The forest
Enter ORLANDO, with a paper
Orlando. Hang there, my verse, in witness of my love;
And thou, thrice-crowned Queen of Night, survey
With thy chaste eye, from thy pale sphere above,
Thy huntress' name that my full life doth sway. 1125
O Rosalind! these trees shall be my books,
And in their barks my thoughts I'll character,
That every eye which in this forest looks
Shall see thy virtue witness'd every where.
Run, run, Orlando; carve on every tree, 1130
The fair, the chaste, and unexpressive she. Exit
Enter CORIN and TOUCHSTONE
Corin. And how like you this shepherd's life, Master Touchstone?
Touchstone. Truly, shepherd, in respect of itself, it is a good
life; but in respect that it is a shepherd's life, it is nought. 1135
In respect that it is solitary, I like it very well; but in
respect that it is private, it is a very vile life. Now in
respect it is in the fields, it pleaseth me well; but in respect
it is not in the court, it is tedious. As it is a spare life,
look you, it fits my humour well; but as there is no more plenty 1140
in it, it goes much against my stomach. Hast any philosophy in
thee, shepherd?
Corin. No more but that I know the more one sickens the worse at
ease he is; and that he that wants money, means, and content, is
without three good friends; that the property of rain is to wet, 1145
and fire to burn; that good pasture makes fat sheep; and that a
great cause of the night is lack of the sun; that he that hath
learned no wit by nature nor art may complain of good breeding,
or comes of a very dull kindred.
Touchstone. Such a one is a natural philosopher. Wast ever in 1150
court, shepherd?
Corin. No, truly.
Touchstone. Then thou art damn'd.
Corin. Nay, I hope.
Touchstone. Truly, thou art damn'd, like an ill-roasted egg, all on 1155
one side.
Corin. For not being at court? Your reason.
Touchstone. Why, if thou never wast at court thou never saw'st good
manners; if thou never saw'st good manners, then thy manners must
be wicked; and wickedness is sin, and sin is damnation. Thou art 1160
in a parlous state, shepherd.
Corin. Not a whit, Touchstone. Those that are good manners at the
court are as ridiculous in the country as the behaviour of the
country is most mockable at the court. You told me you salute not
at the court, but you kiss your hands; that courtesy would be 1165
uncleanly if courtiers were shepherds.
Touchstone. Instance, briefly; come, instance.
Corin. Why, we are still handling our ewes; and their fells, you
know, are greasy.
Touchstone. Why, do not your courtier's hands sweat? And is not the 1170
grease of a mutton as wholesome as the sweat of a man? Shallow,
shallow. A better instance, I say; come.
Corin. Besides, our hands are hard.
Touchstone. Your lips will feel them the sooner. Shallow again. A
more sounder instance; come. 1175
Corin. And they are often tarr'd over with the surgery of our
sheep; and would you have us kiss tar? The courtier's hands are
perfum'd with civet.
YOU ARE READING
As You Like It
General FictionAs You Like It is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio in 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has been suggest...
