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that between you and the women, the Play may please. If I were a woman, I would kiss as many of you as had beards that pleas'd me, complexions that lik'd me, and breaths that I defy'd not: and, I am fure, as many as have good beards, or good faces, or fweet breaths, will for my kind offer, when I make curt'sy, bid me farewel. [Exeunt omnes.

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If I were a woman,] Note that in this author's time the parts of women were always performed by men or boys.

HANMER.

Of this play the fable is wild and pleasing. I know not how the ladies will approve the facility with which both Rosalind and Celia give away their hearts. To Celia much may be forgiven for the heroism of her friend ship. The character of Jaques

is natural and well preferved. The comick dialogue is very sprightly, with lefs mixture of low buffoonery than in fome other plays; and the graver part is elegant and harmonious. B hastening to the end of his work Shakespeare suppressed the dialogue between the ufurper and the hermit, and lost an opportunity of exhibiting a moral lesson in which he might have found matter worthy of his highest powers.

LOVE'S

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Officers, and others, Attendants upon the King and
Princess.

SCENE, the King of Navarre's Palace, and the Country near it.

This enumeration of the persons was made by Mr. Rowe. Of this Play there is an edi.

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tion in 4to 1598, by W. W. for Cuthbert Burby, which I have not seen.

LOVE's

i

LOVE'S LABOUR's LOST.

ACT I. SCENE I.

The PALACE.

Enter the King, Biron, Longaville, and Dumain.

L

KING,

ET Fame, that all hunt after in their lives,
Live registered upon our brazen tombs;
And then grace us in the disgrace of death:

When, spight of cormorant devouring time,
Th' endeavour of this present breath may buy
That honour which shall bate his scythe's keen edge;
And make us heirs of all eternity.
Therefore, brave Conquerors! for fo you are,
That war against your own Affections,
And the huge army of the world's defires;
Our late edict shall strongly stand in force.
Navarre shall be the wonder of the world;
Our Court shall be a little academy,
Still and contemplative in living arts.
You three, Biron, Dumain, and Longaville,
Have sworn for three years' term to live with me,
My fellow Scholars; and to keep those Statutes,
That are recorded in this schedule here.

Your oaths are past, and now subscribe your names:

That

That his own hand may strike his honour down,
That violates the smallest branch herein :
If you are arm'd to do, as fworn to do,
Subscribe to your deep oaths, and keep them too.
Long. I am refolv'd; 'tis but a three years fast:
The mind shall banquet tho' the body pine;
Fat paunches have lean pates; and dainty bits
Make rich the ribs, but bankerout the wits.

Dum. My loving lord, Dumain is mortify'd:
The groffer manner of these world's delights
He tlirows upon the gross world's baser slaves
To love, to wealth, to pomp, I pine and die;
With all these living in philosophy'.

Biron. I cari but say their protestation over.
So much (dear liege) I have already sworn,
That is, to live and study here three years':
But there are other strict observances;
As, not to fee a woman in that term,
Which, I hope well, is not enrolled there.
And one day in a week to touch no food, 1
And but one meal on every day beside;
The which, I hope, is not enrolled there.
And then to fleep but three hours in the night,
And not be seen to wink of all the day;
(When I was wont to think no harm all night,
And make a dark night too of half the day;)
Which, I hope well, is not enrolled there.
O, these are barren tasks, too hard to keep;
Not to seę ladies, study, fast, not fleep.

King. Your Oath is pass'd to pass away from these.
Biron. Let me say, no, liege, an' if you please;
L'only swore to study with your Grace,

And stay here in your Court for three years' space.

With all these living in philofopby.] The stile of the rhyming scenes in this play is often entangled and obfcure. I know

not certainly to what all these is
to bereferred; I suppose he means
that he finds love, pomp, and
wealth in philofophy.

Long.

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