Scene Two
[The Forest of Arden]
Enter Orlando [with a paper].
Orl. Hang there, my verse, in witness of my love:
And thou, thrice-crowned queen of night, survey
With thy chaste eye, from thy pale sphere above,
Thy huntress' name, that my full life doth sway. 4
O Rosalind! these trees shall be my books,
And in their barks my thoughts I'll character,
That every eye, which in this forest looks,
Shall see thy virtue witness'd everywhere. 8
Run, run, Orlando: carve on every tree
The fair, the chaste, and unexpressive she. Exit.
Enter Corin and Touchstone.
Cor. And how like you this shepherd's life,
Master Touchstone? 12
Touch. Truly, shepherd, in respect of itself,
it is a good life; but in respect that it is a shep-
herd's life, it is naught. In respect that it is
solitary, I like it very well; but in respect that
it is private, it is a very vile life. Now, in respect 17
it is in the fields, it pleaseth me well; but in
respect it is not in the court, it is tedious. As
it is a spare life, look you, it fits my humour
well; but as there is no more plenty in it, it goes
much against my stomach. Hast any philosophy
in thee, shepherd? 23
Cor. No more but that I know the more one
sickens the worse at ease he is; and that he that
2 thrice-crowned; cf. n.
3 sphere: orbit
4 huntress' name; cf. n.
full: whole
doth sway: hath under control
6 character: inscribe
10 unexpressive: inexpressible
15 naught: good for nothing
20 spare: frugal
humour: whim
