What's in a name ? that which we call a rofe, Rom. I take thee at thy word: Call me but love, and I'll be new baptiz'd; Jul. What man art thou, that, thus befcreen'd in night, So ftumbleft on my counsel? Rom. By a name I know not how to tell thee who I am: Had I it written, I would tear the word. Jul. My ears have not yet drunk a hundred words 9-nor any other part Belonging to a man. O, be fome other name! What's in a name? &c.] The middle line is not found in the original copy of 1597, being added, it fhould feem, on a revifion. The paffage in the first copy ftands thus: Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part: What's in a name? That which we call a rofe, &c. In the copy of 1599 and all the subsequent ancient copies, the words nor any other part were omitted by the oversight of the transcriber or printer, and the lines thus abfurdly exhibited: Nor arm nor face, O be fome other name! Belonging to a man. What's in a name, &c. Belonging, &c. evidently was intended to begin a line, as it now does; but the printer having omitted the words nor any other part, took the remainder of the fubfequent line, and carried it to that which preceeded. The tranfpofition now made needs no note to fupport it: the context in this and many other places fuperfedes all arguments. MALONE. By any other name-] Thus the quarto, 1597. All the fubfequent ancient copies read-By any other word. MALONE. ? Take all my felf.] The elder quarto reads, Take all I bave. STIEVENS. Of Of that tongue's utterance3, yet I know the found; Rom. Neither, fair faint, if either thee diflike*. Jul. How cam'ft thou hither, tell me? and wherefore? The orchard walls are high, and hard to climb; And the place death, confidering who thou art, If any of my kinsmen find thee here. Rom. With love's light wings did I o'er-perch these walls 5; For ftony limits cannot hold love out : And what love can do, that dares love attempt; Jul. If they do fee thee, they will murder thee. 3 My ears bave not yet drunk a bundred words Of that tongue's utterance,] Thus the quarto, 1597. The fubfequent ancient copies read-of thy tongue's uttering. We meet with almost the fame words as thofe here attributed to Romeo, in King Edward III. a tragedy, 1596: "I might perceive his eye in her eye loft, "His ear to drink ber fweet tongue's utterance." MALONE. 4 Neither, fair faint, if either thee dinike.] Thus the original copy. The fubfequent ancient copies read-fair maid. "If either thee diflike" was the phrafeology of Shakspeare's age. So, it likes me well; for it pleases me well. MALONE. s With love's light wings did I o'er-perch thefe walls;] Here alfo we find Shakspeare following the fteps of the authour of The Hyftory of. Romeus and Juliet, 1562: "Approaching near the place from whence his heart had life, "So light he wox, he leap'd the wall, and there he spy'd his wite, "Who in the window watch'd the coming of her lord,-." MALONE. -no let to me.] i. e. no ftop or hinderance. So, in Hamlet: "By heaven I'll make a ghost of him that lets me." Thus the original edition. The fubfequent copies read-no fop to me. MALONE. 7-bere lies more peril in thine eye, Than twenty of their fwords; thought in The Maid of the Mill: B. and Fletcher have copied this "The lady may command, fir; She bears an eye more dreadful than your weapon." STEEVENS. And And I am proof against their enmity. Jul. I would not for the world, they faw thee here. And, but thou love me, let them find me here 9: Than death prorogued', wanting of thy love. Jul. By whofe direction found ft thou out this place? Rom. By love, who first did prompt me to inquire; He lent me counfel, and I lent him eyes. I am no pilot; yet, wert thou as far As that vaft shore wash'd with the farthest sea, I would adventure for fuch merchandise. Jul. Thou know'ft, the mask of night is on my face; Elfe would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek, For that which thou hast heard me speak to-night. Fain would I dwell on form, fain fain deny What I have spoke; But farewel compliment! Doft thou love me? I know, thou wilt fay-Ay; And I will take thy word: yet, if thou swear'ft, -from their fight;] So the first quarto. All the other ancient copies have from their eyes. MALONE. 9 And, but thou love me, let them find me bere:] And fo thou do but love me, I care not what may befall me: Let me be found here. Such appears to me to be the meaning. Mr. Mafon thinks that "but thou love me," means, unless thou love me; grounding himfelf, I fuppofe, on the two fubfequent lines. But thofe contain, in my apprehenfion, a diftinct propofition. He first fays, that he is content to be difcovered, if he be but fecure of her affection; and then adds, that death from the hands of her kinsmen would be preferable to life without her love. But, however, it must be acknowledged, has often in old English the meaning which Mr. Mason would here affix to it. MALONE. Than death prorogued,] i. e. delayed, deferred to a more diftant period. So in Act IV. fc. i. I hear thou muft, and nothing may prorogue it, "On thursday next be married to this county." MALONE. 2-farewell compliment !] That is, farewell attention to forms. MASON. Thou Thou may'ft prove falfe; at lovers' perjuries, And therefore thou may'ft think my haviour light: Rom. Lady, by yonder bleffed moon I fwear, That tips with filver all these fruit-tree tops,— Jul. O, fwear not by the moon, the inconstant moon That monthly changes in her circled orb, Left that thy love prove likewife variable. Rom. What fhall I swear by ? Jul. Do not fwear at all; Or, if thou wilt, fwear by thy gracious self, And I'll believe thee. Rom. If my heart's dear love Jul. Well, do not fwear: although I joy in thee, I have no joy of this contract to-night: It is too rash, too unadvis'd, too fudden; Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be, 3 Than those that have more cunning to be frange.] Thus the quarto, 1597. In the subsequent ancient copies cunning was changed to-coying. MALONE, To be frange, is to put on affected coldness, to appear fhy. So, in Greene's Mamilia, 1593: "Is it the fashion in Padua to be foftrange with your friends?" STEEVENS. See Vol. X. p. 38, n. 4. MALONE. Ere Ere one can fay-It lightens *. Sweet, good nights! Jul. What fatisfaction canft thou have to-night? Rom. Would't thou withdraw it? for what purpose, love? Jul. But to be frank, and give it thee again. My love as deep; the more I give to thee, [Nurfe calls within. Ram. O bleffed bleffed night! I am afeard, Re-enter JULIET, above. [Exit. Jul. Three words, dear Romeo, and good night, in deed. 4 Ere one can fay-It lightens.] So, in the Miracles of Mofes, by Drayton : "-lightning ceaselessly to burn, "Swifter than thought from place to place to pass, "Ere you could fay precisely what it was.” The fame thought occurs in the Midfummer Night's Dream. STEEV. Drayton's Miracles of Mofes was first printed in quarto, in 1604. MALONE. 5 Sreet, good night !] All the intermediate lines from Sweet, good night, to Stay but a little, &c. were added after the first copy. STEEV. |