fore have these gifts a curtain before 'em? are they like to take dust, like Mistress Mall's picture? why dost thou not go to church in a galliard and come home in a coranto? My very walk should be a jig; I would not so much as make water but in a sink-a-pace. What dost thou mean? Is it a world to hide virtues in? I did think, by the excellent constitution of thy leg, it was formed under the star of a galliard.

Sir And. Ay, 'tis strong, and it does indifferent well in a flame-coloured stock. Shall we

set about some revels?

Sir To. What shall we do else? were we not born under Taurus?

Sir And. Taurus! That's sides and heart. Sir To. No, sir; it is legs and thighs. Let me see thee caper: ha! higher: ha, ha! excellent!

SCENE IV.

The DUKE's palace.

[Exeunt.

Enter VALENTINE, and VIOLA in man's attire. Val. If the duke continue these favours towards you, Cesario, you are like to be much

135. Mistress Mall's picture. This is probably, as Singer suggests, a mere impersonation, like "my lady's eldest son in Much Ado . . . a type of any lady solicitous for the preservation of her charms, even when transferred to canvas.' supposed allusion to Moll Curtpurse (b. 1589), the heroine of Middleton's The Roaring Girl, must be dismissed, if only on account of date.

The

137. coranto, like the galliard, a light and rapid dance.

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150

139. sink-a-pace, 'cinque pas,' dance of five paces.

Rowe's

144. flame-coloured. emendation for Ff, dam'dcolour'd.

148. Taurus! That's sides and heart, etc. Mediæval astrology traced a correspondence between the several heavenly signs and certain parts of the body. 'Taurus [hath] thy nekke and thy throte,' says Chaucer in the Astrolabe, i. 21. Neither knight follows tradition; but Sir Andrew blunders, and Sir Toby jests.

advanced he hath known you but three days, and already you are no stranger.

Vio. You either fear his humour or my negligence, that you call in question the continuance of his love is he inconstant, sir, in his favours? Val. No, believe me.

Vio. I thank you. Here comes the count.

Enter DUKE, CURIO, and Attendants.

Duke. Who saw Cesario, ho?

Vio. On your attendance, my lord; here.
Duke. Stand you a while aloof.

Cesario,

Thou know'st no less but all; I have unclasp'd

To thee the book even of my secret soul:

Therefore, good youth, address thy gait unto her;
Be not denied access, stand at her doors,

And tell them, there thy fixed foot shall grow
Till thou have audience.

Vio.

Sure, my noble lord,

If she be so abandon'd to her sorrow

As it is spoke, she never will admit me.

Duke. Be clamorous and leap all civil bounds Rather than make unprofited return.

Vio. Say I do speak with her, my lord, what then? Duke. O, then unfold the passion of my love, Surprise her with discourse of my dear faith: It shall become thee well to act my woes; She will attend it better in thy youth Than in a nuncio's of more grave aspect. Vio. I think not so, my lord. Duke. For they shall yet belie thy happy years, That say thou art a man: Diana's lip

Dear lad, believe it;

Is not more smooth and rubious; thy small pipe

5. humour, fickleness.

28. nuncio, ambassador.

32. rubious, ruby-like.
ib. pipe, voice.

ΙΟ

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30

Is as the maiden's organ, shrill and sound,
And all is semblative a woman's part.

I know thy constellation is right apt
For this affair.

Some four or five attend him ;

All, if you will; for I myself am best

When least in company. Prosper well in this,
And thou shalt live as freely as thy lord,

To call his fortunes thine.

Vio.

I'll do my best,

To woo your lady: [Aside] yet, a barful strife!
Whoe'er I woo, myself would be his wife.

SCENE V. OLIVIA'S house.

Enter MARIA and CLOWN.

[Exeunt.

Mar. Nay, either tell me where thou hast been, or I will not open my lips so wide as a bristle may enter in way of thy excuse: my lady will hang thee for thy absence.

Clo. Let her hang me: he that is well hanged in this world needs to fear no colours. Mar. Make that good.

Clo. He shall see none to fear.

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Mar. A good lenten answer: I can tell thee where that saying was born, of 'I fear no colours.' 10 Clo. Where, good Mistress Mary?

Mar. In the wars; and that may you be bold

to say in your foolery.

Clo. Well, God give them wisdom that have it; and those that are fools, let them use their talents.

34. is semblative, resembles.

35. thy constellation, the stars

under which you were born.

41. barful, full of hindrances.

6. no colours, no enemy's colours, no enemy (with a quibble on collars, i.e. halters).

9. lenten, fit for Lent, meagre, paltry.

Mar. Yet you will be hanged for being so long absent; or, to be turned away, is not that as good as a hanging to you?

Clo. Many a good hanging prevents a bad marriage; and, for turning away, let summer bear it out.

Mar. You are resolute, then?

Clo. Not so, neither; but I am resolved on two points.

Mar. That if one break, the other will hold; or, if both break, your gaskins fall.

Clo. Apt, in good faith; very apt. Well, go thy way; if Sir Toby would leave drinking, thou wert as witty a piece of Eve's flesh as any in Illyria.

Mar. Peace, you rogue, no more o' that. Here comes my lady: make your excuse wisely, you were best.

[Exit.

Clo. Wit, an 't be thy will, put me into good fooling! Those wits, that think they have thee, do very oft prove fools; and I, that am sure I lack thee, may pass for a wise man : for what says Quinapalus? 'Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.'

Enter Lady OLIVIA with MALVOLIO.

God bless thee, lady!

Oli. Take the fool away.

Clo. Do you not hear, fellows? Take away the lady.

Oli. Go to, you're a dry fool; I'll no more of you besides, you grow dishonest.

21. let summer bear it out, summer will make it endurable. 25. points, the tags or laces which supported the hose.

20

30

40

27. gaskins, loose breeches. 39. Quinapalus, a grandiose invention of Feste's.

45. dry, dull.

Clo. Two faults, madonna, that drink and good counsel will amend: for give the dry fool drink, then is the fool not dry: bid the dishonest man mend himself; if he mend, he is no longer dishonest; if he cannot, let the botcher mend him. Any thing that's mended is but patched: virtue that transgresses is but patched with sin; and sin that amends is but patched with virtue. If that this simple syllogism will serve, so; if it will not, what remedy? As there is no true cuckold but calamity, so beauty's a flower. The lady bade take away the fool; therefore, I say again, take

her away.

Oli. Sir, I bade them take away you.

Clo. Misprision in the highest degree! Lady, 'cucullus non facit monachum;' that's as much to say as I wear not motley in my brain.

madonna, give me leave to prove you a fool. Oli. Can you do it?

Clo. Dexteriously, good madonna.

Oli. Make your proof.

Good

Clo. I must catechize you for it, madonna : good my mouse of virtue, answer me.

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60

Oli. Well, sir, for want of other idleness, I'll 70

bide your proof.

Clo. Good madonna, why mournest thou?

Oli. Good fool, for my brother's death.
Clo. I think his soul is in hell, madonna.

Oli. I know his soul is in heaven, fool.

Take away

Clo. The more fool, madonna, to mourn for your brother's soul being in heaven. the fool, gentlemen.

51. botcher, patcher of old clothes.

61. Misprision, misapprehension.

62. cucullus... brain: 'The cowl does not make the monk; nor the Fool's dress the fool.