The San Francisco call., 1899-12-28

ful idea, which shows us the privileged
ones OF the earth. the witty, the courtly,
the beautiful, escaping the restraints of
their privileges and toying with the
pleasures CT rustic life. all around him
he found this same conception, expressed
in manifold literary forms, in drama.
AS You Like It. is founded on a pas
toral romance by Lodge. called Rosa
llynde." An abundant pastoral literature
began 10 flourish in the sixteenth cen
tury, when the instinct for frolic was
strong in the young nation and Joy OF
life was keen; 1t continued till the century
OF Pope. when 1t died out in pure ins p
idity. subdued TO tediousness by formal
period which forced a code of narrow
proprieues even on shepherds prankS.
Many a reader still loves TO exchange
quips with Rosalind or TO watch exquisite
Perdlta of the Winters Tale" among
her MOWERS and her sheep; few know this
wider world OF pastoral-a world less
wonderful, perhaps. than that OF the
great Master, yet full of fragrant charm
and of melodious laughter. This ignorance
seems a pity: for We have in the serious
literature of the Anglo-Saxon race little
enough which expresses. like these pes
torals pure ecstacy OF joyous grace. We
90 not write pastorals any longer: per-
haps we snail never write them again We
point out, with Hardy or Hamlin Gar
land, the grim reality Of the lives OF the
toiling poor; We study agricultural condi-
tons The singing shepherd ot old Greece
and Merrie England, with his gay gar
ments, is replaced by Millets Man With
the Hoe" from whose soul no music
rises. All the more reason, perhaps. Why
we should not forget this walled garden
of delights which our poet fathers plant
ed for our joy.
Perhaps the most beautiful pastoral
dramas IN English, out Of Shakespeare,
are Peele's 'Arraignment OF Paris" act
ed al court by the children of the Queen 5
chapel, probably in 1851; Ben Jonsons
Sad Shepherd" left unfinished at the
poets death. and Fletcher's enchanting
lyrical drama, The Faithful Shepherd
ess," written about 1905. The most mem
orable pastoral romance is Sir Philip Sid
ney's Arcadia" a wonderful piece OF
poetic prose. full of heroic ideals and
lovely pictures. AS for the lyrics, they
bubble up all through the Elizabethan
country, clearest little fonts of sparkling
beauty:
Phillida-Corydon. arise. my Corydon.
Titan shineth clear.
Corydon-who is It that calleth Corydon,
who is II that hear7
Phillida-Phlllida. thy true love. caleth thee.
Arise then. arise then.
Arise and keep thy flock with me.
Corydon-Philida. my true love. ls II she7
! come then. / come then.
come and keep my flock with thee.
Phillida-Here cherries ripe my Corydon:
Eat them for my sake.
Corydon-Here's my oaten pipe. my lovely one.
Sport for thee 20 make.
Phinida-Here are threads. my true love. nne
To knit thee 10 knit thee.
A pair OF stockings white as milk
Corydon-Here are reeds. my true love. fine and
To hake thee. to make thee.
A bonnet TO withstand the heat.
Phillida-Io comes ny mother. Corydon.
Corydon-Under yonder beech. my lovely one.
Phillida-say 10 her thy true love was not here:
Remember. remember.
Tomorrow is another day
Corydon-Doubt me not. my true love: do not
Farewell then. farewell then:
Heaven keep our loves Away.
Corydon has a Greek name. and he and
Phillda recall the origin OF the pastoral
watched his shepherds by the blue 81
Gillian seas. Traces Of classic tradition. OF
brighter skies and fairer landscapes than
those OF the northlands pervade our pas
through Italy, through Spain, moreover.
the dainty pastoral spirit has passed be-
fore he came TO England and distinc-
tive melodies from all these lands blend
in the music OF his oaten pipes. He is
thus no simple hind when he comes 10
sojourn in the bright EliZabethan court.
work of Breton and Campion. the English
pastorals have pretty touches of local
color:
Jack and Joan they think no III.
But loving live. and merry still:
Do their weekdays work and pray
Devouty on the holy day.
Tib IL all the fathers 10y.
And little Tom the mothers boy;
All their pleasure Is content.
And care. 70 pay their yearly rent.
But, on the whole. IL is not England
that we see; IL is a land OF fantasy. where
daisies without surprise find themselves
blossoming beside strange flowers from
the world of the past, and Diggon hob
nobs cheerfully with Damoetas The real
life OF the country, in all these pastorals
is looked at from very far away The
lads and lassies spend their time in sing
ing TO their sheep, not in pasturing them.
and even the silliest lambs would not be
so inconsiderate as to stay away while
love-making was In progress
Often, as In the sixth book OF the
"Faerie Queene" and the Arcadia" the