Slen. Despatched! I'll make the best in Glostershire know on 't; would I were hanged, la, else. I came yonder, at Eton, to marry Mistress Anne Page,—and she's a great lubberly 'boy! a 'post-master's boy!

Page. Upon my life, then, you took the 'wrong! Slen. What need you tell me 'that? 'I think so, when I took a boy for a 'girl!

Page. Why, this is your own folly. Did not I tell you

how you should know my daughter by her 'garments? Slen. I went to 'her in white," and cried, "Mum," and sho cried, "Budget," as Anne and I had appointed; and yet it was 'not Anne, but a post-master's 'boy. crying.

Mistress Page says to her vexed husband:

Exit

Mrs. Page. Good George, be not angry: I 'knew of your purpose; turned my daughter into 'green; and indeed, she is now with the 'Doctor at the deanery, and there married.

Doctor Caius hurries in, in a state of great agitation:

Caius. Vere is Mistress Page? By gar, I am cozened; I ha' married un garçon, a boy; un paisan, by gar, a boy! it is not Anne Page; by gar, I am cozened! Mrs. Page. Why, did you take 'her-in-'green ? Caius. Ay, by gar, and 't is a boy! by gar, I'll raise all Windsor.

[Exit.

Ford. This is strange. Who hath got the 'right Anne? Page. My heart misgives me. Here comes Master Fenton.

And with him comes the missing fairy, the fair Anne. They confess their lovers' stratagem, and ask for pardon. Master Page says:

Page. Well, what remedy? Fenton, Heaven give thee joy!
What cannot be 'eschewed, must be 'embraced.
Fal. When 'night-dogs run, 'all sorts of deer are chased.

Mistress Page yields to her maternal feelings :

Mrs. Page. Well, I will muse no further. Master Fenton,
Heaven give you many, many merry days.—
Good husband, let us every one go home,
And laugh this sport o'er by a country fire;
Sir John and all.

a town in Buckingham-shire, on the Thames, opposite Windsor. ca country bumpkin; (a peasant.)

d O. R. white.

bO. R. green.

Ford.

Master Ford consents:

Let it be so.-Sir John,

To Master Brook you 'yet shall hold your word:
For he has got the heart of Mistress Ford."

Mrs. Page adds:

Mrs. Page. We leave a proof, by all that we may do,
Wives can be "merry," and be "honest too.b

END OF THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR.

[Exeunt.

a adapted line.

btwo lines adapted and transposed from Act. 4, Scene ii

The delightful pastoral Comedy of "As You Like It" must have been written in 1599, or 1600; for it is not mentioned in Meres' list of 1598 it was irregularly entered, however, at Stationers' Hall, in 1600, but was not printed till its appearance in the folio of 1623

The original story is found in the old poem "The Tale of Gamelyn," belonging to the era of Chaucer; but Shakespeare is chiefly indebted to the novel of "Rosalynde, or Euphues' Golden Legacye," (1590,) written by Thomas North on his voyage to the Canary Islands, and published about ten years before the Comedy. The Novelist is followed by the Dramatist with remarkable fidelity; but the stilted style and hyperbolical sentiment, which were the early characteristics of Euphuism, are entirely discarded. It may be remarked that, in the Novel, there is no trace of Jacquez, Audrey, or Touchstone.

The Scene is at the Court of one of the petty Dukes of France, and partly in the Forest of Arden, in French Flanders; but there was no "desert inaccessible" there, under the shade of whose melancholy boughs a ducal party might live in happy seclusion; where a palm-tree might flourish, or a lioness starve. The Poet's Forest of Arden has a name indeed, but no local habitation-no geographical settlement; but it is the summer residence of his finest thoughts, philosophic humours, and merry fancies; while, to the dramatic tourist, it presents perennial scenes of mental pleasure.

The Characters retained in this Condensation are:

DUKE, living in banishment.
FREDERICK, his Brother, Usurper

of his Dominions.

AMIENS, Lords attending on the
JAQUEZ, Banished Duke.

CHARLES, a Wrestler.

CORIN,
SILVIUS,

Shepherds.

WILLIAM, a Country Fellow, in love with Audrey.

ROSALIND, Daughter to the Ban-
ished Duke.

CELIA, Daughter to Frederick.
PHEBE, a Shepherdess.

AUDREY, a Country Wench.

Lords, Pages, Foresters, and other
Attendants.

This entry is in the form of a caveat, or injunction to the printers;

66 Aug. 4. (?1600).

thus:

As you like it, a book

Henry the Fift, a book

it appears

Every Man in his Humour, a book
Comedy of Much ado about Nothing

to be staied."

But this stay (or caveat) was speedily withdrawn; for, ten days afterwards, (Aug. 14,) Henry the Fift" was duly entered, and shortly after published; on Aug. 23, "Much ado about Nothing" was allowed to be printed; "Every Man in his Humour" in 1601; while "As you Like it " did not appear in print till 1623.

bThe author says of his pedantic and conceited story: "Here they may read that Virtue is the King of Labours, Opinion the Mistress of Fools; that Unity is the Pride of Nature, and Contention the Overthrow of Families."

CO. R. Jaques (pronounced as a dissyllable, Ja'-quez). d Old Adam is one of the few characters in which Shakespeare is known to have appeared as an actor.

The Scene lies, first, near Oliver's House; afterwards, in the Usurper's Court; then in the Forest of Arden..

The Comedy opens with a conversation between young Orlando and old Adam,—a faithful servant of the family, still retained by the elder brother, Oliver.

Orl. As I remember, Adam, it was upon 'this fashion:-
my father bequeathed me, by will, but a poor thousand
crowns; and, (as thou say'st,) 'charged my brother, on
his blessing, to breed me 'well: and there 'begins my
sadness. My brother Jacques he keeps at 'school, and
report speaks goldenly of his profit: for 'my part, he
keeps 'me rustically at 'home; or, to speak more prop-
erly, stays me here at home 'unkept; for, call you that
'keeping, for a gentleman of 'my birth, that differs not
from the stalling of an 'ox? Besides this 'nothing that
he so plentifully gives me, the 'something that 'Nature
gave me his countenance seems to take 'from me: he
lets me feed with his 'hinds, bars me the place of a
'brother, and, as much as in him lies, mines my 'gen-
tility 'with my education. 'This is it, Adam, that
grieves me; and I will no longer endure it; though,
'yet, I know no wise remedy how to 'avoid it.
Adam. Yonder 'comes my master, your brother.
Oli. Now, sir! what make you 'here?

Orl. Nothing; I am not taught to make anything.
Oli. What 'mar you then, sir?

enters.

Orl. Marry, sir, I am helping 'you to mar that which Heaven made a poor unworthy brother of yours, with idleness.

Oli. Marry, sir, be 'better employed! and 'be nought' awhile.

Orl. Shall I keep your 'hogs, and eat husks with them? What 'prodigal's portion" have 'I spent, that I should come to such 'penury?

Oli. Know you where you are, sir?

Orl. O, sir, very well: here, in your orchard.

Oli. Know you before 'whom, sir?

Orl. Ay, better than he' I am before knows 'me. I know, you are my 'eldest 'brother; and, in the gentle condition of blood, 'you should so know 'me.

m

The forest of Arden (Ardennes) is in French Flanders, near Charlemont. bO R. upon this fashion bequ athed me by will. c poore a. d that is, report speaks in the highest terms of his proficiency. O. R. staies. funprovided for. good favour, encouraging approval. hundermines i do. i naughty (worthless, like a cipher). allowance for support (O. R. prodigall portion.) 10. R. him.

m family relationship.

Oli. What, boy!

Orl. Come, come, elder brother, 'you are too young in 'this.

Oli. Wilt thou lay hands on 'me, villein?"

Orl.... I am 'no villein: I am the 'youngest son of Sir Rowland de Bois. Wert thou 'not my brother, I would not take this hand from thy throat, till this 'other had pulled-out thy tongue for saying so: thou hast railed on 'thyself. [comes forward.]

Adam. Sweet masters, be patient! for your 'father's remembrance, be at accord.

Oli. Let me go, I say!

Orl. I will 'not, till I please; you 'shall hear me. My father 'charged you, in his will, to give me 'good education: you have trained me like a 'peasant, obscuring, and hiding from me, all 'gentleman-like qualities; and I will no longer endure it; therefore, allow me such exercises as may 'become a gentleman; or give me the poor allottery my father left me by testament; with that, I will go 'buy my fortunes.

Oli. And what will thou do 'then? beg, when that is spent? Well, sir, get you in: you shall have some 'part of your will. I pray you, leave me. [T] Get you 'with him, you old dog!

Adam. Is "old 'dog" my reward?

To Old
Adam.

[Exeunt Orlando and Adam:

Heaven be with my 'old master! 'he would not have spoke such a word. Oli. Is it even 'so? begin you to 'grow' upon me? I will physic your rankness, and yet give no thousand crowns neither. Holla, Dennis! [D] Was not Charles, the Duke's wrestler, here to speak with me?

Denni

Den. So please you, he is here at the door, and 'importunes access to you. Exit

Dennis..

Oli. Call him in. [x]-T will be a good way; and tomorrow the wrestling is. [Charles]

onters.

Cha. Good morrow to your worship.

Oli. Good monsieur Charles !-what's the news at the new Court?

Cha. There's 'no news at the Court, sir, but the 'old news:

that is, the 'Old Duke is banished by his younger brother the 'New Duke.

Oli. What!.

you wrestle to-morrow before the New

Duke?

inexperienced.

bserf, dependent, (O. R. villaine.)

d allowance ("a poor thousand crowns"). e inserted word.

employments. f encroach.