Phe. I will not eat my word, now thou art mine;
Thy faith my faucs to thee doth combine.

(To Silvius.

Enter Jaques de Bois.
Jaq. de B. Let me bave 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, bearing how that every day
Men of great worth resorted to this forest,
Address'd a mighty power which were on foot,
In his own conduct, purposely to take
His brother here, and put him to the sword:
And to the skirts of this wild wood he came;
Where, ineeting with an old religious man,
After some question with him, was converted
Both from his enterprize, and from the world:
His crown bequeathing to his bauish'd brother,
And all their lands restor'd to them again
That were with him exil'd: This to be true,
I do engage my life.
Duke $.

Welcome, young man;
Thou offer'sı fairly to thy brothers wedding :
To one, his lands with held; and to the other,
A laod itself at large, a potent dukedom.
First, in this forest, let us do those ends
That here were well begun, and well begot:
And after, every of this happy number,
That have endur'd shrewd days and nights with us,
Shall share the good of our returned fortune,
According to the measure of their states.
Meantime, forget this new-fall'n dignity,
And fall into our rustick revelry :-

Play, musick;—and you brides and bridegrooms all,
With measure heap'd in joy, to the measures fall.

Jaq. Sir, by your patience; If I heard you rightly,
The duke hath put on a religious life,
And thrown into neglect the pompous court?

# Bind.

gin with the women. I charge you, O women, for the love you bear to men, to like as much of this play as please them: and so I charge you,

men, for the love you bear to women (as I perceive by your simpering, none of you hate them), that be. tween you and the women, the play may please. If

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 curt'sy, bid me farewell.

(Exeunt,

Of this play the fable is wild and pleasing, I know not how the ladies will approve the facility with which both Rosalind and Celia give away their hearts. To Celia much may be forgiven, for the heroism of her friendship. The character of Jaques is natural and well preserved. The comick dialogue is very sprightly, with less mixture of low buffoon ery than in some other plays; and the graver part is elegant and harmonious. By hastening to the end of this work, Shakspeare suppressed the dialogue between the usurper and the hermit, and lost an op. portunity of exhibiting a moral lesson, in which he might have found matter worthy of his highest powers.

JOIINSON

That I liked.

END OF VOL. II.

I'rinted by S. Hamilton, Weybridge.

of this play the fable is wild and pleasing

IDI so bow the ladies will approre

och both Rosalind and Celia giren
art. To Celia much may be forgires, for
russelber friendship. The character alle

Lateral and will preserved. The comie dileme
Part sprights, with less mixture of lor lubos

thaa ia some other plass, and the grant
1297 and harmonious. By hastening 12

1. vork, Shakspeare suppressed the talent ra the Esorper and the heroit, and/xur

ity of exhibiting a moral lesson, in pldH : have found matter worthy of his les

• That I liked

END OP VOL II.

rinted by s. Hamilton, Westridge

1