Note XXXII

V. 2. 205, 206. The reading in the text is taken partly from the Folios and partly from the Quartos, altering however the punctuation. The second Quarto, followed substantially by the rest, has as follows:

'The readines is all, since no man of ought he leaues, knowes what
ist to leaue betimes, let be.'

The first Folio, followed, except in spelling, by the rest, has:

'The readinesse is all, since no man ha's ought of what he leaues.
What is't to leaue betimes?'

The Quartos of 1676, 1683, 1695 and 1703 have:

'The readiness is all, since no man of ought he leaves knows what
'tis to leave betimes, let be.'

Rowe, Pope and Theobald followed the Folios.

Hanmer:

'The readiness is all. Since no man owes aught of what he leaves,
what is't to leave betimes?'

Warburton:

'The readiness is all. Since no man, of ought he leaves, knows,
what is't to leave betimes? Let be.'

Johnson:

'The readiness is all. Since no man knows aught of what he
leaves, what is't to leave betimes?'

Steevens (1773, 1778, 1785) and Rann adopt the reading of Johnson, adding the words 'Let be.'

Warburton's reading was followed by Capell, Malone, Steevens (1793), the Editors of the three Variorum Shakespeares, 1803, 1813, 1821, Singer, Harness and Mr Collier.

Caldecott first adopted the reading given in our text. Mr Grant White follows him.

Becket would substitute 'has thought' for 'has aught.'

Mr Keightley prints thus, marking the sentence as unfinished:

'The readiness is all. Since no man, of aught he leaves, knows
what it is to leave betimes.... Let be.'

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