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? Sir And. Od's lifelings! here he is.-You broke my head for nothing; and that that I did, I was 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, and a passy-measures pavin". I hate a drunken rogue. Oli. Away with him! Who hath made this havoc with them? 11 Then he's a rogue, and a PASSY-MEASURES PAVIN.] There is a slight error in the original text of this passage, where "pavyn” is printed panyn, the u, for v, having been turned; but otherwise, with a little explanation, it is sufficiently intelligible. The pavin, or peacock dance, was a slow heavy movement, such as a drunken man, like "Dick surgeon," might be supposed to execute in his intoxication: " passy measures is a corruption of passamezzo, which signified, in Italian, a mode of dancing not much differing from walking, (Sir J. Hawkins' Hist. of Music, iv. 386,) so that "Dick surgeon " in his drunkenness, went through this species of slow half-walking dance, and hence, probably, the humour of Sir Toby's allusion to "a passy-measures pavin." The misprint in the folio, 1623, of panyn for "pavyn," or "pavin," led some editors to suppose that paynim, or panym, was intended. 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 kinsman ; But had it been the brother of my blood, I must have done no less with wit and safety. I do perceive it hath offended you': Pardon me, sweet one, even for the vows We made each other but so late ago. Duke. One face, one voice, one habit, and two per sons; A natural perspective?, that is, and is not! Seb. Antonio! O, my dear Antonio! How have the hours rack'd and tortur'd me, Ant. Sebastian are you? Seb. Fear'st thou that, Antonio? Ant. How have you made division of yourself?— An apple cleft in two is not more twin Than these two creatures. Oli. Most wonderful! Which is Sebastian? Seb. Do I stand there? I never had a brother; Nor can there be that deity in my nature, Of here and every where. I had a sister, Whom the blind waves and surges have devour'd.— [TO VIOLA.] Of charity, what kin are you to me? What countryman? what name? what parentage? 1 You throw a strange regard upon me, and by that I do perceive it hath offended you:] This is the regulation of the folios, which Malone altered by placing "by that" at the beginning of the second line. 2 A natural perspective,] i. e. a natural illusion, as if seen through a perspectire glass, representing the same figure twice over. Vio. Of Messaline: Sebastian was my father; Such a Sebastian was my brother too, So went he suited to his watery tomb. If spirits can assume both form and suit, Seb. Vio. My father had a mole upon his brow. Vio. And died that day, when Viola from her birth Had number'd thirteen years. Seb. O! that record is lively in my soul. He finished, indeed, his mortal act That day that made my sister thirteen years. I'll bring you to a captain in this town, Where lie my maiden weeds; by whose gentle help All the occurrence of my fortune since Hath been between this lady, and this lord. Seb. So comes it, lady, [TO OLIVIA.] you have been mistook ; But nature to her bias drew in that. You would have been contracted to a maid, Duke. Be not amaz'd; right noble is his blood.— If this be so, as yet the glass seems true, I shall have share in this most happy wreck. Boy, [TO VIOLA.] thou hast said to me a thousand times, Thou never should'st love woman like to me. Vio. And all those sayings will I over-swear, And all those swearings keep as true in soul, As doth that orbed continent, the fire That severs day from night. Duke. Give me thy hand; And let me see thee in thy woman's weeds. Vio. The captain, that did bring me first on shore, Hath my maid's garments: he, upon some action, Is now in durance at Malvolio's suit, A gentleman, and follower of my lady's. Oli. He shall enlarge him. Fetch Malvolio hither: And yet, alas, now I remember me, They say, poor gentleman, he's much distract. Re-enter Clown, with a letter. How does he, sirrah? 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. 3 Oli. Open it, and read it. Clo. Look then to be well edified, when the fool delivers the madman:-[Reads.] "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+ 3-it SKILLS not much-] i. e. it signifies not much, a very common idiomatic expression. See also “Henry VI.” pt. 2, A. iii. sc. 1. 4 you must allow cox.] The Clown begins to read the letter as a madman ; and for this violence of voice Olivia reproves him, and he justifies himself. An explanation would hardly seem necessary, if the passage had not been disputed. 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, my princess, and give ear. Oli. Read it you, sirrah. [TO FABIAN. Fab. [Reads.] "By the Lord, madam, you wrong me, and the world shall know it: though you have 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; with the which I doubt not but to do myself much 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. Oli. Did he write this? Clo. Ay, madam. "The madly-used MALVOLIO." Duke. This savours not much of distraction. Oli. See him deliver'd, Fabian: bring him hither. [Exit FABIAN. My lord, so please you, these things further thought on, To think me as well a sister as a wife, One day shall crown the alliance on't, so please you, Duke. Madam, I am most apt t' embrace your offer. [TO VIOLA] Your master quits you; and, for your service done him, So much against the mettle of your sex, So far beneath your soft and tender breeding, Oli. VOL. III. A sister-you are she. E e |
