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AS YOU LIKE IT.1

SCENE I. · OLIVER'S Orchard.

Enter ORLANDO and ADAM.

ACT I

Orl. As I remember, Adam, it was upon this fashion-bequeathed me by will but poor a thousand crowns, and, as thou sayest, charged my brother, on his blessing, to breed me well: and there begins my sadness. My brother Jaques he keeps at school, and report speaks goldenly of his profit: for my part, he keeps me rustically at home,

1. The first known printed copy of "As You LIKE IT" is that in the Folio, 1623. But as there exists an entry in the Stationers' Register, "4 Auguste, As you like yt, a book," believed to be for the year 1600, we may entertain some hope that a quarto copy of this play may hereafter be discovered. Traces of evidence point to the fact that this exquisite sylvan drama was probably written in the year 1599: and, from internal evidence, we have an impression that it may well have issued from his pen about that period. There is the same enchanting air of elastic spirits in the composition which marks another of his productions probably written about this time-"Much Ado:" and it is pleasant to believe that both these plays emanated from the cheerful mood that seems to have possessed him when he was about thirty-five years of age. The source of the plot of "As You Like It" is to be found in a novel by Thomas Lodge, called "Rosalynde, Euphues' Golden Legacye," 1590; the story of which novel bears resemblance to some points in the "Cook's Tale of Gamelyn," attributed to Chaucer. But whereas in the Euphuistic romance there is that stiffness and overstrained hyperbole which mars even a graceful story-and in the old ballad tale a hardness, roughness, and dryness which destroy our belief in its being really Chaucer's, though it possesses certain Chaucerian touches-there are, on the contrary, in Shakespeare's charming play, an ease, a freshness, a vivacity, yet withal a tenderness and truth intensely home-telling, that make the production essentially his own. While in the ballad-tale and the novel Orlando is merely brave and Herculeanly strong, in the play he is a type of manly spirit and modesty combined; while in Lodge Rosalynde is a heroine such as Euphuists loved to depict, in Shakespeare Rosalind is a piece of breathing perfection-playful, graceful, witty, wise, loving, pure-as genuine as she is vivacious. The old originals may have furnished our poet with the first sketch; but he filled his canvas with the created and consummate portraitures of Touchstone, Jaques, and Audrey; while he re-touched those figures already indicated with a skill that make them virtually his own. Compare the Adam Spencer of "The Cook's Tale of

or, to speak more properly, stays me here at home unkept; for call you that keeping for a gentleman of my birth, that differs not from the stalling of an ox? His horses are bred better; for, besides that they are fair with their feeding, they are taught their manage, and to that end riders dearly hired:3 but I, his brother, gain nothing under him but growth; for the which his animals on his dunghills are as much bound to him as I. Besides this nothing that he so plentifully gives me, the something that

Gamelyn" with the old Adam of Shakespeare, the Coridon of Lodge with the Corin of Shakespeare, and the poet's power of vitalising outlined characters will be strikingly apparent. It is delightful to know that we possess traditional proof that Shakespeare himself played the part of the faithful old servitor; a strong indication that it was a favourite one with him. To have heard the author utter that speech of simple, trustful devotion he had written! (Act ii., sc. 3.) Well might Coleridge exclaim-"It is worth having died two hundred years ago, to have heard Shakespeare deliver a single line."

2. Bequeathed me by will. Here we must understand 'he' before "bequeathed,” as it is also understood before "charged," immediately after. Orlando is speaking of his father; and the effect of this understood nominative in the speech is excellent, as conveying the impression of a conversation already begun and now proceeding. The sentence, "As thou sayest," carries on this impression. The omission of the word 'he' here has another advantage; it allows its introduction immediately after, in the sentence, "My brother Jaques he keeps at school," as an allusion to Oliver; which else would have made a confusion of antecedents.

3. But poor a thousand crowns. This form of expressionputting the adjective before the article-is found in old writers before Shakespeare's time; and he himself has a somewhat similar one in "Ant. and Cleo.," v. 2, "What poor an instrument may do a noble deed!"

4. Stays. Some editors change this to 'stys' or 'sties;' but "stays" is only another form of "keeps," the word previously used; and Orlando uses it to express simply retaining at home, without entertaining at home, as "keeping" includes both

senses.

5. Riders dearly hired. Here again, 'are' is understood before "dearly;" and this elliptical style of expression, so much employed by Shakespeare, is most natural and conversational. Besides, in the present passage, where the word "are" so frequently occurs, the effect is much improved by its omission here.

Nature gave me, his countenance seems to take from me he lets me feed with his hinds,' bars me the place of a brother, and, as much as in him lies, mines my gentility with my education. This is it, Adam, that grieves me; and the spirit of my father, which I think is within me, begins to mutiny against this servitude: I will no longer endure it, though yet I know no wise remedy how to avoid it. Adam. Yonder comes my master, your brother. Orl. Go apart, Adam, and thou shalt hear how he will shake me up. [Adam retires.

Enter OLIVER.

Oli. Now, sir! what make you here:9

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Orl. Nothing: I am not taught to make any man, or give me the poor allottery my father left thing. me by testament; with that I will go buy my fortunes.

Oli. What mar you then, sir?

Orl. Marry, sir, I am helping you to mar that which God made, a poor unworthy brother of yours, with idleness.

Oli. Marry, sir, be better employed, and be naught awhile.10

Orl. Shall I keep your hogs, and eat husks with them? What prodigal portion have I spent, that I should come to such penury?

Oli. Know you where you are, sir?

Orl. Oh, sir, very well: here in your orchard. Oli. Know you before whom, sir?

Orl. Ay, better than he I am before knows me. I know you are my eldest brother; and, in the gentle condition of blood, you should so know me. The courtesy of nations allows you my better, in that you are the first-born; but the same tradition takes not away my blood, were there twenty brothers betwixt us: I have as much of my father in me as you; albeit, I confess, your coming before me is nearer to his reverence."1

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11. Reverence. The reverence due to superior age. Oliver, conscious that he morally deserves no reverence to be paid to him, feels this as a sarcasm, and resents it by an attempted blow; which Orlando parries, observing that his "elder brother" is " too young" in skill and strength of personal contest.

12. Villain. of base, low-born. 13. Be at accord. 14. To grow upon. To encroach overweeningly, to invade overbearingly. It also includes the idea of Orlando's growing into manhood, and into a sense of manhood's rights and manhood's power.

Used in the sense of vile, wicked; and in that
See Note 17, Act i., "Comedy of Errors."
Be agreed; be reconciled.

15. Rankness. Arrogance; insolence.

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Cha. There's no news at the court, sir, but the old news: that is, the old duke is banished by his younger brother the new duke; and three or four loving lords have put themselves into voluntary exile with him, whose lands and revenues enrich the new duke; therefore he gives them good leave to wander.

honour, if he come in: therefore, out of my love to you, I came hither to acquaint you withal; that either you might stay him from his intendment, or brook such disgrace well as he shall run into; in that it is a thing of his own search, and altogether against my will.

Oli. Charles, I thank thee for thy love to me,

Oli. Can you tell if Rosalind, the duke's which thou shalt find I will most kindly requite. I daughter, be banished with her father?

Cha. Oh, no; for the duke's daughter, her cousin, so loves her,-being ever from their cradles bred together, that she would have followed her exile, or have died to stay behind her. She is at the court, and no less beloved of her uncle than his own daughter; and never two ladies loved as they

do.

Oli. Where will the old duke live?

16

Cha. They say, he is already in the forest of Arden, and a many merry men with him; and there they live like the old Robin Hood of England:" they say, many young gentlemen flock to him every day, and fleet the time carelessly, as they did in the golden world.18

Oli. What! you wrestle to-morrow before the new duke 19

Cha. Marry do I, sir; and I came to acquaint you with a matter. I am given, sir, secretly to understand that your younger brother, Orlando, hath a disposition to come in disguised against me to try a fall. To-morrow, sir, I wrestle for my credit; and he that escapes me without some broken limb shall acquit him well. Your brother is but young and tender; and, for your love, I would be loath to foil him, as I must, for my own

16. The forest of Arden. Because the scene of Lodge's novel is laid in France, because the novel makes the place of exile "the forest of Arden," and because there is a real forest of Ardenne or Ardennes in French Flanders, the commentators first assert that Shakespeare meant this Flemish forest, and then they assert that he made a great mistake in introducing a palmtree, a lioness, and a serpent there. But we believe that Shakespeare, by his "forest of Arden," meant no special forest, but a typical forest; a forest that represents a poetical forest generally, where lovers, dukes, lords, shepherds, jesters, natural philosophers and artificial philosophers, lions and lambs, serpents and goats, oaks and olives, palm-trees and osiers, may all flourish contentedly and plausibly, without disturbing the peace of those whose imaginations accept the truths of poetry as universal truth, not mere geographical, animal, or botanical literalities. The old English word "Arden" originally signified woodiness;' it was applied to a large wooded district in Warwickshire, called the Forest of Arden; and it was the maiden name of Shakespeare's own mother-Mary Arden, whose ancient family derived their name from this very forest of their county. Well might it in the poet's mind-as it should in the minds of his readersserve well for the name of the archetype of poetic and romantic forests.

17. The old Robin Hood of England. By such a touch as this last, of England," Shakespeare contrives to take his readers out of their own country, and show them that he lays his scene abroad. Be it observed, that in this very point we have proof of his improved art, since the production of his early

had myself notice of my brother's purpose herein, and have by underhand means laboured to dissuade him from it; but he is resolute. I'll tell thee, Charles, it is the stubbornest young fellow of France; full of ambition, an envious emulator of every man's good parts, a secret and villainous contriver against me his natural brother: therefore use thy discretion; I had as lief thou didst break his neck as his finger. And thou wert best look to't for if thou dost him any slight disgrace, or if he do not mightily grace himself on thee, he will practise against thee by poison, entrap thee by some treacherous device, and never leave thee til he hath ta'en thy life by some indirect means or other; for, I assure thee-and almost with tears 1 speak it-there is not one so young and so villainous this day living. I speak but brotherly of him; but should I anatomise him to thee as he is, I must blush and weep, and thou must look pale and wonder.

Cha. I am heartily glad I came hither to you. If he come to-morrow, I'll give him his payment: if ever he go alone again, I'll never wrestle for prize more and so, God keep your worship!

Oli. Farewell, good Charles. [Exit Charles.] Now will I stir this gamester:21 I hope I shall see

written play, "The Two Gentlemen of Verona," where he lets one of the outlaws swear "by the bare scalp of Robin Hood's fat friar," without any such artistic addition as in the present case. See Note 4, Act iv., "Two Gentlemen of Verona." See also Note 1, Act iii., " Merchant of Venice."

18. The golden world. Allusions to the golden age of the world-when innocence and happiness prevailed upon earth, when mankind toiled not, and had no cause for care-abound Some of the most famous of among poets and poetical writers. these descriptions may be found in Leigh Hunt's elegant translation of Tasso's "Aminta," Fanshaw's version of Guarini's "Pastor Fido," and Cervantes' "Don Quixote." Shakespeare himself has put into the mouth of Gonzalo-when the good old lord is planning an ideal commonwealth-a sketch of a kind of second "golden world." See Note 15, Act ü., "Tempest." It will be noticed that in this scene, 19. The new duke. Shakespeare has given the effect of recentness to the event of the elder duke's banishment; although, later on, he gives it the effect of having occurred some time ago. This is one of his strokes of dramatic art. Here, it is needful that the incident should be related, for the information of those who are reading the first scene, and therefore it is mentioned as news," in order to give naturalness to its being detailed by Charles, the court wrestler; but afterwards, dramatic purpose is best served by throwing it somewhat farther back, among past occurrences. 20. Contriver. Plotter, machinator. See Note 32, Act iv., "Merchant of Venice."

21. Stir this gamester.

"Stir" is here used for incite, insti

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an end of him; for my soul, yet I know not why, hates nothing more than he.22 Yet he's gentle; never schooled, and yet learned; full of noble device; of all sorts23 enchantingly beloved; and, indeed, so much in the heart of the world, and especially of my own people, who best know him, that I am altogether misprised: but it shall not be so long; this wrestler shall clear all: nothing remains but that I kindle 25 the boy thither: which now I'll go about. [Exit.

SCENE II.-A lawn before the DUKE's Palace.

Enter ROSALIND and CELIA.

Cel. I pray thee, Rosalind, sweet my coz, be merry.

Ros. Dear Celia, I show more mirth than I am mistress of; and would you yet I were merrier? Unless you could teach me to forget a banished father, you must not learn 26 me how to remember any extraordinary pleasure.

Cel. Herein I see thou lovest me not with the full weight that I love thee. If my uncle, thy banished father, had banished thy uncle, the duke my father, so thou hadst been still with me, I could have taught my love to take thy father for mine: so wouldst thou, if the truth of thy love to me were so righteously tempered as mine is to thee.

Ros. Well, I will forget the condition of my estate, to rejoice in yours.

Cel. You know my father hath no child but 1,27 nor none is he like to have: and, truly, when he dies, thou shalt be his heir; 28 for what he hath taken away from thy father perforce, I will render thee again in affection; by mine honour, I will; and when I break that oath, let me turn monster: therefore, my sweet Rose, my dear Rose, be merry.

Ros. From henceforth I will, coz, and devise sports. Let me see; what think you of falling in love? Cel. Marry, I pr’ythee, do, to make sport withal:

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but love no man in good earnest; nor no farther in sport neither, than with safety of a pure blush thou mayst in honour come off again.

Ros. What shall be our sport then?

2)

Cel. Let us sit and mock the good housewife Fortune from her wheel, that her gifts may henceforth be bestowed equally.

Ros. I would we could do so; for her benefits are mightily misplaced; and the bountiful blind woman doth most mistake in her gifts to women.

Cel. 'Tis true; for those that she makes fair, she scarce makes honest; and those that she makes honest, she makes very ill-favouredly.

Ros. Nay, now thou goest from Fortune's office to Nature's: Fortune reigns in gifts of the world, not in the lineaments of Nature.

Cel. No; when Nature hath made a fair creature, may she not by Fortune fall into the fire? Though Nature hath given us wit to flout at Fortune, hath not Fortune sent in this fool to cut off the argument?

Enter TOUCHSTONE.

Ros. Indeed, there is Fortune too hard for Nature, when Fortune makes Nature's natural the cutter-off of Nature's wit.

our

Cel. Peradventure this is not Fortune's work neither, but Nature's; who, perceiving natural wit too dull to reason of such goddesses, hath sent this natural for our whetstone; for always the dulness of the fool is the whetstone of the wits.—How now, wit! whither wander you? Touch. Mistress, you must come away to your father.

Cel. Were you made the messenger? Touch. No, by mine honour; but I was bid to come for you.

Ros. Where learned you that oath, fool? Touch. Of a certain knight that swore by his honour they were good pancakes, and swore by his honour the mustard was naught: now, I'll stand to it, the pancakes were naught, and the mustard was good; and yet was not the knight forsworn.

27. Hath no child but I. See Note 22, Act i, of this play; and Note 60, Act iii., "Merchant of Venice."

28. Heir. Often used for heiress.' See Note 6, Act iv., "Two Gentlemen of Verona."

29. Mock the good housewife Fortune from her wheel. Johnson gravely protests against the poet's having "confounded" the type of vicissitude with a spinning-wheel: but Shakespeare puts a playful mingling of the image of uncertainty with that of the thread of life, into a lady's mouth here; and he has also allowed Cleopatra to use the same blended mythological and housewifely idea. ("Antony and Cleopatra," iv. 13) That he knew the strictnesses of the subject thoroughly, may be evidenced from other passages where he has introduced

"Fortune."

30. Perceiving. Misprinted 'perceiveth' in the first Folio. The second Folio gives the word rightly.

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