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Clo. Good Sir Toby,

Oli. Uncle, Uncle, how have you come fo early by this lethargy?

Sir To. Letchery! I defie letchery: there's one at the gate.

Oli. Ay, marry, what is he?

Sir To. Let him be the devil and he will, I care not give me faith, fay I. Well, it's all one. [Exit. Oli. What's a drunken man like, fool?

Clo. Like a drown'd man, a fool, and a madman: one draught above heat makes him a fool; the second mads him; and a third drowns him.

Oli. Go thou, and feek the Coroner, and let him fit o' my Uncle; for he's in the third degree of drink; he's drown'd; go look after him.

Clo. He is but mad yet, Madona, and the fool shall look to the madman. [Exit Clown.

Enter Malvolio.

Mal. Madam, yond young fellow fwears he will speak with you. I told him, you were fick; he takes on him to understand so much, and therefore comes to fpeak with you. I told him you were asleep; he seems to have a fore-knowledge of that too, and therefore comes to speak with you. What is to be faid to him, Lady? he's fortified against any denial.

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Oli. Tell him, he fhall not speak with me. Mal. He has been told fo; and he fays, he'll stand at your door like a Sheriff's poft, and be the fupporter to a bench, but he'll fpeak with you.

tleman. He was asked what gentleman and he makes this reply; which, it is plain, is corrupt, and fhould be read thus,

Tis a Gentleman- HEIR, i.e. fome lady's eldest fon just come out of the nurfery; for VOL. II.

Oli.

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Oli. What kind o'man is he?

Mal. Why, of mankind.

Oli. What manner of man?

Mal. Of very ill manners; he'll speak with you, will you or no.

Oli. Of what perfonage and years is he?

Mal. Not yet old enough for a man, nor young enough for a boy; as a fquafh is before 'tis a peafcod, or a codling when it is almost an apple: 'tis with him in ftanding water, between boy and man. He is very well-favour'd, and he speaks very fhrewifhly; one would think his mother's milk were scarce out of him. Oli. Let him approach: call in my Gentlewoman. Mal. Gentlewoman, my Lady calls. [Exit.

SCENE XI.

Enter Maria.

Oli. Give me my veil : come, throw it o'er my face; We'll once more hear Orfino's embaffy.

Enter Viola.

Vio. The honourable Lady of the house, which is The?

Oli. Speak to me, I fhall answer for her your will?

Vio. Moft radiant, exquifite, and unmatchable Beauty——I pray you, tell me, if this be the Lady of the house, for I never faw her. I would be loth to

large poffs fet up at his door, as an indication of his office. The original of which was, that the King's proclamations, and other publick acts, might be affixed thereon by way of publication. So Johnson's Every Man out of his Humour,

•put off

To the Lord Chancellor's tomb,
or the Shrive's pofts.
So again in the old play called
Lingua,

Knows he bow to become a fcarlet gown? hath be a pair of fresh pofts at his door ?

WARBURTON

caft

caft away my speech; for, befides that it is excellently well penn'd, I have taken great pains to con it. Good Beauties, let me fuftain no fcorn; I am very comptible, even to the least finister usage.

Oli. Whence came you, Sir?

Vio. I can fay little more than I have studied, and that Queftion's out of my Part.

Good gentle One, give me modeft affurance if you be the Lady of the houfe, that I may proceed in my speech.

Oli. Are you a Comedian?

Vio. No, my profound heart; and yet, by the very fangs of malice, I fwear, I am not that I play. Are you the Lady of the house?

Oli. If I do not ufurp myfelf, I am.

Vio. Moft certain, if you are fhe, you do ufurp yourfelf; for what is yours to beftow, is not yours to reserve; but this is from my commiffion. I will on with my speech in your praife, and then fhew you the heart of my meffage.

Oli. Come to what is important in't: I forgive you the praise.

Vio. Alas, I took great pains to study it, and 'tis poetical.

Oli. It is the more like to be feign'd. I pray you, keep it in. I heard you were fawcy at my gates; and I allow'd your approach, rather to wonder at you than to hear you. If you be not mad, be gone; if you have reafon, be brief: 'tis not that time of the moon with me, to make one in fo* fkipping a dialogue. Mar. Will you hoift fail, Sir? here lies your way. Vio. No, good fwabber, I am to hull here a little longer. Some mollification for your + Giant, sweet Lady.

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I am very comptible,] Comptible for ready to call to WARBURTON. -Skipping] Wild,

account.

frolick, mad.

Oli.

4 Ladies, in romance, are guarded by giants, who repel all improper or troublefome ad

vances.

Oli. Tell me your mind.

Vio. I am a meffenger.

Oli. Sure, you have fome hideous matter to deliver, when the courtesy of it is fo fearful. Speak your office.

Vio. It alone concerns your ear. I bring no overture of war, no taxation of homage; I hold the olive in my hand: my words are as full of peace as matter. Oli. Yet you began rudely. What are you? what would you?

Vio. The rudeness, that hath appear'd in me, have I learn'd from my entertainment. What I am, and what I would, are as fecret as maidenhead; to your ears, divinity; to any other's, prophanation.

Oli. Give us the place alone. [Exit Maria.] We will hear this divinity. Now, Sir, what is your text? Vio. Moft fweet Lady,

Oli. A comfortable Doctrine, and much may be faid of it. Where lies your text?

Vio. In Orfino's bofom.

Oli. In his bofom? in what chapter of his bofom?" Vio. To anfwer by the method, in the firft of his heart.

Oli. O, I have read it; it is herefy. Have you no more to say?

Vio. Good Madam, let me fee your face.

Oli. Have you any commiffion from your Lord to negotiate with my face? you are now out of your text; but we will draw the curtain, and fhew you the picture.

vances. Viola, feeing the waiting-maid fo eager to oppofe her meffage, intreats Olivia to pacify her giant.

Vio. tell me your mind, I am a meffenger.] Thefe words must be divided between the two fpeakers thus,

Oli. Tell me your mind.
Vio. I am a messenger.

Viola growing troublesome, Olivia would difmifs her, and therefore cuts her short with this command, Tell me your mind. The other taking advantage of the ambiguity of the word mind, which fignifies either business or inclinations, replies, as if fhe had ufed it in the latter fenfe, I am a meffenger. WARBURTON. Look

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Look you, Sir, fuch a one I was this prefent: is't not well done? [Unveiling.

Vio. Excellently done, if God did all.

Oli. 'Tis in grain, Sir; 'twill endure wind and weather.

Vio. 'Tis beauty truly blent, whofe red and white
Nature's own fweet and cunning hand laid on:
Lady, you are the cruell'ft She alive,

If you will lead these graces to the Grave,
And leave the world no copy.

Oli. O, Sir, I will not be fo hard-hearted: I will give out divers schedules of my beauty. It shall be inventoried, and every particle and utenfil labell❜d to my will. As, Item, two lips indifferent red. Item, two grey eyes, with lids to them. Item, one neck, one chin, and fo forth. Were you fent hither to praise me?

Vio. I fee you, what you are; you are too proud; But if you were the Devil, you are fair.

My Lord and Master loves you : O, fuch love
Could be but recompens'd, tho' you were crown'd
The Non-pareil of Beauty!

Oli. How does he love me?

Vio. With adorations, with fertile tears,

With groans that thunder love, with fighs of fire.
Oli. Your Lord does know my mind, I cannot love

him ;

Yet I fuppofe him virtuous, know him noble,
Of great estate, of fresh and stainless youth;

Look you, Sir, fuch a one I was this prefent: is't not well done?] This is Nonfenfe. The change of was to wear, I think, clears all up, and gives the Expreffion an Air of Gallantry. Viola preffes to fee Olivia's Face: The other at length pulls off her Veil, and fays; We will draw the Curtain, and fhew you the Picture. I wear

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