The universe-and every thing in it—exists in singu-lar

(63) This is the reading of a common stall copy. Chappell reads -

which is no doubt correct, though inapplicable to a rural assembly in our days.

(64) Brew, or broo, or broth. Chappell's version reads, 'No state you can think,' which is apparently a mistake. The reading of the common copies is to be preferred.

(65) No doubt the original word in these places was SACK, as in Chappell's copy - but what would a peasant understand by SACK? Dryden's receipt for a sack posset is as follows:-

'From fair Barbadoes, on the western main, Fetch sugar half-a-pound: fetch sack, from Spain, A pint: then fetch, from India's fertile coast, Nutmeg, the glory of the British toast.' MISCELLANY POEM, V. 138.

(66) Corrupted in modern copies into 'we'll range and we'll rove.' The reading in the text is the old reading. The phrase occurs in several old songs.

(67) We should, probably, read 'he.'

(70) This is the only instance of this peculiar form in the present version. The miners in the Marienberg invariably said 'for to' wherever the preposition 'to' occurred before a verb.