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 as 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 my judgment: this is called the Reply churlish. If "disease" (as if it were written 'dis-ease') in the sense of 'inconvenience,' 'annoyance,' 'disagreeable,' 'disaster,' rather than in the usual sense of 'malady,' 'illness.' 34. Seeming Seemlily, becomingly. 35. Dislike. It has been clearly shown by Mr. Staunton that "dislike" was sometimes used by writers in Shakespeare's time Act V. Scene IV. 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 farther than the Lie circumstantial, nor he durst not give me the Lie direct; and so we measured swords, and parted. Jaq. Can you nominate in order now the degrees of the lie? (as by himself here) for aversion expressed as well as entertained; and instances the passage-"I never heard any soldier dislike it" ("Measure for Measure," i. 2). In reference to "the cut" of the "courtier's beard "see Note 87, Act ii. 36. Disabled. Disparaged, depreciated; impugned. See Note 7, Act iv. 37 Why then, my love adieu ! Touch. Oh, sir, we quarrel in print, by the book; 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 [To ORLANDO.] I'll have no husband, if you be churlish; the fourth, the Reproof valiant; the fifth, not he. not she. Hym. Peace, ho! I bar confusion: the Countercheck quarrelsome; the sixth, the Lie [To PHEBE.] Nor ne'er wed woman, if you be 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; 38 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, 39 Your "if" is the only peace-maker; [To ORLANDO and ROSALIND.] You and you no much virtue in " if." Jaq. Is not this a rare fellow, my lord? he's as good at anything, and yet a fool. 'Tis I must make conclusion If truth holds true contents."4 cross shall part: [To OLIVER and CELIA.] You and you are heart in heart : Duke S. He uses his folly like a stalking-horse," [To PHEBE.] You to his love must accord, and under the presentation of that, he shoots his wit. [To 37. By the book. Some of these veritable "books," both on duelling and on good manners," have been traced and instanced by the commentators; to whom we owe obligation, if it be but for enabling us to judge how Shakespeare not only pungently satirised the follies of his age, but how admirably he took the letter of these old curiosities, and converted them into the spirit of wit and delightful comedy humour. 38. Could not take up a quarrel. See Note 28 of this Act. 39. Swore brothers. See Note 13, Act i, "Much Ado." 40. Stalking-horse. An animal, or painted and stuffed figure of one, from behind which sportsmen took aim at their object. See Note 58, Act ii., "Much Ado." 41. Enter Hymen. As, by the persons on the scene, Rosalind is supposed to be brought to this forest assemblage by magic art, so some spirit, summoned by the same means, may be supposed to impersonate Hymen, who was a chief figurer in ali allegorical shows at ancient solemnisations of nuptials. 42. Atone. Accord, agree, combine, unite; are at one. 43. If there be truth in sight. By Phebe's words that immediately follow, it has been plausibly conjectured that the word Or have a woman to your lord :— TOUCHSTONE and AUDREY.] You and you "sight" in Orlando's speech should be 'shape;' nevertheless, as he may echo the Duke's words, and Phebe may add instead of repeat the word "shape," we adhere to the Folio text here. 44 If truth holds true contents. If truth contain truth;" 'if there be truth in truth.' 45. Questioning. Conversing; interchanging inquiry. See Note 100, Act iii. 46. Song. Although the stage direction does not include them when the pageant enters, we must imagine this to be sung by the train of supposed spirits who attend upon Hymen; witness the previous words-"Whiles a wedlock-hymn we sing;" and the words of the song itself, rendering honour to Hymen. 47. Even daughter, welcome in no less degree. One of Shakespeare's elliptically expressed sentences, meaning—'I may even call you daughter, for no less welcome art thou than a daughter.' 48. Thy faith my fancy to thee doth combine. Thy faith binds, contracts, or affiances my love to thee.' Shakespeare elsewhere uses the word "combine" in this sense. See Note 60, Act iv., "Measure for Measure." Enter JAQUES De Bois. Jaq. de B. Let me have audience for a word or two: I am the second son of old Sir Roland, Welcome, young man ; That have endur'd shrewd 2 days and nights with Play, music! And you, brides and bridegrooms As we do trust they'll end, in true delights. all, [A dance. EPILOGUE. 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 49. Address'd. Prepared; made ready. 52. Shrewd Shakespeare elsewhere uses the word "shrewdly," applied to the air, in the sense of sharply, piercingly, keenly; and here it seems to mean sharp, pinching, subject to privation and discomfort. 53. To the measures fall. Fall to dancing; proceed to the dances. 54. To see no pastime, I. One of the commentators, calling Jaques "an amiable though solitary moralist," expresses regret to take leave of him in this manner; a regret which has been echoed by other editors since. But to our thinking, the "manner" of Jaques' departure is in perfect harmony with his character throughout. We first see him bluff and churlish to Amiens, who sings at his request; we see him full of churlish and affected avoidance of the Duke who inquires for him; we see him indulging in conceited and churlish rebukes upon vices 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 that he himself has wallowed in to satiety; we see him trying to disgust Orlando with his young and hearty love; meddling in Touchstone's affairs with Audrey; attempting to persuade the shepherd boy, Ganymede, that assumed sadness is wisdom; and we now see him giving an ill-natured fling at the jester's choice of the country girl, and morosely declining to witness the wedding festivities-affected and churlish from first to last. The fact is, Jaques has always been taken for what he professes to be-a moralist; but looked at as the Duke demonstrates him to be, and as Shakespeare has subtly drawn him, he is a mere lip-deep moraliser, a dealer in moral precepts, a moralitymonger. 1. Bush. It was formerly the custom to hang a “bush a branch, bunch, or tuft-of ivy at the door of a vintner; ivy having classical appropriateness, as it was anciently the plant sacred to Bacchus. 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, oh, women, for the love you bear to men, to like as much of this play as please you and I charge you, oh, men, for the love you bear to women (as I perceive by your simpering, none of you hates them), 2. Furnished Used here for appareled, attired; having the exterior accompaniments belonging to In Act iii., sc. 2, we have-" He was furnish'd like a hunter;" meaning, 'he had the dress and accoutrement or equipment of a hunter.' 3. If I were a woman. It must be remembered that in Shakespeare's time the women characters were played by men or boys. Julia ( Two Gentlemen of Verona," iv., 4), when she 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 curtsey, bid me farewell. [Exeunt. is disguised as the page, says-"Our youth got me to play the woman's part; and we find that the part is that of "Ariadne." See also Note 49, Act i., "Midsummer Night's Dream." 4 Complexions that liked me. Used for complexions that I liked.' This form of construction is met with elsewhere in Shakespeare. 5. Defied not. 'Abjured not,'' rejected not.' |