be asked, is, (12) if your four negatives make your two affirmatives, why, then the worse 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 fhalt not be the worse 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 counsel.

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 doubledealer: there's another.

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

Duke. You can fool no more mony out of me at this throw; if you will let your Lady know, I am here to fpeak with her, and bring her along with you, it may awake my bounty further.

Clo. Marry, Sir, lullaby to your bounty 'till I come again. I go, Sir; but I would not have you to think,

(12) So that Conclufions to be as kiffes, -] Tho' it might be unreasonable to call our Poet's Fools and Knaves every where to Account; yet, if we did, for the Generality we should find them refponfible. But what monftrous Abfurdity have we here? To fuppofe the Text genuine, We must acknowledge it too wild to have any known Meaning: and what has no known Meaning, cannot be allow'd to have either Wit 3 or Humour. Befides, the Clown is affecting to argue seriously and in Form. I imagine, the Poet wrote;

So that, Conclufion to be asked, is

i. e. So that the Conclufion I have to demand of You is this, if
your Four, &c. He had in the preceding Words been inferring
fome Premiffes, and now comes to the Conclufion very logically;
You grant Me, fays He, the Premiffes; I now ask you to grant
the Conclufion,
Mr. Warburton.

that

that my defire of having is the fin of covetoufnefs; but, as you fay, Sir, let your bounty take a nap, I will awake [Exit Clown.

it anon.

Enter Antonio, and Officers.

Vio. Here comes the man, Sir, that did rescue me,
Duke. That face of his I do remember well ;

Yet when I faw it laft, it was befmear'd

As black as Vulcan, in the fmoak of war:
A bawbling veffel was he captain of,
For fhallow draught and bulk unprizable,
With which such scathful grapple did he make
With the most noble bottom of our fleet,
That very envy and the tongue of lofs
Cry'd fame and honour on him.

What's the matter?

1 Offi. Orfino, this is that Antonio,

That took the Phoenix and her fraught from Candy;
And this is he, that did the Tyger board,

When your young nephew Titus loft his leg:

Here in the streets, defperate of fhame and state,
In private brabble did we apprehend him.

Vio. He did me kindness, Sir; drew on my
But in conclufion put ftrange fpeech upon me,
I know not what 'twas, but distraction.

fide:

Duke. Notable pirate! thou falt-water thief!
What foolish boldness brought thee to their mercies,
Whom thou in terms fo bloody, and fo dear,
Haft made thine enemies?

Ant. Orfino, noble Sir,

Be pleas'd that I shake off these names you give me :
Antonio never yet was thief, or pirate;

Though I confefs, on bafe and ground enough,
Orfino's enemy. A witchcraft drew me hither:
That most ungrateful boy there, by your fide,
From the rude fea's enrag'd and foamy mouth
Did I redeem; a wreck past hope he was:
His life I gave him, and did thereto add
My love without retention or reftraint;
All his in dedication, For his fake,
Did I expofe myself (pure, for his love)

Into the danger of this adverse town;
Drew to defend him, when he was befet;
Where being apprehended, his false cunning
(Not meaning to partake with me in danger)
Taught him to face me out of his acquaintance;
And grew a twenty years removed thing,

While one would wink: deny'd me mine own purse,
Which I had recommended to his use

Not half an hour before.

Vio. How can this be?

Duke. When came he to this town?

Ant. To day, my lord; and for three months before, (No Interim, not a minute's vacancy,)

Both day and night did we keep company.

Enter Olivia, and Attendants.

Duke. Here comes the countess; now heav'n walks on earth.

not have,

But for thee, fellow, fellow, thy words are madness:
Three months this youth hath tended upon me;
But more of that anon- -Take him afide.
Oli. What would my lord, but that he may
Wherein Olivia may feem ferviceable?
Cefario, you do not keep promise with me.
Vio. Madam!

Duke. Gracious Olivia,

Oli. What do you fay, Cefario? Good my lord-
Vio. My lord would fpeak, my duty hushes me.
Oli. If it be aught to the old tune, my lord,
It is as fat and fulfome to mine ear,

As howling after mufick.

Duke. Still fo cruel?

Oli. Still fo conftant, lord.

Duke. What, to perverfenefs? you uncivil lady,
To whofe ingrate and unaufpicious altars

My foul the faithfull'ft offerings has breath'd out,
That e'er devotion tender'd. What shall I do?

Oli. Ev'n what it please my lord, that shall become

him.

Duke.

Duke. Why fhould I not, had I the heart to do't, (13)
Like to th' Egyptian thief, at point of death
Kill what I love? (a favage jealoufie,

That sometimes favours nobly;) but hear me this:
Since you to non-regardance caft my faith,
And that I partly know the inftrument,

That fcrews me from my true place in your favour :
Live you the marble-breasted tyrant still.

But this your minion, whom, I know, you love,

And whom, by heav'n, I fwear, I tender dearly,
Him will I tear out of that cruel eye,

Where he fits crowned in his master's spight.

Come, boy, with me; my thoughts are ripe in mifschief: I'll facrifice the lamb that I do love,

To spight a raven's heart within a dove.

[Duke going.

Vio. And I moft jocund, apt, and willingly,

To do you reft, a thousand deaths would die. [following.

(13) Why should I not, had I the Heart to do it,

Like to th' Egyptian Thief, at point of Death

Kill what I love?] In this Similie, a particular Story is prefuppos'd; which ought to be known, to shew the Juftness and Propriety of the Comparifon. It is taken from Heliodorus's Ethiopics, to which our Author was indebted for the Allufion. This Egyptian Thief was Thyamis, who was a Native of Memphis, and at the Head of a Band of Robbers. Theagenes and Chariclea falling into their Hands, Thyamis fell desperately in Love with the Lady, and would have married her. Soon after, a stronger Body of Robbers coming down upon Thyamis's Party, He was in fuch Fears for his Mistress, that he had her fhut into a Cave with his Treasure. It was cuftomary with thofe Barbarians, when they defpair'd of their own Safety, first to make away with Those whom they held dear, and defired for Companions in the next Life. Thyamis, therefore, benetted round with his Enemies, raging with Love, Jealoufy, and Anger, went to his Cave; and calling aloud in the Egyptian Tongue, so soon as He heard himself answer'd towards the Cave's Mouth by a Grecian, making to the Perfon by the Direction of her Voice, he caught her by the Hair with his left Hand, and (fuppofing her to be Chariclea) with his right Hand plung'd his Sword into her Breaft.

Oli. Where goes Cefario?

Vio. After him I love,

More than I love these eyes, more than my life;
More, by all mores, than e'er I fhall love wife.
If I do feign, you witnesses above

Punish my life, for tainting of my love!

Oli. Ay me, detefted! how am I beguil'd?

Vio. Who does beguile you? who does do you wrong? Oli. Haft thou forgot thy felf? Is it fo long? Call forth the holy father.

Duke. Come, away.

[To Viola.

Oli. Whither, my lord? Cefario, husband, itay.

Duke. Husband?

Oli. Ay, husband.

Can he that deny

Duke. Her husband, firrah?
Vio. No, my lord, not I.

Oli. Alas, it is the baseness of thy fear,
That makes thee ftrangle thy propriety:
Fear not, Cefario, take thy fortunes up:

Be that, thou know'ft, thou art, and then thou art
As great, as that thou fear'st.

O welcome, father.

Enter Prief.

Father, I charge thee by thy reverence
Here to unfold, (tho' lately we intended
To keep in darkness, what occafion now
Reveals before 'tis ripe) what, thou dost know,
Hath newly past between this youth and me.
Prieft. A contract of eternal bond of love,
Confirm'd by mutual joinder of your hands,
Attested by the holy clofe of lips,

Strengthned by enterchangement of your rings;
And all the ceremony of this compact

Seal'd in my function, by my teftimony:

Since when, my watch hath told me, tow'rd my grave

I have travell'd but two hours.

Duke. O thou diffembling cub! what wilt thou be, When time hath fow'd a grizzel on thy cafe?

VOL. III.

H

Or