Clo. Fare thee well: Remain thou still in darkness: thou shalt hold the opinion of Pythagoras, ere I will allow of thy wits; and fear to kill a woodcock3, lest thou dispossess the soul of thy grandam. Fare thee well. Mal. Sir Topas, Sir Topas, Sir To. My most exquisite Sir Topas! Mar. Thou might'st have done this without thy beard and gown; he sees thee not. Sir To. To him in thine own voice, and bring me word how thou findest him; I would, we were well rid of this knavery. If he may be conveniently delivered, I would he were; for I am now so far in offence with my niece, that I cannot pursue with any safety this sport to the upshot. Come by and by to my chamber. [Exeunt SIR TOBY and MARIA. Clo. Hey Robin, jolly Robin 10, Tell me how thy lady does. Mal. Fool, Clo. My lady is unkind, perdy. [Singing. 8 The clown mentions a woodcock because it was proverbial as a foolish bird, and therefore a proper ancestor for a man out of his wits. 9 A proverbial phrase not yet satisfactorily explained. The meaning however appears to be 'I can turn my hand to any thing, or assume any character.' Florio in his translation of Montaigne, speaking of Aristotle, says he hath an oar in every water, and meddleth with all things. And in his Second Frutes, there is an expression more resembling the import of that in the text. I am a knight for all saddles.' Nash in his Lenten Stuffe, 1599, has almost the language of the clown. He is first broken to the sea in the Herring-man's skiffe or cock-boate, where having learned to brooke all waters, and drink as he can out of a tarrie can,' Mason's conjecture that the allusion is to the water hue or colour of precious stones is surely inadmissible. 10 This ballad may be found in Percy's Reliques of Ancient Poetry, Vol. i. p. 194, ed. 1794. Dr. Nott has also printed it among the poems of Sir Thomas Wiatt the elder, p. 188. Clo. She loves another-Who calls, ha? 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. Clo. Master Malvolio! Mal. Ay, good fool. 11 Clo. Alas, sir, how fell you besides your five wits 11? Mal. Fool, there was never man so notoriously abused: I am as well in my wits, fool, as thou art. Clo. But as well? then you are mad, indeed, if you be no better in your wits than a fool. Mal. They have here propertied me 12; keep me in darkness, send ministers to me, asses, and do all they can to face me out of my wits. Clo. Advise you what you say; the minister is here,-Malvolio, Malvolio, thy wits the heavens restore! endeavour thyself to sleep, and leave thy vain bibble babble. Mal. Sir Topas, Clo. Maintain no words with him, good fellow 13. -Who, I, sir? not I, sir. God b'wi'you, good Sir Topas.-Marry, amen.-I will, sir, I will. Mal. Fool, fool, fool, I say. Clo. Alas, sir, be patient. What say you, sir? I am shent 14 for speaking to you. 11 The five wits, in analogy to the five senses. It appears that the five wits were common wit, imagination, fantasy, estimation, memory.' Wit was then the general term for intellectual power. 12 Taken possession of. 13 The Clown, in the dark, acts two persons, and counterfeits, by variation of voice, a dialogue between himself and Sir Topas. 14 Scolded, reprimanded. Mal. Good fool, help me to some light, and some 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, some ink, paper, and light, and convey what I will set down to my lady; it shall advantage thee more than ever the bearing of letter did. Clo. I will help you to't. you not mad, indeed? or do Mal. Believe me, I am not; I tell thee true. Clo. Nay, I'll ne'er believe a madman till I see his brains. I will fetch you light, and paper, and ink. Mal. Fool, I'll requite it in the highest degree: pr'ythee, begone. Clo. I am gone, sir, And anon, sir, I'll be with you again, Like to the old vice 15, Who with dagger of lath, In his rage and his wrath, 15 The vice was the fool of the old moralities. He was grotesquely dressed in a cap with ass's ears, a long coat, and a dagger of lath. One of his chief employments was to make sport with the devil, leaping on his back and belabouring him with his dagger, till he made him roar. The devil however always carried him off in the end. The moral was, that sin, which has the courage to make very merry with the devil, and is allowed by him to take very great liberties, must finally become his prey. This used also to be the regular end of Punch in the puppet show (who was the legitimate successor of the old vice or iniquity), until modern innovation, in these degenerate times, reversed the catastrophe. See Note on K. Henry V. Act iv. Sc. 4. Cries ah, ha! to the devil: Like a mad lad, Pare thy nails, dad, Adieu, goodman devil. SCENE III. Olivia's Garden. Enter SEBASTIAN. [Exit. Seb. This is the air; that is the glorious sun; Yet there he was; and there I found this credit1, She could not sway her house, command her followers3, Take, and give back affairs, and their despatch, With such a smooth, discreet, and stable bearing, As, I perceive, she does: there's something in't, That is deceivable. But here the lady comes. 1 i. e. intelligence. Mr. Steevens has referred to several passages which seems to imply that this word was used for oral intelligence. I find it thus in a letter from Elizabeth to Sir Nicholas Throckmorton among the Conway Papers. This beror came from you with great spede-We have heard his credit and fynd your carefulness and diligence very great.' 4 i. e. deceptious. 2 i. e. reason. 3 Servants. Enter OLIVIA and a Priest. Oli. Blame not this haste of mine: If well, you mean Now go with me, and with this holy man, 6 Seb. I'll follow this good man, and go with And, having sworn truth, ever will be true. Oli. Then lead the way, good father: heavens so shine, you; -And That they may fairly note this act of mine! [Exeunt. 5 Chantry,' a little chapel, or particular altar in some cathedral or parochial church, endowed for the purpose of having masses sung therein for the souls of the founders. 6 Until. 7 Troth or fidelity. It should be remarked that this was not an actual marriage, but a betrothing, affiancing, or solemn promise of future marriage; anciently distinguished by the name of espousals. This has been established by Mr. Douce in his very interesting Illustrations of Shakspeare, where the reader will find much curious matter on the subject, in a note on this passage. |