* AS YOU LIKE IT.] Shakespeare has followed Lodge's Rosalynd, or Euphues' Golden Legacye, 4to. 1590, more exactly than is his general custom when he is indebted to such worthless originals; and has sketched some of his principal characters, and borrowed a few expressions from it. His imitations, &c. however, are in general too insignificant to merit transcription. It should be observed, that the characters of Jaques, the Clown, and Audrey, are entirely of the poet's own formation.

Although I have never met with any edition of this comedy before the year 1623, it is evident, that such a publication was at least designed. At the beginning of the second volume of the entries at Stationers' Hall, are placed two leaves of irregular prohibitions, notes, &c. Among these are the following:

Aug. 4.

"As you like it, a book.
"Henry the Fift, a book.

"The Comedy of Much Ado, a book.

The dates scattered over these plays are from 1596 to 1615.

This comedy, I believe, was written in 1600. tempt to ascertain the Order of Shakespeare's Plays.

STEEVENS.

See my At

MALONE.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

Duke, living in Exile.

Frederick, Brother to the Duke, and Usurper of

Amiens,

Jaques,

his Dominions.

Lords attending upon the Duke in his
Banishment.

Le Beau, a Courtier attending upon Frederick.
Charles, his Wrestler.

Oliver,

Touchstone, a Clown.

Sir Oliver Mar-text, a Vicar.

Corin, } Shepherds.

Sylvius,

William, a Country Fellow, in love with Audrey. A Person representing Hymen.

Rosalind, Daughter to the banished Duke.

Celia, Daughter to Frederick.

Phebe, a Shepherdess.

Audrey, a Country Wench.

Lords belonging to the two Dukes; Pages, Fo resters, and other Attendants.

The SCENE lies, first, near Oliver's House; afterwards, partly in the Usurper's Court, and partly in the Forest of Arden.

The list of the persons was added by Mr. Rowe. JOHNSON.

AS YOU LIKE IT.

ACT I. SCENE I.

An Orchard, near Oliver's House.

Enter ORLANDO and ADAM.

ORL. As I remember, Adam, it was upon this fashion bequeathed me by will, but poor a* thousand crowns; and, as thou say'st, charged my brother, on his blessing, to breed me well:' and there

* As I remember, Adam, it was-to breed me well] Thrown out with the ease and freedom of the most familiar dialogue, the language of Shakespeare receives here, as we conceive, the following easy and natural interpretation:

"It was upon this fashion bequeathed me by [my father in his] will, but poor a (i. e. the poor pittance of a) thousand crowns; and, as thou say'st, [it was, or he there] charged my brother upon his blessing to breed me well."

The question then is, whether instead of this, our author's text as delivered down to us, and his natural, but unconnected, dialogue, we are to substitute (and that in the opening of a comedy, and conversation between a master and a servant) the new punctuation and argumentative formality adopted by the modern editors from Dr. Johnson, who gives it thus: "As I remember, Adam, it was upon this fashion bequeathed me. By will, but a poor," &c.

This substitution appears to us hard and unnatural: and

a poor,

1632.

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 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.

the real text, on the contrary, in the true character and spirit of all dialogue on such an occasion between such parties.

This phraseology, poor a, is not yet altogether disused.

stays me here at home unkept] Detains. See Two G. of V. Valent. I. 1.

"Home-keeping youths have ever homely wits."

his countenance] The mode of his carriage towards me.

© mines with my education] By want of culture saps and defeats.