Shakespere 12th Night

Twelfth Night Essay

Twelfth Night essay features Samuel Taylor Coleridge's famous critique based on his legendary and influential Shakespeare notes and lectures.

Act i. sc. i. Duke's speech:--

--so full of shapes is fancy,

That it alone is high fantastical.

WARBURTON'S alteration of is into in is needless. 'Fancy' may very well be interpreted 'exclusive affection,' or 'passionate preference.' Thus, bird-fanciers, gentlemen of the fancy, that is, amateurs of boxing, &c. The play of assimilation,--the meaning one sense chiefly, and yet keep-ing both senses in view, is perfectly Shakspearian.

Act. ii. sc. 3. 'Sir Andrew's speech:--

An explanatory note on Pigrogromitus would have been more acceptable than Theobald's grand discovery that 'lemon' ought to be 'leman.'

Ib. Sir Toby's speech: (Warburton's note on the Peripatetic philosophy.)

Shall we rouse the night-owl in a catch, that will draw three souls out of one weaver?

O genuine, and inimitable (at least I hope so) Warburton! This note of thine, if but one in five millions, would be half a one too much.

Ib. sc. 4.

Duke: My life upon't, young though thou art, thine eye

Hath stay'd upon some favour that it loves;

Hath it not, boy? Vio. A little, by your favour.

Duke. What kind of woman is't?

And yet Viola was to have been presented to Orsino as a eunuch!--Act i. sc. 2. Viola's speech. Either she forgot this, or else she had altered her plan.

Ib.

Vio. A blank, my lord : she never told her love!-- But let concealment, &c.

After the first line, (of which the last five words should be spoken with, and drop down in, a deep sigh) the actress ought to make a pause; and then start afresh, from the