Mal. I fay, this houfe is as dark as ignorance, though ignorance were as dark as hell; and I fay, there was never man thus abus'd; I am no more mad than you are, make the trial of it in any conftant queftion.

Clo. What is the opinion of Pythagoras, concerning wild-fowl ?

Mal. That the foul of our grandam might happily. inhabit a bird.

1 Clo. What think'ft thou of his opinion?

Mal. I think nobly of the foul, and no way ap prove his opinion.

५

Clo. Fare thee well: remain thou ftill in darkness; thou shalt hold th' opinion of Pythagoras, ere I will allow of thy wits; and fear to kill a woodcock, left thou difpoffefs the foul of thy grandam. Fare thee well.. Mal. Sir Topas, Sir Topas,

Sir To. My most exquifite Sir Topas !

Clo. Nay, I am for all waters.

Mar. Thou might'ft have done this without thy beard and gown; he fees thee not.

Sir To. To him in thine own voice, and bring me word how thou find'ft him: I would, we were all rid of this knavery. If he may be conveniently deliver'd, I would, he were; for I am now fo far in offence with my niece, that I cannot purfue with any fafety this fport to the upshot. Come by and by to my chamber. [Exit with Maria.

Clo, Hey, Robin, jolly Robin, tell me how my Lady does.

Mal. Fool,

[Singing,

Clo. My Lady is unkind, perdie.

Mal, Fool,

Clo. Alas, why is fhe fo?

M

Mal. Fool, I fay; ——

Clo. She loves another who calls, ha?

Mal, Good fool, as ever thou wilt deferve well at my hand, help me to a candle, and penink, and paper, as I am a gentleman, I will lives to be thankful to thee for't.

Clo.

Clo. Mr. Malvolio!

Mal. Ay, good fool.

Clo, Alas, Sir, how fell you befides your five wits? Mal. Fool, there was never man fo notoriously abus'd; I am as well in my wits, fool, as thou art. Clo. But as well! then thou art mad, indeed, if you be no better in your wits than a fool.

Mal. They have here propertied me; keep me in darkness, fend minifters to me, affes, and do all they can to face me out of my wits.

Clo. Advife you what you fay: the minifter is here. Malvolio, Malvolio, thy wits the heav'ns reftore: endeavour thyfelf to fleep, and leave thy vain bibble babble. Mal. Sir Topas,

Clo. Maintain no words with him, good fellow. Who I, Sir not I, Sir. God b'w'you, good Sir Topas. Marry, amen. I will, Sir, I will. Mal. Fool, fool, fool, I fay.

Cla. Alas, Sir, be patient. What fay you, Sir? I am fhent for fpeaking to you.

Mal. Good fool, help me to fome light, and fome paper; I tell thee, I am as well in my wits, as any man in Illyria.

Clo. Well-a-day, that you were, Sir!

Mal. By this hand, I am: good fool, fome ink, paper and light; and convey what I fet down to my Lady: it fhall advantage thee more than ever the bear ing of letter did.

Clo. I will help you to't. But tell me true, are you not mad, indeed, or do you but counterfeit ?

Mal. Believe me, I am not: I tell thee true.

Clo. Nay, I'll ne'er believe a mad-man, 'till I fee
his brains. I will fetch you light, and paper, and ink.
Mal. Fool, I'll requite it in the highest degree;
I pr'ythee, be gone.

Clo. I am gone, Sir, and anon, Sir, [Singing
I'll be with you again

In a trice, like to the old vice, (17)

Your need to fuftain:

Who with dagger of lath, in his rage, and his wrath,
Cries, ah, ha! to the Devil :

Like a mad lad, pare thy nails, dad,
Adieu, good man drivel.

[Exit.

SCENE changes to another Apartment in OLIVIA'S House.

Enter Sebaftian.

Seb. This is the air, that is the glorious Sun;
This pearl fhe gave me, I do feel't and fee't.
And though 'tis wonder that enwraps me thus,
Yet 'tis not madnefs. Where's Anthonio then?
I could not find him at the Elephant ;

Yet there he was, and there I found this credit, (18)
That he did range the town to feek me out.
His counfel now might do me golden fervice;
For tho' my foul difputes well with my fenfe,

(17) In a trice, like to the old Vice.] So in Ben Johnson's The Devil is an Afs.

What is he calls upon me, and would feem to lack a vice? Ere his words be half spoken, I am with him in a trice. In both these places, by vice, is meant that buffoon, droll character fo general in the old Plays, who was dreft up in a long coat, a fool's cap with affes ears, and furnifh'd with a wooden fword, with which he was as active and wanton as Arlequin. But I have explain'd the zuord and character more particularly in a note upon this line of King Richard IIId.

Thus, like the formal vice, iniquity, &c.

(18) Yet there be was, and there I found this credit,

That be did range, &c.] i. e. I found it juftified, credibly vouch'd. Whether the word credit will eafily carry this meaning, I am doubtful: the expreffion feems obfcure; and tho' I have not difturb'd the text, I very much fufpect that the Poet wrote;

-and there I found this credent. He uses the fame term again in the very fame fenfe in The Winter's Tale.

Then 'tis very credent,

Thou may'ft co-join with something, and thou doft, &c.

That

4

That this may be fome error, but no madness;
Yet doth this accident and flood of fortune

So far exceed all inftance, all difcourfe;
That I am ready to diftruft mine eyes,

And wrangle with my reafon that perfuades me
To any other truft, but that I'm mad;

Or elfe the Lady's mad; yet if 'twere fo,

She could not fway her house, command her followers,
Take, and give back affairs, and their dispatch,
With fuch a fmooth, difcreet, and ftable bearing,
As, I perceive, fhe does: there's fomething in't,
That is deceivable. But here fhe comes.

Enter Olivia and Prieft.

h;

Oli. Blame not this hafte of mine: if you mean well, Now go with me, and with this holy man, Into the chantry by; there before him, And underneath that confecrated roof, Plight me the full affurance of your faith That my moft jealous and too doubtful foul May live at peace. He fhall conceal it, Whiles you are willing it fhall come to note; What time we will our celebration keep According to my birth. What do you say?

Seb. I'll follow this good man, and go with you;

And having fworn truth, ever will be true.

Oli. Then lead the way, good father; and heav'ns fo shine,

That they may fairly note this act of mine! [Exeunt.

ACT

N

WOW, as thou lov'ft me, let me fee his letter. Clo. Good Mr. Fabian, grant me another request. Fab. Any thing.

Clo. Do not defire to fee this letter.

Fab. This is to give a dog, and in recompence defire, my dog again.

Enter Duke, Viola, Curio, and Lords.

Duke. Belong you to the Lady Olivia, friends?
Clo. Ay, Sir, we are fome of her trappings.

Duke. I know thee well; how doft thou, my good fellow?

Clo. Truly, Sir, the better for my foes, and the worfe for my friends.

Duke. Juft the contrary; the better for thy friends. Clo. No, Sir, the worse.

Duke. How can that be?

Clo. Marry, Sir, they praife me, and make an afs of me; now, my foes tell me plainly, I am an afs; fo that by my foes, Sir, I profit in the knowledge of myfelf; and by my friends I am abused: fo that, conclufion to be asked, is, (19) if your four negatives make

your

(19) So that conclufions to be as kiffes,- -] Tho' it might be unreasonable to call our Poet's fools and knaves every where to account; yet, if we did, for the generallity we should find them refponfible. But what monstrous abfurdity have we here? To fuppofe the text genuine, we must acknowledge it too wild to have any known meaning and what has no known meaning, cannot be allow'd to have VOL. III.

:

H

either