VII. Remarks on the antient Pronunciation of the French Language, by the Rev. Mr. Bowle, F. A. S. In a Letter to the Rev. Mr. Norris, Secretary

Extract

Among the several writers who have exercised their talents on that inexhaustible fund of criticism the works of Shakespeare, Dr. Farmer in his Essay on his learning confessedly stands foremost. My present business to you, Sir, and the Society, is to point out a mistake of his, and some other commentators, on the following French passage in Henry V. act 4. “Est-il impossible d'eschapper la force de ton Bras?” Pistol. “Brass, cur, thou damned and luxurious mountain goat, offer'st me Brass?” Whether this came from the pen of Shakespeare or no, as it is not in the quarto of 1608 in my possession, is foreign to the present purpose, but seems to evince that it was then so pronounced, as it would now be by an Englishman totally unacquainted with the French mode of pronunciation. The assonance was undoubtedly in this instance as in what follows: French soldier. “O pardonnez moy.” Pistol. “Sayst thou me so; is that a ton of moys?” Mr. Johnson makes a doubt, says Dr. Farmer [a], whether the pronunciation of the French language may not be changed since Shakespeare's time : but his does not appear to be the case, at least in this termination.