or fanciful idleness, to which every one addicts himself according to his humor or disposition; and this unlimited freedom compensates all of them for the lost conveniences of life. One throws himself down solitarily under a tree. and indulges in melancholy reflections on the changes of fortune, the falsehood of the world, and the self-created torments of social life; others make the woods resound with social and festive songs to the accompaniment of their horns. Selfishness, envy, and ambition have been left in the city behind them; of all the human passions, love alone has found an entrance into the wilderness, where it dictates the same language to the simple shepherd and the chivalrous youth who hangs his love-ditty to a tree. A prudish shepherdess falls instantaneously in love with Rosalind, disguised in man's apparel; the latter sharply reproaches her with her severity to her poor lover, and the pain of refusal, which she at length feels from her own experience, disposes her to compassion and requital. The fool carries his philosophical contempt of external show and his raillery of the illusion of love so far, that he purposely seeks out the ugliest and simplest country wench for a mistress. Throughout the whole picture it seems to have been the intention of the poet to show that nothing is wanted to call forth the poetry which has its dwelling in nature and the human mind, but to throw off all artificial constraint and restore both to their native liberty.-SCHLEGEL, Lectures on Dramatic Literature. Shakespeare has made the inhabitants of this forest appear so happy in their banishment, that, when they are called back to the cares of the world, it seems more like a punishment than a reward. Jaques has too much prudence to leave his retirement; and yet, when his associates are departed, his state can no longer be enviable, as refined society was the charm which seemed here to bestow on country life its more than usual enjoyments.-INCHBALD, "As you like it" in The British Theatre. A PASTORAL COMEDY Though said to be oftener read than any other of Shakespeare's plays, As You Like It is certainly less fascinating than several of his other comedies. The dramatist has presented us with a pastoral comedy, the characters of which, instead of belonging to an ideal pastoral age, are true copies of what Nature would produce under similar conditions. . . . . . The poet has relieved the development of a melancholy subject and an insignificant story by the introduction of a more than usual number of really individual subordinate characters. Even Rosalind, that beautiful but willful representation of woman's passion, is not an important accessory to the moral purpose of the comedy; and the other characters, however gracefully delineated, are not amalgamated into an artistic action with that full power which overwhelms us with astonishment in the grander efforts of Shakespeare's genius.-HALLIWELL, Introduction to "As You Like It." A PLEASING PLAY Few comedies of Shakespeare are more generally pleasing, and its manifold improbabilities do not much affect us in perusal. The brave injured Orlando, the sprightly but modest Rosalind, the faithful Adam, the reflecting Jaques, the serene and magnanimous Duke, interest us by turns, though the play is not so well managed as to condense our sympathy, and direct it to the conclusion.HALLAM, Literature of Europe. DRAMATIS PERSONE DUKE, living in banishment FREDERICK, his brother, and usurper of his dominions AMIENS, } lords attending on the banished Duke JAQUES, LE BEAU, a courtier attending upon Frederick WILLIAM, a country fellow, in love with Audrey ROSALIND, daughter to the banished Duke CELIA, daughter to Frederick PHEBE, a shepherdess AUDREY, a country wench Lords, pages, and attendants, &c. SCENE: Oliver's house; Duke Frederick's court; and the Forest of Arden The pronunciation of "Jaques" is still somewhat doubtful, though the metrical test makes it certain that it is always a dissyllable in Shakespeare: there is evidence that the name was well known in England, and ordinarily pronounced as a monosyllable; hence Harrington's Metamorphosis of A-jax (1596). The name of the character was probably rendered "Jakës”: the modern stage practice is in favor of "Jaq-wes.”—I. G. SYNOPSIS By J. ELLIS BURDICK ACT I Frederick, the younger brother of a French Duke, usurps the place of his brother and banishes him. The rightful Duke retires to the forest of Arden and is there joined by a few of his faithful friends whose possessions are confiscated by the usurper. The Duke's daughter Rosalind remains at her uncle's court as a companion for her cousin Celia. These two girls have been bred together from their cradles and "never two ladies loved as they do." In disguise, Orlando, the son of one of the banished Duke's friends, wrestles with the Duke's wrestler and is victorious. Frederick is kindly disposed toward the youth until he finds out who he is. Rosalind rejoices to know of this relationship, for she is much attracted to Orlando. Because of her accomplishments and for the sake of her father, Rosalind has many friends-so many that her uncle grows alarmed and banishes her from his court. Celia insists on accompanying her cousin, as she says, for "the love which teacheth thee that thou and I am one." ACT II The ladies take with them Frederick's clown, who is devoted to both of them. Rosalind dresses herself as a country-man and Celia as his sister. They find their way to the Forest of Arden, and not knowing in what part of the woods to look for the Duke, they purchase a shepherd's house and his flocks. Orlando, finding it impossible to live peacefully with his elder brother Oliver and fearing |