How many actions most ridiculous Hast thou been drawn to by thy fantasy? Cor. Into a thousand that I have forgotten. That ever love did make thee run into, Or if thou hast not sat as I do now, Wearing (54) thy hearer in thy mistress' praise, Or if thou hast not broke from company [Exit. Ros. Alas, poor shepherd! searching of thy wound,(55) I have by hard adventure found mine own. Touch. And I mine. I remember, when I was in love I broke my sword upon a stone, and bid him take that for coming a-night to Jane Smile: and I remember the kissing of her batlet,(56) and the cow's dugs that her pretty chapped hands had milked: and I remember the wooing of a peascod instead of her; from whom I took two cods, and, giving her them again, said with weeping tears, "Wear these for my sake." We that are true lovers run into strange capers; but as all is mortal in nature, so is all nature in love mortal in folly. Ros. Thou speakest wiser than thou art ware of. Touch. Nay, I shall ne'er be ware of mine own wit till I break my shins against it. Ros. Jove, Jove!* this shepherd's passion Is much upon my fashion. Touch. And mine; but it grows something stale with me. If he for gold will give us any food: I faint almost to death. Touch. Holla, you clown! Ros. Cor. Who calls? Peace, fool: he's not thy kinsman. * Jove, Jove! &c.] Perhaps this couplet, and the words "it grows something stale with me," in the next speech, are quoted from some ballad or poem. Touch. Your betters, sir. Cor. Else are they very wretched. Cor. Fair sir, I pity her, And wish, for her sake more than for mine own, And do not shear the fleeces that I graze: Besides, his cote, his flocks, and bounds of feed, Ros. What is he that shall buy his flock and pasture? Cor. That young swain that you saw here but erewhile, That little cares for buying any thing. Ros. I pray thee, if it stand with honesty, Buy thou the cottage, pasture, and the flock, Cel. And we will mend thy wages. I like this place, [Exeunt. Jaq. More, more, I prithee, more. Ami. It will make you melancholy, Monsieur Jaques. Jaq. I thank it. More, I prithee, more. I can suck melancholy out of a song, as a weasel sucks eggs. More, I prithee, more. Ami. My voice is ragged: I know I cannot please you. Jaq. I do not desire you to please me; I do desire you to sing. Come, more; another stanza :-call you 'em stanzas? Ami. What you will, Monsieur Jaques. Jaq. Nay, I care not for their names; they owe me nothing. Will you sing? Ami. More at your request than to please myself. Jaq. Well, then, if ever I thank any man, I'll thank you: but that they call compliment is like the encounter of two dog-apes; and when a man thanks me heartily, methinks I have given him a penny, and he renders me the beggarly thanks. Come, sing; and you that will not, hold your tongues. Ami. Well, I'll end the song.-Sirs, cover the while; the duke will drink under this tree. He hath been all this day to look you. (60) Jaq. And I have been all this day to avoid him. He is too disputable for my company: I think of as many matters as he; but I give heaven thanks, and make no boast of them. Come, warble, come. Jaq. I'll give you a verse to this note, that I made yesterday in despite of my invention. Ami. And I'll sing it. Jaq. Thus it goes; If it do come to pass That any man turn ass, Gross fools as he, An if he will come to me. Ami. What's that "ducdame"? Jaq. 'Tis a Greek invocation, to call fools into a circle. I'll go sleep, if I can; if I cannot, I'll rail against all the first-born of Egypt. Ami. And I'll go seek the duke: his banquet is prepared. [Exeunt severally. SCENE VI. Another part of the forest. Enter ORLANDO and ADAM. Adam. Dear master, I can go no further: O, I die for food! Here lie I down, and measure out my grave. Farewell, kind master. (61) Orl. Why, how now, Adam! no greater heart in thee? Live a little; comfort a little; cheer thyself a little. If this uncouth forest yield any thing savage, I will either be food for it, or bring it for food to thee. Thy conceit is nearer death than thy powers. For my sake be comfortable; hold Ideath awhile at the arm's end: I will be here (62) with thee presently; and if I bring thee not something to eat, I will give thee leave to die: but if thou diest before I come, thou art a mocker of my labour. Well said! thou lookest cheerly; and I'll be with thee quickly.—Yet thou liest in the bleak air: come, I will bear thee to some shelter; and thou shalt not die for lack of a dinner, if there live any thing in this desert. Cheerly, good Adam! [Exeunt. SCENE VII. Another part of the forest (the same as in Sc. v.). A table set out. Enter Duke senior, AMIENS, and others. First Lord. My lord, he is but even now gone Duke S. If he, compact of jars, grow musical, hence: We shall have shortly discord in the spheres. Enter JAQUES. Duke S. Why, how now, monsieur! what a life is this, That your poor friends must woo your company! What, you look merrily! Jag. A fool, a fool!-I met a fool i' the forest, A motley fool;-a miserable world! As I do live by food, I met a fool; Who laid him down and bask'd him in the sun, In good set terms,—and yet a motley fool. "Good morrow, fool," quoth I. "No, sir," quoth he, "Call me not fool till heaven hath sent me fortune:" And then he drew a dial from his poke, And, looking on it with lack-lustre eye, Thus we may see," quoth he, "how the world wags: |