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George Sewell [1723–5], The works of Shakespear in six [seven] volumes. Collated and Corrected by the former Editions, By Mr. Pope ([Vol. 7] Printed by J. Darby, for A. Bettesworth [and] F. Fayram [etc.], London) [word count] [S11101].
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SCENE V. Enter Sebastian.

Seb.
I am sorry, madam, I have hurt your uncle:
But had it been the brother of my blood,
I must have done no less with wit and safety.
You throw a strange regard on me, by which
I do perceive it hath offended you;
Pardon me, sweet one, even for the vows
We made each other, but so late ago.

Duke.
One face, one voice, one habit, and two persons,
A nat'ral perspective, that is, and is not.

Seb.
Antonio, O my dear Antonio!
How have the hours rack'd and tortur'd me,
Since I have lost thee?

Ant.
Sebastian are you?

-- 543 --

Seb.
Fear'd you that, Antonio!

Ant.
How have you made division of your self?
An apple cleft in two, is not more twin
Than these two creatures. Which is Sebastian?

Oli.
Most wonderful!

Seb.
Do I stand there? I never had a brother:
Nor can there be a deity in my nature
Of here and every where. I had a sister,
Whom the blind waves and surges have devour'd:
Of charity, what kin are you to me? [To Viola.
What countryman? what name? what parentage?

Vio.
Of Messaline; Sebastian was my father,
Such a Sebastian was my brother too:
So went he suited to his wat'ry tomb.
If spirits can assume both form and suit,
You come to fright us.

Seb.
A spirit I am indeed,
But am in that dimension grosly clad,
Which from the womb I did participate.
Were you a woman, as the rest go even,
I should my tears let fall upon your cheek,
And say, thrice welcome drowned Viola.

Vio.
My father had a mole upon his brow.

Seb.
And so had mine.

Vio.
And dy'd that day when Viola from her birth
Had numbred thirteen years.

Seb.
O that record is lively in my soul,
He finished indeed his mortal act
That day that make my sister thirteen years.

Vio.
If nothing lets to make us happy both,
But this my masculine usurp'd attire;
Do not embrace me, 'till each circumstance
Of place, time, fortune, do cohere and jump

-- 544 --


That I am Viola; which to confirm,
I'll bring you to a captain in this town
Where lye my maiden weeds; by whose gentle help
I was preserv'd to serve this noble Duke.
All the occurrence of my fortune since
Hath been between this lady, and this lord.

Seb.
So comes it, lady, you have been mistook: [To Oli.
But nature to her bias drew in that.
You would have been contracted to a maid,
Nor are you therein, by my life, deceiv'd,
You are betroth'd both to a maid and man.

Duke.
Be not amaz'd: right noble is his blood:
If this be so, as yet the glass seems true,
I shall have share in this most happy wreck.
Boy, thou hast said to me a thousand times [To Vio.
Thou never should'st love woman like to me.

Vio.
And all those sayings will I over-swear,
And all those swearings keep as true in soul,
As doth that orbed continent the fire
That severs day from night.

Duke.
Give me thy hand,
And let me see thee in thy woman's weeds.

Vio.
The captain that did bring me first on shore,
Hath my maids garments: he upon some action
Is now in durance, at Malvolio's suit,
A gentleman and follower of my lady's.

Oli.
He shall enlarge him: fetch Malvolio hither.
And yet alas, now I remember me,
They say, poor gentleman, he's much distract.

-- 545 --

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George Sewell [1723–5], The works of Shakespear in six [seven] volumes. Collated and Corrected by the former Editions, By Mr. Pope ([Vol. 7] Printed by J. Darby, for A. Bettesworth [and] F. Fayram [etc.], London) [word count] [S11101].
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