Tuesday, April 15, 2008

My 500th Post, Just As I Like It

Three years and a bit, some good thoughts (I hope), and much silliness: 500 posts. I thought about posting "The Anniversary" by John Donne, one of my very favorite poets (and a poem which gets quoted in Busman's Honeymoon, if you, like me, enjoy tracking down Dorothy Sayers's references); but then I thought it would be more appropriate to post a bit of the play after which this blog is named, As You Like It. This is from my favorite scene, Rosalind's School of Love (to quote Harold Bloom), Act IV, Scene i:

ROSALIND

Am not I your Rosalind?
ORLANDO
I take some joy to say you are, because I would be talking of her.
ROSALIND
Well, in her person, I say I will not have you.
ORLANDO
Then in mine own person I die.
ROSALIND
No, faith, die by attorney. The poor world is almost six thousand years old, and in all this time there was not any man died in his own person, videlicit, in a love-cause. Troilus had his brains dashed out with a Grecian club; yet he did what he could to die before, and he is one of the patterns of love. Leander, he would have lived many a fair year, though Hero had turned nun, if it had not been for a hot midsummer night; for, good youth, he went but forth to wash him in the Hellespont and being taken with the cramp was drowned and the foolish coroners of that age found it was 'Hero of Sestos.' But these are all lies: men have died from time to time and worms have eaten them, but not for love.
ORLANDO
I would not have my right Rosalind of this mind, for, I protest, her frown might kill me.
ROSALIND
By this hand, it will not kill a fly. But come, now I will be your Rosalind in a more coming-on disposition, and ask me what you will. I will grant it.
ORLANDO
Then love me, Rosalind.
ROSALIND
Yes, faith, will I, Fridays and Saturdays and all.
ORLANDO
And wilt thou have me?
ROSALIND
Ay, and twenty such.
ORLANDO
What sayest thou?
ROSALIND
Are you not good?
ORLANDO
I hope so.
ROSALIND
Why then, can one desire too much of a good thing?

. . . . . . .
ROSALIND
Now tell me how long you would have her after you
have possessed her.
ORLANDO
For ever and a day.
ROSALIND
Say 'a day,' without the 'ever.' No, no, Orlando; men are April when they woo, December when they wed: maids are May when they are maids, but the sky changes when they are wives. I will be more jealous of thee than a Barbary cock-pigeon over his hen, more clamorous than a parrot against rain, more new-fangled than an ape, more giddy in my desires than a monkey: I will weep for nothing, like Diana in the fountain, and I will do that when you are disposed to be merry; I will laugh like a hyen, and that when thou art inclined to sleep.
ORLANDO
But will my Rosalind do so?
ROSALIND
By my life, she will do as I do.
ORLANDO
O, but she is wise.
ROSALIND Or else she could not have the wit to do this: the wiser, the waywarder: make the doors upon a woman's wit and it will out at the casement; shut that and 'twill out at the key-hole; stop that, 'twill fly with the smoke out at the chimney.

And my other favorite lines from this play:

7 comments:

  1. Happy Blogiversary!!!
    :-)

    This is a beautiful and romantic selection.

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  2. That is my favorite passage from As You Like It, too.

    Happy bloggiversary!

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  3. Many congratulations! Lovely passage. I'd love to offer something celebratory and Shakespearean in return, but my favourite is The Tempest, and I can't think of anything appropriate. So...happy happy, and here's to many, many more!

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  4. Happy Bloggiversary, Cheryl!


    TO many more posts and "happinesses" :)

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  5. Congrats, you! And thanks, too, for the link to 'The Anniverary'...

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  6. Congratulations Cheryl. I've just stumbled upon your blog and plan to make it a regular stop. Thanks for the thought provoking reads, useful information for a wannabe writer, and blogging fun. Here's to your next 500 posts!

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  7. Congrats on the 500th post! Here's hoping to many more!

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