Rosalind has not the impressive eloquence of Portia, nor
the sweet wisdom of Isabella. Her longest speeches are
not her best ; nor is her taunting address to Phebe, beautiful
and celebrated as it is, equal to Phebe's own description of
her. The latter, indeed, is more in earnest.*

Celia is more quiet and retired : but she rather yields to
Rosalind than is eclipsed by her. She is as full of sweet-
ness, kindness, and intelligence, quite as susceptible, and
almost as witty, though she makes less display of wit She
is described as less fair and less gifted; yet the attempt
to excite in her mind a jealousy of her lovelier friend, by
placing them in comparison —

" Thou art a fool ; she robs thee of thy name ;
And thou wilt show more bright, and seem more virtuous,
When she is gone" —

fails to awaken in the generous heart of Celia any other
feeling than an increased tenderness and sympathy for her
cousin. To Celia, Shakspeare has given some of the most
striking and animated parts of the dialogue ; and in particu-

* Rousseau could describe such a character as Rosalind, but failed
to represent it consistently : " N'est-ce pas de ton coeur que viennent
les graces de ton enjouement? Tes railleries sont des signes d'inter6t
plus touchants que les compliments d'un autre. Tu caresses quand tu
folitres. Tu ris, mais ton rire-penetre I'ame'; tu ris, mais tu fais pleurer
de tendresse, et je te vois presque toujours s^rieuse avec les indiffi^rents"
{Hiloise),



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20 AS YOU LIKE IT.
