s
of consecrating himself to the writing of purely English plays. There
are signs that he had reached a point of achievement that is always a
critical point to imaginative men. He had reached the point at which the
personality is exhausted. He had worked out his natural instincts, the
life known to him, his predilections, his reading. He had found a
channel in which his thoughts could express themselves. Writing was no
longer so pleasant to him as it had been. He had done an incredible
amount of work in a few years. The personality was worn to a husk. It
may be that a very little would have kept him on this side of the line,
writing imitations of what he had already done. He was at the critical
moment which separates the contemplative from the visionary, the good
from the excellent, the great from the supreme. All writers, according
to their power, come to this point. Very few have the fortune to get
beyond it. Shakespeare's mind stood still for a moment, in this play and
in the play that followed, before it went on triumphant to the supreme
plays.

_As You Like It._

_Written._ (?)

_Published._ 1600 (?)

_Source of the Plot._ Thomas Lodge's novel of _Rosalynde_, Euphues'
_Golden Legacie_ (published in 1590) supply the fable. The tale is
that tale of Gamelyn, wrongly attributed to Chaucer. The _Practise_
(Saviolo's "Practise") of Vincentio Saviolo, an Italian master of
arms, gave hints for Touchstone's account of the lie. The rest of
the play seems to have been the fruit of Shakespeare's invention.

_The Fable._ Orlando, basely used by his elder brother Oliver,
leaves home, annoys the usurping Duke Frederick, and is advised to
leave the country.

Rosalind, child of the rightful Duke, and Celia, the child of Duke
Frederick, fly from home together in search of the rightful Duke,
who has taken to the wild wood. Rosalind, dressed as a man, gives
out that Celia is her sister. They set up as shepherds in Arden.

Orlando joins the rightful Duke in Arden. He is in love with
Rosalind. He meets her in the forest, but does not recognise her in
her disguise. Oliver, cast out by Frederick, comes to Arden, is
reconciled to Orlando, and falls in love with Celia. There are a
few passages of the comedy of mistake, due to Rosalind's disguise.
In the end, the rightful Duke and Oliver are restored to their
possessions.