Great Regulars: The lyrics of this song, like others

in Twelfth Night, might not have been written by Shakespeare. Robert Armin, a noted singer and clown, and the first actor to play Feste, is also a contender--as is our old friend, Anon. Whoever he was, the writer seems to have wanted to fill out Feste's character and "back-story" and add a little last-minute tragi-comic, silly-sad commentary on life. It's almost a version of "All the world's a stage". For that reason, my money's on Shakespeare as the song's author.

from Carol Rumens: The Guardian: Poem of the week: Poem of the week: When that I was and a little tiny boy by William Shakespeare

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