Ros. Young man, have you challenged Charles the wrestler 11?

Orl. No, fair princess; he is the general challenger: I come but in, as others do, to try with him the strength of my youth.

12

Cel. Young gentleman, your spirits are too bold for your years: You have seen cruel proof of this man's strength: if you saw yourself with your eyes 12, or knew yourself with your judgment, the fear of your adventure would counsel you to a more equal enterprise. We pray you, for your own sake, to embrace your own safety, and give over this attempt.

Ros. Do, young sir; your reputation shall not therefore be misprised: we will make it our suit to the duke, that the wrestling might not go forward.

13

Orl. I beseech you, punish me not with your hard thoughts; wherein 13 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 14; 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

"This wrestling match is minutely described in Lodge's novel. 12 Coleridge says, "Surely it should be our eyes' and 'our judgment.' But there seems to be no necessity for change. The meaning is obviously if he took a just measure of his powers he would avoid the contest with this strong man and seek a more equal enterprise.

13 Johnson thought we should read "therein." Mason proposed to read herein. Malone satisfactorily explains the passage thus: “punish me not with your hard thoughts, which, however, I confess I deserve to incur, for denying such fair ladies any request."

14 Gracious was anciently used in the sense of the Italian gratiato, i. e. graced, favoured, countenanced; as well as for graceful, comely, well favoured, in which sense Shakespeare uses it in other places.-Vide Florio's Italian Dict. Ed. 1598, and The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act iii. Sc. 1, vol. i. p. 150, note 29.

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.

Ros. The little strength that I have, I would it were with you.

Cel. And mine, to eke out hers.

Ros. Fare you well. Pray heaven, I be deceived in you!

Cel. Your heart's desires be with you.

Cha. Come, where is this young gallant, that is so desirous to lie with his mother earth?

Orl. Ready, sir; but his will hath in it a more modest working.

Duke F. You shall try but one fall.

Cha. No, I warrant your grace; you shall not entreat him to a second, that have so mightily persuaded him from a first.

Orl. You mean to mock me after; you should not have mocked me before: but come your ways. Ros. Now, Hercules be thy speed, young man! Cel. I would I were invisible, to catch the strong fellow by the leg. [CHA. and ORL. wrestle.

Ros. O excellent young man!

Cel. If I had a thunderbolt in mine eye, I can tell [CHARLES is thrown. Shout.

who should down.

Duke F. No more, no more.

Orl. Yes, I beseech your grace; I am not yet well breathed.

Duke F. How dost thou, Charles?

Le Beau. He cannot speak, my lord.

Duke F. Bear him away. [CHARLES is borne out.]
What is thy name, young man?

Orl. Orlando, my liege; the youngest son of Sir
and de Bois.

. I would, thou hadst been son to some man

se.

The world esteem'd thy father honourable,

But I did find him still mine

enemy:

Thou shouldst have better pleas'd me with this deed,
Hadst thou descended from another house.
But fare thee well; thou art a gallant youth;
I would, thou hadst told me of another father.

[Exeunt Duke FRED. Train, and LE BEAU. Cel. Were I my father, coz, would I do this? Orl. I am more proud to be Sir Rowland's son, His youngest son ;—and would not change that calling 15,

To be adopted heir to Frederick.

Ros. My father lov'd Sir Rowland as his soul,
And all the world was of my father's mind :
Had I before known this young man his son,
I should have given him tears unto entreaties,
Ere he should thus have ventur❜d.

Cel.

Gentle cousin, Let us go thank him, and encourage him :

My father's rough and envious disposition
Sticks me at heart.—Sir, you have well deserv'd :
you do keep your promises in love

If

But justly, as you have exceeded all promise,
Your mistress shall be happy.

Ros.

Gentleman,

[Giving him a Chain from her neck. Wear this for me; one out of suits with fortune 16; That could give more, but that her hand lacks means.Shall we go, coz?

Cel.

Ay:-Fare you well, fair gentleman. Orl. Can I not say, I thank you? My better parts Are all thrown down; and that which here stands up, Is but a quintain 17, a mere lifeless block.

15 Calling here means appellation, a very unusual use of the word. 16 Out of suits, i. e. out of favour, discarded by fortune. 17 His better parts, i. e. his spirits or senses. A quintain was a

Ros. He calls us back: my pride fell with my for

tunes:

I'll ask him what he would :-Did you call, sir ?— Sir, you have wrestled well, and overthrown

More than your enemies.

Cel.

Will you go, coz? Ros. Have with you :-Fare you well.

[Exeunt ROSALIND and CELIA. Orl. What passion hangs these weights upon my tongue?

I cannot speak to her, yet she urg'd conference.

poor

Re-enter LE BEAU.

Orlando! thou art overthrown; Or Charles, or something weaker, masters thee. Le Beau. Good sir, I do in friendship counsel you To leave this place: Albeit you have deserv'd High commendation, true applause, and love; Yet such is now the duke's condition 18, That he misconstrues all that you have done.

figure set up for tilters to run at in mock resemblance of a tournament. The first and simplest form was a tree or post with a shield or some object affixed to it: afterwards a cross-bar was fixed to the top of the post turning upon a pivot, having a broad board at the one end, and a bag full of sand suspended at the other. Sometimes it was made in resemblance of a human figure holding in the one hand a shield and in the other a bag of sand. In the sport, if the figure was struck on the shield the quintain turned on its pivot and hit the assailant with the sand-bag. The skill consisted in striking the quintain dexterously so as to avoid the blow. Figures of several kinds and ample descriptions are to be found in Mr. Douce's Illustrations of Shakespeare, in the ariorum editions, and in Mr. Knight's. The sport of the quinhumorously described in Laneham's Letter from KillingCastle, which the notice of the admirable author of Kenilhas made every reader acquainted with.

he duke's condition, i. e. temper, disposition. Antonio in the ant of Venice is called by his friend "the best condition'd Humorous is capricious. See Two Gentlemen of Verona, iii. Sc. 1, p. 146, note 20.

The duke is humorous; what he is, indeed,
More suits you to conceive, than me to speak of.
Orl. I thank you, sir: and, pray you, tell me this;
Which of the two was daughter of the duke.
That here was at the wrestling?

Le Beau. Neither his daughter, if we judge by man

ners;

But yet, indeed, the smaller 19 is his daughter:
The other is daughter to the banish'd duke,
And here detain'd by her usurping uncle,
To keep his daughter company; whose loves
Are dearer than the natural bond of sisters.
But I can tell you, that of late this duke
Hath ta'en displeasure 'gainst his gentle niece;
Grounded upon no other argument,

But that the people praise her for her virtues,
And pity her for her good father's sake;
And, on my life, his malice 'gainst the lady
Will suddenly break forth.—Sir, fare
Hereafter, in a better world than this,

you

well;

I shall desire more love and knowledge of you. *
Orl. I rest much bounden to you: fare you well!

[Exit LE BEAU.
Thus must I from the smoke into the smother;
From tyrant duke, unto a tyrant brother :-
But heavenly Rosalind!

[Exit.

SCENE III. A Terrace in front of the Palace.

Enter CELIA and ROSALIND.

Cel. Why, cousin; why, Rosalind ;—Cupid have mercy! Not a word?

Ros. Not one to throw at a dog.

19 The old copy reads taller, which, from what is said in other places, is evidently wrong. Pope altered it to shorter. The present reading is Malone's.