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Viola and her brother, deprived by death of their rents, embark for some port, where their presence, perhaps, is necessary, in order to obtain part of that fortune bequeathed them by their father: or, perhaps, a spirit of enterprize in the young man (her brother,) induced him to risk a part of their mutual fortune in merchandise; and Viola, considering him her best protector, accompanied him. On their voyage, the ship is unhappily wrecked off the coast of Illyria: Viola is saved; her brother is supposed to have perished; and, in addition to this calamity, whatever property she had on board, lost. Thus, in a strange country, destitute of friends, unknowing and unknown, she hears that Olivia, a lady of the first distinction, has made a vow to seclude herself for a certain period from society, that she may give full scope to that affliction which overpowers her for the loss of an only brother. Here, similarity of misfortune, or leading cause of sorrow, between Olivia and Viola, being striking, poor Viola exclaims:

66

"O, that I served that lady!

And might not be deliver❜d to the world."

Surely this is a pious virtuous wish:-—a wish prompted both by prudence and good sense.

But Viola's fair star is destined to light her to a happier abode. Olivia admits no stranger near her person, save a very select few of her most esteemed relations. Thus disappointed, and knowing that, as a youthful female who has pretensions to beauty, she becomes exposed to the insults of the dissolute, Viola, to avoid the the snares of seduction, testifies an inclination to obtain a situation in the palace; and, that all suspicion of her sex may be perfectly lulled, intends to disguise herself in the habiliments of a man: nay, farther, that the females about the court should look on her more with contempt than desire, intends to pass for an eunuch. Her plan succeeds; and though she promised herself nothing more than temporary protection from distress and insult, until a favourable opportunity of returning to

her own country might arrive; or, until she had made her own occasion mellow, what her estate should be; yet, when she becomes so highly favoured by the Duke; and is a constant witness of his good qualities; her heart, hitherto free, becomes his slave: she loves, and wishes to become his wife.

Surely there is neither premeditation in this; nor any immediate resolution to supplant the lady to whom the Duke wishes to pay his addresses?

SCENE III.-page 248.

MARIA. He hath, indeed,-almost natural: for, besides that he's a fool, he's a great quarreller, &c.

Maria plays on the words-almost natural; meaning, that, whatever language Sir Andrew attempts to speak, he displays the same knowledge of it that he does of his mother tongue, in which he is no great proficient; by almost natural, she also means, that he is almost an idiot.

SCENE V.-page 272.

OLIVIA. Look you, sir, such a one as I was this present. The addition of an s, gives, I believe, the true text. Look you, sir, such a one as I was this presents.

Thus the allusion to the picture is supported:-by presents, she means exhibits.

ACT II.

SCENE II.-page 283.

VIOLA. She made good view of me; indeed, so much,
That, sure, methought, her eyes had lost her tongue, &c.
See Mr. Malone's observations on this passage. For
the word sure, I am certain, we should read—

That, oft, methought, her eyes had lost her tongue, &c.

SCENE II.-page 283.

VIOLA. Disguise, I see, thou art a wickedness,
Wherein the pregnant enemy does much.
How easy is it, for the proper-false

In women's waxen hearts to set their forms!

The proper false, though an unexampled phrase, Mr. Steevens has, from his accommodating maxim, not to alter the text, defended with much ingenuity. I am, however, inclined to think it corrupt; and, that the true word not being sufficiently legible in the manuscript, that which has been introduced, occasioned the alteration of two other words. I read:

How easy is it, for thy purpose false,

In women's waxen hearts to set thy forms!

Disguise is made a person, and to whom Viola is supposed to address herself. Thus corrected, the passage

means:

How easy is it for Disguise, by assuming a specious appearance, to work false purposes on the waxen hearts of women, whose credulity is ever ready to receive impressions. By "thy forms" she means, assumed appearances, appearances studied to deceive, and which, fixing on the heart, make the impression.

SIR TOBY.

SCENE III.-page 292.

Shall we rouse the night-owl in a catch, that will draw three souls out of one weaver.

This passage was never intended to bear that sublime illustration given by Dr. Warburton. If the French coin, called a sol, (plural, sols) or sous, was formerly spelt souls, the text is correct, and the Author played on the word: if not, sols, I believe was the original. Sir Toby means, that he would draw three sols, (three half pence) out of one weaver; a sum, that extraordinary powers only could obtain.

The name of the coin not being familiar; either the transcriber or compositor thought it should be souls. Whoever made this error, is not highly culpable.

SCENE III.-page 298.

SIR TOBY. We did keep time, sir, in our catches, sneck up! We certainly should read: snack up.-Snack, means share, or part by agreement. Each supported his share or part of the catch,-first, second, and third, as by agree

ment.

SCENE IV.-page 311.

THE DUKE. But 'tis that miracle, and queen of gems,

That nature pranks her in, attracts my soul.

There is a transposition in this passage. We should read "That nature pranks in her."

mira

The Duke compares the heart of Olivia to a gem culously beautiful; nature the artist, who adorned and set that heart in her. Olivia cannot be in her own heart! The Duke seeks that miracle and queen of gems, which nature pranks in her; i. e. has adorned, by setting it in her most lovely person.

VIOLA.

SCENE IV.-page 313.

she pin'd in thought;

And, with a green and yellow melancholy,
She sat like patience on a monument,
Smiling at grief.

All the united exertions of criticism, sculpture, and painting, have been displayed to illustrate this admirable passage: but vain the efforts, neither the powers of erudition nor scientific knowledge, have been able to recon

cile the incongruity of—patience sitting on a monument smiling at grief: and yet, the transposition of a comma, and the addition of two parenthesis, give full power and perfect beauty to the whole figure. I read:

-she pin'd in thought;

And, with a green and yellow melancholy
She sat, (like patience on a monument,)
Smiling at grief.

The parenthetical part of the passage requires modulation of the voice. The Poet represents his object, as seated in the same attitude, as that in which sculptors delineate patience on a monument. Patience does not smile at grief: it is the poor girl who sat, in that disconsolate attitude; her eyes thoughtlessly fixed, i. e. not turning from any insignificant object on which they lodged, and which a spectator would have imagined occupied her thoughts-she sat smiling in the midst of tears, whilst inward sorrow gnawed her bosom, and bade defiance to the balm of consolation.

SCENE V.-page 325.

FABIAN. Though our silence be drawn from us with cars, yet peace.

Since neither cars, carts, nor cables have produced the desired effect; I think a smart cat, made of whip-chord, and with which offenders are often castigated, will stand a chance however, Fabian thinks the contrary; for though they were whipped with cats, yet still, he says, they must preserve peace. Our Author certainly wrote:

Though our silence be drawn from us with cats, yet peace.

The word cats, speaks feelingly for itself: a for an r corrects the error.