a

And-saved him from despair.

Cordelia, Cordelia, stay a little. Ha! Never (oh fault !) reveald myself to him, What is it thou say’st ?-Her voice was ever soft, Until some half-hour past, when I was armed- Gentle, and low; an excellent thing in woman : Not sure, but hoping, of this good success, I kill'd the slave that was a hanging thee. I ask'd his blessing, and, from first to last,

Off. 'Tis true, my lords, he did. Told him my pilgrimage. But his flaw'd heart, Lear.

Did I not, fellow ? (Alack ! too weak the conflict to support) I have seen the day, with my good biting faulchion Twixt two extremes of passion, joy, and grief, I would have made them skip : I am old now, Burst smilingly.

And these same crosses spoil me.-Who are you? Edm. This speech of yours has mov’d me, Mine eyes are none o' the best :-I'll tell you And shall, perchance, do good.

straight. Enter a Gentleman, hastily, with a knife covered Kent. If fortune brag of two she loved and hated, with blood.

One of them we behold.
Gent. Help, help, oh, help!

Lear. This is a dull sight : Are you not Kent?
Kent.

The same;
Edg. What means that reeking knife ?
Gent. It came even from the heart of

Your servant Kent; Where is your servant Caius ? Alb. Whe, man speak !

Lear. He's a good fellow, I can tell you that; Gent. Your lady, sir, your lady; and her sister, He'll strike, and quickly too :-He's dead and

rotten. By her is poisoned--she confesses it. Alb. Produce their bodies-be they alive or dead.

Kent. No, my good lord. I am the very man. This judgment of heaven, which makes us tremble,

Lear. I'll see that straight. Touches us not with pity. [Exit Gentleman. Kent. That, from your first of difference and

decay, Enter KENT.

Have follow'd your sad steps. Kent, I'm come

Lear.

You are welcome hither. To bid my king and master aye good-night. Kent. Nor no man else ; all's cheerless, dark, Alb. Great thing of us forgot. Speak, Edmund,

and deadly. Where's the king, and where's Cordelia ? Your eldest daughters have fore-doom'd themselves, The bodies of Regan and Cordelia are brought in. And desperately are dead. Kent. Alack, why thus ?

Lear.

Ay, so I think. Edm. Yet Edmund was beloved.

Alb. He knows not what he says; and vain it is, The one the other poisoned for my sake,

That we present us to him. And after slew herself.

Edg.

Very bootless.
Alb, 'Tis even so-cover their faces.
Edm. I pant for life-some good I mean to do,

Enter an Officer.
Despite of mine own nature. Quickly send Off. Edmund is dead, my lord.
Be brief in it-to the castle--for my writ

Alb.

That's but a trifle here, Is on the life of Lear and of Cordelia ?

You lords, and noble friends, know our intent. Edg. Who has the office? Send the token of What comfort to this great decay may come, reprieve.

Shall be applied : For us, we will resign,
Edm. Well thought on; take my sword. During the life of this old majesty,
Give it the captain.

To him our absolute power :-You to your rights, Alb. Haste thee for thy life. [Exit EDGAR.

[To EDGAR and KENT. [EDMUND is burne oft, dying. With boot, and such addition as your honours Enter LEAR, with CORDELIA dead in his arms :

Have more than merited. All friends shall taste EDGAR, Officer, and others.

The wages of their virtue, and all foes

The cup of their deservings.-0 see, see ! Lear. Howl, howl, howl, howl !-0, you are

Lear. And my poor fool * is hang’d! No, no, men of stones;

no life: Had I your tongues and eyes, I'd use them so That heaven's vault should crack :-0, she is gone And thou no breath at all? O, thou wilt come

Why should a dog, a horse, a rat, have life, for ever!

no more, I know, when one is dead, and when one lives;

Never, never, never, never, never !She's dead as earth :-Lend me a looking-glass ;

Pray you, undo this button : Thank you, sir.If that her breath will mist or stain the stone,

Do you see this ? Look on her,--look,-her lips.Why, then she lives.

Look there, look there !

[He dies. Kent.

Is this the promised end ? Edg. He faints !--my lord, my lord, Edg. Or image of that horror ?

Kent. Break, heart; I pr’ythee break !
Alb.

Fall and cease
Edg.

Look up, my lord. Lear. This feather stirs ; she lives ! if it be so

Kent. Vex not his ghost : O let him pass! he It is a chance at does redeem all sorrows

hates him, That ever I have felt.

That would upon the rack of this tough world Kent.

O my good master! [Kneeling. Stretch him out longer. Lear. Pr’ythee, away.

Edg.

0, he is gone indeed. Edy. 'Tis noble Kent, your friend.

Kent. The wonder is, he hath endured so long : Lear. A plague upon you, murderers, traitors all! He but usurp'd his life. I might have saved her; now she's gone for ever!

a

Alb. Bear them from hence. Our present | My master calls, and I must not say, no. business

Alb. The weight of this sad time we must obey; Is general woe. Friends of my soul, you twain Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say.

[TÓ KENT and EDGAR. The oldest hath borne most: we, that are young, Rule in this realm, and the gored state sustain. Shall never see so much, nor live so long. Kent. I have a journey, sir, shortly to go ;

[Exeunt with a dead march,

SCENE.-A Room in Capulet's House at Verona.

Enter a Servant.
Enter Lady CAPULET and Nurse.

Serv. Madam, the griests are come, supper La. Cap. Nurse, where's my daughter ? call her served up, you called, my young lady asked for, forth to me.

the nurse cursed in the pantry, and everything in Nurse. What, lamb! what, ladybird !

extremity. I must hence to wait; I beseech you, Where's this girl ?--what, Juliet !

follow straight.

La. Cap. We follow thee.--Juliet, the county
Enter JULIET.

stays.
Jul. How now, who calls ?
Nurse.
Your mother.

SCENE.-A Street in Verona.
Jul.

Madam, I am here. What is your will ?

Enter ROMEO, MERCUTIO, Benvolio, with five or La Cap. This is the matter :-Nurse, give leave

six Maskers, Torch - Bearers, and others. awhile,

Rom. Give me a torcb,-I am not for this We must talk in secret.- Nurse, come back again ; ambling ; I have remember'd me, thou shalt hear our counsel. Being but heavy I will bear the light. Thou kno.vost, my daughter's of a pretty age. Mer. Nay, gentle Romeo,we must have you dance. Tell me, daughter Juliet,

Rom. Not I, believe me: you have dancing shoes, How stands your disposition to be married ? With nimble soles ; I have a soul of lead,

Jul. It is an honour that I dream not of. So stakes me to the ground I cannot move.

La. Cap. Well, think of marriage now, in brief;— Mer. You are a lover; borrow Cupid's wings, The valiant Paris seeks you for his love.

And soar with them above a common bound.
Nurse. A man, young lady! lady, such a man, Rom. I am too sore enpierced with his shaft,
As all the world - Why, he's a man of wax. To soar with his light feathers; and to bound
La. Cap. Verona's summer hath not such a I cannot bound a pitch above dull woe:
flower.

Under love's heavy burden do I sink.
Nurse. Nay, he's a flower; in faith, a very flower. Now we mean well in going to this mask,
La. Cap. What say you ? can you love the gen- But 'tis no wit to go.
tleman

Mer.

Why, may one ask ?
This night you shall behold him at our feast : Rom. I dreamt a dream to-night.
Read o'er the volume of young Paris' face,

Mer.

And so did I, And find delight writ there with beauty's pen ; Rom. Well, what was yours? Examine every several lineament,

Mer.

That dreamers often lie. And see how one another lends content;

Rom. In bed, asleep, while they do dream things And what obscur’d in this fair volume lies,

true. Find written in the margin of his eyes.

Mer. O, then, I see, queen Mab hath been with Speak briefly, can you like of Paris’ love ?

you.
Jul. I'll look to like, if looking liking move : She is the fairies' midwife'; and she comes
But no more deep will I endart mine eye, In shape no bigger than an agate-stone
Than your consent gives strength to make it fly. On the forefinger of an alderman,

Drawn with a team of little atomies*

Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight! Athwart men's noses as they lie asleep:

For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.
Her waggon-spokes made of long spinners' legs, Tyb. This, by his voice, should be a Montague:-
The cover, of the wings of grasshoppers ; Fetch me my rapier, boy :-What? dares the slave
Her traces of the smallest spider's web;

Come hither, cover'd with an antic face,
Her collars of the moonshine's watery beams; To fleer and scorn at our solemnity ?
Her whip of cricket's bone; the lash of film : Now by the stock and honour of my kin,
Her waggoner a small grey-coated gnat,

To strike him dead I hold it not a sin.
Not half so big as a round little worm

1 Cap. Why, how now, kinsman? wherefore Prick'd from the lazy finger of a maid :

storm you so ? Her chariot is an empty bazel-nut,

Tyb. Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe: Made by the joiner squirrel, or old grub,

A villain that is bither come in spite, Time out o' mind the fairies' coach-makers. To scorn at our solemnity this night. And in this state she gallops night by night 1 Cap. Young Romeo is't ? Through lovers' brains, and then they dream of Tyb.

'Tis he, that villain Romeo. love;

1 Cap. Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone, On courtiers' knees, that dream on court'sies He bears him like a portly gentleman ; straight:

And, to say truth, Verona brags of him,
O’er lawyers' fingers, who straight dream on fees : To be a virtuous and well-governd youth ;
O'er ladies' lips, who straight on kisses dream.

I would not for the wealth of all this town,
Rom.
Peace, peace, Mercutio, peace,

Here in my house, do bim disparagement;
Thou talk'st of nothing.

Therefore be patient, take no note of him, Mer.

True, I talk of dreams, It is my will; the which if thou respect, Which are the children of an idle brain,

Show a fair presence, and put off these frowns, Begot of nothing but vain fantasy ;

An ill-beseeming semblance for a feast. Which is as thin of substance as the air;

Tyb. It fits, when such a villain is a guest; And more inconstant than the wind who woos I'll not endure him, Even now the frozen bosom of the north,

1 Cap.

He shall be endur'd. And, being anger'd, puffs away from thence, Tyb. Why, uncle, 'tis a shame. Turning his face to the dew-dropping south.

1 Cap.

Go to, go to. Ben. This wind, you talk of, blows us from our- Tyb. Patience perforce with wilful choler selves;

meeting, Supper is done, and we shall come too late. Makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting. Rom. I fear, too early; for

my
mind misgives

I will withdraw: but this intrusion shall,
Some consequence, yet hanging in the stars, Now seeming sweet, convert to bitter gall. [Exit,
Shall bitterly begin bis fearful date

Rom. If I profane with my unworthiest hand With this night's revels; and expire the term

[TO JULIET. Of a despised life, clos'd in my breast,

This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this, – By some vile forfeit of untimely death :

My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand But He, that hath the steerage of my course,

To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. Direct my sail !-On, lusty gentlemen.

Jul. Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too Ben. Strike, drum.

[Exeunt.

much,

Which mannerly devotion shows in this ; SCENE.-A Hall in Capulet's House, For saints have hands that pilgrims hands do touch, Musicians waiting. Enter Servants.

And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss. Enter CAPULET, &-c., with the Guests, and the

Rom. Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too? Maskers.

Jul. Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in

prayer. Welcome, gentlemen! I have seen the day,

Rom. then, dear saint, let lips do what hands That I have worn a visor; and could tell

do; A whispering tale in a fair lady's ear, Such as would please ; 'tis gone, 'tis gone, 'tis gone :

They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.

Jul. Saints do not move, though grant for You are welcome, gentlemen !--Come, musicians,

prayers' sake. play.

Rom. Then move not, while my prayers' effect A hall! a hall! give room, and foot it, girls.

I take. [Music plays, and they dance. Thus from my lips, by thine my sin is urg'd. Rom. What lady's that, which doth enrich the

[Kissing her. hand

Jul. Then have my lips the sin that they have Of yonder knight?

took. Serv. I know not, sir.

Rom. Sin from my lips? O trespass sweetly Rom. O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!

urg'd;
Her beauty hangs upon the cheek of night
As a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear;

Give me my sin again.
Jul.

You kiss by the book. Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!

Nurse. Madam, your mother craves

a word So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows.

Rom. What is her mother? The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand,

Nurse.

Marry, bachelor, And touching hers, make blessed my rude hand.

Her mother is the lady of the house,
Atoms.

And a good lady, and a wise and virtuous :

with you.

I nurs'd her daughter, that you talk'd withal. Nurse. Marry, that, I think, be young Petruchio.
Rom.
Is she a Capulet?

Jul. What's he, that follows there, that would O dear account ! my life is my foe's debt.

not dance ? Ben. Away, begone; the sport is at the best. Nurse. I know not. Rom. Ay, so I fear : the more is my unrest. Jul. Go, ask his name.

1 Cip. Nay, gentlemen, prepare not to be gone, Nurse. His name is Romeo, and a Montague ; We have a trifling foolish banquet towards. The only son of your great enemy. Is it e’en so ? Why, then I thank you all :

Jul. My only love sprung from my only hate ! I thank you, honest gentlemen; good night ;- Too early seen unknown, and known too late ! More torches here !--Come on, then let's to bed. Prodigious birth of love it is to me, Ah, sirrah, [To 2 Cap.] by my fay, it waxes late; That I must love a loathed enemy. I'll to my rest.

Nurse. What's this? What's this? | Exeunt all but JULIET and Nurse. Jul.

A rhyme I learned even now Jul. Come hither, nurse; What is yon gentle- of one I danc'd withal. [One calls within, JULIET. man?

Nurse.

Anon, anon :Nurse. The son and heir of old Tiberio. Come, let's away; the strangers all are gone. Jul. What’s he, that now is going out of door?

[Exeunt.

a

ACT II.

а

SCENE.-Capulet's Garden.

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

[Aside. Enter ROMEO.

Jul. 'Tis but thy name that is my enemy :Rom. He jests at scars, that never felt a wound.- Thou art thyself though, not a Montague.

[Juliet appears above at a window. What's Montague? it is nor hand nor foot, But, soft! what light through yonder window Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part breaks !

Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! It is the east, and Juliet is the sun !

What's in a name that which we call a rose, Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,

By any other name would smell as sweet; Wbo is already sick and pale with grief,

So Romeo would, were he not Romeo callid, That thou her maid art far more fair than she : Retain that dear perfection which he owes, Be not her maid, since she is envious;

Without that title ;-Romeo, doff thy name; Her vestal livery is but sick and green,

And for thy name, which is no part of thee,
And none but fools do wear it; cast it off. Take all myself.
It is my lady: 0, it is my love :

Rom.

I take thee at thy word; 0, that she knew she were !

Call me but love, and I'll be new baptiz'd ;
She speaks, yet she says nothing; What of that? Henceforth I never will be Romeo.
Her eye discourses, I will answer it.

Jul. What man art thou, that thus bescreen'd I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks :

in night, Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, So stumblest on my counsel ? Having some business, do entreat her eyes

Rom.

By a name
To twinkle in their spheres till they return. I know not how to tell thee who I am ;
What if her eyes were there, they in her head ?

My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself,
The brightness of her cheek would shame those Because it is an enemy to thee;
stars,

Had I it written I would tear the word. As daylight doth a lamp: her eye in heaven Jul. My ears have yet not drunk a hundred Would through the airy region stream so bright,

words That birds would sing and think it were not night. Of thy tongue's uttering, yet I know the sound. See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand! Art thou not Romeo, and a Montague ? 0, that I were a glove upon that hand,

Rom. Neither, fair maid, if either thee dislike. That I might touch that cheek!

Jul. How cam’st thou bither, tell me? and Jul. Ah me!

wherefore ? Rom.

She speaks ;- The orchard walls are high and hard to climb; O, speak again, bright angel ! for thou art And the place death, considering who thou art, As glorious to this night, being o'er my head, If any of my kinsmen find thee here. As is a winged messenger of heaven

Rom. With love's light wings did I o'er-perch Unto the white-upturned wond'ring eyes

these walls; Cf mortals, that fall back to gaze on him, For stony limits cannot hold love out: When he bestrides the lazy-pacing clouds, And what love can do, that dares love attempt; And sails upon the bosom of the air.

Therefore thy kinsmen are no stop to me. Jul. O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou, Jul. If they do see thee, they will murder thee. Romeo ?

Rom. Alack! there lies more peril in thine eye, Deny thy father, and refuse thy name:

Than twenty of their swords ; look thou but sweet, Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I am proof against their enmity. And I'll no longer be a Capulet.

Jul. I would not for the world they saw thee here,

:

face;

Rom. I bave night's cloak to hide me from their My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
eyes;

My love as deep; the more I give to thee,
And, but thou love me, let them find me here : The more I have, for both are infinite,
My life were better ended by their hate,

[Nurse calls within. Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love. I hear some noise within : Dear love, adieu ! Jul. By whose direction found'st thou out this Anon, good nurse !--Sweet Montague, be true. place?

Stay but a little, I will come again. [Exit. Rom. By love, that first did prompt me to Rom. O blessed, blessed niglit, I am afeard ! inquire;

Being in night, all this is but a dream,
He lent me counsel, and I lent him eyes.

Too flattering sweet to be substantial.
I am no pilot; yet, wert thou as far
As that vast shore wash'd with the farthest sea,

Re-enter JULIET, above.
I would adventure for such merchandise.
Jul. Thou knowst the mask of night is on my

Jul. Three words, dear Romeo, and good night,

indeed. Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek,

If that thy bent of love be honourable, For that which thou hast heard me speak to-night. Thy purpose marriage, send me word to-morrow, Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny By one that I'll procure to come to thee, What I have spoke. But farewell compliment! Where, and what time, thou wilt perform the rite: Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say—Ay; And all my fortunes at thy foot I'll lay, And I will take thy word : yet, if thou swear’st,

And follow thee my lord throughout the world. Thou may’st prove false ; at lovers' perjuries Nurse. [Within.] Madam. They say Jove laughs. O, gentle Romeo,

Jul.

By and by, I come :-If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully: So cease thy strife and leave me to my grief : Or if thou think’st I am too quickly won,

To-morrow will I send. I'll frown, and be perverse, and say thee nay,

Rom.

So thrive my soul, So thou wilt woo; but, else, not for the world.

Jul. A thousand times good night. [ Exit. In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond;

Rom. A thousand times the worse to want thy And therefore thou may'st think my behaviour

light

[books; light;

Love goes toward love, as schoolboys from their But trust me, gentleman, I'll prove more true But love from love, toward school with heavy Tban those that have more cunning to be strange.*

looks.

[Retiring slowly. I should have been more strange, I must confess, But that thou overheard'st, ere I was ware,

Re-enter JULIRT, above.
My true love's passion: therefore pardon me;
And not impute this yielding to light love,

Jul. Hist! Romeo, hist!-0, for a falconer's voice, Which the dark night hath so discovered.

To lure this tassel-gentle* back again! Rom. Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear,

Bondage is hoarse, and may not speak aloud; That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops, –

Else would I tear the cave where echo lies, Jul. O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant And make ber airy tongue more hoarse than mine, moon,

With repetition of my Romeo. That monthly changes in her circled orb,

Rom. It is my soul, that calls upon my name : Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.

How silver-sweet sound lovers' tongues by night, Rom. What shall I swear by ?

Like softest music to attending ears ! Jul.

Do not swear at all ;

Jul. Romeo,

Rom. Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self,

MyWhich is the god of my idolatry,

Nurse. [Within.] Madam. And I'll believe thee.

Jul.

What o'clock to-morrow Rom. If my heart's dear love

Shall I send to thee? Jul. Well, do not swear :

Rom. although I joy in thee,

By the hour of nine. I have no joy of this contract to-night:

Jul. I will not fail; 'tis twenty years till then. It is too rash, too unadvis'd, too sudden;

I have forgot why I did call thee back. Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be

Ror. Let me stand here till thou remember it. Ere one can say--It lightens ! Sweet, good night!

Jul. I shall forget, to have thee still stand there, This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath,

Remembering how I love thy company. May prove a beauteous flower, when next we meet.

Rom. And I'll still stay, to have thee still forget, Good night, good night! as sweet repose and rest Forgetting any other home but this. Come to thy heart, as that within my breast !

Jul. 'Tis almost morning, I would have thee gone, Rom. O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied ?

And yet no further than a wanton's bird ; Jul. What satisfaction canst thou have to-night? Who lets it hop a little from her hand, Rom. The exchange of thy love's faithful vow

Like a poor prisoner in bis twisted gyves,
for mine,

And with a silk thread plucks it back again,
Jul. I gave thee mine before thou didst request it, So loving-jealous of his liberty.
And yet I would it were to give again.

Rom. I would I were thy bird.

Jul. Rom. Wouldst thou withdraw it? for what

Sweet, so would I:

Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing. purpose, love? Jul. But to be frank, and give it thee again.

Good night, good night! parting is such sweet And yet I wish but for the thing I have :