William Shakespeare: As You Like It

ACT III. 2. SCENE II. The Forest of Arden.

[Enter ORLANDO, with a paper.]

ORLANDO.
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.
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 every where.
Run, run, Orlando; carve on every tree,
The fair, the chaste, and unexpressive she.

[Exit.]

[Enter CORIN and TOUCHSTONE.]

CORIN.
And how like you this shepherd's life, Master Touchstone?

TOUCHSTONE.
Truly, shepherd, in respect of itself, it is a good
life; but in respect that it is a shepherd'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 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?

CORIN.
No more but that I know the more one sickens the worse at
ease he is; and that he that wants money, means, and content, is
without three good friends; that the property of rain is to wet,
and fire to burn; that good pasture makes fat sheep; and that a
great cause of the night is lack of the sun; that he that hath
learned no wit by nature nor art may complain of good breeding,
or comes of a very dull kindred.

TOUCHSTONE.
Such a one is a natural philosopher. Wast ever in court,
shepherd?

CORIN.
No, truly.

TOUCHSTONE.
Then thou art damned.

CORIN.
Nay, I hope,--

TOUCHSTONE.
Truly, thou art damned, like an ill-roasted egg, all on one side.