Twelfth Night Lesson Plan

While verbally sparring with Orsino, Feste says that "conclusions to be as kisses, if your four negatives make your two affirmatives, why then the worse for my friends and the better for my foes" (5.1.18-20). What does he mean by this?

In keeping with his character, Feste is playing with the preconceived notions most people have concerning friends and foes. Here, he is saying that he is better off with enemies who will be straight with him about his faults than his friends who will praise him without good reason. So, these "conclusions" from his friends be as "kisses," or compliments, and to believe them would be like hearing someone deny something four times and...