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67-thy virgin knight;] Knight, in its original signification, means follower or pupil, and in this sense may be feminine. Helena, in All's well that Ends well, uses knight in the same signification.

JOHNSON.

In the times of chivalry, a virgin knight was one who had as yet atchieved no adventure. Hero had as yet atchieved no matrimonial one. It may be added, that a virgin knight wore no device on his shield, having not atchieved any.

STEEVENS.

68 I would not deny you, &c.] Mr. Theobald says, is not this mock-reasoning? She would not deny him, but that she yields upon great persuasion. In changing the negative, I make no doubt but I have retrieved the poet's humour: and so changes not into yet. But is not this a mock-critic? who could not see that the plain obvious sense of the common reading was this, I cannot find in my heart to deny you, but for all that I yield, after having stood out great persuasions to submission. He had said, I take thee for pity, she replies, I would not deny thee, i. e. I take thee for pity too: but as I live, I am won to this compliance by importunity of friends. Mr. Theobald, by altering not to yet, makes it supposed, that he had been importunate, and that she had often denied, which was not the case.

WARBURTON.

AS YOU LIKE IT.

EY

WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE.

VOL. IV.

ON

THE PLOT, THE FABLE, AND CONSTRUCTION

OF

AS YOU LIKE IT.

If we may believe Dr. Gray and Mr. Upton, says Dr. Farmer, this play of As You Like It was certainly borrowed from the Coke's Tale of Gamelyn; which by the way was not printed till a century afterward : when in truth the old bard, who was no hunter of MSS. contented himself solely with Lodge's Rosalind, or Euphues' Golden Legacye, 4to, 1590.

Mr. Steevens very justly remarks, that Shakspeare has here followed the fable 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 too insignificant to merit transcription.

Of this play, says Johnson, 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

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heroism of her friendship. The character of Jaques is natural and well preserved. The comic dialogue is very sprightly, with less mixture of low buffoonery than in some other plays; and the graver part is elegant and harmonious. By hastening to the end of his work, Shakspeare suppressed the dialogue between the usurper and the hermit, and lost an opportunity of exhibiting a moral lesson in which he might have found matter worthy of his highest powers.

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