Not a whit, Touchstone. Those that are good manners at
40
the court are as ridiculous in the country as the behavior of
the country is most mockable at the court. You told me you
salute not at the court but you kiss your hands. That
courtesy would be uncleanly if courtiers were shepherds.
CORIN
Not at all, Touchstone. The good manners of the court look as silly in the country as country behavior is laughable at the court. You told me that you don't salute at the court but kiss hands. Now, if courtiers were shepherds, that kind of courtesy would be unclean.
TOUCHSTONE
Instance, briefly. Come, instance.
TOUCHSTONE
Give a quick example. Come, explain.
CORIN
45
Why, we are still handling our ewes, and their fells, you
know, are greasy.
CORIN
Why, because we're always handling our ewes, and their fleece, as you know, is greasy.
TOUCHSTONE
Why, do not your courtier's hands sweat? And is not the
grease of a mutton as wholesome as the sweat of a man?
Shallow, shallow. A better instance, I say. Come.
TOUCHSTONE
What, don't courtiers' hands sweat? And isn't a sheep's grease as wholesome as a man's sweat? That's a poor example. A better example—come on.
CORIN
50
Besides, our hands are hard.
CORIN
Besides, our hands are hard and calloused.
TOUCHSTONE
Your lips will feel them the sooner. Shallow again. A more
sounder instance. Come.
TOUCHSTONE
Then your lips will feel them more quickly. Shallow thinking, yet again. Come on.
CORIN
And they are often tarred over with the surgery of our
sheep; and would you have us kiss tar? The courtier's hands
55
are perfumed with civet.
CORIN
Our hands are often covered in tar, from performing surgery on our sheep
.Would you have us country folks kiss each other's tarred hands? Courtiers' hands are perfumed.
TOUCHSTONE
Most shallow man. Thou worms' meat in respect of a good
piece of flesh, indeed. Learn of the wise and perpend: civet
is of a baser birth than tar, the very uncleanly flux of a cat.
Mend the instance, shepherd.
TOUCHSTONE
You shallow thinker! You worthless man! You are about as much of a thinker as worm's meat is a nice steak. Learn from the wise, and comprehend: the courtier's perfume is made from cat discharge—much more disgusting than tar. Fix your example, shepherd.
