TOUCH. Truly, young gentlemen, though there was no great matter in the ditty, yet the note was very untuneable." 1 PAGE. You are deceived, sir; we kept time, we lost not our time.. TOUCH. By my troth, yes; I count it but time lost to hear such a foolish song. God be with you; and God mend your voices! Come, Audrey. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. Another Part of the Forest. Enter Duke senior, AMIENS, JAQUES, ORLANDO, OLIVER, and CELIA. DUKE S. Dost thou believe, Orlando, that the boy Can do all this that he hath promised? ORL. I sometimes do believe, and sometimes do not; As those that fear they hope, and know they fear.b no great matter in the ditty, yet, &c.] Though there was so little meaning in the words, yet the music fully matched it, the note was as little tuneable. As those that fear they hope, and know they fear] Our author seems here to have more than ordinarily entangled himself by his favourite antithetical licence with both ideas and words. We may interpret it," As those, that under a sad misgiving entertain a trembling hope, at the same time that they feel real apprehension and fears." A man might, with propriety, say, I fear I entertain so much hope, as teaches me I cannot be without fear of disappointment. Orlando says, he is like that man. Enter ROSALIND, SILVIUS, and PHEBE. Ros. Patience once more, whiles our compact is urg'd: You say, if I bring in your Rosalind, [To the Duke. You will bestow her on Orlando here? DUKE S. That would I, had I kingdoms to give with her. Ros. And you say, you will have her, when I bring her? [TO ORLANDO. ORL. That would I, were I of all kingdoms king. Ros. You say, you'll marry me, if I be willing? [TO PHEBE. PHE. That will I, should I die the hour after. Ros. But, if you do refuse to marry me, You'll give yourself to this most faithful shepherd. BHE. So is the bargain. Ros. You say, that you'll have Phebe, if she will? [TO SILVIUS. SIL. Though to have her and death were both one thing. Ros. I have promis'd to make all this matter even. Keep you your word, O duke, to give your daughter; You yours, Orlando, to receive his daughter :- To make these doubts all even.(7) [Exeunt ROSALIND and CELIA. DUKE S. I do remember in this shepherd-boy Some lively touches of my daughter's favour. ORL. My lord, the first time that I ever saw him, Methought he was a brother to your daughter : But, my good lord, this boy is forest-born; And hath been tutor❜d in the rudiments Of many desperate studies by his uncle, Whom he reports to be a great magician, Obscured in the circle of this forest. Enter TOUCHSTONE and AUDREY. JAQ. There is, sure, another flood toward, and these couples are coming to the ark! Here comes a pair of very strange beasts, which in all tongues are called fools. TOUCH. Salutation and greeting to you all! JAQ. Good my lord, bid him welcome; This is the motley-minded gentleman, that I have so often met in the forest: he hath been a courtier, he swears. TOUCH. If any man doubt that, let him put me to my purgation. I have trod a measure; I have flattered a lady; I have been politick with my friend, smooth with mine enemy; I have undone three tailors; I have had four quarrels, and like to have fought one. JAQ. And how was that ta'en up?c touches] Traits. See III. 2. Celia. "Touches dearest priz'd." trod a measure] He particularly fixes upon this as his mode of proof, Mr. Malone says, because a measure was a very stately solemn dance: " the wedding mannerly modest, as a measure full of state and ancientry." M. ado, &c. C How was that ta'en up] Composed, made up. Touchstone presently says, an if did it at once, "when seven justices could urot take up a quarrel." TOUCH. 'Faith, we met, and found the quarrel was upon the seventh cause. JAQ. How seventh cause?-Good my lord, like this fellow. DUKE S. I like him very well. TOUCH. God'ild you, sir; I desire you of the like. I press in here, sir, amongst the rest of the country copulatives, to swear, and to forswear; according as marriage binds, and blood breaks: 9) A poor virgin, sir, an ill-favoured thing, sir, but mine own; a poor humour of mine, sir, to take that that no man else will: Rich honesty dwells like a miser, sir, in a poor-house; as your pearl, your foul oyster. in DUKE S. By my faith, he is very swift and sententious." TOUCH. According to the fool's bolt, sir, and such dulcet diseases.(10) JAQ. But, for the seventh cause; how did you find the quarrel on the seventh cause? TOUCH. Upon a lie seven times removed;Bear your body more seeming," Audrey :-as thus, sir. I did dislike the cut of a certain courtier's beard; he sent me word, if I said his beard was not cut well, he was in the mind it was! This is called the Retort courteous. If I sent him word again, it was not well cut, he would send me word, he cut it to please himself: This is called the Quip modest. If again, it was not well cut, he disabled b swift and sententious] Prompt and pithy. ་་ Having so swift and excellent a wit." M. ado ab. Noth. III. 1. Ursula. seeming] i. e. seemly. Seeming is used by Shakespeare for becoming, or fairness of appearance. 66 these keep · 66 Seeming and savour all the winter long." Wint. T. STERVENS. my judgment: This is called the Reply churlish. If again, it was not well cut, he would answer, I spake not true: This is called the Reproof valiant. If again, it was not well cut, he would say, I lie: This is called the Countercheck quarrelsome: and so to the Lie circumstantial, and the Lie direct. JAQ. And how oft did you say, his beard was not well cut? TOUCH. I durst go no further than the Lie circumstantial,(12) nor he durst not give me the Lie direct; and so we measured swords and parted.b JAQ. Can you nominate in order now the degrees of the lie? TOUCH. O sir, we quarrel in print, by the book;(13) as 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. DUKE S. He uses his folly like a stalking-horse, and under the presentation of that, he shoots his wit. * disabled my judgment] Impeached. See IV. 1. Rosal, ⚫ measured swords and parted] Drew them, without making any pass. |