Grosart and
Chambers
prefer the reading of
the later editions, 'Meane's blest.
the later editions, 'Meane's blest.
John Donne
The MSS.
point to a more
frequent use of 'hath' with a plural subject than the editions have
preserved. The above three instances seem all plurals. In other cases
the individuals form a whole, or there is ellipsis:
All Kings, and all their favorites,
All glory of honors, beauties, wits,
The Sunne it selfe which makes times, as they passe,
Is elder by a year, now, then it was.
_The Anniversarie_, p. 24, ll. 1-4.
He that but tasts, he that devours,
And he that leaves all, doth as well.
_Communitie_, p. 33, ll. 20-1.
PAGE =154=, l. 107. _meanes blesse_. The reading of _1633_ has the
support of the best MSS.
Grosart and Chambers prefer the reading of
the later editions, 'Meane's blest. ' This, it would seem to me, needs
the definite article. The other reading gives quite the same sense,
'in all things means (i. e. middle ways, moderate measures) bring
blessings':
Rectius vives, Licini, neque altum
Semper urgendo neque, dum procellas
Cautus horrescis, nimium premendo
Litus iniquum.
Auream quisquis mediocritatem
Diligit, tutus caret obsoleti
Sordibus tecti, caret invidenda
Sobrius aula.
Horace, _Odes_, ii. 10.
The general tenor of the closing lines recalls Horace's treatment of
the same theme in _Sat. _ ii. 2. 88, 125, more than either Juvenal,
_Sat. _ ix, or Persius, _Sat. _ vi.
Grosart states that 'means, then as now, meant riches, possessions,
but never the mean or middle'. But see O.
frequent use of 'hath' with a plural subject than the editions have
preserved. The above three instances seem all plurals. In other cases
the individuals form a whole, or there is ellipsis:
All Kings, and all their favorites,
All glory of honors, beauties, wits,
The Sunne it selfe which makes times, as they passe,
Is elder by a year, now, then it was.
_The Anniversarie_, p. 24, ll. 1-4.
He that but tasts, he that devours,
And he that leaves all, doth as well.
_Communitie_, p. 33, ll. 20-1.
PAGE =154=, l. 107. _meanes blesse_. The reading of _1633_ has the
support of the best MSS.
Grosart and Chambers prefer the reading of
the later editions, 'Meane's blest. ' This, it would seem to me, needs
the definite article. The other reading gives quite the same sense,
'in all things means (i. e. middle ways, moderate measures) bring
blessings':
Rectius vives, Licini, neque altum
Semper urgendo neque, dum procellas
Cautus horrescis, nimium premendo
Litus iniquum.
Auream quisquis mediocritatem
Diligit, tutus caret obsoleti
Sordibus tecti, caret invidenda
Sobrius aula.
Horace, _Odes_, ii. 10.
The general tenor of the closing lines recalls Horace's treatment of
the same theme in _Sat. _ ii. 2. 88, 125, more than either Juvenal,
_Sat. _ ix, or Persius, _Sat. _ vi.
Grosart states that 'means, then as now, meant riches, possessions,
but never the mean or middle'. But see O.
