there is little hope of life in him: fo he ferv'd the fecond, and fo the third: Yonder they lie; the poor old man, their father, making fuch pitiful dole over them, that all the beholders take his part with weeping. Rof. Alas! Clo. But what is the fport, monfieur, that the ladies have loft? Le Beau. Why this, that I fpeak of. Clo. Thus men may grow wifer every day! it is the first time that ever I heard, breaking of ribs was fport for ladies. Cel. Or I, I promise thee. Rof. But is there any elfe longs to fee this broken mufick in his fides? is there yet another dotes upon rib-breaking? fhall we fee this wrestling, coufin? Le Beau. You muft, if you stay here: for here is the place appointed for the wrestling, and they are ready to perform it. Cel. Yonder, fure they are coming: Let us now ftay and fee it. is there any elfe longs to fee this broken mufick in his fides ?] A ftupid error in the copies. They are talking here of fome who had their ribs broke in wreitling: and the pleafantry of Rofalind's repartee must confift in the allufion fhe makes to composing in mufick. It neceffarily follows therefore, that the poet wrote this broken mufick in his fides. WARBURTON. SET If any change were neceflary, I fhould write, feel this broken mufick, for fee. But fee is the colloquial term for perception or experiment. So we fay every day, fee if the water be hot; I will fee which is the best time; fhe has tried, and/ees that she cannot lift it. In this fenfe fee may be here ufed. The fufferer can, with no propriety, be faid to fet the mufick; neither is the allu fion to the act of tuning an instrument, or pricking a tune, one of which must be meant by fetting mufick. Rofalind hints at a whimfical fimilitude between the series of ribs gradually shortening, and fome mufical inftruments, and therefore calls broken ribs, broken mufick. JOHNSON. Flourish. 1 Flourish. Enter Duke Frederick, Lords, Orlando, Charles, and attendants. Duke. Come on: fince the youth will not be entreated, his own peril on his forwardness. Rof. Is yonder the man? Le Beau. Even he, madam. Cel. Alas, he is too young: yet he looks fuccefsfully. Duke. How now, daughter, and coufin? are you crept hither to see the wrestling? 8 Rof. Ay, my liege, fo pleafe you give us leave. Duke. You will take little delight in it, I can tell you, there is fuch odds in the men: In pity of the challenger's youth, I would fain diffuade him, but he will not be entreated: Speak to him, ladies; fee if you can move him. Cel. Call him hither, good Monfieur Le Beau. Duke. Do fo; I'll not be by, [Duke goes apart. Le Beau. Monfieur the challenger, the princeffes call for you. Orla. I attend them with all refpect and duty. Rof. Young man, have you challeng'd Charles the wrestler? Orla. No, fair princefs; he is the general challenger: I come but in, as others do, to try with him the ftrength of my youth. Cel. Young gentleman, your fpirits are too bold for your years: You have feen cruel proof of this man's ftrength: if you faw yourself with your eyes, or knew yourself with your judgment, the fear of 8 -odds in the men:] Sir T. Hanmer. In the old editions, the man. JOHNSON. 9 if you faw yourself with your eyes, or knew yourself with your judgment,] Abfurd! The fenfe requires that we fhould read, --our eyes, and-our judgment. The argument is, Your fpirits are too bold, and therefore your judgment deceives you; but did you U 3 fce your adventure would counfel you to a more equal enterprise. We pray you, for your own fake, to embrace your own fafety, and give over this attempt. Rof. Do, young fir; your reputation fhall not therefore be mifprifed: we will make it our fuit to the duke, that the wrestling might not go forward. Orla. I beseech you, punish me not with your hard thoughts; wherein I confefs me much guilty, to deny so fair and excellent ladies any thing. But let your fair fair eyes, and gentle wishes, go with me to my trial: wherein if I be foil'd, there is but one fham'd that was never gracious; if kill'd, but one dead that is willing to be fo: I fhall do my friends no wrong, for I have none to lament me; the world no injury, for in it I have nothing; only in the world I fill up a place, which may be better fupplied when I have made it empty. Rof. The little strength that I have, I would it were with you. Cel. And mine to eke out hers. Rof. Fare you well. Pray heaven I be deceiv'd in you! Cel. Your heart's defire be with you! Cha. Come, where is this young gallant, that is fo defirous to lie with his mother earth? Orla. Ready, fir; but his will hath it in a more modcft working. fee and know yourself with our more impartial judgment, you would forbear. WARBURTON. I cannot find the abfurdity of the prefent reading. If you were not blinded and intoxicated, fays the princefs, with the spirit of enterprife, if you could use your own eyes to fee, or your own judg ment to know yourself, the fear of your adventure would counfel you. JOHNSON. I beseech you, punish me not, &c.] I fhould wish to read, I beferch you, punish me not with your hard thoughts. Therein I Confefs myself much guilty to deny fo fair and excellent ladies any thing. JOHNSON. Duke. Duke. You fhall try but one fall. Cha. No, I warrant your grace; you fhall not entreat him to a fecond, that have fo mightily perfuaded him from a first. Orla. You mean to mock me after; you shall not have mocked me before: but come your ways. Ref. Now, Hercules be thy fpeed, young man ! Cel. I would I were invifible, to catch the ftrong fellow by the leg! [They wrestle Rof. O excellent young man ! Cel. If I had a thunderbolt in mine eye, I can tell who fhould down. Duke. No more, no more. [Shout. [Charles is thrown. Orla. Yes, I befech your grace; I am not yet well breathed. Duke. How doft thou, Charles? Le Beau. He cannot fpeak, my lord. Duke. Bear him away. What is thy name, young man? Orla. Orlando, my liege; the youngest fon of fir Rowland de Boys. Duke. I would, thou hadst been fon to fome man elfe. The world esteem'd thy father honourable, But I did find him ftill mine enemy: Thou shouldft have better pleas'd me with this deed, Hadit thou defcended from another house. But fare thee well; thou art a gallant youth; I would thou hadft told me of another father. [Exit Duke, with his train, Manent Celia, Rofalind, Orlando, Cel. Were I my father, coz, would I do this? Orla. I am more proud to be fir Rowland's fon, His youngest fon; and would not change that call ing, To be adopted heir to Frederick, U 4 Rof Rof. My father lov'd fir Rowland as his foul, Cel, Gentle coufin, Let us go thank him, and encourage him : But juftly as you have exceeded all promife, Rof. Gentleman, [Giving him a chain from her neck. Wear this for me; one out of fuits with fortune'; That could give more, but that her hand lacks means. Shall we go, coz? Cel. Ay-Fare you well, fair gentleman. Orla. Can I not fay, I thank you? My better parts Are all thrown down; and that which here stands up, Is but a quintaine 3, a mere lifeless block. 2 Rof. one out of fuits with fortune;] This feems an allufion to cards, where he that has no more cards to play of any partícular fort is out of fuit. JOHNSON. Out of fuits with fortune,] I believe means, turned out of her fervice and fripp'd of her livery. STEEVENS. 3 Is but a quintaine, a mere lifelefe block. A quintaine was a poft or butt fet up for feveral kinds of martial exercises, against which they threw their darts and exercised their arms. The allufion is beautiful. I am, fays Orlando, only a quintaine, a lifeles block on which love only exercifes his arms in jeft; the great dif pavity of condition between Rofalind and me, not suffering me to hope that love will ever make a ferious matter of it. The famous fatirift Regnier, who lived about the time of our author, ufes the fame metaphor, on the fame fubject, though the thought be difjelent: "Et qui depuis dix ans jufqu'en les derniers jours, |