“… The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper’d pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose, well sav’d, a world too wide
For his shrank shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again towards childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound…”
(As You Like It, act 2, sc. 7)
Comments. The lines seem almost a recipe for melancholy. Robert Burton, however, dedicated about 1600 pages in font 8 to the defeat of melancholy in any of its manifestations – in his “Anatomy of Melancholy.” Here is how he introduces one of the chapters,
“Inveterate melancholy, howsoever it may seem to be a continuate, inexorable disease, hard to be cured, accompanying them to their graves, most part, as Montanus observes, yet many times it may be helped, even fast which is most violent, or at least, according to the same author, it may be mitigated and much eased, “Nil desperandum” [never despair]”. If not else Burton can put you in good spirits and laughter is said to be one of the best medicines.
To locate the previous related blogs, the “ages of men, all the world is a stage” etc., the introduction to these famous Shakespeare lines is in the blog of Feb 29, 2012. Stage 1 – the infant, in the blog of Apr 9, 2012; stage 2 – the whining schoolboy in the blog of Jun 2, 2012; stage 3 – the lover, in the blog of Jun 8, 2012; stage 4, the soldier in the blog of Jun 12, 2012, the judge in the blog of Jun 18, 2012.
Take a look at the web-page describing the book “Your Daily Shakespeare”, 1390 pages filled to the brim with over 10,000 situations you may find yourself in or involved with, attuned to the perfect Shakespearean repartee that will get you on the stage or at least out of the water – besides making you a winner of verbal contests. “Your Daily Shakespeare” has been described as the most unusual, useful and unique book of Shakespearean quotations. Nothing similar exists or has ever existed.
And if you like this website why not subscribe (see last menu item to the right)? You will get automatically any new blog as well as any other information and novelty that will be forthcoming, including a system to effortlessly (yes) remember hundreds of Shakespearean quotes by heart while having fun in the process. You can also chat with me – please go to the chat-page. And I promise, no sales calls, trade leads, venomous schemes, hidden plots, Machiavellian conspiracies, commercial ploys, psychological tricks, leads exchanges, barter proposals, suggestions or offers of any kind imaginable (and unimaginable).
In the play. Jacques philosophizes in the forest of Arden. ‘Capon’ is a castrated chicken and a typical gift to a judge. ‘Capon-justice’ was a term used to indicate a judge who could be bribed with a capon. ‘Saws’= ‘Maxims, sentences’.
Image Source: http://www.angelartco.com/artwork/The-Sixth-Age-Shifts-Into-Lean-And-Slippered-Pantaloon-With-Spectacles-On-Nose-and-pouch-on-side-his-youthful-hose-well-saved-128.htm