Vio. I pray you, sir, what is he?

SIR TO. He is knight, dubbed with unhatched a rapier and on carpet consideration; (7) but he is a devil in private brawl; souls and bodies hath he divorced three; and his incensement at this moment is so implacable, that satisfaction can be none but by pangs of death and sepulchre: hob, nob," is his word; give 't or take't.

V10. I will return again into the house, and desire some conduct of the lady. I am no fighter. I have heard of some kind of men that put quarrels

a Dubbed with unhatched rapier-] From the context it would appear that Malone was right in thinking we ought to read an hatch'd rapier, that is, a rapier, the hilt of which was richly inlaid and ornamented. The ordinary lection is unhacked rapier.

b Hob, nob,-] The same as Habbe or Nubbe, have or not have,

purposely on others, to tasted their valour: belike this is a man of that quirk.

SIR To. Sir, no; his indignation derives itself out of a very competent injury; therefore, get you on, and give him his desire. Back you shall not to the house, unless you undertake that with me, which with as much safety you might answer him; therefore, on, or strip your sword stark naked; for meddle you must, that's certain, or forswear to wear iron about you.

Vio. This is as uncivil as strange. I beseech

hit or miss. "The citizens in their rage nabbe at random."-HOLINSHED.

c Some conduct-] Some conductor.

d To taste their valour:] See note (a), p. 256.

**shot habbe or

you, do me this courteous office, as to know of the knight what my offence to him is; it is something of my negligence, nothing of my purpose. SIR TO. I will do so.--Signior Fabian, stay you by this gentleman till my return.

[Exit Sir TOBY. Vio. Pray you, sir, do you know of this matter? FAB. I know the knight is incensed against you, even to a mortal arbitrement; but nothing of the circumstance more.

VIO. I beseech you, what manner of man is he? FAB. Nothing of that wonderful promise, to read him by his form, as you are like to find him in the proof of his valour. He is, indeed, sir, the most skilful, bloody, and fatal opposite that you could possibly have found in any part of Illyria. Will you walk towards him? I will make peace with him, if I can.

your

VIO. I shall be much bound to you for't: I am one that would rather go with sir priest than sir knight I care not who knows so much of my mettle. [Exeunt.

SCENE V.-The Street adjoining Olivia's Garden.

Enter Sir TOBY BELCH and Sir ANDREW AGUECHEEK.

SIR TO. Why, man, he's a very devil; I have not seen such a firago. I had a pass with him, rapier, scabbard, and all, and he gives me the stuck-in, with such a mortal motion, that it is inevitable; and on the answer, he pays you as surely as your feet hit the ground they step on : they say, he has been fencer to the Sophy.

SIR AND. Pox on't, I'll not meddle with him. SIR TO. Ay, but he will not now be pacified: Fabian can scarce hold him yonder.

SIR AND. Plague on't; an I thought he had been valiant and so cunning in fence, I'd have seen him damned ere I'd have challenged him. Let him let the matter slip, and I'll give him my horse, grey Capilet.

SIR TO. I'll make the motion: stand here, make a good show on't; this shall end without the perdition of souls. [Aside.] Marry, I'll ride your horse as well as I ride you.

FAB. He is as horribly conceited of him, and pants and looks pale, as if a bear were at his heels.

SIR TO. [To V10.] There's no remedy, sir; he will fight with you for his oath sake: marry, he hath better bethought him of his quarrel, and he finds that now scarce to be worth talking of: therefore draw, for the supportance of his vow; he protests, he will not hurt you.

Vio. Pray God defend me! A little thing would make me tell them how much I lack of a man. [Aside.

FAB. Give ground, if you see him furious. SIR TO. Come, sir Andrew, there's no remedy; the gentleman will, for his honour's sake, have one bout with you: he cannot by the duello avoid it: but he has promised me, as he is a gentleman and a soldier, he will not hurt you. Come on: to't. SIR AND. Pray God, he keep his oath!

Than you have heard him brag to you he will. SIR TO. Nay, if you be an undertaker, I am for you. [Draws. FAB. O good sir Toby, hold! here come the officers. SIR TO. I'll be with you anon. [To ANTONIO. Vio. Pray, sir, put your sword up, if you please. [To Sir ANDREw. SIR AND. Marry, will I, sir;-and, for that I promised you, I'll be as good as my word: he will bear you easily, and reins well.

b An undertaker,-] One who undertakes the quarrel of another.

2 OFF. Come, sir, I pray you, go.
ANT. Let me speak a little. This youth that
you see here

I snatch'd one half out of the jaws of death;
Reliev'd him with such sanctity of love,-
And to his image, which methought did promise
Most venerable worth, did I devotion.

1 OFF. What's that to us? The time goes by; away! god! ANT. But, O, how vile an idol proves this Thou hast, Sebastian, done good feature shame.

[Exeunt Officers with ANTONIO. Vro. Methinks his words do from such passion fly,

That he believes himself; so do not I.
Prove true, imagination, O, prove true,
That I, dear brother, be now ta'en for you.

SIR TO. Come hither, knight; come hither, Fabian; we'll whisper o'er a couple or two of most sage saws.

Vio. He nam'd Sebastian; I my brother know Yet living in my glass; even such, and so, In favour was my brother; and he went Still in this fashion, colour, ornament,For him I imitate: O, if it prove,

Tempests are kind, and salt waves fresh in love!

[Exit.

some great man, and now applies it to a fool. Vent my folly! I am afraid this great lubber the world will prove a cockney.-I pr'y thee now, ungird thy strangeness, and tell me what I shall vent to my lady; shall I vent to her that thou art coming?

SEB. I pr'ythee, foolish Greek, depart from me ; There's money for thee; if you tarry longer, I shall give worse payment.

CLO. By my troth, thou hast an open hand. These wise men, that give fools money, get themselves a good report-after fourteen years' purchase.b

a I am afraid this great lubber the world will prove a cockney.] The point of this is not apparent. Douce conjectured we should read-this great lubberly word will prove a cockney." Omitting the adjective "great," which may have been caught by the compositor from the line above, Douce's emendation probably gives us what the poet wrote.

b After fourteen years' purchase.] That is, After the rate of fourteen years' purchase. The current price of land in England when this play was written appears to have been twelve years' purchase; so, buying character of fools was a bad bargain.

e He started one poor heart of mine in thee.] Johnson was doubtful whether an ambiguity were intended between heart and hart: the hunter's technical phrase started, might have convinced him that the poet was playing on the word.

d If it be thus to dream, still let me sleep!] This speech

Enter OLIVIA.

OLI. Hold, Toby; on thy life, I charge thee, hold!

SIR TO. Madam

OLI. Will it be ever thus? Ungracious wretch, Fit for the mountains and the barbarous caves, Where manners ne'er were preach'd! out of my sight!

Be not offended, dear Cesario !—

Rudesby, be gone!-I pr'y thee, gentle friend,
[Exeunt Sir TOBY, Sir ANDREW, and FABIAN.
Let thy fair wisdom, not thy passion, sway
In this uncivil and unjust extent

Against thy peace. Go with me to my house;
And hear thou there how many fruitless pranks
This ruffian hath botch'd up, that thou thereby
May'st smile at this: thou shalt not choose but go;
Do not deny. Beshrew his soul for me,
He started one poor heart of mine in thee."

SEB. What relish is in this? how runs the
stream?

Or I am mad, or else this is a dream :-
Let fancy still my sense in Lethe steep;
If it be thus to dream, still let me sleep! d
OLI. Nay, come, I pr'y thee: would thou'dst be
rul'd by me.
SEB. Madam, I will.
OLI.

O, say so, and so be! [Exeunt.

SCENE II.-A Room in Olivia's House.

Enter MARIA and Clown.

MAR. Nay, I pr'y thee, put on this gown and this beard; make him believe thou art sir Topas the curate; do it quickly; I'll call sir Toby the whilst. [Exit MARIA.

CLO. Well, I'll put it on, and I will dissemble myself in't; and I would I were the first that ever dissembled in such a gown. I am not tall enough to become the function well; nor lean enough to be thought a good student; but to be said an honest man and a good housekeeper, goes as fairly as to say a careful man and a great scholar. The competitors enter.

recals that of Antipholus of Syracuse ("Comedy of Errors," Act II. Sc. 2), under similar circumstances of bewilderment:

"Am I in earth, in heaven, or in hell,-
Sleeping or waking,-mad or well advis'd?
Known unto these, and to myself disguis'd?
I'll say as they say, and perséver so,
And in this mist at all adventures go."

e I am not tall enough, &c.] For the sake of an antithesis, most modern editors read,-“I am not fat enough;" but “tall” in its ancient sense of robust, stout, personable, offers quite sufficient contrast to the lean of the next line.

f The competitors enter.] That is, the confederates, the colleagus. See note (c), p. 17, Vol. I.