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Speed. Why didst not tell me sooner? 'pox of your love let

ters!

(Exit.) Laun. Now will he be swinged for reading my letter: an unmannerly slave, that will thrust himself into secrets!-- I'll after, to rejoice in the boy's correction.

SHAKSPEARE.

THE LUDICROUS LOVER

PROTEUS -THURIO-JULIA.

Thu. Sir Proteus, what says Silvia to my suit?
Pro. Oh, sir, I find her milder than she was:
And yet she takes exceptions at your person.
Thu. What, that my leg is too long?

Pro. No; that is too little.

Thu. I'll wear a boot, to make it somewhat rounder.
Pro. But love will not be spurred to what it loaths.
Thu. What says she to my face?

Pro. She says, it is a fair one.

Thu. Nay, then the wanton lies, my face is black.
Pro. But pearls are fair; and the old saying is,

Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies' eyes.

Jul. 'T's true; such pearls as put out ladies' eyes;

For I had rather wink than look on them.
Thu. How likes she my discourse?

(Aside.)

Pro. Ill, when you talk of war.

Thu. But well, when I discourse of love and peace?

Jul. But better, indeed, when you hold your peace.
Thu. What says she to my valor?

Pro. Oh, sir, she makes no doubt of that.

Jul. She needs not, when she knows it cowardice.

(Aside.)

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THE CONCEITED STEWARD.

SIR TOBY BELCH-SIR ANDREW AGUE-CHEEK -FAPIAI

Mal. 'T is but fortune; all is fortune. Maria once told me, she did affect me and I have heard herself come thus near, that, should she fancy, it should be one of my complexion. Besides, she uses me with a more exalted respect, than any one else that follows her. What should I think on 't?

Sir To. Here's an over-weening rogue!

Fab. Oh, peace! contemplation makes a rare turkey-cock of him; how he jets under his advanced plumes!

Sir And. 'S light, I could so beat the rogue :

Sir To. Peace, I say.

Mal. To be count Malvolio:

Sir To. Ah, rogue!

Sir And. Pistol him, pistol him.

Sir To. Peace, peace!

Mal. There is example for 't; the lady of the strachy married the yeoman of the wardrobe.

Sir And. Fie on him, Jezebel!

Fab. Oh, peace! now he's deeply in; look, how imagination blows him.

Mal. Having been three months married to her, sitting in my state,

Sir To. O, for a stone-bow, to hit him in the eye!

Mal. Calling my officers about me, in my branched velvet gown; having come fron. a day-bed, where I left Olivia sleeping.

Sir To. Fire and brimstone !

Fab. Oh, peace, peace!

Mal. And then to have the humor of state; and after a demure travel of regard, telling them, I know my place, as I would they should do theirs, -- to ask for my kinsman Toby: Sir To. Bolts and shackles !

Fab. Oh, peace, peace, peace! now, now.

Mal. Seven of my people, with an obedient start, make out for him I frown the while; and, perchance, wind up my watch, or play with some rich jewel. I by approaches; court'sies

there to me:

Sir To. Shall this fellow live?

Fab Though our silence be drawn from us with cars, yet peace.

Mal. I extend my hand to him thus, quenching my familia smile with an austere regard of control :

Sir To. And does not Toby take you a blow o' the lips then? Mal. Saying, "Cousin Toby, my fortunes having cast me on your niece, give me this prerogative of speech —"

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Fab. Nay, patience, or we break the sinews of our plot. Mal. " Besides, you waste the treasure of your time with a foolish knight

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Sir And. That 's me, I warrant you.

Mal. One Sir Andrew."

Sir And. I knew 't was I; for many call me fool.

Mal. What employment have we here? (Taking up the letter.) Fab. Now is the woodcock near the gin.

Sir To. Oh, peace! and the spirit of humors intimate reading aloud to him!

Mal. By my life, this is my lady's hand: these be her very C's, her U's, and her T's; and thus makes she her great P's. It is, in contempt of question, her hand.

Sir And. Her C's, her U's, and her T's: Why that?

Mal. (reads.) "To the unknown beloved, this, and my good wishes her very phrases!- By your leave, wax. Soft! and the impressure her Lucrece, with which she uses to seal 't is my lady. To whom should this be?

Fab. This wins him, liver and all.

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Mal. (reads.)

"Jove knows, I love:

But who?

No man must know."

Lips do not move,

No man must know.

What follows? the numbers altered ! —

"No man must know :"-If this should be thee, Malvolio?

Sir To. Marry, hang thee, brock!

Mal. "I may command, where I adore :

But silence, like a Lucrece knife,
With bloodless stroke my heart doth
M, O, A, I, doth sway my

Fal. A fustian riddle!

Sir To. Excellent wench, say I.

life."

gore;

Mal. "M, O, A, I, doth sway my life." Nay, but first, let

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Fab. What a dish of poison has she dressed him!

Sir To. And with what wing the stannyel checks at it! Mal. "I may command where I adore." Why, she may com mand me; I serve her, sk is my lady

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- Why, this is evident

-

And

to any formal capacity. There is no obstruction in this. the end, what should that alphabetical position portend? if I could make that resemble something in me.-Softly!-M, 0, A, I. —

Sir To. Oh, ay! make up that: - he is now at a cold scent. Fab. Sowter will cry upon 't, for all this, though it be as rank as a fox.

Mal. M,

Malvolio; - M, - why, that begins my name. Fab. Did not I say, he would work it out? the cur is excellent at faults.

Mal. M,-But then there is no consonancy in the sequel; that suffers under probation: A should follow, but O does. Fab. And O shall end, I hope.

Sir To. Ay, or I'll cudgel him, and make him cry 0.
Mal. And then I comes behind.

Fab. Ay, an you had any eye behind you, you might see more detraction at your heels, than fortunes before you.

Mal. "M, O, A, I ;". This simulation is not as the former: and yet, to crush this a little, it would bow to me, for every one of these letters are in my name. Soft! here follows prose. "If this fall into thy hand, revolve. In my stars I am above thee but be not afraid of greatness; some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them. Thy fates open their hands: let thy blood and spirit embrace them. And, to inure thyself to what thou art like to be, cast thy humble slough, and appear fresh. Be opposite with a kinsman, surly with servants: let thy tongue tang arguments of state; put thyself into the trick of singularity: she thus advises thee, that sighs for thee. Remember who commended thy yellow stockings; and wished to see thee ever cross-gartered: say, remember. Go to; thou art made, if thou desirest to be so if not, let me see thee a steward still, the fellow of servants. and not worthy to touch fortune's fingers. Farewell. She that would alter services with thee,

"THE FORTUNATE-UNHAPPY."

I

Day-light and champian discovers not more: this is open. will be proud, I will read politic authors, I will baffle Sir Toby, I will wash off gross acquaintance, I will be point-de-vice, the very man. I do not now fool myself, to let imagination jade me; for every reason excites to this, that my lady loves me. She did commend my yellow stockings of late, she did praise my leg being cross-gartered; and in this she manifests herself to my love, and, with a kind of injunction, drives me to these habits of her liking. I thank my stars, I am happy. I will be strange, stout, in yellow stockings, and cross-gartered, even with

the swiftness of putting on. Here is yet a postscript. who I am. If thou entertainest my love, let it appear in thy smiling; thy smiles become thee well therefore in my presence still smile, dear my sweet, I pr'y thee." Jove, I thank thee I will smile; I will do everything that thou wilt have me. (Exit.) Fab. I will not give my part of this sport for a pension of thousands to be paid from the Sophy.

Jove, and my stars be praised!-"Thou canst not choose but know

Sir To. I could marry this wench for this device.

Sir And. So could I too.

Sir To. And ask no other dowry with her but such another jest.

SHAKSPEARE.

THE FOOL IN OFFICE.

DOGBERRY VERGES CONRADE

BORACHIO-SEXTON

WATCH

(Enter Dogberry, Verges, and Sexton in gowns; and the Watch, with Conrade and Borachio.)

Dogb. Is our whole dissembly appeared?

Verg. O, a stool and a cushion for the sexton.

Sexton. Which be the malefactors?

Dogb. Marry, that am I and my partner.

Verg. Nay, that 's certain; we have the exhibition to examine Sexton. But which are the offenders that are to be examined?

let them come before master constable.

Dogb. Yea, marry, let them come before me.

name, friend?

Bora. Borachio.

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What is your

Dogb. Pray, write down Borachio. Yours, sirrah? Con. I am a gentleman, sir, and my name is Conrade. Dogb. Write down master gentleman Conrade. — Masters, do you serve God?

Con. Bora. Yea, sir, we hope.

Dogb. Write down- that they hope they serve God:

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write God first: for God defend but God should go before such villains! Masters, it is proved already that you are little better than false knaves; and it will go near to be thought so shortly. How answer you for yourselves?

Con. Marry, sir, we say we are none.

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Dogb. A marvelous witty fellow, I assure you; but I will gc about with him.. Come you hither, sirrah; a word in your war, sir; I say o you, it is thought you are faise knaves.

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