Page:As You Like It (1919) Yale.djvu/74

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Touch. When a man's verses cannot be under-

stood, nor a man's good wit seconded with the

forward child Understanding, it strikes a man

more dead than a great reckoning in a little

room. Truly, I would the gods had made thee

poetical.

Aud. I do not know what 'poetical' is. Is

it honest in deed and word? Is it a true

thing?

Touch. No, truly, for the truest poetry is the

most feigning; and lovers are given to poetry,

and what they swear in poetry may be said as

lovers they do feign.

Aud. Do you wish then that the gods had

made me poetical?

Touch. I do, truly; for thou swearest to me

thou art honest: now, if thou wert a poet, I

might have some hope thou didst feign.

Aud. Would you not have me honest?

Touch. No, truly, unless thou wert hard-

favour'd; for honesty coupled to beauty is to

have honey a sauce to sugar.

Jaq. [Aside.] A material fool.

Aud. Well, I am not fair, and therefore I

pray the gods make me honest.

Touch. Truly, and to cast away honesty upon

a foul slut were to put good meat into an un-

clean dish.

Aud. I am not a slut, though I thank the gods

I am foul.

Touch. Well, praised be the gods for thy foul-

ness! sluttishness may come hereafter. But be it

 14 strikes room; cf. n.

22 feigning: imaginative

24 feign: relate in fiction, or lying

34 material: full of sense

41 foul: ill-looking 