As You Like It (Folger Shakespeare Library)

by William Shakespeare

I am not in the mind but I were better to 90 be married of him than of another, for he is not like 91 to marry me well, and not being well married, it 92 will be a good excuse for me hereafter to leave my 93 wife.

TOUCHSTONE I am not in the mind but I were better to 90 be married of him than of another, for he is not like 91 to marry me well, and not being well married, it 92 will be a good excuse for me hereafter to leave my 93 wife. 94

’Tis no matter. Ne’er a fantastical 106 knave of them all shall flout me out of my calling.

O, that’s a brave man. He writes brave verses, 38 speaks brave words, swears brave oaths, and breaks 39 them bravely,

CELIA O, that’s a brave man. He writes brave verses, 38 speaks brave words, swears brave oaths, and breaks 39 them bravely, quite traverse, athwart the heart of 40 his lover, as a puny tilter that spurs his horse but on 41 one side breaks his staff like a noble goose ; but all’s 42 brave that youth mounts and folly guides. 43 Enter Corin.

For I must tell you friendly in your ear, 64 Sell when you can; you are not for all markets.

I pray you, do not fall in love with me, 77 For I am falser than vows made in wine

Besides, I like you not. If you will know my house, 79 ’Tis at the tuft of olives, here hard

And yet it is not that I bear thee love, 100 But since that thou canst talk of love so well, 101 Thy company, which erst was irksome to me, 102 I will endure, and I’ll employ thee too.

SILVIUS I would have you. 97 PHOEBE Why, that were covetousness. 98 Silvius, the time was that I hated thee; 99 And yet it is not that I bear thee love, 100 But since that thou canst talk of love so well, 101 Thy company, which erst was irksome to me, 102 I will endure, and I’ll employ thee too. 103 But do not look for further recompense 104 Than thine own gladness that thou art employed. 105

what care I for words? Yet words do well 118 When he that speaks them pleases those that hear.

But that’s all one: omittance is no quittance

PHOEBE . . . But that’s all one : omittance is no quittance . 143 Footnotes 143 . that’s all one: i.e., it doesn’t matter; omittance is no quittance: i.e., omissions can yet be remedied (The proverb means, literally, that omitting to demand the repayment of a debt does not cancel the debt.)

but it is a melancholy 18 of mine own, compounded of many simples, ex- 19 tracted from many objects, and indeed the sundry 20 contemplation of my travels, in which <my> often 21 rumination wraps me in a most humorous sadness.

JAQUES I have neither the scholar’s melancholy, which 13 is emulation ; nor the musician’s, which is fantas-14 tical; nor the courtier’s, which is proud; nor the 15 soldier’s, which is ambitious; nor the lawyer’s, 16 which is politic ; nor the lady’s, which is nice ; nor 17 the lover’s, which is all these; but it is a melancholy 18 of mine own, compounded of many simples , ex-19 tracted from many objects, and indeed the sundry 20 contemplation of my travels, in which < my > often 21 rumination wraps me in a most humorous sadness. 22

Then to have 25 seen much and to have nothing is to have rich eyes 26 and poor hands.

ROSALIND , < as Ganymede > A traveller. By my faith, you 23 have great reason to be sad. I fear you have sold 24 your own lands to see other men’s. Then to have 25 seen much and to have nothing is to have rich eyes 26 and poor hands. 27

Ay, of a snail, for though he 58 comes slowly, he carries his house on his head—a 59 better jointure, I think, than you make a woman.

ROSALIND , < as Ganymede > Nay, an you be so tardy, 54 come no more in my sight. I had as lief be wooed of 55 a snail. 56 ORLANDO Of a snail? 57 ROSALIND , < as Ganymede > Ay, of a snail , for though he 58 comes slowly, he carries his house on his head—a 59 better jointure , I think, than you make a woman. 60

What would you say to me now 74 an I were your very, very Rosalind?

Men have died from time to time, and worms have 112 eaten them, but not for love.

ROSALIND, <as Ganymede> Now tell me how long you 150 would have her after you have possessed her? 151 ORLANDO Forever and a day. 152

ROSALIND , < as Ganymede > Now tell me how long you 150 would have her after you have possessed her? 151 ORLANDO Forever and a day. 152 ROSALIND , < as Ganymede > Say “a day” without the 153 “ever.” No, no, Orlando, men are April when they 154 woo, December when they wed. Maids are May 155 when they are maids, but the sky changes when 156 they are wives. I will be more jealous of thee than a 157 Barbary cock-pigeon over his hen, more clamorous 158 than a parrot against rain, more newfangled than 159 an ape, more giddy in my desires than a monkey. I 160 will weep for nothing, like Diana in the fountain , 161 and I will do that when you are disposed to be 162 merry. I will laugh like a hyena, and that when thou 163 art inclined to sleep. 164

Say “a day” without the 153 “

men are April when they 154 woo, December when they wed.

ROSALIND , < as Ganymede > . . . Men are April when they 154 woo, December when they wed. Maids are May 155 when they are maids, but the sky changes when 156 they are wives.

Well, time is the old justice 211 that examines all such offenders, and let time try

my affection hath an 220 unknown bottom, like the Bay of Portugal

ROSALIND O coz, coz, coz, my pretty little coz, that thou 218 didst know how many fathom deep I am in love. But 219 it cannot be sounded ; my affection hath an 220 unknown bottom, like the Bay of Portugal . 221 Footnote 221 . Bay of Portugal: i.e., the (very deep) sea off the coast of Portugal

Women’s gentle brain 36 Could not drop forth such giant-rude invention,

“The fool doth think he is wise, but the 31 wise man knows himself to be a fool.

no sooner met but they 34 looked, no sooner looked but they loved, no sooner 35 loved but they sighed, no sooner sighed but they 36 asked one another the reason, no sooner knew the 37 reason but they sought the remedy; and in these 38 degrees have they made a pair of stairs to marriage

ROSALIND , < as Ganymede > O, I know where you are . 30 Nay, ’tis true. There was never anything so sudden 31 but the fight of two rams, and Caesar’s thrasonical 32 brag of “I came, saw, and < overcame. > ” For your 33 brother and my sister no sooner met but they 34 looked, no sooner looked but they loved, no sooner 35 loved but they sighed, no sooner sighed but they 36 asked one another the reason, no sooner knew the 37 reason but they sought the remedy; and in these 38 degrees have they made a pair of stairs to marriage , 39 which they will climb incontinent, or else be incon-40 tinent before marriage. They are in the very wrath 41 of love, and they will together. Clubs cannot part 42 them. 43

Believe then, if you please, that I 62 can do strange things.

It is to be all made of fantasy, 98 All made of passion and all made of wishes, 99 All adoration, duty, and observance, 100 All humbleness, all patience and impatience, 101 All purity, all trial, all observance

SILVIUS It is to be all made of fantasy, 98 All made of passion and all made of wishes, 99 All adoration, duty, and observance , 100 All humbleness, all patience and impatience, 101 All purity, all trial, all observance , 102 And so am I for Phoebe. 103

I’ll have no husband, if you be not he, 127 <To Phoebe.> Nor ne’er wed woman, if you be not 128 she.

ROSALIND , < to Duke > I’ll have no father, if you be not he. 126 < To Orlando. > I’ll have no husband, if you be not he, 127 < To Phoebe. > Nor ne’er wed woman, if you be not 128 she.

Peace, ho! I bar confusion. 130 ’Tis I must make conclusion 131 Of these most strange events. 132 Here’s eight that must take hands 133 To join in Hymen’s bands, 134 If truth holds true contents

HYMEN Peace, ho! I bar confusion. 130 ’Tis I must make conclusion 131 Of these most strange events. 132 Here’s eight that must take hands 133 To join in Hymen’s bands , 134 If truth holds true contents . 135 < To Rosalind and Orlando. > You and you no cross shall part. 136 < To Celia and Oliver. > You and you are heart in heart. 137 < To Phoebe. > You to his love must accord 138 Or have a woman to your lord . 139 < To Audrey and Touchstone. > You and you are sure together 140 As the winter to foul weather. 141 < To All. > Whiles a wedlock hymn we sing, 142 Feed yourselves with questioning, 143 That reason wonder may diminish 144 How thus we met, and these things finish. 145

You and you are sure together 140 As the winter to foul weather.

Wedding is great Juno’s crown, 146 O blessèd bond of board and bed. 147 ’Tis Hymen peoples every town. 148 High wedlock then be honorèd. 149 Honor, high honor, and renown 150 To Hymen, god of every town.

HYMEN . . . Song. Wedding is great Juno’s crown , 146 O blessèd bond of board and bed . 147 ’Tis Hymen peoples every town. 148 High wedlock then be honorèd. 149 Honor, high honor, and renown 150 To Hymen, god of every town. 151 Footnotes 146 . Juno’s crown: Juno, sister and wife to Jove, is queen of the gods and protectress of marriage. 147 . board and bed: i.e., marriage board: i.e., dining table

If it be true that good wine 3 needs no bush, ’tis true that a good play needs no 4 epilogue. Yet to good wine they do use good bushes, 5 and good plays prove the better by the help of good 6 epilogues.

ROSALIND . . . If it be true that good wine 3 needs no bush , ’tis true that a good play needs no 4 epilogue. Yet to good wine they do use good bushes, 5 and good plays prove the better by the help of good 6 epilogues.

If I were a woman, I 17 would kiss as many of you as had beards that 18 pleased me, complexions that liked me, and breaths 19 that I defied not. And I am sure as many as have 20 good beards, or good faces, or sweet breaths will for 21 my kind offer, when I make curtsy, bid me farewell

ROSALIND . . . If I were a woman , I 17 would kiss as many of you as had beards that 18 pleased me, complexions that liked me , and breaths 19 that I defied not. And I am sure as many as have 20 good beards, or good faces, or sweet breaths will for 21 my kind offer, when I make curtsy, bid me farewell . 22 She exits.