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Rom.

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SCENE II.

Changes to Capulet's Garden.

Enter Romeo.

E jests at scars, that never felt a wound---
But, foft! what light thro' yonder win-

dow breaks?

It is the East, and Juliet is the Sun !

[Juliet appears above, at a window,

Arife, fair Sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already fick and pale with grief,
That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she.
* Be not her maid, since she is envious;
Her vestal livery is but fick and green,
And none but fools do wear it; cast it off-
3 It is my Lady; O! it is my Love;

O that she knew she were!

She speaks, yet she says nothing; what of that?
Her eye difcourses; I will answer it
I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks :
Two of the fairest stars of ail the heav'n,
Having fome business, do intreat her eyes
To twinkle in their spheres 'till they return.
What if her eyes were there, they in her head?
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,
As day-light doth a lamp; her eyes in heav'n
Would through the airy region stream so bright,
That birds would fing, and think it were not night:

* He jefis at scars,] That is, Mercutio jests, whom he overheard.

Be not ber maid,] Be not a

votary to the moon, to Diana.
3 It is my lady;-) This line
and half I have replaced.
I

See,

See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
O that I were a glove upon that hand,
That I might touch that cheek!

Jul. Ah me!

Rom. She speaks.

Oh, speak again, bright angel! for thou art
As glorious to this Sight, being o'er my head,
As is a winged messenger from heav'n,
Unto the white-upturned, wondring, eyes
Of mortals, that fall back to gaze on him;
When he bestrides the lazy-pacing clouds,
And fails upon the bosom of the air.

Jul. O Romeo, Romeo-wherefore art thou Ro

meo ?

Deny thy father, and refuse thy name :

Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,

And I'll no longer be a Capulet.

Rom. Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?

Jul. 'Tis but thy name that is my enemy : 'Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face-nor any other part. What's in a name? that which we call a rose,

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[Afide.

a Montague.] i. e. you would be just what you are, altho' you were not of the house of Montague. WARBURTON.

I think the true reading is,
Thou art thyself, then not a
Montague.

Thou art a being of peculiar ex-
cellence, and haft none of the
malignity of the family, from
which thou hast thy name.
Hanmer'reads,
Thou'rt not thyself, though
a Montague.

By any other name would smell as sweet.
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes,
Without that title; Romeo, quit thy name;
And for thy name, which is no part of thee,
Take all myself.

Rom. I take thee at thy word :
Call me but love, and I'll be new baptiz'd,
Henceforth I never will be Romeo.

Jul. What man art thou, that thus, bescreen'd in

night,

So stumblest on my counsel ?
Rom. By a name

I know not how to tell thee who I am :

My name, dear Saint, is hateful to myself,
Because it is an enemy to thee.

Had I it written, I would tear the word.

Jul. My ears have yet not drunk a hundred words
Of that tongue's uttering, yet I know the found.
Art thou not Romeo, and a Montague?

Rom. Neither, fair Saint, if either thee dislike.
Jul. How cam'st thou hither, tell me, and where-

fore?

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 1 o'er-perch these

walls,

For ftony limits cannot hold love out;
And what love can do, that dares love attempt:
Therefore thy kinsmen are no stop to me.

Jul. If they do fee thee, they will murder thee. Rom. Alack! there lies more peril in thine eye, Than twenty of their swords; look thou but sweet, And I am proof against their enmity.

Jul. I would not for the world, they saw thee here. Rom. I have night's cloak to hide me from their

eyes,

And

And but thou love me, let them find me here;
My life were better ended by their hate,
Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love.
Jul. By whose direction found'st thou out this place?
Rom. By love, that first did prompt me to enquire;

He lent me counsel, and I lent him eyes.
I am no Pilot, yet wert thou as far
As that vast shore, wash'd with the farthest sea,
I would adventure for such merchandise.

Jul. Thou know'st, the mask of night is on my

face,

Else 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 say, ay;
And I will take thy word yet if thou swear'st,
Thou may'st prove false; at lovers' perjuries,
They say, Jove laughs. Oh, gentle Romeo,
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully;
Or if you think, I am too quickly won,
I'll frown and be perverse, and fay thee nay,
So thou wilt wooe; but else, not for the world.

:

In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond,

i

i

And therefore thou may'st think my 'haviour light;
But trust me, Gentleman, I'll prove more true,
Than those that have more coying to be strange.
I should have been more strange, I must confefs,
But that thou over-heardst, ere I was 'ware,
My true love's Paffion; therefore pardon me,
And not impute this yielding to light love,
Which the dark night hath so discovered.

Rom. Lady, by yonder blessed moon I vow,
That tips with filver all these fruit-tree tops

7-coying to be strange.] For coying, the modern editions have

cunning.

Jul.

Jul. O fwear not by the moon, th' inconstant moon,

That monthly changes in her circled orb;
Lest that thy love prove likewife variable.
Rom. What shall I swear by ?

Jul. Do not swear at all;

Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self,
Which is the God of my idolatry,
And I'll believe thee.

Rom. If my true heart's love

Jul. Well, do not swear. 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, Ere one can say, it lightens. Sweet, good night. This bud of love by fummer's ripening breath May prove a beauteous flower, when next we meet. Good night, good night-as sweet Repose and Rest Come to thy heart, as that within my breast! Rom. O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied? Jul. What fatisfaction canít thou have to-night? Rom. Th' exchange of thy love's faithful vow for

mine.

Jul. I gave thee mine before thou didst request it: And yet I would, it were to give again.

Rom. Wouldst thou withdraw it? for what pur

pose, love?

Jul. But to be frank, and give it thee again.

And yet I wish but for the thing I have;
My bounty is as boundless as the fea,
My love as deep, the more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite.
I hear fome noise within. Dear love, adieu!

Anon, good nurse. Sweet Montague, be true.

[Nurfe calls within.

Stay but a little, I will come again.

[Exit,

Being in night, all this is but a dream;

Too flattering-fweet to be substantial.

Rom. O blessed, blessed night! I am afraid,

Re-enter

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