Rom. Well, in that hit, you miss: she'll not be hit With Cupid's arrow, she hath Dian's wit; And, in trong proof of chastity well arm'd, From love's weak childish bow she lives unharm'd. She will not stay the siege of loving terms, Nor bide the encounter of assailing eyes, Nor ope her lap to saint-seducing gold: O, she is rich in beauty; only poor, That, when she dies, with beauty dies her store. Ben. Then she hath sworn, that she will still live chaste? Rom. She hath, and in that sparing makes huge For beauty, starv'd with her severity, She hath forsworn to love; and, in that vow, Ben. Be rul'd by me, forget to think of her. Rom. 'Tis the way To call hers, exquisite, in question more:2 9 And, in strong proof, &c.] As this play was written in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, I cannot help regarding these speeches of Romeo as an oblique compliment to her majesty, who was not liable to be displeased at hearing her chastity praised after she was suspected to have lost it, or her beauty commended in the 67th year of her age, though she never possessed any when she was young. Her declaration that she would continue unmarried, increases the probability of the present supposition. STEEVENS. 1 wisely too fair, &c.] There is in her too much sanctimonious wisdom united with beauty, which induces her to continue chaste with the hopes of attaining heavenly bliss. 2 To call hers, exquisite, in question more:] More into talk; to make her unparalleled beauty more the subject of thought and conversation. 3 These happy masks, that kiss fair ladies' brows, 4 SCENE II. A Street. Enter CAPULET, PARIS, and Servant. Cap. And Montague is bound as well as I, Par. Of honourable reckoning are you both; She hath not seen the change of fourteen years; Par. Younger than she are happy mothers made. These happy masks, &c.] i. e. the masks worn by female spectators of the play. • What doth her beauty serve,] i. e. what end does it answer? She is the hopeful lady of my earth:] This is a Gallicism: Fille de terre is the French phrase for an heiress. 6 But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart, you My house and welcome on their pleasure stay. Exeunt CAPULET and PARIS. Serv. Find them out, whose names are written here? It is written-that the shoemaker should meddle with his yard, and the tailor with his last, the fisher with his pencil, and the painter with his nets; but I am sent to find those persons, whose names are here writ, and can never find what names the writing person hath here writ. I must to the learned: In good time. 6 My will to her consent is but a part;] To, in this instance, signifies in comparison with, in proportion to. 7 Inherit at my house;] To inherit, in the language of Shakspeare's age, is to possess. Enter BENVOLIO and ROMEO. Ben. Tut, man! one fire burns out another's burning, One pain is lessen'd by another's anguish ; Rom. Your plantain leaf is excellent for that." Rom. For your broken shin. Ben. Why, Romeo, art thou mad? Rom. Not mad, but bound more than a madman is: Shut up in prison, kept without my food, Whipp'd, and tormented, and-Good-e'en, good fellow. Serv. God gi' good e'en.-I pray, sir, can you read? Rom. Ay, mine own fortune in my misery. Serv. Perhaps you have learn'd it without book: But I pray, can you read any thing you see? Rom. Ay, if I know the letters, and the language. Serv. Ye say honestly; Rest you merry! Rom. Stay, fellow; I can read. [Reads. Signior Martino, and his wife, and daughters; County Anselme, and his beauteous sisters; The lady widow of Vitruvio; Signior Placentio, and his lovely nieces; Mercutio, and his brother Valentine; Mine uncle Capulet, his wife, and daughters; My fair niece Rosaline; Livia; Signior Valentio, and his cousin Tybalt; Lucio, and the lively Helena. Your plantain leaf is excellent for that,] The plantain leaf is a blood-stauncher, and was formerly applied to green wounds. A fair assembly; [Gives back the Note.] Whither should they come ? Serv. Up. Rom. Whither? Serv. To supper; to our house. Serv. My master's. Rom. Indeed, I should have asked you that before. Serv. Now I'll tell you without asking: My master is the great rich Capulet; and if you be not of the house of Montagues, I pray, come and crush a cup of wine. Rest you merry. [Exit. Ben. At this same ancient feast of Capulet's Sups the fair Rosaline, whom thou so lov'st; With all the admired beauties of Verona: Go thither; and, with unattainted eye, Compare her face with some that I shall show, And I will make thee think thy swan a crow. Rom. When the devout religion of mine eye Maintains such falsehood, then turn tears to fires! And these,-who, often drown'd, could never die,Transparent hereticks, be burnt for liars! One fairer than my love! the all-seeing sun crush a cup of wine.] This cant expression seems to have been once common among low people. We still say, in cant language to crack a bottle. 1 Your lady's love-] Your lady's love is the love you bear to your lady. |