Thy tooth is not so keen, Although thy breath be rude. Heigh, ho! sing, heigh, ho! unto the green holly: Then, heigh, ho, the holly! This life is most jolly. Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky, That dost not bite so nigh As friends remember'd* not. Heigh, ho! sing, heigh, ho! &c. ACT III. A SHEPHERD'S PHILOSOPHY. 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, 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 or art, may complain of good breeding, or comes of a very dull kindred. CHARACTER OF AN HONEST AND SIMPLE SHEPHERD Sir, I am a true labourer; I earn that I eat, get that I wear; owe no man hate, envy no man's happiness; glad of other men's good, content with my harm; and the greatest of my pride is, to see my ewes graze, and my lambs suck. DESCRIPTION OF A LOVER. A lean cheek; which you have not; a blue eye, and sunken; which you have not: an unquestionable spirit;† which you have not; a beard neglected; which you have not:-but I pardon you for that; for, simply, your having in beard is a younger brother's revenue: Then your hose should be ungarter * Remembering. † A spirit averse to conversation. ‡ Estate. ed, your bonet unbanded, your sleeve unbuttoned, your shoe untied, and every thing about you demonstrating a careless desolation. But you are no such man: you are rather point-device* in your accoutrements; as loving yourself, than seeming the lover of any other. REAL PASSION DISSEMBLED. Think not I love him, though I ask for him; Tis but a peevisht boy: yet he talks well; But what care I for words? yet words do well, When he that speaks them pleases those that hear, It is a pretty youth: not very pretty: But, sure, he's proud; and yet his pride becomes him: He'll make a proper man: The best thing in him Than that mix'd in his cheek; 'twas just the differ ence Betwixt the constant red, and mingled damask. He said, mine eyes were black, and my hair black; But that's all one; omittance is no quittance. ACT IV. THE VARIETIES OF MELANCHOLY. I have neither the scholar's melancholy, which is emulation; nor the musician's, which is fantastical; * Over-exact. † Silly. And, though I kill him not, I am the cause With sharp constraint of hunger; better 'twere My being here it is that holds thee hence: A MAID'S HONOUR. The honour of a maid is her name; and no legacy is so rich as honesty. ADVICE TO YOUNG WOMEN. Beware of them, Diana; their promises, enticements, oaths, tokens, and all these engines of lust, are not the things they go under:† many a maid hath been seduced by them; and the misery is, example, that so terrible shows in the wreck of maidenhood, cannot for all that dissuade succession, but that they are limed with the twigs that threaten them. I hope, I need not advise you farther; but, I hope, your own grace will keep you where you are, though there were no farther danger known, than the modesty which is so lost. ACT IV. CUSTOM OF SEDUCERS. Ay, so you serve us, Till we serve you: but when you have our roses * Ravenous. † They are not the things for which their names would make them pass. CHASTITY, Mine honour's such a ring: My chastity's the jewel of our house, LIFE CHEQUERED. The web of our life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together: our virtues would be proud, if our faults whipped them not; and our crimes would despair, if they were not cherished by our virtues. A COWARDLY BRAGGART. Yet am I thankful: if my heart were great, Twould burst at this: Captain, I'll be no more; But I will eat and drink, and sleep as soft As captain shall: simply the thing I am Shall make me live. Who knows himself a braggart, Let him fear this; for it will come to pass, That every braggart shall be found an ass. Rust, sword! cool, blushes! and, Parolles live, Safest in shame! being fool'd, by foolery thrive! There's place, and means, for every man alive. } ACT V. AGAINST DELAY. Let's take the instant by the forward top; For we are old, and on our quick'st decrees The inaudible and noiseless foot of time Steals ere we can effect them. EXCUSE FOR UNSEASONABLE DISLIKE. At first I stuck my choice upon her, ere my heart To a most hideous object: Thence it came, AS YOU LIKE IT. ACT I. MODESTY AND COURAGE IN YOUTH. I BESEECH you, punish me not with your hard thoughts; wherein I confess me much guilty, to deny so fair and excellent ladies any thing. But let your fair eyes and gentle wishes, go with me to my trial: wherein if I be foiled, there is but one shamed that was never gracious; if killed, but one dead that is willing to be so: I shall do my friends no wrong, for I have none to lament me; the world no injury, for in it I have nothing; only in the world I fill up a. place, which may be better supplied when I have made it empty. PLAY-FELLOWS. We still have slept together, Rose at an instant, learn'd, play'd, eat together; BEAUTY. Beauty provoketh thieves sooner than gold. ROSALIND PROPOSING TO WEAR MEN'S CLOTHES. Were it not better, Because that I am more than common tall, * Cutlass. † Swaggering. |