cock, left thou difpoffefs the foul of thy grandam. Fare thee well.

Mal. Sir Topas, Sir Topas !

Sir To. My moft exquifite Sir Topas !
Clo. Nay, I am for all waters *.

Mal. 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 upfhot. Come by and by to my chamber. [Exit with Maria.

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

Mal. Good fool, as ever thou wilt deserve well at my hand, help me to a candle, and pen, ink, and paper; as I am a gentleman, I will live to be thankful to thee for't.

Cle. 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.

* A phrase taken from the actor's ability of making the audience cry either with mirth or grief. Warburton. I rather think this expreffion borrowed from sportsmen, and relating to the qualifications of a complete fpaniel. Johnson.

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

Clo. Advise you what you say: 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 say.

Clo. 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 everthe bearing of letter did.

Cla. 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.

*They have taken poffeffion of me, as of a man unable to look to himself. Johnson.

+ Here the Clown, in the dark, acts two perfons, and counterfeits, by variation of voice, a dialogue between himself and Sir Topas.I will, Sir, I will, is spoken after a paufe, as if, in the mean time, Sir Topas had whispered. Johnfon..

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

In a trice, like to the old vice*,

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.

SCENE

V.

[Exit.

Changes to another Apartment in Olivia's Houfe.

Enter Sebaftian.

Seb. This is the air, that is the glorious fun;
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 Antonio then?
I could not find him at the Elephant;

Yet there he was, and there I found this credit †,
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,
That this may be fome error, but no madness,
Yet doth this accident and flood of fortune
So far exceed all inftance, all discourse,
That I am ready to diftruft mine eyes,
And wrangle with my reafon, that perfuades me
To any other truft f, but that I'm mad;
Or elfe the lady's mad: yet if 'twere so,

She could not fway her houfe, command her followers,

Vice was the fool of the old moralities. Some traces of this character are ftill preferved in puppetfhows, and by country mummers. Johnson.

I very much fufpect that the Poet wrote;

-and there I found this credent. Johnson.

To any other belief, or confidence, to any other fixed opinion. Jobufon.

Take and give back affairs, and their dispatch, With fuch a smooth, difcreet, and ftable bearing, As, I perceive, fhe does: there's fomething in't That is deceivable. But here fhe comes.

Enter Olivia and Priest.

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 most 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 hea-
v'ns fo fhine,

That they may fairly note this act of mine!

[Exeunt

ACT V. SCENE I..

The Street.

Now

Enter Clown and Fa

Fabian.

JOW, 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 reco.npence defire my dog again.

• Truth is fidelity. Johnfon.

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 mel plainly I am an afs: fo that by my foes, Sir, I profit in the knowledge of myself; and by my friends I am abused; fo that, conclusions to be as kisses †, if your four negatives make your two affirmatives, why, then the worfe for my friends, and the better for my foes. Duke. Why, this is excellent.

Clo. By my troth, Sir, no; tho' it please you to be one of my friends.

Duke. Thou shalt not be the worfe for me. There's gold.

Clo. But that it would be double dealing, Sir, I would you could make it another.

Duke. O, you give me ill counfel.

Clo. Put your grace in your pocket, Sir, for this once, and let your flesh and blood obey it.

Duke. Well, I will be fo much a finner to be a double dealer: there's another.

Clo. Primo, fecundo, tertio, is a good play, and the old faying is, the third pays for all the triplet, Sir, is a good tripping meafüre; or the bells of St Bennet*, Sir, may put you in mind, one, two, three.

I imagine, the Poet wrote;

So that, conclufion to be asked, is. Warburton. When in this play he mentioned the bed of Ware, he recollected that the fcene was in Illyria, and added in England; but his fenfe of the fame impropriety could not seftrain him from the bells of St Bennet.