the tribunes have wrecked a noble memory for Rome by occasioning its destruction.'
Note XI.
V. 3. 75. Dr Nicholson writes to us: 'The stage action here to which Coriolanus replies is this: the boy refuses to kneel, but interposes between the kneeling ladies and Coriolanus. See his after speech 'A' shall not tread on me,' &c. This, if not introduced as a stage direction, ought to be explained in a note.' To us Coriolanus seems rather to commend the boy for doing as he was bid. To refuse to kneel would suit ill with his 'aspect of intercession' (line 32). Besides, he kneels, without being specially told to do so, afterwards (line 175).