Aud. I do not know what poetical is: Is it honest in deed, and word? Is it a true thing?

Touch. No, truly; for the truest poetry is the most feigning; and lovers are given to poetry; and what they swear in poetry, may be said, as lovers, they do feign.

Aud. Do you wish then, that the gods had made me poetical?

Touch. I do, truly, for thou swear'st to me, thou art honest; now, if thou wert a poet, I might have some hope thou didst feign.

Aud. Would you not have me honest?

Touch. No truly, unless thou wert hard-favour'd: for honesty coupled to beauty, is to have honey a sauce to sugar.

Jaq. A material fool!"

[Aside. Aud. Well, I am not fair; and therefore I pray the gods make ine honest!

Touch. Truly, and to cast away honesty upon a foul slut, were to put good meat into an unclean dish.

Aud. I am not a slut, though I thank the gods I am foul.1

Touch. Well, praised be the gods for thy foulness! sluttishness may come hereafter. But be it as it may be, I will marry thee, and to that end, I have been with Sir Oliver Mar-text, the vicar of the next village; who hath promised to meet me in this place of the forest, and to couple us.

Jaq. I would fain see this meeting.
Aud. Well, the gods give us joy!

[Aside.

Touch. Amen. A man may, if he were of a fearful heart, stagger in this attempt; for here we have no temple but the wood, no assembly but horn

"A material fool!] A fool with mutter in him; a fool stocked with notions.

'—Lam foul.] Not fair, or homely.

beasts. But what though? Courage! As horns are odious, they are necessary. It is said,-Many a man knows no end of his goods: right: many a man has good horns, and knows no end of them. Well, that is the dowry of his wife; 'tis none of his own getting. Horns? Even so:--Poor men alone? -No, no; the noblest deer hath them as huge as the rascal.3 Is the single man therefore blessed? No: as a wall'd town is more worthier than a village, so is the forehead of a married man more honourable than the bare brow of a bachelor: and by how much defence is better than no skill, by so much is a horn more precious than to want.

Enter Sir OLIVER MAR-TEXT.

Here comes sir Oliver:-Sir Oliver Mar-text, you are well met: Will you despatch us here under this tree, or shall we go with you to your chapel?

Sir Oli. Is there none here to give the woman? Touch. I will not take her on gift of any man. Sir Oli. Truly, she must be given, or the marriage is not lawful.

Jaq. [Discovering himself.] Proceed, proceed; I'll give her.

call't:

Touch. Good even, good master What ye How do you, sir? You are very well met: God'ild you for your last company: I am very glad to see

what though?] What then?

the rascal.] Lean, poor deer, are called rascal deer. defence Defence, as here opposed to "no skill," signifies the art of fencing.

sir Oliver:] He that has taken his first degree at the university, is in the academical style called Dominus, and in common language was heretofore termed Sir. The Sir Hugh Evans of Shakspeare is not a Welsh knight who hath taken orders, but only a Welsh clergyman without any regular degree from either of the Universities. See Barrington's History of the Guedir Family. NICHOLS.

6

God'ild you] i. e. God yield you, God reward you.

you:-Even a toy in hand here, sir:-Nay; pray,

be cover'd.

Jaq. Will you be married, motley?

Touch. As the ox hath his bow,' sir, the horse his curb, and the faulcon her bells, so man hath his desires; and as pigeons bill, so wedlock would be nibbling.

Jaq. And will you, being a man of your breeding, be married under a bush, like a beggar? Get you to church, and have a good priest that can tell you what marriage is this fellow will but join you together as they join wainscot: then one of you will prove a shrunk pannel, and, like green timber, warp, warp.

Touch. I am not in the mind but I were better to be married of him than of another: for he is not like to marry me well; and not being well married, it will be a good excuse for me hereafter to leave my wife. [Aside. Jaq. Go thou with me, and let me counsel thee. Touch. Come, sweet Audrey;

We must be married, or we must live in bawdry. Farewell, good master Oliver!

Not-O sweet Oliver,
O brave Oliver,

Leave me not behi' thee;

But-Wind away,
Begone, I say,

I will not to wedding wi' thee.

[Exeunt JAQUES, TOUCHSTONE, and AUDREY.

Sir Oli. "Tis no matter; ne'er a fantastical knave of them all shall flout me out of my calling. [Exit.

7

his bow,] i. e. his yoke. The ancient yoke in form resembled a bow.

SCENE IV.

The same. Before a Cottage.

Enter ROSALIND and CELIA.

Ros. Never talk to me, I will weep. Cel. Do, I pr'ythee; but yet have the grace to consider, that tears do not become a man. Ros. But have I not cause to weep?

Cel. As good cause as one would desire; therefore weep:

Ros. His very hair is of the dissembling colour. Cel. Something browner than Judas's :8 marry his kisses are Judas's own children.

Ros. I'faith, his hair is of a good colour."

Cel. An excellent colour: your chesnut was ever the only colour.

Ros. And his kissing is as full of sanctity as the touch of holy bread.1

Cel. He hath bought a pair of cast lips of Diana: a nun of winter's sisterhood kisses not more religiously; the very ice of chastity is in them.

Ros. But why did he swear he would come this morning, and comes not ?

Cel. Nay certainly, there is no truth in him.
Ros. Do you think so?

8 Something browner than Judas's:] Judas was constantly represented in ancient painting or tapestry, with red hair and beard. 9 I'faith, his hair is of a good colour.] There is much of nature in this petty perverseness of Rosalind: she finds fault in her lover, in hope to be contradicted, and when Celia in sportive malice too readily seconds her accusations, she contradicts herself rather than suffer her favourite to want a vindication.

as the touch of holy bread.] We should read beard, that is, as the kiss of an holy saint or hermit, called the kiss of charity. This makes the comparison just and decent; the other impious and absurd. WARBURTON.

Cel. Yes: I think he is not a pick-purse, nor a horse-stealer; but for his verity in love, I do think him as concave as a cover'd goblet,2 or a worm-eaten

nut.

Ros. Not true in love?

Cel. Yes, when he is in; but, I think he is not in Ros. You have heard him swear downright, he

was.

Cel. Was is not is: besides, the oath of a lover is no stronger than the word of a tapster; they are both the confirmers of false reckonings: He attends here in the forest on the duke your father.

Ros. I met the duke yesterday, and had much question3 with him: He asked me, of what parentage I was; I told him, of as good as he; so he laugh'd, and let me go. But what talk we of fathers, when there is such a man as Orlando?

Cel. O, that's a brave man! he writes brave verses, speaks brave words, swears brave oaths, and breaks them bravely, quite traverse, athwart the heart of his lover; as a puny tilter, that spurs his horse but on one side, breaks his staff like a noble goose: but all's brave, that youth mounts, and folly guides:-Who comes here?

Enter CORIN.

Cor. Mistress, and master, you have oft enquired After the shepherd that complain'd of love;

as concave as a cover'd goblet,] i. e hollow.
much question] i. e. conversation.

— quite traverse, athwart, &c.] An unexperienced lover is here compared to a puny tilter, to whom it was a disgrace to have his lance broken across, as it was a mark either of want of courage or address. This happened when the horse flew on one side, in the career: and hence arose the jocular proverbial phrase of spurring the horse only on one side.

- of his lover;] i. e. of his mistress.