AS YOU LIKE IT.

ACT I.

SCENE I. An Orchard near Oliver's Houst

2

Enter ORLANDO and ADAM.

Orlando. As I remember, Adam, it was upon this fashion bequeathed me' by will; but a poor thousand crowns; and, as thou sayest, charged my brother, on his blessing, to breed me well; and there begins my sadness. My brother Jaques he keeps at school, and report speaks goldenly of his profit for my part, he keeps me rustically at home, or, to speak more properly, 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? His horses are bred better; for, besides that they are fair with their feeding, they are taught their manage, and to that end riders dearly hired; but I, his brother, gain nothing under him but growth; for the which his animals on his dunghills are as much bound to him as I. 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 gentility with my education. This is it, Adam, that grieves me; and the spirit of my father, which I

1 Sir W. Blackstone proposed to read, "He bequeathed, &c." Warburton proposed to read, "My father bequeathed, &c."

2 The old orthography staies was an easy corruption of sties; which Warburton thought the true reading

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think is within me, begins to mutiny against this servitude. I will no longer endure it, though yet I know no wise remedy how to avoid it.

Enter OLIVer.

Adam. Yonder comes my master, your brother. Orl. Go apart, Adam, and thou shalt hear how he will shake me up.

Oli. Now, sir! what make you here? 1

Orl. Nothing. I am not taught to make any thing. Oli What mar you then, sir?

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

with idleness.

Oli. Marry, sir. be better employed, and be naught awhile.2

Orl. Shall I keep your hogs, and eat husks with them? What prodigal 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?

3

The

Orl. Ay, better than he3 I am before knows me. I know you are my eldest brother; and, in the gentle condition of blood, you should so know me. courtesy of nations allows you my better, in that you are the first-born; but the same tradition takes not away my blood, were there twenty brothers betwixt us. I have as much of my father in me, as you; albeit, I confess, your coming before me is nearer to his reverence.' Oli. What, boy!

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

1 i. e. what do you here?

2 Be naught awhile. Warburton justly explained this phrase, which. he says, "is only a north-country proverbial curse, equivalent to a mischief on you."

3 The first folio reads him, the second he, more correctly.

4 Warburton proposed reading, "near his revenue," which he explains "though you are no nearer in blood, yet it must be owned, that you are nearer in estate."