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WILLIAM Five-and-twenty, sir.
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WILLIAM Twenty-five, sir.
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TOUCHSTONE A ripe age. Is thy name William?
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TOUCHSTONE A mature age. Is your name William?
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WILLIAM William, sir.
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WILLIAM Yes, it’s William, sir.
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TOUCHSTONE
20A fair name. Wast born i' th' forest here?
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TOUCHSTONE A good name. Were you born here in the forest?
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WILLIAM Ay, sir, I thank God.
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WILLIAM Yes sir, thank God.
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TOUCHSTONE “Thank God.” A good answer. Art rich?
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TOUCHSTONE “Thank God”—that’s a good answer. Are you rich?
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WILLIAM 'Faith, sir, so-so.
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WILLIAM Well, so-so.
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TOUCHSTONE “So-so” is good, very good, very excellent good. And yet it
is not: it is but so-so. Art thou wise?
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TOUCHSTONE “So-so” is good, very good, an excellent answer. And then again, it’s not so good, but only so-so. Are you wise?
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WILLIAM Ay, sir, I have a pretty wit.
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WILLIAM Yes sir, I’m fairly witty.
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TOUCHSTONE Why, thou sayst well. I do now remember a saying: “The
fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself
to be a fool.” The heathen philosopher, when he had a
desire to eat a grape, would open his lips when he put it into
his mouth, meaning thereby that grapes were made to eat
and lips to open. You do love this maid?
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TOUCHSTONE Well, that’s a fine answer. I seem to remember a saying: “Only a fool thinks he’s wise; the
wise manThis line may be in response to William’s open-mouthed gape, but it’s also cruelly taunting the bumpkin for his narrow experience and how his “philosophy” derives only from that experience. wise man knows that he is, in fact, a fool.” When one self-described philosopher wanted to eat grapes, he opened his lips when they entered his mouth, thereby making the theoretical point that grapes were made to be eaten, and lips to open. Do you love this girl? |
WILLIAM I do, sir.
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WILLIAM I do, sir.
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TOUCHSTONE Give me your hand. Art thou learned?
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TOUCHSTONE Give me your hand. Are you educated?
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WILLIAM
35No, sir.
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WILLIAM No, sir.
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