Dramatis Perfonæ.

ORSINO, Duke of Illyria.

Sebaftian, a young Gentleman, Brother to Viola.

Antonio, a Sea-captain, Friend to Sebaftian.

Valentine,

Curio,

Gentlemen, attending on the Duke.

Sir Toby Belch, Uncle to Olivia.

Sir Andrew Ague-cheek, a foolish Knight, pretending to Olivia A Sea-captain, Friend to Viola.

Fabian, Servant to Olivia.

Malvolio, a fantastical Steward to Olivia.

Clown, Servant to Olivia.

Olivia, a Lady of great beauty and fortune, beloved by the Duke. Viola, in love with the Duke.

Maria, Olivia's Woman.

Priefis, Sailors, Officers, and other Attendants.

SCENE, a City on the coaft of Illyria.

TWELFTH-NIGHT:

I'

O R,

WHAT YOU WILL.

A C T I.
ACT

SCENE, the Palace.

Enter the Duke, CURIO, and Lords.

DUKE.

F mufic be the food of love, play on;
Give me excefs of it, that furfeiting,
The appetite may ficken, and fo die.

That ftrain again;-it had a dying fall:
O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet fouth,
That breathes upon a bank of violets,
Stealing and giving odour. Enough!-no more;
'Tis not fo fweet now as it was before.

O fpirit of love, how quick and fresh art thou!
That, notwithstanding thy capacity

Receiveth as the fea, nought enters there,

Of what validity and pitch foe'er,

But falls into abatement and low price,

Even in a minute; (1) fo full of fhapes in fancy, That it alone is high fantastical.

(1)

-fo full of shapes is fancy,

That it alone is high fant ftical.] Shakespeare has made his Polonius (a character which he defigned should be received with laughter) fay,

Cur. Will you go hunt, my Lord?
Duke. What, Curio?

Gur. The hart.

Duke. Why, fo I do, the noblest that I have: O, when my eyes did fee Olivia first, Methought the purged the air of pestilence; That inftant was I turned into a hart,

And my defires, like fell and cruel hounds,
E'er fince purfue me. How now, what news from her?
Enter VALENTINE.

Val. So pleafe my Lord, I might not be admitted,
But from her handmaid do return this answer:
The element itself, 'till feven years hence,
Shall not behold her face at ample view;
But, like a cloystress, she will veiled walk,
And water once a day her chamber round
With eye-offending brine: all this to feafon.

-for to define true madness,

What is't, but to be nothing else but mad?

But there is no parity of reafon why his Duke here, who is altogether feribus, and moralizing on the qualities of love, fhould tell us, that Fancy is alone the most fantastical thing imaginable. I am perfuaded the alteration of is into in, has given us the Poet's genuine meaning; that love is moft fantastical, in being fo variable in its fancies. And Shakefpeare every where fuppofes this to be the diftinguishing characteristic of this paffion. In his As You like it, where what it is to be in love is defined, amongst other marks we have this;

It is to be all made of fantasy.

And in the fame play, Rosalind, fpeaking of her lover, fays;

-If I could meet that fancy-monger, I would give him fome good counfel, for he feems to have the quotidian of love upon him

And a hundred other paffages might be quoted, did the matter require any proof. Mr Warburton.

A brother's dead love, which fhe would keep fresh And lafting in her fad remembrance,

Duke. O, the that hath a heart of that fine frame, Το pay this debt of love but to a brother, How will the love, when the rich golden fhaft Hath killed the flock of all affections elfe That live in her! when liver, brain, and heart, Thefe fovereign thrones, are all fupplied, and filled, Her fweet perfections, with one felf-fame King! Away before me to fweet beds of flowers; Love-thoughts ly rich, when canopyed with bowers. [Exeunt.

SCENE, the Street.

Enter VIOLA, a Captain and Sailors.

Vio. What country, friends, is this?

Cap. Illyria, Lady.

Vio. And what fhould I do in Illyria? My brother he is in Elyfium.→→→→→ [failors? Perchance he is not drowned; what think you, Cap. It is perchance that you yourfelf were faved. Vio. O my poor brother! fo, perchance, may he be.

Cap. True, Madam: and to comfort you with chance,

Affure yourself, after our fhip did fplit,

When you, and that poor number faved with you, Hung on our driving boat, I faw your brother, Moft provident in peril, bind himself

(Courage and Hope both teaching him the practice)
To a ftrong maft, that lived upon the fea;
Where, like Arion on the dolphin's back,

I faw him hold acquaintance with the waves,
So long as I could fee.

Vio. For faying fo, there's gold.

Mine own efcape unfoldeth to my hope,..
Whereto thy speech ferves for authority,
The like of him. Knoweft thou this country?
Cap. Ay, Madam, well; for I was bred and born
Not three hours travel from this very place.
Vio. Who governs here ?

Cap. A noble Duke in nature, as in name.
Vio. What is his name?

Cap. Orfino.

Vio. Orfino! I have heard my father name him; He was a bachelor then.

Cap. And fo is now, or was fo very

Iate;

For but a month ago I went from hence,
And then 'twas fresh in murmur (as you know,
What great ones do the lefs will prattle of)
That he did feek the love of fair Olivia.

Vio. What's the?

Cap. A virtuous maid, the daughter of a Count, That died fome twelve months fince, then leaving her In the protection of his fon, her brother, Who fhortly alfo died; for whofe dear love, They fay, the hath abjured the fight

And company of men.

Vio. O, that I ferved that Lady,

And might not be delivered to the world,
'Till I had made mine own occafion mellow

What my eftate is!

Cap. That were hard to compaís; Because fhe will admit no kind of fuit,

No, not the Duke's.

Vio. There is a fair behaviour in thee, Captain; And though that Nature with a beauteous wall Doth oft clofe in pollution; yet of thee

I will believe thou hast a mind that fuits
With this thy fair and outward character:
I pr'ythee, and I'll pay thee bounteously,