Act iii. sc. 1.—

Act iii. sc. 1.—

“_Clown._ A sentence is but a _cheveril_ glove to a good wit.” (Theobald’s note.)

Theobald’s etymology of “cheveril” is, of course, quite right;—but he is mistaken in supposing that there were no such things as gloves of chicken-skin. They were at one time a main article in chirocosmetics.

Act v. sc. 1. Clown’s speech:—

“So that, _conclusions to be as kisses_, if your four negatives make your two affirmatives, why, then, the worse for my friends, and the better for my foes.”

(Warburton reads “conclusion to be asked, is.”)

Surely Warburton could never have wooed by kisses and won, or he would not have flounder-flatted so just and humorous, nor less pleasing than humorous, an image into so profound a nihility. In the name of love and wonder, do not four kisses make a double affirmative? The humour lies in the whispered “No!” and the inviting “Don’t!” with which the maiden’s kisses are accompanied, and thence compared to negatives, which by repetition constitute an affirmative.

“All’s Well That Ends Well.”