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presently Schmidt (Lex.) includes this ‘presently’ in his list of examples meaning not immediately, but shortly. Of course, the decision will largely depend on our estimate of Cæsar's character. I prefer to think that Cæsar acted with his accustomed promptitude, and, as soon as Lepidus ceased to be of any use to him, instantly deposed him. In Rich. III: IV, ii, 26, there is a striking instance of the use of ‘presently’ in the sense of immediately, where we should assuredly expect the meaning shortly: Richard demands an immediate consent of Buckingham to the murder of the two young princes; Buckingham pleads for delay, for ‘some breath, some little pause’ and concludes with the promise ‘I will resolve you herein presently.’ Assuredly, this can mean nothing else but shortly, and yet the Qq, which a majority of the editors believe have preserved the purer text, read ‘immediately.’ —Ed. riuality Johnson: That is, equal rank.—Steevens: So, in Hamlet, Horatio and Marcellus are styled by Bernardo ‘the rivals’ of his watch.
William Shakespeare. Horace Howard Furness. A New Variorum Edition of Shakespeare: The Tragedie of Anthonie, and Cleopatra. Philadelphia and London. J. B. Lippincott Company. 1907.
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