[-"then succeeds the manly age, when it becomes more solid and exact," says the Latin.] "The sixth age shifts Into the lean and slipper'd Pantaloon, With spectacles on nose and pouch on side; For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice, Turning again toward childish treble, pipes And whistles in his sound": [-" and lastly, its old age, when it waxeth dry and exhaust," or, as the Latin reads, "Lastly, its old age creeps on, when it becomes dry and exhaust, garrulity only remaining."] "Last scene of all, That ends this strange eventful history, Is second childishness and mere oblivion; Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans - everything." Act II. Sc. 7. ["But it is not good to look too long upon these turning wheels of vicissitude, lest we become giddy."] Here, there is resemblance in the thought, manner, and word, but not any absolute identity: the similitude is rather distant and remote, as we should expect to find it in writings so different in character, even the subject being not the same. As will be seen, the Latin translation comes nearer to the very language of the poetry than the English original of the Essay; and upon a close study, it is pretty evident that, in the scientific study of the "Differences of Youth and Old Age," and in the "History of Life and Death," may be found the actual first origin of both the poetry and the prose. The general ideas are certainly very similar, the difference of the subject in the Essay necessarily occasioning some variations and omissions of particulars. The manner is nearly the same in both, and the turn of expression, and use of words, is alike in both; as for instance, the words creep, manly voice and manly age, severe and exact, yarrulity and childish treble, this strange eventful history and the turning wheels of vicissitude. And then we have the same order and succession of the like ideas as far as they go, with that difference of diction, and greater amplitude, which the nature of the subject, the exigencies of verse, and the poetic style demanded. Jaques exhibits a very remarkable liking for the fool Touchstone, "Who laid him down, and bask'd him in the sun, And rail'd on Lady Fortune in good terms, In good set terms, and yet a motley fool;" but when he heard him moralize upon the time, he laughed a whole hour by his dial, "That Fools should be so deep-contemplative." And well he might; for this fool's brain is crammed with observation, his head is full of instances, and he appears, like many of this author's fools, to have much knowledge in many arts, though "ill-inhabited":— "Jaq. 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." Then follows a sharp piece of satirical criticism upon Vincentio Saviolo's code of honor; but what is more particularly to be noted in this connection is, that the moralizing Jaques, who understands so well the many parts which. man plays on the universal theatre, considering the wisdom "which he vents in mangled forms," is ready to exclaim: — Here is certainly a very good reason why this author should be so much in the habit of putting the profoundest conclusions of his philosophy into the mouths of his clowns and fools; and in a larger view, it may have been for a some what similar reason that such a writer should choose the dramatic form of delivery for the purpose of communicating his braver instruction to mankind. In that age, especially, he needed liberty; and his Genius must have the air of Freedom: To speak my mind, and I will through and through If they will patiently receive my medicine." Act II. Sc. 7. Touchstone proceeds with the shepherd, Corin, thus: "Touch. Hast any philosophy in thee, shepherd? Cor. No more, but that I know, the more one sickens, the more 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, nor Art, may complain of good breeding, or comes of a very dull kindred. Touch. Such a one is a natural philosopher." Act III. Sc. 2. Next, the dispute on good manners and the manners of courtiers and shepherds winds up with a challenge for instances: "Touch. Instance, briefly; come, instance.". Act III. Sc. 2. a And this is followed by a call for "a better instance," " more sounder instance," and "a mended instance," very much after the manner of our natural philosopher himself: "Jaq. Is not this a rare fellow, my lord? he's as good at anything, and yet a Fool. Duke S. He uses his folly like a stalking-horse, and under the presentation of that, he shoots his wit." So says Bacon to Essex, "You discourse well Quid igitur agendum est? I will shoot my fool's bolt, since you will have it so." Jaques had been a traveller, too, and his sadness was of a peculiar kind :— "Ros. They say you are a melancholy fellow. Rosalind thinks all such must be "abominable fellows," but Jaques, that it is "good to be sad and say nothing": - "Ros. Why then it is good to be a post.". Act IV. Sc. 1. This may remind the critical reader of Bacon's discussion of individual good or happiness, which might consist in a certain "equality" of things, or in "variety and vicissitude," or in both; and he alludes to the controversy between Socrates and the Sophist, in which Socrates maintained that happiness consisted in a constant peace of mind and tranquillity; but the Sophist, that it consisted in having an appetite for much and in enjoying much. The Sophist said, that Socrates' happiness was that of "a post or a stone" (" stipitis vel lapidis "); and Socrates, that the Sophist's happiness was that of a man that had the itch ("scabiosi "), who was perpetually itching and scratching; and this last breaks out, again, in another place, thus: "Marcius. What's the matter, you dissentious rogues, Make yourselves scabs? . . . . Who deserves greatness A sick man's appetite, who desires most that Which would increase his evil.". Jaques answers: Cor., Act I. Sc. 1. : "I have neither the Scholar's melancholy, which is emulation; nor the Musician's, which is fantastical; nor the Courtier's, which is proud; nor the Soldier's, which is ambitious; nor the Lawyer's, which is politic; nor the Lady's, which is nice; nor the Lover's, which is all these: but it is a melancholy of mine own, compounded of many simples, extracted from many objects, and, indeed, the sundry contemplation of my travels, in which my often rumination wraps me in a most humourous sadness. Ros. A traveller! . . . Act IV. Sc. 1. Jaq. Yes; I have gained my experience.". Very like the philosopher, who had found "the different characters of natures" omitted in "Morality and Policy," but thought there might be something of truth in the traditions of astrology and the predominances of the planets: for, as we remember, "some are naturally formed for con 1 De Aug., Lib. VII.; (Boston), III. 24. templation, others for business, others for war, others for advancement of fortune, others for love, others for the arts, others for a varied kind of life"; as had been represented among the poets, heroic, satiric, tragic, and comic. And a traveller he was, no doubt, this "Monsieur Traveller," through the universal variety, to whom, in his elevated station on the mountain top, the common affairs and most ordinary compliments of mankind below, were so sadly amusing, that, on the whole, they might even be compared to "the encounter of two dog-apes." Nevertheless, he had a fellow-feeling for the To that which had too much.' Then, being there alone, Left and abandon'd of his velvet friends; 6 "Tis right,' quoth he; this misery doth part The flux of company.' Anon, a careless herd, Full of the pasture, jumps along by him, And never stays to greet him. Ay,' quoth Jaques, 'Sweep on, you fat and greasy citizens ; 'Tis just the fashion: Wherefore do you look Thus most invectively he pierceth through The body of the country, city, court, Yea, and of this our life." -Act II. Sc. 1. |