you have books for good manners.' I will name you the degrees. The first, the Retort courteous; the second, the Quip modest; the third, the Reply churlish; the fourth, the Reproof valiant; the fifth, the Countercheck quarrelsome; the sixth, the Lie with circumstance; the seventh, the Lie direct. All these you may avoid, but the lie direct, and you may avoid that too, with an If. I knew when seven justices could not take up a quarrel; but when the parties were met themselves, one of them thought but of an If, as If you said so, then I said so; and they shook hands, and swore brothers. Your If is the only peace-maker; much virtue in If. Jaq. Is not this a rare fellow, my lord? He's as good at any thing, and yet a fool. 2 Duke S. He uses his folly like a stalking-horse, and under the presentation of that, he shoots his wit. Enter HYMEN, leading ROSALIND in women's clothes · and CELIA. Still Music. Hym. Then is there mirth in heaven, Good duke, receive thy daughter; That thou might'st join her hand with his 1 The Booke of Nurture; or, Schoole of Good Manners for Men, Servants, and Children, with stans puer ad mensam, 12mo., without date, in black letter, is most probably the work referred to. It was written by Hugh Rhodes, and first published in the reign of Edward VI. 2 "A stalking horse." See note on Much Ado about Nothing, Act ii. Sc. 3. 3 Rosalind is imagined by the rest of the company to be brought by enchantment, and is therefore introduced, by a supposed aerial being, in the character of Hymen. 4 i. e. at one; accord, or agree together. This is the old sense of the phrase, "an attonement, a loving againe after a breach or falling out. Reditus in gratia cum aliquo.”—Baret. Ros. To you I give myself, for I am yours. To you I give myself, for I am yours. [To Duke S. [TO ORLANDO. Duke S. If there be truth in sight, you are my daughter. Orl. If there be truth in sight, you are my Rosa lind. Phe. If sight and shape be true, Why then, my love adieu! Ros. I'll have no father, if you be not he. I'll have no husband, if you be not he ; [To Duke S. [TO ORLANDO. Nor ne'er wed woman, if you be not she. [TO PHEBE. Hym. Peace, ho! I bar confusion. If truth holds true contents.1 [To ORLANDO and ROSALIND. You and you are heart in heart: [To OLIVER and CELIA. You [To PHEBE.] to his love must accord, Or have a woman to your lord : You and you are sure together, [TO TOUCHSTONE and AUDREY. As the winter to foul weather. How thus we met, and these things finish. 1 i. e. unless truth fails of veracity; if there be truth in truth. 2 i. e. take your fill of discourse. SONG. Wedding is great Juno's crown; Duke S. O my dear niece, welcome thou art to me; Even daughter, welcome in no less degree. Phe. I will not eat my word, now thou art mine, Thy faith my fancy to thee doth combine. Enter JAQUES DE BOIS. [TO SILVIUS. Jaq. de B. Let me have audience for a word or two; I am the second son of old sir Rowland, That bring these tidings to this fair assembly. Duke Frederick, hearing how that every day His brother here, and put him to the sword: Duke S. 1 i. e. prepared. That here were well begun, and well begot; That have endured shrewd days and nights with us, Play, music;—and you, brides and bridegrooms all, And thrown into neglect the pompous court? Jaq. To him will I; out of these convertites [To Duke S. Your patience and your virtue well deserve it :— You [TO ORLANDO.] to a love that your true faith doth merit : You [To OLIVER.] to your land and love, and great allies: You [To SILVIUS.] to a long and well deserved bed :And you [To TOUCHSTONE.] to wrangling; for thy lov ing voyage Is but for two months victualed.-So to your pleasures; I am for other than for dancing measures. Duke S. Stay, Jaques, stay. Jaq. To see no pastime, I.-What you would have, I'll stay to know at your abandoned cave.1 [Exit. Duke S. Proceed, proceed. We will begin these rites, And we do trust they'll end in true delights. [A dance. 1 The reader feels some regret to take his leave of Jaques in this manner; and no less concern at not meeting with the faithful old Adam, at the close. It is the more remarkable that Shakspeare should have forgotten him, because Lodge, in his novel, makes him captain of the king's guard. Ros. It is not the fashion to see the lady the epilogue; but it is no more unhandsome, than to see the lord the prologue. If it be true, that good wine needs no bush, 'tis true that a good play needs no epilogue: yet to good wine they do use good bushes; and good plays prove the better by the help of good epilogues. What a case am I in, then, that am neither a good epilogue, nor cannot insinuate with you in the behalf of a good play? I am not furnished like a beggar; therefore to beg will not become me. My way is, to conjure you; and I'll begin with the women. I charge you, O women, for the love you bear to men, to like as much of this play as please you: and I charge you, O men, for the love you bear to women, (as I perceive, by your simpering, none of you hate them,) that between you and the women the play may please. If I were a woman,* I would kiss as many of you as had beards that pleased me, complexions that liked me, and breaths that I defied not; and I am sure, as many as have good beards, or good faces, or sweet breaths, will, for my kind offer, when I make courtesy, bid me farewell. [Exeunt. 1 It was formerly the general custom in England, as it is still in France and the Netherlands, to hang a bush of ivy at the door of a vintner. 2 Furnished, dressed. 3 This is the reading of the old copy, which has been altered to "as much of this play as please them," but surely without necessity. It is only the omission of the s at the end of please, which gives it a quaint appearance; but it was the practice of the Poet's age. 4 The parts of women were performed by men or boys in Shakspeare's time. 5 i. e. that I liked. |