Though, I confess, much like the character: But, out of question,54 'tis Maria's hand.

And now, I do bethink me, it was she

First told me thou wast mad; then cam'st in smiling, 55

And in such forms which here 56 were presuppos'd

Upon thee 57 in the letter. Pr'ythee, be content: This practice 58 hath most shrewdly pass'd upon thee;

How with a sportful malice it was follow'd,
May rather pluck on laughter than revenge ;
If that the injuries be justly weigh'd
That have on both sides pass'd.

Oli. Alas! poor fool,63 how have they baffled thee!

Clo. Why, "some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrown upon them." 64 I was one, sir, in this interlude,-one Sir Topas, sir; but that's all one.-" By the Lord,

54. Out of question. The way in which "out" is used in this idiomatic phrase serves to illustrate the way in which 'without' is used, as explained in Note 103, Act ii., "All's Well." "Out of question" means 'beyond all question,' 'taken out of the region of question' or debate.

55. Then cam'st in smiling. Here the previous "thou" in the line is understood as repeated between "cam'st" and "in," according to a way that Shakespeare has of making one word do double service in a sentence, by letting it be elliptically taken for granted the second time. See Note 17, Act i., "Merchant of Venice." Moreover, he sometimes uses a verb in the second person without the accompanying pronoun; as in "Winter's Tale," Act ii., sc. 3, we have-" What! canst not rule her?" where thou' is understood.

56. In such forms which here, &c. Shakespeare sometimes "which" peculiarly. Here he uses it where now 'as' would be employed.

uses

57. Presuppos'd upon thee. Presupposed that thou wouldst

assume.'

58. Practice. Trick, device framed in conspiracy. See Note 11, Act v., "Measure for Measure."

59. Upon some stubborn, &c. "Upon" is here and elsewhere used by Shakespeare in the sense of 'in consequence of.' 60. We had conceiv'd against him. Here "against" is used peculiarly and elliptically; it implies 'as counting against,' 'as making against,' and also 'as warranting us in plotting against.' 61. Importance. Here used for 'importunacy,' 'urgent entreaty.'

62. He hath married her. These words serve to show that Mistress Maria's tactics, alluded to in Note 66, Act i., have succeeded in their design, and have secured her the conquest she aimed at achieving.

63. Poor fool. An instance of Shakespeare's using this word compassionately, not contemptuously. See Note 42, Act ii,

"Madam, why laugh you at such a barren rascal? an you smile not, he's gagged:" and thus the whirligig 65 of time brings in his revenges.

Mal. I'll be revenged on the whole pack of you. [Exit.

Oli. He hath been most notoriously abus'd. Duke. Pursue him, and entreat him to

peace:

He hath not told us of the captain yet:66
When that is known, and golden time con-
vents,67

A solemn combination 6 shall be made
Of our dear souls. Meantime, sweet sister,
We will not part from hence.-Cesario, come;

"Much Ado." 66 Baffled" is here used with a combination of two of the senses it bore; 'cheated,' 'tricked,' 'deluded,' and 'mocked,' 'insulted.'

64. Greatness thrown upon them. Here "thrown" used instead of "thrust," affords an instance of Shakespeare's purposed variations, such as we pointed out in Note 67, Act v., "All's Well." The Clown quotes from the letter (see Act ii., sc. 5), and, naturally, does not quote with exact verbal accuracy. His citatiou of the sentences he resentfully remembers of Malvolio's speech in Act i., sc. 5, exhibits similar deviation from precise wording, and the effect is thereby the more true to nature. The salient expressions, "barren rascal," and "he's gagged," are recalled, but not in the literal order in which they were uttered; just as it would be in real life, and therefore just as we find it in Shakespeare's page.

65. Whirligig. A 'spinning-top;' what in modern nomenclature is called a 'teetotum.'

66. Not told us of the captain yet. In this line and the preceding one, we have true Shakespearian touches. First, we have the Duke, with his gentle nature and his new joy, eager to have the injured though crabbed purist brought back and soothed into partaking of the general harmony; and then we have the indication of Orsino's naturally keen interest respecting “the captain" who had saved Viola, while it also serves the dramatic purpose of showing that the promise of interrogating the captain in reference to "Malvolio's suit" has not been lost sight of, although the interest of the play's last scene does not require that point to be farther pursued.

67. And golden time convents. For the use of the epithet "golden" here, see Note 45, Act iv. "Convents" is here used

to express 'concurs,'' accords,' and 'comes conveniently. 68. Combination. Here used (as Shakespeare uses the word 'combinate;' see Note 36, Act iii., "Measure for Measure") for marriage contract,' 'nuptial union.'

For so you shall be, while you are a man;
But when in other habits you are seen,
Orsino's mistress, and his fancy's queen.69

[Exeunt all, except Clown.

SONG.

Clo. When that I was and a little tiny boy,70 With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,71

A foolish thing was but a toy,

For the rain it raineth every day.

But when I came to man's estate,

With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,

'Gainst knaves and thieves men shut their gate, For the rain it raineth every day.

69. His fancy's queen. 'Queen of his love;' "fancy" being often used for love,' 'affection.'

70. When that I was and a little, &c. "And" was occasionally introduced thus redundantly to eke out the measure, or to give a facetious effect, in old ballads.

71. With hey, ho, the wind and the rain. The bad-weatherhating tone of this burden is in harmony with Master Feste's fine-weather-loving sentiment ("for turning away, let summer

bear it out'; see Note 62, Act i.): and there is something in the rambling, inconsequent twang of the whole song which accords with this Clown's style throughout the play.

72. But when I came, alas! to wive. This, in like manner, tallies with Feste's anti-matrimonial adage-" Many a good hanging prevents a bad marriage," Act i., sc. 5.

73. Every day. 'Evermore,' 'always.' See Note 12, Act ii., "Taming of the Shrew."