Sir To. O, ay! make up that: he is now at a cold scent.

Fab. Sowters 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.5

Sir To. Ay, or I'll cudgel him, and make him cry, 0.

Mal. and then I comes behind;

Fab. Ay an you had an 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

3 Sowter-] Sowter is here, I suppose, the name of a hound. Sowterly, however, is often employed as a term of abuse. So, in Like Will to Like, &c. 1587:

"You sowterly knaves, show you all your manners at once?” A sowter was a cobler. So, in Greene's Card of Fancy, 1608: "If Apelles, that cunning painter, suffer the greasy sowter to take a view of his curious work," &c. Steevens.

I believe the meaning is-This fellow will, notwithstanding, catch at and be duped by our device, though the cheat is so gross that any one else would find it out. Our author, as usual, forgets to make his simile answer on both sides; for it is not to be wondered at that a hound should cry or give his tongue, if the scent be as rank as a fox. Malone.

4

as rank as a fox.] Sir Thomas Hanmer reads,—" not as rank." The other editions, though it be as rank, &c.

Johnson. 5 And ✪ shall end, I hope.] By O is here meant what we now call a bempen collar. Johnson.

I believe he means only, it shall end in sighing, in disappointment. So, in Romeo and Juliet:

Why should you fall into so deep an O?"

the

Again, in Decker's Honest Whore, second part, 1630: “ brick house of castigation, the school where they pronounce no letter well, but " Again, in Hymen's Triumph, by Daniel, 1623:

"Like to an O, the character of wee." Steevens,

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 theu 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 thec. Remember who commended thy yellow stockings;8

6 are born great,] The old copy reads—are become great. The alteration by Mr. Rowe. Steevens.

It is justified by a subsequent passage in which the clown reeites from memory the words of this letter. Malone.

7 Be opposite] That is, be adverse, hostile. An opposite, in the language of our author's age, meant an adversary. See a note on K. Kichard III, Act V, sc. iv. To be opposite with was the phraseology of the time. So, in Sir T. Overbury's Chargeter of a Precisian, 1616: "He will be sure to be in opposition with the papist," &c. Malone.

8 - yellow stockings ;] Before the civil wars, yellow stockings were much worn. So, in D'Avenant's play, called The Wits, Act IV, p. 208. Works fol. 1673:

"You said, my girl, Mary Queasie by name, did find your uncle's yellow stockings in a porringer; nay, and you said she stole them." Percy.

So, Middleton and Rowley in their masque entitled The World Boss'd at Tennis, no date, where the five different-coloured starches are introduced as striving for superiority, Yellow starch says to white:

since she cannot

"Wear her own linen yellow, yet she shows

"Her love to 't, and makes him wear yellow bose,"

Again, in Decker's Match me in London, 1631:

because you wear

"A kind of yellow stocking."

Again, in his Honest Whore, second part, 1630: "What stockings have you put on this morning, madam? if they be not yellow, change them." The yeomen attending the Earl of Arundel, Lord Windsor, and Mr. Fulke Greville, who assisted at an entertainment performed before Queen Elizabeth, on the Monday and Tuesday in Whitsun week, 1581, were dressed i yellow worsted stockings. The book from which I gather t information was published by Henry Goldwell, gent. in the san year. Steevens.

and wished to see thee ever cross-gartered:" I 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. wel. She that would alter services with thee,

Fare

The fortunate-unhappy. Day-light and champian discovers not more:1 this is open. I 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.2 I do not now

cross-gartered: So, in The Lover's Melancholy, 1629: "As rare an old youth as ever walk'd cross-gartered."

Again, in A Woman's a Weathercock, 1612:

"Yet let me say and swear, in a cross-garter, "Pauls never shew'd to eyes a lovelier quarter." Very rich garters were anciently worn below the knee. So, in Warner's Albion's England, B. IX, ch. 47:

"Garters of listes; but now of silk, some edged deep with gold."

It appears, however, that the ancient Puritans affected this fashion. Thus, Barton Holyday, speaking of the ill success of his TEXNOTAMIA, says:

a

"Had there appear'd some sharp cross-garter'd man
"Whom their loud laugh might nick-name Puritan;"
"Cas'd up in factions breeches, and small ruffe;
"That hates the surplice, and defies the cuffe.

"Then," &c.

In a former scene Malvolio was said to be an affecter of puri. tanism. Stcevens.

1 The fortunate-unhappy.

Day-light and champian discovers not more:] We should read-The fortunate, and happy."-Day-light and champian discovers not more: i. e. broad day and an open country cannot make things plainer. Warburton.

The folio, which is the only ancient copy of this play, reads, the fortunate unhappy, and so I have printed it. The fortunate uphappy is the subscription of the letter. Steevens.

2 I will be point-de-vice, the very man,] This phrase is of French extraction-a points-devisez: Chaucer uses it in the Romaunt of the Rose:

“Her nose was wrought at point device.”

i. e. with the utmost possible exactness.

Again, in K. Edward I, 1599:

1

"That we may have our garments point-device." Kastril, in The Alchemist, calls his sister Punk-device: and again, in The Tale of a Tub, Act III, sc. vii:

66

and if the dapper priest

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-garter'd, even with the swiftness of putting on. Jove and my stars be praised!-Here is yet a postscript. Thou canst not choose but know 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'ythee. Jove, I thank thee, I will smile; I will do every thing 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.3

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.

Enter MARIA.

Sir And. Nor I neither.

Fab. Here comes my noble gull-catcher.

Sir To. Wilt thou set thy foot o' my neck?

Sir And. Or o'mine either?

Sir To. Shall I play my freedom at tray-trip, and become thy bond-slave?.

"Be but as cunning point in his devise,

"As I was in my lie." Steevens.

3 — a pension of thousands to be paid from the Sophy.] Alluding, as Dr. Farmer observes, to Sir Robert Shirley, who was just returned in the character of embassador from the Sophy. He boasted of the great rewards he had received, and lived in London with the utmost splendor. Steevens.

tray-trip,] Tray-trip is mentioned in Beaumont and Fletcher's Scornful Lady, 1616:

66

Reproving him at tray-trip, sir, for swearing." Again, in Glapthorne's Wit in a Constable, 1640: ".

mean

time, you may play at tray-trip or cockall, for black-puddings." My watch are above, at trea-trip, for a black-pudding,” &c. Again:

"With lanthorn on stal!, at trea-trip we play,

"For ale, cheese, and pudding, till it be day," &c. Steevens.

Sir And. I' faith, or I either.

Sir To. Why, thou hast put him in such a dream, that, when the image of it leaves him, he must run mad.

Mar. Nay, but say true; does it work upon him? Sir To. Like aqua-vites with a midwife.

Mar. If you will then see the fruits of the sport, mark his first approach before my lady: he will come to her in yellow stockings, and 'tis a colour she abhors; and cross-gartered, a fashion she detests; and he will smile upon her, which will now be so unsuitable to her disposition, being addicted to a melancholy as she is, that it cannot but turn him into a notable contempt; if you will see it, follow me..

Sir To. To the gates of Tartar, thou most excellent devil of wit!

Sir And. I'll make one too.

[Exeunt

The following passage might incline one to believe that tray. trip was the name of some game at tables, or draughts: "There is great danger of being taken sleepers at tray-trip, if the king sweep suddenly." Cecil's Correspondence, Lett. X, p. 136. Ben Jonson joins tray-trip with mum-chance. Alchemist, Act V, sc. iv:

"Nor play with costar-mongers at mum-chance, tray-trip.” Tyrwhitt.

The truth of Mr. Tyrwhitt's conjecture will be established by the following extract from Machiavel's Dogge, a satire, 4to. 1617:

5

6

"But leaving cardes, lett 's goe to dice awhile,

"To passage, treitrippe, hazarde, or mum-chance,

"But subtill males will simple minds beguile,

"And blinde their eyes with many a blinking glaunce: "Oh, cogges and stoppes, and such like devilish trickes, “Full many a purse of golde and silver pickes. "And therefore first, for hazard hee that list, "And passeth not, puts many to a blancke: "And trippe without a treye makes had I wist

"To sitt and mourne among the sleeper's ranke: "And for mumchance, how ere the chance doc fall, "You must be mum, for fear of marring all." Reed,

aqua-vite] Is the old name of strong waters.

Johnson. cross-gartered, a fashion she detests;] Sir Thomas Overbury, in his character of a foorman without gards on his coat, presents him as more upright than any crosse-gartered gentleman-usher.. Farmer.