That I shall think it a most plenteous crop Phe. Know'st thou the youth that spoke to me ere while? Sil. Not very well, but I have met him oft; And he hath bought the cottage, and the bounds, That the old carlot' once was master of. Phe. Think not I love him, though I ask for him; 'Tis but a peevish boy:-yet he talks well;But what care I for words? yet words do well, When he that speaks them pleases those that hear. It is a pretty youth:-not very pretty :But, sure he's proud; and yet his pride becomes him: He'll make a proper man: The best thing in him Is his complexion; and faster than his tongue Did make offence, his eye did heal it up. He is not tall; yet for his years he's tall: His leg is but so so; and yet 'tis well: There was a pretty redness in his lip; A little riper and more lusty red Than that mix'd in his cheek; 'twas just the dif ference Betwixt the constant red, and mingled damask. I have more cause to hate him than to love him: He said, mine eyes were black, and my hair black; But that's all one; omittance is no quittance. And thou shalt bear it; Wilt thou, Silvius? I'll write it straight; ACT IV. SCENE I.-The same. [Exeunt. Enter Rosalind, Celia, and Jaques. Jaq. I pr'ythee, pretty youth, let me be better acquainted with thee. and to have nothing, is to have rich eyes and poor hands. Jaq. Yes, I have gained my experience. Ros. And your experience makes you sad: I had rather have a fool to make me merry, than experience to make me sad; and to travel for it too. Orl. Good day, and happiness, dear Rosalind! Jaq. Nay, then, God be wi' you, an you talk in blank verse. [Exit. Ros. Farewell, monsieur traveller: Look, you lisp, and wear strange suits; disable all the beneits of your own country; be out of love with your nativity, and almost chide God for making you that countenance you are; or I will scarce think you have swam in a gondola.-Why, how now, Orfando! Where have you been all this while? You a lover?-An you serve me such another trick, never come in my sight more. Orl. My fair Rosalind, I come within an hour of my promise. Ros. Break an hour's promise in love? He that will divide a minate into a thousand parts, and break but a part of the thousandth part of a minute in the affairs of love, it may be said of him, that Cupid hath clap'd him o' the shoulder, but I warrant him heart-whole. Orl. Pardon me, dear Rosalind. Ros. Nay, an you be so tardy, come no more in my sight; I had as lief be woo'd of a snail. Orl. Of a snail? Ros. Ay, of a snail; for though he comes slowly, he carries his house on his head; a better jonture, I think, than you can make a woman: Besides, he brings his destiny with him. Orl. What's that? Ros. Why, horns; which such as you are fain to be beholden to your wives for: but he comes armed in his fortune, and prevents the slander of his wife. Orl. Virtue is no horn-maker; and my Rosalind is virtuous. Ros. And I am your Rosalind. Cel. It pleases him to call you so; but he hath a Rosalind of a better leer than you. Ros. Come, woo me, woo me; for now I am in a holiday humour, and like enough to consent:What would you say to me now, an I were your very very Rosalind? Órl. I would kiss, before I spoke. Ros. Nay, you were better speak first; and when you were gravelled for lack of matter, you might take occasion to kiss. Very good orators, when they are out, they will spit; and for lovers, lacking (God warn us!) matter, the cleanliest shift is to kiss. Orl. How if the kiss be denied? Ros. Then she puts you to entreaty, and there begins new matter. Ros. They say, you are a melancholy fellow. Jaq. I am so; I do love it better than laughing. Ros. Those, that are in extremity of either, are abominable fellows; and betray themselves to every modern censure, worse than drunkards. Jaq. Why, 'tis good to be sad and say nothing. Ros. Why then, 'tis good to be a post. Jaq. I have neither the scholar's melancholy, which is emulation; nor the musician's, which is fantastical; nor the courtier's, which is proud; nor the soldier's, which is ambitious; nor the lawyer's, which is politic; nor the lady's, which is nice; Ros. Marry, that should you, if I were your nor the lover's, which is all these: but it is a me- mistress; or I should think my honesty ranker than lancholy of mine own, compounded of many sim- my wit. ples, extracted from many objects: and, indeed, the sundry contemplation of my travels, in which Ros. Not out of your apparel, and yet out of my often rumination wraps me, is a most humorous your suit. Am not I your Rosalind? sadness. Orl. Who could be out, being before his beloved mistress? Orl. What, of my suit? Cl. I take some joy to say you are, because I Ros. Well, in her person, I say-I will not have Ros. A traveller! By my faith, you have great would be talking of her. reason to be sad: I fear, you have sold your own lands, to see other men's; then, to have seen much, you. (1) Peasant. (2) Silly. (3) Trifling. (4) Undervalue. (5) Complexion. stop that, 'twill fly with the smoke out at the chimney. Orl. Then, in mine own person, I die. Ros. No, faith, die by attorney. The poor world is almost six thousand years old, and in all this Orl. A man that had a wife with such a wit, he time there was not any man died in his own person, might say,-Wit, whither will? videlicet, in a love-cause. Troilus had his brains Ros. Nay, you might keep that check for it, till dashed out with a Grecian club; yet he did what you met your wife's wit going to your neighbour's he could to die before; and he is one of the pat- bed. terns of love. Leander, he would have lived many Orl. And what wit could wit have to excuse that? a fair year, though Hero had turned nun, if it had Ros. Marry, to say,-she came to seek you there. not been for a hot midsummer night: for, good You shall never take her without her answer, unyouth, he went but forth to wash him in the Hel-less you take her without her tongue. O, that lespont, and, being taken with the cramp, was woman that cannot make her fault her husband's drowned; and the foolish chroniclers of that age occasion, let her never nurse her child herself, for found it was-Hero of Sestos. But these are all she will breed it like a fool. lies; men have died from time to time, and worms have eaten them, but not for love. Orl. I would not have my right Rosalind of this mind; for, I protest, her frown might kill me. Ros. By this hand, it will not kill a fly. But come, now I will be your Rosalind in a more coming-on disposition; and ask me what you will, I will grant it. Orl. Then love me, Rosalind. Or!. For these two hours, Rosalind, I will leave thee. Ros. Alas, dear love, I cannot lack thee two hours. Orl. I must attend the duke at dinner; by two o'clock I will be with thee again. Ros. Ay, go your ways, go your ways;-I knew what you would prove; my friends told me as much, and I thought no less:-that flattering tongue Ros. Yes, faith will I, Fridays, and Saturdays, of yours won me :-'tis but one cast away, and and all. Orl. And wilt thou have me î Ros. Ay, and twenty such. a Ros. Why then, can one desire too much of good thing-Come, sister, you shall be the priest, and marry us.-Give me your hand, Orlando:What do you say, sister? so,-come, death.-Two o'clock is your hour? Orl. Ay, sweet Rosalind. Ros. By my troth, and in good earnest, and so God mend me, and by all pretty oaths that are not dangerous, if you break one jot of your promise, or come one minute behind your hour, I will think you the most pathetical break-promise, and the most hollow lover, and the most unworthy of her you call Rosalind, that may be chosen out of the gross band of the unfaithful: therefore beware my censure, and keep your promise. Orl. Pray thee, marry us. Orl. With no less religion, than if thou wert in this Rosalind? Orl. I will. Ros. Ay, but when? Ros. Well, time is the old justice that examines all such offenders, and let time try: Adieu! [Exit Orlando. Cel. You have simply misus'd our sex in your love-prate: we must have your doublet and hose Rosa-plucked over your head, and show the world what the bird hath done to her own nest. Orl. Why now; as fast as she can marry us. Ros. Then you must say,-I take thee, lind, for wife. Orl. I take thee, Rosalind, for wife. Ros. I might ask you for your commission; but -I do take thee, Orlando, for my husband: There a girl goes before the priest; and, certainly, a woman's thought runs before her actions. Orl. So do all thoughts; they are winged. Ros. O coz, coz, coz, my pretty little coz, that thou didst know how many fathom deep I am in love! But it cannot be sounded; my affection hath an unknown bottom, like the bay of Portugal. Cel. Or rather bottomless; that as fast as you pour affection in, it runs out. Ros. No, that same wicked bastard of Venus, that was begot of thought, conceived of spleen, and born of madness; that blind rascally boy, that Ros, Say a day, without the ever: No, no, Or-abuses every one's eyes, because his own are out, lando; men are April when they woo, December let him be judge, how deep I am in love:—I'll when they wed: maids are May when they are tell thee, Aliena, I cannot be out of the sight of maids, but the sky changes when they are wives. Orlando: I'll go find a shadow, and sigh till he I will be more jealous of thee than a Barbary cock-come. pigeon over his hen; more clamorous than a parrot against rain; more new-fangled than an ape; more giddy in my desires than a monkey; I will weep for nothing, like Diana in the fountain, and I will do that when you are disposed to be merry; I will laugh like a hyen, and that when thou art inclined to sleep. Orl. But will my Rosalind do so? Cel. And I'll sleep. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-Another part of the Forest. Enter Jag. Which is he that killed the deer? Jaq. Let's present him to the duke, like a Ro Ros. Or else she could not have the wit to do this: the wiser, the waywarder: Make the doors1 upon a woman's wit, and it will out at the case- Jaq. Sing it; 'tis no matter how it be in tune ment; shut that, and 'twill out at the key-hole; so it make noise enough. (1) Bar the doors. (2) Melancholy. Alack, in me what strange effect Ros. Do you pity him? no, he deserves no pity. -Wilt thou love such a woman?-What, to make thee an instrument, and play false strains upon thee! not to be endured!-Well, go your way to her, (for I see, love hath made thee a tame snake,) and say this to her :-That if she love me, I charge her to love thee: if she will not, I will never have her, unless thou entreat for her.-If you be a true lover, hence, and not a word; for here comes more [Exit Silvius. [Giving a letter. company. I know not the contents; but, as I guess, Ros. Patience herself would startle at this letter, Sil. No, I protest, I know not the contents; Phebe did write it. Ros. Come, come, you are a tool, And turn'd into the extremity of love. I saw her hand: she has a leathern hand, A freestone-colour'd hand; I verily did think That her old gloves were on, but 'twas her hands; She has a huswife's hand; but that's no matter: I say, she never did invent this letter; This is a man's invention, and his hand. Sil. Sure, it is hers. Ros. Why, 'tis a boisterous and cruel style, A style for challengers; why, she defies me, Like Turk to Christian: woman's gentle brain Could not drop forth such giant rude invention, Such Ethiop words, blacker in their effect Than in their countenance:-Will you hear the letter? Sil. So please you, for I never heard it yet; Art thou god to shepherd turn'd, Can a woman rail thus? Sil. Call you this railing? Warr'st thou with a woman's heart? While the eye of man did woo me, That could do no vengeance' to me.Meaning me a beast.— [Reads. If the scorn of your bright eyne? Have power to raise such love in mine, (1) Mischief. (2) Eyes. (3) Nature. bottom, The rank of osiers, by the murmuring stream, Left on your right hand, brings you to the place: But at this hour the house doth keep itself, There's none within. Oli. If that an eye may profit by a tongue, Then I should know you by description; Such garments, and such years: The boy is fair, Of female favour, and bestows himself Like a ripe sister: but the woman low, And browner than her brother. Are not you The owner of the house I did inquire for? Cel. It is no boast, being ask'd, to say, we are, Oli. Orlando doth commend him to you both; And to that youth, he calls his Rosalind, He sends this bloody napkin ; Are you he? Ros. I am: What must we understand by this? Oli. Some of my shame; if you will know of me What man I am, and how, and why, and where This handkerchief was stain'd. Cel. I pray you, tell it, Oli. When last the young Orlando parted from you, He left a promise to return again A wretched ragged man, o'ergrown with hair, Lay couching, head on ground, with cat-like watch, (4) Environs of a forest. (5) Handkerchief. The royal disposition of that beast, To prey on nothing that doth seem as dead: And he did render' him the most unnatural, Oli. Ros. But, to Orlando ;-Did he leave him there, Oli. Twice did he turn his back, and purpos'd so: 2 Cel. Are you his brother? Oli. 'Twas I; but 'tis not I: I do not shame There stripp'd himself, and here upon his arm Touch. We shall find a time, Audrey; patience, gentle Audrey. Aud. 'Faith, the priest was good enough, for all the old gentleman's saying. Touch. A most wicked sir Oliver, Audrey, a most vile Mar-text. But, Audrey, there is a youth here in the forest lays claim to you. Aud. Ay, I know who 'tis, he hath no interest in me in the world: here comes the man you mean. Enter William. Touch. It is meat and drink to me, to see a clown: By my troth, we that have good wits, have much to answer for; we shall be flouting; we cannot hold. Will. Good even, Audrey. Aud. God ye good even, William. Touch. Good even, gentle friend: Cover thy head, cover thy head; nay, pr'ythee, be covered. How old are you, friend? Will. Five and twenty, sir. Touch. A ripe age; Is thy name William ? Touch. A fair name: Wast born i'the forest here? Touch. Thank God;-a good answer: Art rich? Touch. So, so, is good, very good, very excellent good:-and yet it is not; it is but so so. Art thou wise? Will. Av, sir, I have a pretty wit. Which all this while had bled; and now he fainted, mede ? Cel. There is more in it :-Cousin-Ganymede! Touch. Give me your hand: Art thou learned ? Touch. Then learn this of me; To have, is to have: For it is a figure in rhetoric, that drink Oli. Be of good cheer, youth:-You a man?-being poured out of a cup into a glass, by filling You lack a man's heart. the one doth empty the other: For all your writers Ros. I do so, I confess it. Ah, sir, a body would do consent, that ipse is he; now you are not ipse, think this was well counterfeited: I pray you tell for I am he. your brother how well I counterfeited.-Heigh Will. Which he, sir? ho! Touch. He, sir, that must marry this woman: Oli. This was not counterfeit; there is too great Therefore, you clown, abandon,-which is in the testimony in your complexion, that it was a pas- vulgar, leave,-the society, which in the boorish sion of earnest. Ros. Counterfeit, I assure you. is, company,-of this female,-which in the common is,-woman, which together is, abandon the Oli. Well then, take a good heart, and counter-society of this female; or, clown, thou perishest; feit to be a man. or, to thy better understanding, diest; to wit, Ros. So I do: but, i'faith I should have been a kill thee, make thee away, translate thy life into woman by right. death, thy liberty into bondage: I will deal in Cel. Come, you look paler and paler; pray you, poison with thee, or in bastinado, or in steel; I draw homewards :-Good sir, go with us. will bandy with thee in faction; I will o'er run thee Oli. That wil! I, for I must bear answer back with policy; I will kill thee a hundred and fifty How you excuse my brother, Rosalind. ways; therefore tremble, and depart. Aud. Do, good William. Will. God rest you merry, sir. [Exil away, away. Enter Corin. years old, conversed with a magician, most profound in this art, and yet not damnable. If you Cor. Our master and mistress seek you; come, do love Rosalind so near the heart as your gesture cries it out, when your brother marries Aliena, shall Touch. Trip, Audrey, trip, Audrey;-I attend, you marry her: I know into what straits of fortune [Exeunt. she is driven; and it is not impossible to me, if it Enter Orlando and appear not inconvenient to you, to set her before your eyes to-morrow, human as she is, and without any danger. I attend. SCENE II.-The same. Oliver. Orl. Is't possible, that on so little acquaintance Orl. Speakest thou in sober meanings? you should like her? that, but seeing, you should Ros. By my life, I do which I tender dearly, love her? and, loving, woo? and, wooing, she though I say I am a magician: Therefore, put you should grant? and will you perséver to enjoy her? in your best array, bid your friends; for if you Oli. Neither call the giddiness of it in question, will be married to-morrow, you shall; and to the poverty of her, the small acquaintance, my sud- Rosalind, if you will. den wooing, nor her sudden consenting; but say with me, I love Aliena; say with her, that she Enter Silvius and Phebe. hers. loves me; consent with both, that we may enjoy Look, here comes a lover of mine, and a lover of each other: it shall be to your good; for my father's house, and all the revenue that was old sir Rowland's, will I estate upon you, and here live and die a shepherd. Orl. It is my arm. Ros. I thought thy heart had been wounded with the claws of a lion. Orl. Wounded it is, but with the eyes of a lady. Ros. Did your brother tell you how I counterfeited to swoon, when he showed me your handkerchief? Orl. Ay, and greater wonders than that. Ros. O, I know where you are:-Nay, 'tis true: there was never any thing so sudden, but the fight of two rams, and Caesar's thrasonical brag of I cane, saw, and overcame: For your brother and my sister no sooner met, but they looked; no sooner looked, but they loved; no sooner loved, buti they sighed; no sooner sighed, but they asked one another the reason; no sooner knew the reason, but they sought the remedy; and in these degrees have they made a pair of stairs to marriage, which they will climb incontinent, or else be incontinent before marriage: they are in the very wrath of love, and they will together; clubs cannot part them. Phe. Youth, you have done me much ungentle ness, To show the letter that I writ to you. Ros. I care not, if I have: it is my study, Sil. It is to be all made of sighs and tears ;- Phe. And I for Ganymede. Sil. It is to be all made of faith and service;- Phe. And I for Ganymede. Sil. It is to be all made of phantasy, Phe. And so am I for Ganymede. Sil. If this be so, why blame you me to love you? Orl. If this be so, why blame you me to love you? Ros. Who do you speak to, Why blame you me to love you? Orl. They shall be married to-morrow; and I Orl. To her, that is not here, nor doth not hear. will bid the duke to the nuptial. But, O, how bit- Ros. Pray you, no more of this; 'tis like the ter a thing it is to look into happiness through an- howling of Irish wolves against the moon.-I will other man's eyes! By so much the more shall I to-help you, [To Silvius.] if I can:-I would love morrow be at the height of heart-heaviness, by how you, To Phebe.] if I could.-To-morrow meet me much I shall think my brother happy, in having all together.-I will marry you, [To Phebe.] if ever what he wishes for. I marry woman, and I'll be married to-morrow:Ras. Why then, to-morrow I cannot serve your I will satisfy you, [To Orlando.] if ever I satisfied turn for Rosalind? man, and you shall be married to-morrow :-I Orl. I can live no longer by thinking. will contert you, [To Silvius.] if what pleases Ros. I will weary you no longer then with idle you contents you, and you shall be married totalking. Know of me then (for now I speak to morrow.-As you [To Orlando.] love Rosalind, some purpose,) that I know you are a gentleman meet ;-as you [To Silvius.] love Phebe, meet; of good conceit: I speak not this, that you should And as I love no woman, I'll meet.-So, fare you bear a good opinion of my knowledge, insomuch, well; I have left you commands. I say, I know you are; neither do I labour for a greater esteem than may in some little measure! draw a belief from you, to do yourself good, and not to grace me. Believe then, if you please, that I can do strange things: I have, since I was three! Sil. I'll not fail, if I live. Nor I. Nor I. [Exe. (1) Invite. |