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ACT II. SCENE 4.

« Nurse, commend me to thy lady and mistress. I protest unto thee,

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After leaving Juliet, Romeo goes to Friar Lau-Romeo sooths her and says: rence and confides his passion to him. The latter promises his assistance, in the hope that this alliance may turn their << households' rancour» to pure love. Romeo afterwards meets Benvolio and the vivacious Mercutio. Whilst he is engaged, replying to their jests and raillery, Juliet's Nurse, followed by her man Peter, enquires for Romeo, to learn from him the time, as also the place, of the intended marriage. By drawing the young lover aside, she becomes the butt of Mercutio's pointed wit, and, going off with Benvolio, he sings to her the burden of an old song:

NURSE. Good heart! and, i' faith, I will tell her as much: Lord, Lord, she will be a joyful woman.

ROMEO. What wilt thou tell her, nurse? thou dost not mark me.

<< Farewell, ancient lady; farewell, lady, lady, lady. » The worthy dame is sorely vexed, and gives vent to her anger in a torrent of abuse, of which poor Peter receives a fair proportion :

<< NURSE. NOW, afore God, I am so vexed, that every part of me quivers. Scurvy knave! Pray you, sir, a word: and as I told you, my young lady bade me enquire you out; what she bade me say, I will keep to myself: but first let me tell ye, if ye should lead her into a fool's paradise, as they say, it were a very gross kind of behaviour, as they say: for the young gentlewoman is young; and therefore, if you should deal double with her, truly, it were an ill thing to be offered to any gentlewoman, and very weak dealing.»

NURSE. I will tell her, sir that you do protest; which, as I take it, is a gentlemanlike offer.

ROMEO. Bid her devise some means to come to shrift
This afternoon;

And there she shall, at Friar Laurence' cell
Be shriv'd and married..

And, stay, good nurse, behind the abbey-wall:
Within this hour my man shall be with thee;
And bring thee cords made like a tackled stair;
Which to the high top-gallant of my joy
Must be my convoy in the secret night.
Farewell! - Be trusty, and I'll quit thy pains.
Farewell! Commend me to thy mistress.

NURSE. Ay, a thousand times.

PETER. Anon?

go

Peter!

(Exit.)

before.

NURSE. Peter, take my fan, and The back-ground of the design represents another view of the church of Santa Maria Antica, given in Plate I, with the Equestrian Monument of one of the Lords Della Scala, who are buried there.

2

SERIES. II.

ROMEO AND JULIET.

ACT II. SCENE 6.

Juliet is in the greatest anxiety, during her messenger's absence:

<< The clock struck nine, when I did send the nurse;
In half an hour she promis'd to return.
Perchance, she cannot meet him:

that's not so.

O, she is lame! love's heralds should be thoughts,
Which ten times faster glide than the sun's beams,
Driving back shadows over low'ring hills:
Therefore do nimble-pinion'd doves draw love,
And therefore hath the wind-swift Cupid wings.
Now is the sun upon the highmost hill

Of this day's journey; and from nine till twelve
Is three long hours, yet she is not come.
Had she affections, and warm youthful blood,
She'd be as swift in motion as a ball;

My words would bandy her to my sweet love,
And his to me :

But old folks, many feign as they were dead;
Unwieldy; slow, heavy and slow as lead.

O God, she comes! O honey nurse, what news?
Hast thou met with him? -»

The << good sweet nurse» after keeping her impatient mistress, a considerable time, in the most cruel suspense, and fully indulging the loquacity peculiar, « time out of mind,» to all of that same venerable class, at last imparts her joyful tidings, in the following abrupt manner: —

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PL. 6.

The design represents Friar Laurence' cell, in the monastery, where the lovers meet, previously to their being joined in wedlock: as Juliet enters the cell, the holy Father says to Romeo:

<< Here comes the lady :- 0, so light a foot
Will ne'er wear the everlasting flint:
A lover may bestride the gossamers
That idle in the wanton summer air,
And yet not fall; so light is vanity.

Come, come with me, and we will make short work;
For, by your leaves, you shall not stay alone,
Till holy church incorporate two in one.

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