SIR TO. What shall we do else? were we not born under Taurus? SIR AND. Taurus? that's sides and heart.1 SIR TO. No, sir; it is legs and thighs. Let me see thee caper: ha! higher: ha, ha!-excellent! [Exeunt, VAL. If the duke continue these favours towards you, Cesario, you are like to be much advanced; he hath known you but three days, and already you are no stranger. V10. You either fear his humour, or my negligence, that you call in question the continuance of his love: Is he inconstant, sir, in his favours? VAL. No, believe me. Enter DUKE, CURIO, and Attendants. VIO. I thank you. Here comes the count. DUKE. Who saw Cesario, ho? VIO. On your attendance, my lord; here. DUKE. Stand you awhile aloof.-Cesario, Thou know'st no less but all; I have unclasp'd • Taurus? that's sides and heart.] Alluding to the medical astrology still preserved in almanacks, which refers the affections of particular parts of the body to the predominance of particular constellations. JOHNSON. VOL. V. S To thee the book even of my secret soul: 5 And tell them, there thy fixed foot shall grow, VIO. Sure, my noble lord, If she be so abandon'd to her sorrow As it is spoke, she never will admit me. DUKE. Be clamorous, and leap all civil bounds, Rather than make unprofited return. V10. Say, I do speak with her, my lord; What then? DUKE. O, then unfold the passion of my love, Surprise her with discourse of my dear faith: It shall become thee well to act my woes; She will attend it better in thy youth, Than in a nuncio of more grave aspect. VIO. I think not so, my lord. DUKE. Dear lad, believe it; For they shall yet belie thy happy years, That say, thou art a man: Diana's lip Is not more smooth, and rubious; thy small pipe I know, thy constellation is right apt When least in company :-Prosper well in this, I have unclasp'd To thee the book even of my secret soul:] So, in The First Part of K. Henry IV: 6 "And now I will unclasp a secret book.” STEEVENS. a woman's part.] That is, thy proper part in a play would be a woman's. Women were then personated by boys. JOHNSON. And thou shalt live as freely as thy lord, V10. I'll do my best, To woo your lady: yet, [Aside.] a barful strife!? Whoe'er I woo, myself would be his wife. SCENE V. A Room in Olivia's House. Enter MARIA, and Clown. [Exeunt. MAR. Nay, either tell me where thou hast been, or I will not open my lips, so wide as a bristle may enter, in way of thy excuse: my lady will hang thee for thy absence. CLO. Let her hang me: he, that is well hanged in this world, needs to fear no colours." 7 a barful strife!] i. e. a contest full of impediments. STEEVENS. • Clown.] As this is the first Clown who makes his appearance in the plays of our author, it may not be amiss, from a passage in Tarleton's News out of Purgatory, to point out one of the ancient dresses appropriated to the character: "I saw one attired in russet, with a button'd cap on his head, a bag by his side, and a strong bat in his hand; so artificially attired for a clowne, as I began to call Tarleton's woonted shape to remembrance." STEEVENS. Such perhaps was the dress of the Clown in this comedy, in All's well that ends well, &c. The Clown, however, in Measure for Measure, (as an anonymous writer has observed,) is only the tapster of a brothel, and probably was not so apparelled. 9 MALONE. -fear no colours.] This expression frequently occurs in the old plays. So, in Ben Jonson's Sejanus. The persons conversing are Sejanus, and Eudemus the physician to the Princess Livia: MAR. Make that good. CLO. He shall see none to fear. 1 MAR. A good lenten answer: I can tell thee where that saying was born, of, I fear no colours. CLO. Where, good mistress Mary? MAR. In the wars; and that may you be bold to say in your foolery. CLO. Well, God give them wisdom, that have it; and those that are fools, let them use their talents. MAR. Yet you will be hanged, for being so long absent: or, to be turned away;2 is not that as good as a hanging to you? CLO. Many a good hanging prevents a bad marriage; and, for turning away, let summer bear it out.3 "Sej. You minister to a royal lady then? "Sej. That's understood "Of all their sex, who are or would be so; "And those that would be, physick soon can make 'em : "For those that are, their beauties fear no colours." Again, in The Two angry Women of Abingdon, 1599: 1 answer. 66 are you disposed, sir? "Yes indeed: I fear no colours; change sides, Richard." STEEVENS lenten answer :] A lean, or as we now call it, a dry JOHNSON. Surely a lenten answer, rather means a short and spare one, like the commons in Lent. So, in Hamlet: 66 what lenten entertainment the players shall receive from you." STEEVENS.. or, to be turned away;] The editor of the second folio omitted the word to, in which he has been followed by all subsequent editors. MALONE. 2 3 and, for turning away, let summer bear it out.] This seems to be a pun from the nearness in the pronunciation of turning away and turning of whey. MAR. You are resolute then? CLO. Not so neither; but I am resolved on two points. MAR. That, if one break, the other will hold; or, if both break, your gaskins fall. CLO. Apt, in good faith; very apt! Well, go thy way; if sir Toby would leave drinking, thou wert as witty a piece of Eve's flesh as any in Illyria. MAR. Peace, you rogue, no more o' that; here comes my lady: make your excuse wisely, you were best. [Exit. I found this observation among some papers of the late Dr. Letherland, for the perusal of which, I am happy to have an opportunity of returning my particular thanks to Mr. Glover, the author of Medea and Leonidas, by whom, before, I had been obliged only in common with the rest of the world. I am yet of opinion that this note, however specious, is wrong, the literal meaning being easy and apposite. For turning away, let summer bear it out. It is common for unsettled and vagrant serving-men, to grow negligent of their business towards summer; and the sense of the passage is: "If I am turned away, the advantages of the approaching summer will bear out, or support all the inconveniencies of dismission; for I shall find em ployment in every field, and lodging under every hedge." STEEVENS. if one (point) break,] Points were metal hooks, fastened to the hose or breeches, (which had then no opening or buttons,) and going into straps or eyes fixed to the doublet, and thereby keeping the hose from falling down. BLACKSTONE. So, in King Henry IV. P. I: "Their points being broken,— down fell their hose.' Again, in Antony and Cleopatra : 66 mingle eyes "With one that ties his points?" STEEVENS. |