To wield old partisans, in hands as old, [Exeunt Prince, and Attendants; CAPULET, La. Mon. O, where is Romeo?-saw you him to-day? Right glad I am he was not at this fray. Ben. Madam, an hour before the worshipped sun Peered forth the golden window of the east, A troubled mind drave me to walk abroad; Where, underneath the grove of sycamore, That westward rooteth from the city's side,— So early walking did I see your son. Towards him I made; but he was 'ware of me, And stole into the covert of the wood. I, measuring his affections by my own,That most are busied when they are most alone, 1 The Poet found the name of this place in Brooke's Tragicall History of Romeus and Juliet, 1562. It is there said to be the castle of the Capulets. Pursued my humor, not pursuing his, Should in the furthest east begin to draw Ben. My noble uncle, do you know the cause? Enter ROMEO, at a distance. Ben. See, where he comes. So please you, step aside; I'll know his grievance, or be much denied. Mon. I would thou wert so happy by thy stay, To hear true shrift. -Come, madam, let's away. [Exeunt MONTAGUE and Lady. 1 The old copy reads : "Or dedicate his beauty to the same." The emendation is by Theobald; who states, with plausibility, that sunne might easily be mistaken for same. Ben. Good morrow, cousin. Is the day so young? Ah me! sad hours seem long. Ben. But new struck nine. Was that my father that went hence so fast? Ben. It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo's hours? Rom. Not having that, which, having, makes them short. Ben. In love? Rom. Out Ben. Of love? Rom. Out of her favor, where I am in love. Ben. Alas, that love, so gentle in his view, Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof! Rom. Alas, that love, whose view is muffled still, Should, without eyes, see pathways to his will!1 Where shall we dine?-O me! - What fray was here? Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all. Here's much to do with hate, but more with love. O heavy lightness! serious vanity! Mishapen chaos of well-seeming forms! Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health! Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is! This love feel I, that feel no love in this. Dost thou not laugh? Ben. No, coz, I rather weep. Rom. Good heart, at what? At thy good heart's oppression. Rom. Why, such is love's transgression.-1 Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast; Which thou wilt propagate, to have it pressed With more of thine: this love, that thou hast shown, Doth add more grief to too much of mine own. Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs; Being urged, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; Being vexed, a sea nourished with lovers' tears. What is it else? a madness most discreet, A choking gall, and a preserving sweet. Ben. 1 i. e. should blindly and recklessly think he can surmount all obstacles to his will. 2 Every ancient sonnetteer characterized Love by contrarieties. Watson begins one of his canzonets "Love is a sowre delight, and sugred griefe, Turberville makes Reason harangue against it in the same manner :- "A fierie frost, a flame that frozen is with ise! A heavie burden light to beare! A vertue fraught with vice!" &c. 1 Such is the consequence of unskilful and mistaken kindness. 2 The old copy reads, "Being purged a fire," &c. -The emendation admitted into the text was suggested by Dr. Johnson. To urge the fire is to kindle or excite it. 2 Farewell, my coz. Ben. Soft, I will go along; [Going. An if you leave me so, you do me wrong. This is not Romeo; he's some other where. Ben. Tell me in sadness, whom she is you love. Rom. What, shall I groan, and tell thee? Ben. But sadly tell me who. Groan? why, no; Rom. Bid a sick man in sadness make his will. Ah, word ill urged to one that is so ill! In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman. Ben. I aimed so near, when I supposed you loved. Rom. A right good marksman!-And she's fair I love. Ben. A right fair mark, fair coz, is soonest hit. Rom. Well, in that hit, you miss: she'll not be hit With Cupid's arrow; she hath Dian's wit; O, she is rich in beauty; only poor, That, when she dies, with beauty dies her store. 4 3 i. e. in seriousness. 4 'The meaning appears to be, as Mason gives it, "She is poor only, because she leaves no part of her store behind her, as with her, all beauty will die." Ben. Then she hath sworn, that she will still live chaste? Rom. She hath, and in that sparing makes huge waste; For beauty, starved with her severity, Cuts beauty off from all posterity. She is too fair, too wise; wisely too fair, To merit bliss by making me despair. She hath forsworn to love; and, in that vow, Do I live dead, that live to tell it now. Ben. Be ruled by me, forget to think of her. Ben. By giving liberty unto thine eyes; Examine other beauties. Rom. 'Tis the way Ben. I'll pay that doctrine, or else die in debt. SCENE II. A Street. Enter CAPULET, PARIS, and Servant. Cap. And Montague is bound as well as I, In penalty alike; and 'tis not hard, I think, For men so old as we to keep the peace. [Exeunt. Par. Of honorable reckoning are you both; 1 i. e. to call her exquisite beauty more into my mind, and make it more the subject of conversation. 2 This means no more than the happy masks, according to a form of expression not unusual with the old writers. |