Count. Have you, I say, an answer of such fitness for all questions?

Clo. From below your duke, to beneath your constable, it will fit any question.

Count. It must be an answer of most monstrous size, that must fit all demands.

Clo. But a trifle neither, in good faith, if the learned should speak truth of it: here it is, and all that belongs to't: Ask me, if I am a courtier: it shall do you no harm to learn.

Count. To be young again,' if we could: I will be a fool in question, hoping to be the wiser by your answer. I pray you, sir, are you a courtier ? Clo. O Lord, sir,- There's a simple putting off;-more, more, a hundred of them.

Count. Sir, I am a poor friend of yours, that loves you.

Clo. O Lord, sir,-Thick, thick, spare not me. Count. I think, sir, you can eat none of this homely meat.

Clo. O Lord, sir,-Nay, put me to't, I warrant you. Count. You were lately whipped, sir, as I think. Clo. O Lord, sir,-Spare not me.

Count. Do you cry, O Lord, sir, at your whipping, and spare not me? Indeed, your O Lord, sir, is very sequent to your whipping; you would answer very well to a whipping, if you were but bound to't.

Clo. I ne'er had worse luck in my life, in myO Lord, sir: I see, things may serve long, but not

serve ever.

Count. I play the noble housewife with the time, to entertain it so merrily with a fool.

To be young again,] The lady censures her own levity in trifling with her jester, as a ridiculous attempt to return back to youth.

2 O Lord, sir,] A ridicule on that foolish expletive of speech then in vogue at court.

Clo. O Lord, sir,-Why, there't serves well again. Count. An end, sir, to your business: Give Helen this,

And urge her to a present answer back:
Commend me to my kinsmen, and my son;
This is not much.

Clo. Not much commendation to them.

Count. Not much employment for you: You un-. derstand me?

Clo. Most fruitfully; I am there before my legs. Count. Haste you again. [Exeunt severally..

SCENE III.

Paris. A Room in the King's Palace.

Enter BERTRAM, LAFEU, and Parolles.

3

Laf. They say, miracles are past; and we have our philosophical persons, to take modern and familiar things, supernatural and causeless. Hence is it, that we make trifles of terrors; ensconsing ourselves into seeming knowledge, when we should submit ourselves to an unknown fear.*

Par. Why, 'tis the rarest argument of wonder, that hath shot out in our latter times.

Ber. And so 'tis.

Laf. To be relinquish'd of the artists,

Par. So I say; both of Galen and Paracelsus.
Laf. Of all the learned and authentick fellows,”-
Par. Right, so I
so I say.

Laf. That gave him out incurable,—

modern- i. e. common, ordinary.

4 unknown fear.] Fear is here an object of fear.

authentick fellows,] The epithet authentick was in our

author's time particularly applied to the learned.

Par. Why, there 'tis; so say I too.
Laf. Not to be helped,-

Par. Right: as 'twere, a man assured of an—
Laf. Uncertain life, and sure death.

Par. Just, you say well; so would I have said. Laf. I may truly say, it is a novelty to the world. Par. It is, indeed: if you will have it in showing, you shall read it in,What do you call there?

Laf. A showing of a heavenly effect in an earthly

actor.

6

Par. That's it I would have said; the very same. Laf. Why, your dolphin is not lustier: 'fore me I speak in respect

Par. Nay, 'tis strange, 'tis very strange, that is the brief and the tedious of it; and he is of a most facinorous spirit,' that will not acknowledge it to be the

Laf. In a most weak

Par. And debile minister, great power, great transcendence: which should, indeed, give us a further use to be made, than alone the recovery of the king, as to be

Laf. Generally thankful.

Enter KING, HELENA, and Attendants.

Par. I would have said it; you say well. Here comes the king.

8

Laf. Lustick, as the Dutchman says: I'll like a

• Why, your dolphin is not lustier :] By dolphin is meant the dauphin, the heir apparent, and the hope of the crown of France. His title is so translated in all the old books.

facinorous spirit,] Facinorous is wicked.

Lustick:] Lustigh is the Dutch word for lusty, chearful,

pleasant.

maid the better, whilst I have a tooth in my head ; Why, he's able to lead her a coranto.

Par. Mort du Vinaigre! Is not this Helen?
Laf. 'Fore God, I think so.

King. Go, call before me all the lords in court.[Exit an Attendant. Sit, my preserver, by thy patient's side;

And with this healthful hand, whose banish'd sense
Thou hast repeal'd, a second time receive

The confirmation of my promis'd gift,
Which but attends thy naming.

Enter several Lords.

Fair maid, send forth thine eye: this youthful parcel Of noble bachelors stand at my bestowing,

O'er whom both sovereign power and father's voice
I have to use: thy frank election make;

Thou hast power to choose, and they none to forsake.
Hel. To each of you one fair and virtuous mistress
Fall, when love please!-marry, to each, but one!"
Laf. I'd give bay Curtal, and his furniture,
My mouth no more were broken3 than these boys',
And writ as little beard.

King.

Peruse them well: Not one of those, but had a noble father.

Hel. Gentlemen,

Heaven hath, through me, restor❜d the king to health.
All. We understand it, and thank heaven for you.
Hel. I am a simple maid; and therein wealthiest,
That, I protest, I simply am a maid :——
Please it your majesty, I have done already :

'O'er whom both sovereign power and father's voice-] They were his wards as well as his subjects. HENLEY.

1

2

marry, to each, but one!] i. e. except one.
bay Curtal,] i. e. a bay, docked horse.

3 My mouth no more were broken -] A broken mouth is a mouth which has lost part of its teeth. JOHNSON.

The blushes in my cheeks thus whisper me,
We blush, that thou should'st choose; but, be refus'd,
Let the white death sit on thy cheek for ever;
We'll ne'er come there again.

King.
Make choice; and, see,
Who shuns thy love, shuns all his love in me.

Hel. Now, Dian, from thy altar do I fly; And to imperial Love, that god most high, Do my sighs stream.-Sir, will you hear my suit? 1 Lord. And grant it.

Hel.

Thanks, sir; all the rest is mute.5 Laf. I had rather be in this choice, than throw ames-ace" for my life.

Hel. The honour, sir, that flames in your fair eyes, Before I speak, too threateningly replies:

Love make your fortunes twenty times above
Her that so wishes, and her humble love!
2 Lord. No better, if you please.

Hel. My wish receive, Which great love grant! and so I take my leave. Laf. Do all they deny her? An they were sons of mine, I'd have them whipped; or I would send them to the Turk, to make eunuchs of.

Hel. Be not afraid [To a Lord] that I your hand should take;

I'll never do you wrong for your own sake:
Blessing upon your vows! and in your bed
Find fairer fortune, if you ever wed!

4 Let the white death, &c.] The white death is the chlorosis. The pestilence that ravaged England in the reign of Edward III. was called "the black death."

S the rest is mute.] i. e. I have no more to say to you. ames-ace-] i. e. the lowest chance of the dice.

6

7 Laf. Do all they deny her?] None of them have yet denied her, or deny her afterwards, but Bertram. The scene must be so regulated that Lafeu and Parolles talk at a distance, where they may see what passes between Helena and the lords, but not hear it, so that they know not by whom the refusal is made.

JOHNSON.