Index: wp-admin/includes/dashboard.php
===================================================================
--- wp-admin/includes/dashboard.php	(revision 17521)
+++ wp-admin/includes/dashboard.php	(working copy)
@@ -609,7 +609,7 @@
 	$total_items = isset( $widgets['dashboard_recent_comments'] ) && isset( $widgets['dashboard_recent_comments']['items'] )
 		? absint( $widgets['dashboard_recent_comments']['items'] ) : 5;
 
-	while ( count( $comments ) < 5 && $possible = $wpdb->get_results( "SELECT * FROM $wpdb->comments c LEFT JOIN $wpdb->posts p ON c.comment_post_ID = p.ID WHERE p.post_status != 'trash' ORDER BY c.comment_date_gmt DESC LIMIT $start, 50" ) ) {
+	while ( count( $comments ) < $total_items && $possible = $wpdb->get_results( "SELECT * FROM $wpdb->comments c LEFT JOIN $wpdb->posts p ON c.comment_post_ID = p.ID WHERE p.post_status != 'trash' ORDER BY c.comment_date_gmt DESC LIMIT $start, 50" ) ) {
 
 		foreach ( $possible as $comment ) {
 			if ( count( $comments ) >= $total_items )