Again Lorenzo—
"Oh, dear discretion, how his words are suited,
The fool hath planted in his memory
An army of good words: And I do know
A many fools that stand in better place
Garnished like him, that for a tricksie word
Defie the matter."
Comedians from Aristophanes downwards have been wont to complain in one place of that which they adopt in another—their object not being to adopt fixed principles so much as to show the varying shades of human thought. Shakespeare required something light to bring his deep reflections into bolder relief, and therefore frequently had recourse to humour. We are not surprised that he had no very high estimate of it, when we find him so much dependant upon "the alms-basket of words." There is so much of this in his plays, that it is almost superfluous to quote, but a few instances may be taken at random. Falstaff to Poins—
"You are straight enough in the shoulders; you care not who sees your back—call you that backing your friends? A plague upon such backing; give me a man who will face me."
Falstaff to Prince Henry. Act I. Scene II.
I prythee, sweet wag, when thou art king, as God save thy grace—majesty, I should say, for grace thou wilt have none—
P. Hen. What! none?
Fal. No, by my troth; not so much as will serve to be prologue to an egg and butter.
In Love's Labour Lost. Act I. Scene II.
Armado. Comfort me, boy. What great men have been in love?