Clo. Good master Fabian, grant me another request. Fab. Any thing. Clo. Do not desire to see this letter. Fab. That is, to give a dog, and, in recompense, desire my dog again. Enter Duke, Viola, and attendants. Duke. Belong you to the lady Olivia, friends? Clo. Ay, sir; we are some of her trappings. Duke. I know thee well; How dost thou, my good fellow? Clo. Truly, sir, the better for my foes, and the worse for my friends. Duke. Just the contrary; the better for thy friends. Clo. No, sir, the worse. Clo. Marry, sir, they praise me, and make an ass of me; now my foes tell me plainly I am an ass: so that by my foes, sir, I profit in the knowledge of myself; and by my friends I am abused: so that, conclusions to be as kisses, if your four negatives make your two affirmatives, why, then the worse for my friends, and the better for my foes. Duke. Why, this is excellent. Clo. By my troth, sir, no; though it please you to be one of my friends. Duke. Thou shalt not be the worse for me; there's gold. Clo. But that it would be double-dealing, sir, I would you could make it another. Duke. O, you give me ill counsel. Clo. Put your grace in your pocket, sir, for this once, and let your flesh and blood obey it. Duke. Well, I will be so much a sinner to be a double-dealer; there's another. Clo. Primo, secundo, tertio, is a good play; and the old saying is, the third pays for all: the triplex, sir, is a good tripping measure; or the bells of St. Bennet, sir, may put you in mind; One, two, three. Duke. You can fool no more money out of me at this throw if you will let your lady know, I am here to speak with her, and bring her along with you, it may awake my bounty further. Clo. Marry, sir, lullaby to your bounty, till I come again. I go, sir; but I would not have you to think, that my desire of having is the sin of covetousness: but, as you say, sir, let your bounty take a nap, I will awake it anon. [Exit Clown. Enter Antonio and Officers. Vio. Here comes the man, sir, that did rescue me. Yet, when I saw it last, it was besmear'd And this is he, that did the Tiger board, (1) Mischievous. I know not what 'twas, but distraction. Duke. Notable pirate! thou salt-water thief! What foolish boldness brought thee to their mercies, Whom thou, in terms so bloody, and so dear, Hast made thine enemies? Ant. Orsino, noble sir, Which I had recommended to his use Vio. (No interim, not a minute's vacancy,) Enter Olivia and attendants. Duke. Here comes the countess; now heaven walks on earth. But for thee, fellow, fellow, thy words are madness: Three months this youth hath tended upon me; But more of that anon.Take him aside. Oli. What would my lord, but that he may not have, Wherein Olivia may seem serviceable?— Cesario, you do not keep promise with me. Vio. Madam? Duke. Gracious Olivia, Oli. What do you say, Cesario? lord, -Good my Vio. My lord would speak, my duty hushes me. Oli. If it be aught to the old tune, my lord, It is as fat3 and fulsome to mine ear, As howling after music. Duke. Still so cruel? Oli. Still so constant, lord. Duke. What! to perverseness? you uncivil lady, To whose ingrate and unauspicious altars My soul the faithfull'st offerings hath breath'd out, That e'er devotion tender'd! What shall I do? Oli. Even what it please my lord, that shall be come him. Duke. Why should I not, had I the heart to do it, Like to the Egyptian thief, at point of death, Kill what I love; a savage jealousy, That sometime savours nobly?-But hear me this: Since you to non-regardance cast my faith, And that I partly know the instrument That screws me from my true place in your favour, Live you, the marble-breasted tyrant, still; But this your minion, whom, I know, you love, And whom, by heaven, I swear, I tender dearly, Him will I tear out of that cruel eye, (3) Dull, gross Where he sits crowned in his master's spite.- Sir And. Od's lifelings, here he is :-You broke Come boy, with me; my thoughts are ripe in mis-my head for nothing; and that that I did, I was chief: I'll sacrifice the lamb that I do love, To spite a raven's heart within a dove. [Going. [Following. Oli. Where goes Cesario? Vio. After him I love, More than I love these eyes, more than life, my More, by all mores, than e'er I shall love wife: If I do feign, you witnesses above, Punish my life, for tainting of my love! Oli. Ah, me, detested! how am I beguil'd! Vio. Who does beguile you? who does do you wrong? Duke. Oli. Hast thou forgot thyself? Is it so long?Call forth the holy father. [Exit an Attendant. Come away. [To Viola. Oli. Whither, my lord?-Cesario, husband, stay. Duke. Husband? Oli. Ay, husband; Can he that deny? Duke. Her husband, sirrah? Vio. No, my lord, not I. Father, I charge thee, by thy reverence, Priest. A contract of eternal bond of love, Strengthen'd by interchangement of your rings; set on to do't by sir Toby. Vio. Why do you speak to me? I never hurt you: You drew your sword upon me, without cause; But I bespake you fair, and hurt you not. Sir And. If a bloody coxcomb be a hurt, you have hurt me; I think, you set nothing by a bloody coxcomb. Enter Sir Toby Belch, drunk, led by the Clown. Here comes sir Toby halting, you shall hear more: but if he had not been in drink, he would have tickled you othergates than he did. Duke. How now, gentleman? how is't with you? Sir To. That's all one; he has hurt me, and there's the end on't.-Sot, did'st see Dick surgeon, sot? Clo. O he's drunk, sir Toby, an hour agone; his eyes were set at eight i' the morning. Sir To. Then he's a rogue. After a passy-measure, or a pavin, I hate a drunken rogue. Oli. Away with him: who hath made this havoc with them? Sir And. I'll help you, sir Toby, because we'll be dressed together. Sir To. Will you help an ass-head, and a coxcomb, and a knave? a thin-faced knave, a gull? Oli. Get him to bed, and let his hurt be look'd to. [Exeunt Clown, Sir Toby, and Sir Andrew. Enter Sebastian. Seb. I am sorry, madam, I have hurt your kins man; But, had it been the brother of my blood, Duke. One face, one voice, one habit, and two persons? A natural perspective, that is, and is not. Since when, my watch hath told me, toward my How have the hours rack'd and tortur'd me, grave, I have travelled but two hours. Duke. O, thou dissembling cub! what wilt thou be, When time hath sew'd a grizzle on thy case?2 Or will not else thy craft so quickly grow, That thine own trip shall be thine overthrow? Farewell, and take her; but direct thy feet, Where thou and I henceforth may never meet. Vio. My lord, I do protest,Oli. O, do not swear: Hold little faith, though thou hast too much fear. Enter Sir Andrew Ague-cheek, with his head broke. Sir And. For the love of God, a surgeon; send one presently to sir Toby. Oli. What's the matter? Sir And. He has broke my head across, and has given sir Toby a bloody coxcomb too: for the love of God, your help: I had rather than forty pound, I were at home. Oli. Who has done this, sir Andrew? Sir And. The count's gentleman, one Cesario: we took him for a coward, but he's the very devil incardinate. Duke. My gentleman, Cesario? Disown thy property. (2) Skin. Since I have lost thee. Ant. Sebastian are you? Fear'st thou that, Antonio? Seb. Do I stand there? I never had a brother: Seb. (5) Out of charity tell me. Vio. And died that day when Viola from her birth || with the which I doubt not but to do myself much Had number'd thirteen years. Seb. O, that record is lively in my soul! He finished, indeed, his mortal act, But nature to her bias drew in that. Duke. Be not amaz'd; right noble is his blood. [To Viola. Thou never should'st love woman like to me. Duke. hither : And yet, alas, now I remember me, Re-enter Clown, with a letter. A most extracting frenzy of mine own Clo. Truly, madam, he holds Belzebub at the stave's end, as well as a man in his case may do: he has here writ a letter to you; I should have given it you to-day morning; but as a madman's epistles are no gospels, so it skills not much, when they are delivered. Oli. Open it, and read it. Clo. Look then to be well edified, when the fool delivers the madınan :-By the Lord, madam,— Oli. How now! art thou mad? Clo. No, madam, I do but read madness: an your ladyship will have it as it ought to be, you must allow vox.2 right, or you much shame. Think of me as you please. I leave my duty a little unthought of, and speak out of my injury. The madly-used Malvolio. Oli. Did he write this? Clo. Ay, madam. Duke. This savours not much of distraction. My lord, so please you, these things further thought on, To think me as well a sister as a wife, Duke. Madam, I am most apt to embrace your Your master quits you; [To Viola.] and, for your So much against the mettle4 of your sex, Notorious wrong. Oli. You must not now deny it is your hand, Oli. Alas, Malvolio, this is not my writing, Though, I confess, much like the character: But, out of question, 'tis Maria's hand. And now I do bethink me, it was she First told me, thou wast mad; then cam'st in smiling, And in such forms which here were presuppos'd Upon thee in the letter. Pr'y thee be content: This practice hath most shrewdly pass'd upon thee; But, when we know the grounds and authors of it, Thou shalt be both the plaintiff and the judge Of thine own cause. Fab. Good madam, hear me speak; And let no quarrel, nor no brawl to come, Taint the condition of this present hour, Oli. Read it you, sirrah. Which I have wonder'd at. In hope it shall not, Fab. [reads. By the Lord, madam, you wrong|Most freely I confess, my self, and Toby, me, and the world shall know it: though you have Set this device against Malvolio here, put me into darkness, and given your drunken cousin rule over me, yet have I the benefit of my || senses as well as your ladyship. I have your own letter that induced me to the semblance I put on; Oli. Pr'ythee, read i' thy right wits. Clo. So I do, madonna; but to read his right wits, is to read thus: therefore perpend,3 my princess, and give ear. [To Fabian. (1) Hinders. (2) Voice. (3) Attend (4) Frame and constitution. (5) Inferior. Upon some stubborn and uncourteous parts (6) Fool. (7) Importunacy. May rather pluck on laughter than revenge; Oli. Alas, poor fool! how have they baffled thee! Clo. Why, some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrown upon them. I was one, sir, in this interlude; one sir Topas, sir; but that's all one :--By the Lord, fool, I am not mad-But do you remember? Madam, why laugh you at such a barren rascal? an you smile not, he's gagg'd: And thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges. Mal. I'll be revenged on the whole pack of you. [Exit. Oli. He hath been most notoriously abus'd. Duke. Pursue him, and entreat him to peace :— He hath not told us of the captain yet; When that is known, and golden time convents,2 A solemn combination shall be made Of our dear souls--Meantime, sweet sister, We will not part from hence.-Cesario, come; For so you shall be, while you are a man ; But, when in other habits you are seen, Orsino's mistress, and his fancy's queen. SONG. But when I came to man's estate, But when I came, alas! to wive, This play is in the graver part elegant and easy, and in some of the lighter scenes exquisitely hu[Exeunt.ety, but his character is, in a great measure, that morous. Ague-cheek is drawn with great propriof natural fatuity, and is therefore not the proper prey of a satirist. The soliloquy of Malvolio is truly comic; he is betrayed to ridicule merely by his pride. The marriage of Olivia, and the suc ceeding perplexity, though well enough contrived to divert on the stage, wants credibility, and fails to produce the proper instruction required in the drama, as it exhibits no just picture of life. JOHNSON. Clo. When that I was and a little tiny boy, (1) Cheated. (2) Shall serve. MEASURE FOR MEASURE. Vincentio, duke of Vienna. PERSONS REPRESENTED. Angelo, lord deputy in the duke's absence. Clown, servant to Mrs. Over-done. Escalus, an ancient lord, joined with Angelo in Barnardine, a dissolute prisoner. the deputation. Claudio, a young gentleman. Lucio, a fantastic. Two other like gentlemen. Varrius, a gentleman, servant to the duke. Thomas, Peter, A Justice. two friars. Elbow, a simple constable. Isabella, sister to Claudio. Mistress Over-done, a bawd. Lords, gentlemen, guards, officers, and other attendants. Scene, Vienna. ACT I. SCENE 1.—An apartment in the Duke's palace. ESCALUS, Duke. Of government the properties to unfold, For common justice, you are as pregnant? in, hither, I say, bid come before us Angelo. [Exit an attendant. Duke. Enter Angelo. Look, where he comes. Duke. Angelo, There is a kind of character in thy life, That, to the observer, doth thy history Fully unfold: thyself and thy belongings3 Are not thine own so proper, as to waste (2) Full of. (3) Endowments. (1) Bounds. (4) So much thy own property, Thyself upon thy virtues, them on thee. As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd, Both thanks and use.6 But I do bend my speech In our remove, be thou at full ourself; Duke. it. No more evasion: Yet, give leave, my lord, Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do As to your soul seems good. Give me your hand; |