Night]. 1
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The subject of this comedy has no reference whatever to its title of "Twelfth
Night."2 —Ancient manners, and old
fashioned improbabilities, form the character of this drama; whilst some exquisite
poetry, and some interesting events are its ornaments.
Those readers, who can receive entertainment from a fictitious, or from a real fool,
will find much humorous amusement in the parts of both the Clown, and Sir
Andrew;3 and they will possibly, also,
enjoy the ridicule which arises from an imposition that is practised upon a
presumptuous upper servant of a woman of quality.4 But the dramatis personæ of higher interest are those,
with whom Viola is concerned in the serious,
more than in the comic occurrences, which befall her; for, with them, she speaks a
language that enchants both the ear and the understanding; and produces a happy
contrast to the less refined dialogue.
It is said that King Charles the
First, whose admiration of Shakspeare was a crime with the Puritans, gave this play the title of
"Malvolio." Had His Majesty seen Mrs. Jordan perform in it, he, no doubt,
would have called it "Viola." The former
character is, however, suited to former times.
b 2[Page 4]
For in times past it was a custom with the facetious in high life, and to this day
it
continues so with the witty vulgar, to derive infinite merriment, from gross deceit,
such as is here employed to ensnare Malvolio. If a man was observed to incline to
one
overruling passion, all his neighbours, in bold defiance of christian charity, and
kind compassion, formed a conspiracy to increase his predominant vice; and, without
reverence for his unsuspicious nature, or shame for their own treachery, no sooner
was their scheme accomplished, than they openly contemned their dupe, for his trust
in their words and protestations.
Independent of the immoral tendency of this conduct, those incidents which arise from
such despicable artifice, is beneath the ingenuity of the drama. Yet, as an author
has an undoubted right to show the fashions of the age he represents; so, on that
account alone, he has here, perhaps laudably, added to his natural fool, and his
counterfeit fool—a made fool.
It might, nevertheless, be asked by a partizan of Malvolio's, whether this credulous
steward was much deceived, in imputing a degraded taste, in the sentiments of love,
to his fair Lady Olivia? as she actually did
fall in love with a domestic; and one, who, from his extreme youth, was, perhaps,
a
greater reproach to her discretion, than had she cast a tender regard upon her old
and faithful servant.5
The imprudence of women, in placing their affections, their happiness, on men younger
than themselves, cannot be better described, nor the sex more powerfully warned
against such propensity, than, by the Duke Orsino,6 in this very play. [Page 5]——Let still the woman takeAn elder than herself; so wears she to him,So sways she level in her husband's heart, &c.7 space between stanzas
Although the mirth, which is excited at the expense of Malvolio, is impeded by the
ungenerous stratagem, through which he has been deceived; yet it is gratifying to
observe the skill, by which he is made, as soon as his vanity is caught, to interpret
every event that occurs, every word that is uttered, to the purpose, on which his
wishes are bent.—Other gratifications, of a more exalted kind, will be derived
from the more exalted characters. The meeting of the brother and sister will produce
a sympathy, that every reader will sensibly feel;—and the following lines,
delivered by Fabian,8 in the original edition, ought to mollify
criticism upon some of the most extraordinary incidents contained in this work: for
in these lines Shakspeare alludes,
perhaps, to other extravagant circumstances in "Twelfth Night" as well
as to that, exhibited in the scene where they are spoken; and meant thus indirectly,
to plead guilty. Fabian. If this were played
upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable fiction.9
b 3