The Jew of Malta
       17 (return) [ Samnites: Old ed.       "Samintes."]     

  

       18 (return) [ silverlings: When Steevens (apud Dodsley's O. P.) called this "a diminutive, to express the Jew's contempt of a metal inferior in value to gold," he did not know that the word occurs in Scripture: "a thousand vines at a thousand SILVERLINGS." ISAIAH, vii. 23.—Old ed. "siluerbings."]     

  

       19 (return) [ Tell: i.e. count.]     

  

       20 (return) [ seld-seen: i.e. seldom-seen.]     

  

       21 (return) [ Into what corner peers my halcyon's bill?: "It was anciently believed that this bird (the king-fisher), if hung up, would vary with the wind, and by that means shew from what quarter it blew." STEEVENS (apud Dodsley's O. P.),—who refers to the note on the following passage of Shakespeare's KING LEAR, act ii. sc. 2;     

     "Renege, affirm, and turn their HALCYON BEAKS With every gale and vary of their masters," &c.] 

  

       22 (return) [ custom them: "i.e. enter the goods they contain at the Custom-house." STEEVENS (apud Dodsley's O. P.).]     

  

       23 (return) [ But: Old ed. "By."]     

  

       24 (return) [ fraught: i.e. freight.]     

  

       25 (return) [ scambled: i.e. scrambled.       (Coles gives in his DICT. "To SCAMBLE, certatim arripere"; and afterwards renders "To scramble" by the very same Latin words.)]     

  


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