Note II
I. 1. 98–100. Pope reconstructed the whole passage thus:
‘What, fellow? nought to do with mistress Shore?
I tell you Sir, he that doth naught with her,
Excepting one, were best to do it secretly.’
Steevens rejecting the word ‘alone,’ as an interpolation would arrange the last and the following lines thus:
‘Were best to do it secretly.
Bra.
What one
My lord?
Glou.
Her husband, knave:—Wouldst thou betray me?’
Capell also had omitted ‘alone,’ but made an Alexandrine by continuing the line to ‘my lord.’
We’ll remember where you stopped. All chapters