of forming ridiculous characters can confer praise only on him who originally discovered it, for it requires not much of either wit or judgment; its success must be derived almost wholly from the player, but its power in a skilful mouth, even he that despises it, is unable to resist. could only counterfeit love, and his professions could be prompted, not by the hope of pleasure, but of money. Thus the poet approached as near as he could to the work enjoined him; yet having perhaps in the former plays completed his own idea, seems not to have been able to give Falstaff all his former power of entertainment. The conduct of this drama is deficient; the acThis comedy is remarkable for the variety and|tion begins and ends often, before the conclusion, number of the personages, who exhibit more char-and the different parts might change places withacters appropriated and discriminated, than per-out inconvenience; but its general power, that haps can be found in any other play. power by which all works of genius shall finally be Whether Shakspeare was the first that produced | tried, is such, that perhaps it never yet had reader upon the English stage the effect of language dis-or spectator who did not think it too soon at the torted and depraved by provincial or foreign pro- end. nunciation, I cannot certainly decide. This mode JOHNSON. TWELFTH-NIGHT; OR, WHAT YOU WILL. Orsino, duke of Illyria. PERSONS REPRESENTED. Sebastian, a young gentleman, brother to Viola.|| Viola, in love with the duke. Antonio, a sea-captain, friend to Sebastian. Valentine, Curio, ||Olivia, a rich countess. Maria, Olivia's woman. gentlemen, attending on the duke. Lords, priests, sailors, officers, musicians, and Sir Toby Belch, uncle of Olivia. Sir Andrew Ague-cheek. Malvolio, steward to Olivia. other attendants. Scene, a city in Illyria; and the sea-coast near it. ACT I. SCENE I-An apartment in the Duke's palace. Enter Duke, Curio, Lords; musicians attending. Duke. IF music be the food of love, play on, Receiveth as the sea, nought enters there, Even in a minute! so full of shapes is fancy, Cur. Will you go hunt, my lord? Cur. What, Curio? The hart. Duke. Why, so I do, the noblest that I have: O, when mine eyes did see Olivia first, Methought, she purg'd the air of pestilence; That instant was I turn'd into a hart; And my desires, like fell and cruel hounds, E'er since pursue me.-How now? what news from her? To a strong mast, that lived upon the sea; Vio. For saying so, there's gold: Not three hours' travel from this very place. Cap. A brother's dead love, which she would keep fresh, || As in his name. And lasting, in her sad remembrance. Duke. O, she that hath a heart of that fine frame, To pay this debt of love but to a brother, How will she love, when the rich golden shaft Vio. Cap. A noble duke, in nature, What is his name? Orsino. Vio. Orsino! I have heard my father name him: He was a bachelor then. (3) Heated. Cap. Ago I went from hence; and then 'twas fresh Cap. A virtuous maid, the daughter of a count That died some twelvemonth since; then leaving her In the protection of his son, her brother, Cap. That were hard to compass; Vio. There is a fair behaviour in thee, captain;| I will believe, thou hast a mind that suits Cap. Be you his eunuch, and your mute I'll be: SCENE III-A room in Olivia's house. ter Sir Toby Belch, and Maria. Mar. He hath, indeed,-almost natural: for, besides that he's a fool, he's a great quarreller; and, but that he hath the gift of a coward to allay the gust he hath in quarrelling, 'tis thought among the prudent, he would quickly have the gift of a grave. Sir To. By this hand, they are scoundrels, and substractors, that say so of him. Who are they? Mar. They that add moreover, he's drunk nightly in your company. Sir To. With drinking healths to my niece; I'll drink to her, as long as there is a passage in my throat, and drink in Illyria: he's a coward, and a coystril,3 that will not drink to my niece, till his brains turn o' the toe, like a parish-top. What, wench? Castiliano vulgo; for here comes sir Andrew Ague-face. Enter Sir Andrew Ague-cheek. Sir And. Sir Toby Belch! how now, sir Toby Belch? Sir To. Sweet sir Andrew! Sir And. Bless you, fair shrew. Mar. And you too, sir. Sir To. Accost, sir Andrew, accost. Sir And. What's that? Sir To. My neice's chamber-maid. Sir And. Good mistress Accost, I desire better acquaintance. Mar. My name is Mary, sir. Sir And. Good mistress Mary Accost, Sir To. You mistake, knight: accost, is, front her, board her, woo her, assail her. Sir And. By my troth, I would not undertake her in this company. Is that the meaning of accost? Mar. Fare you well, gentlemen. Sir To. An thou let part so, sir Andrew, 'would thou might'st never draw sword again. Sir And. An you part so, mistress, I would I En-night never draw sword again. Fair lady, do you think you have fools in hand? Sir To. What a plague means my niece, to take the death of her brother thus? I am sure, care's an enemy to life. Mar. By troth, sir Toby, you must come in earlier o' nights; your cousin, my lady, takes great exceptions to your ill hours. Sir To. Why, let her except before excepted. Mar. Ay, but you must confine yourself within the modest limits of order. Sir To. Confine? I'll confine myself no finer than I am these clothes are good enough to drink in,] and so be these boots too; an they be not, let them hang themselves in their own straps. Mar. That quaffing and drinking will undo you: I heard my lady talk of it yesterday; and of a foolish knight, that you brought in one night here, to be her wooer. Sir To. Who? Sir Andrew Ague-cheek? Sir To. He's as tall2 a man as any's in Illyria. Sir To. Why, he has three thousand ducats a year. Mar. Ay, but he'll have but a year in all these ducats; he's a very fool, and a prodigal. Sir To. Fie, that you'll say so! he plays o' the viol-de-gambo, and speaks three or four languages word for word without book, and hath all the good gifts of nature. Mar. Sir, I have not you by the hand. Sir And. Marry, but you shall have; and here's my hand. Mar. Now, sir, thought is free: I pray you, bring your hand to the buttery-bar, and let it drink. Sir And. Wherefore, sweetheart? what's your metaphor? Mar. It's dry, sir. Sir And. Why, I think so; I am not such an ass, but I can keep my hand dry. But what's your jest? Mar. A dry jest, sir. Sir And. Are you full of them? Mar. Ay, sir; I have them at my fingers' ends: marry, now I let go your hand, I am barren. [Exit Maria. Sir To. O knight, thou lack'st a cup of canary: when did I see thee so put down? Sir And. Never in your life, I think; unless you see canary put me down: methinks, sometimes I have no more wit than a Christian, or an ordinary man has: but I am a great eater of beef, and, I believe, that does harm to my wit. Sir To. No question. Sir And. An I thought that, I'd forswear it. I'll ride home to-morrow, sir Toby. Sir To. Pourquoy, my dear knight? Sir And. What is pourquoy? do or not do? I would I had bestowed that time in the tongues, that I have in fencing, dancing, and bear-baiting O, had I but followed the arts! (3) Keystril, a bastard hawk. Sir To. Then hadst thou had an excellent head || To thee the book even of my secret soul: of hair. Therefore, good youth, address thy gait3 unto her; Sir And. Why, would that have mended my hair? Be not deny'd access, stand at her doors, Sir To. Past question; for thou seest, it will not|| And tell them, there thy fixed foot shall grow, curl by nature. Till thou have audience. Sir And. But it becomes me well enough, does't not? Sir To. Excellent; it hangs like flax on a distati; and I hope to see a housewife take thee between her legs, and spin it off. Sir And. 'Faith, I'll home to-morrow, sir Toby: your niece will not be seen; or, if she be, it's four to one she'll none of me: the count himself, here nard by, woos her. Sir To. She'll none o' the count: she'll not match above her degree, neither in estate, years, nor wit; I have heard her swear it. Tut, there's life in't, man. Sir And. I'll stay a month longer. I I am a fellow o' the strangest mind i' the world; I delight in masques and revels sometimes altogether. Sir To. Art thou good at these kick-shaws, knight? Vio. Sure, my noble lord, Vio. Say, I do speak with her, my lord; what Duke. O, then unfold the passion of my love, Dear lad, believe it; Sir And. As any man in Illyria, whatsoever he| And all is semblative a woman's part. Sir To. What is thy excellence in a galliard, knight? Sir And. 'Faith, I can cut a caper. Sir And. And, I think, I have the back-trick, simply as strong as any man in Illyria. I know, thy constellation is right apt I'll do my best, To woo your lady: yet [Aside.] a barful strife! Maria and Clown. [Exeunt. Sir To. Wherefore are these things hid? wherefore have these gifts a curtain before them? are they like to take dust, like mistress Mall's picture? Why dost thou not go to church in a galliard, SCENE V.—A room in Olivia's house. Enter 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.2 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! [Exeunt. SCENE IV-A room in the Duke's palace. Enter Valentine, and Viola in man's attire. Val. If the duke continue these favours towards you, Cesario, you are like to be much advanced; he hath known you but three days, and already you are no stranger. Vio. You either fear his humour, or my negli- Enter Duke, Curio, and attendants. (1) Cinque-pace, the name of a dance. or I will not open my lips so wide as a bristle may in this world, needs to fear no colours. Mar. Make that good. Clo. He shall see none to fear. Mar. A good lentens answer: I can tell thee where that saying was born, of, I fear no colours. 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. 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.6 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. |