Scene IV.—

"What hath this day deserv'd? what hath it done,That it in golden letters should be setAmong the high tides in the calendar?"

"What hath this day deserv'd? what hath it done,

That it in golden letters should be set

Among the high tides in the calendar?"

See also the play upon the word inT. of A.i. 2. 57: "Flow this way! A brave fellow! he keeps his tides well."

23.The earthquake.Tyrwhitt suggested that this may refer to the earthquake felt in England on the 6th of April, 1580. Malone notes that if the earthquake happened on the day when Juliet wasweaned(presumably when she was a year old), she could not well be more thantwelveyears old now; but the Nurse makes her almostfourteen—as her father (i. 2. 9) and her mother (i. 3. 12) also do.

26.Wormwood.Halliwell-Phillipps cites Cawdray,Treasurie or Storehouse of Similies, 1600: "if the mother put worme-wood or mustard upon the breast, the child sucking it, and feeling the bitternesse, he quite forsaketh it, without sucking any more," etc.

27.Sitting in the sun,etc. Cf. Dame Quickly's circumstantial reminiscences,2 Hen. IV.ii. 1. 93 fol.: "Thou didst swear to me," etc.

29.Bear a brain.Have a brain, that is, a good memory.

31.Pretty fool.Onfoolas a term of endearment or pity, cf.A.Y.L.ii. 1. 22,Lear, v. 2. 308, etc.

32.Tetchy.Touchy, fretful. Cf.Rich. III.iv. 4. 168: "Tetchy and wayward was thy infancy."

33.Shake, quoth the dove-house.The dove-house shook. It refers of course to the effects of the earthquake. Daniel (in Dowden's ed.) quotes Peele,Old Wives' Tale: "Bounce, quoth the guns;" and Heywood,Fair Maid of the West: "Rouse, quoth the ship."

36.By the rood.That is, by the cross; as inHam.iii. 4. 14,Rich. III.iii. 2. 77, etc. Foralonethe 1st and 2d quartos have "high-lone," which Herford, Dowden, and some others adopt. "It is an alteration ofalone, of obscure origin" (New Eng. Dict.) found in Marston, Middleton, and other writers of the time. In George Washington'sDiary(1760) it is used of mares. According to the description here, Juliet could not have been much more than a year old at the time. See on 23 above.

38.Mark.Appoint, elect. Cf.T.A.i. 1. 125: "To this your son is mark'd, and die he must."

40.To see thee married once.Once see thee married.

51.Much upon these years.Nearly at the same age. Cf.M. for M.iv. 1. 17: "much upon this time;"Rich. III.v. 3. 70: "Much about cock-shut time," etc. As Juliet is fourteen, Lady Capulet would be about twenty-eight, while her husband, having done masking for some thirty years (see i. 5. 35 fol.), must be at least sixty. See also on v. 3. 207 below.

55.A man of wax."As pretty as if he had been modelled in wax" (Schmidt). Steevens quotesWily Beguiled: "Why, he's a man as one should picture him in wax." White adds from Lyly,Euphues and his England: "so exquisite that for shape he must beframed in wax," and refers to iii. 3. 126 below. Dyce citesFaire Em:—

"A sweet face, an exceeding daintie hand:A body, were it framed of waxBy all the cunning artists of the world,It could not better be proportioned."

"A sweet face, an exceeding daintie hand:

A body, were it framed of wax

By all the cunning artists of the world,

It could not better be proportioned."

60.Read o'er the volume,etc. Here one quibble leads to another by the power of association. "Thevolumeof young Paris's face suggests thebeauty's pen, which hathwritthere. Then the obscurities of the fair volume are written inthe margin of his eyesas comments of ancient books are always printed in the margin. Lastly, thisbook of lovelacks acover; thegolden storymust be locked withgolden clasps" (Knight).

62.Married.The reading of 2d quarto; the other early eds. have "severall," which some editors adopt.Married= "closely joined, and hence concordant, harmonious" (Schmidt). Cf.T. and C.i. 3. 100: "The unity and married calm of states;" andSonn.8. 6:—

"If the true concord of well-tuned sounds,By unions married, do offend thine ear."

"If the true concord of well-tuned sounds,

By unions married, do offend thine ear."

See also Milton,L'All.137: "Married to immortal verse."

65.Margent.Malone quotesR. of L.102:—

"But she that never cop'd with stranger eyesCould pick no meaning from their parting looks,Nor read the subtle shining secreciesWrit in the glassy margent of such books."

"But she that never cop'd with stranger eyes

Could pick no meaning from their parting looks,

Nor read the subtle shining secrecies

Writ in the glassy margent of such books."

See alsoHam.v. 2. 162.

67.Cover."A quibble on the law phrase for a married woman, who is styled afemme couverte[feme covert] in law French" (Mason).

68.Lives in the sea.Is not yet caught. The bride has not yet been won. Farmer thought it an allusion to fish-skin as used for binding books.

70.Many's.Cf.Sonn.93. 7: "In many's looks," etc.

74.Like of.Cf.Much Ado, v. 4. 59: "I am your husband, if you like of me."

76.Endart.Not elsewhere used by S. and perhaps of his own coining.

80.Cursed.Because she is not at hand to help.In extremity= at a desperate pass. Cf.M.N.D.iii. 2. 3,A.Y.L.iv. 1. 5, etc.

83.County.Count; as often in this play. See alsoM. of V.i. 2. 49,A.W.iii. 7. 22, etc.

Mercutiois thus described in Brooke's poem:—

"At thone syde of her chayre, her lover Romeo:And on the other side there sat one cald Mercutio.A courtier that eche where was highly had in pryce:For he was coorteous of his speche, and pleasant of devise.Euen as a Lyon would emong the lambes be bolde:Such was emong the bashfull maydes, Mercutio to beholde.With frendly gripe he ceasd [seized] fayre Juliets snowish hand:A gyft he had that nature gaue him in his swathing band.That frosen mountayne yse was neuer halfe so coldAs were his handes, though nere so neer the fire he dyd them holde."

"At thone syde of her chayre, her lover Romeo:

And on the other side there sat one cald Mercutio.

A courtier that eche where was highly had in pryce:

For he was coorteous of his speche, and pleasant of devise.

Euen as a Lyon would emong the lambes be bolde:

Such was emong the bashfull maydes, Mercutio to beholde.

With frendly gripe he ceasd [seized] fayre Juliets snowish hand:

A gyft he had that nature gaue him in his swathing band.

That frosen mountayne yse was neuer halfe so cold

As were his handes, though nere so neer the fire he dyd them holde."

In Paynter'sPalace of Pleasurehe is spoken of as "an other Gentleman calledMercutio, which was a courtlyke Gentleman, very well beloued of all men, and by reason of his pleasaunt and curteous behauior was in euery company wel intertayned." His "audacity among Maydens" and his cold hands are also mentioned.

1.This speech.Furness would read "the speech"; but, as the scene opens in the midst of the conversation, S. may have meant to imply that some one in the company has suggested an introductory speech. See the following note.

3.The date is out,etc. That is, such tediousness is now out of fashion. Steevens remarks: "InHenry VIII.where the king introduces himself to the entertainment given by Wolsey [i. 4] he appears, like Romeo and his companions, in amask, and sends amessenger before to make an apology for his intrusion. This was a custom observed by those who came uninvited, with a desire to conceal themselves for the sake of intrigue, or to enjoy the greater freedom of conversation. Their entry on these occasions was always prefaced by some speech in praise of the beauty of the ladies or the generosity of the entertainer; and to theprolixityof such introductions I believe Romeo is made to allude. So inHistrio-mastix, 1610, a man expresses his wonder that the maskers enter without any compliment: 'What, come they in so blunt, without device?' In the accounts of many entertainments given in reigns antecedent to that of Elizabeth, I find this custom preserved. Of the same kind of masquerading see a specimen inT. of A.[i. 2], where Cupid precedes a troop of ladies with a speech." Collier comparesL. L. L.v. 2. 158 fol.

5.Bow of lath.The Tartar bows resembled in form the old Roman or Cupid's bow, such as we see on medals and bas-reliefs; while the English bow had the shape of the segment of a circle.

6.Crow-keeper.Originally a boy stationed in a field to drive the birds away (as inLear, iv. 6. 88: "That fellow handles his bow like a crow-keeper"); afterwards applied, as here, to what we call ascarecrow. The latter was often a stuffed figure with a bow in his hand.

7, 8.These linesare found only in the 1st quarto, and were first inserted in the text by Pope. White believes that they were purposely omitted, but only on account of their disparagement of the prologue-speakers on the stage. Prologues and epilogues were often prepared, not by the author of the play, but by some other person; and this was probably the case with some of the prologues and epilogues in S.Faintly= "in a weak mechanical way" (Ulrici).Entranceis a trisyllable, as inMacb.i. 5. 40.

10.A measure.A formal courtly dance. Cf.Much Ado, ii. 1. 80: "as a measure, full of state and ancientry;" and for the play on the word,Id.ii. 1. 74,L. L. L.iv. 3. 384, andRich. II.iii. 4. 7.

11.A torch.Maskers were regularly attended by torch-bearers.The commentators quote illustrations of this from other authors, but do not refer toM. of V.ii. 4. 5: "We have not spoke us yet of torch-bearers;" and 21 just below:—

"Will you prepare you for this masque to-night?I am provided of a torch-bearre."

"Will you prepare you for this masque to-night?

I am provided of a torch-bearre."

See alsoId.ii. 6. 40 fol. For the contemptuous use ofambling, seeHam.iii. 1. 151,1 Hen. IV.iii. 2. 60, etc.

12.The light.For the poet's frequent playing on the different senses oflight, see on i. 1. 134 above. Cf. ii. 2. 105 below.

15.Soul.For the play on the word, cf.M. of V.ii. 4. 68, iv. 1. 123, and,J.C.i. 1. 15.

19.Enpierced.Used by S. nowhere else.

20.Bound.For the quibble, Steevens compares Milton,P.L.iv. 180:—

"in contemptAt one slight bound high overleap'd all boundOf hill or highest wall," etc.

"in contempt

At one slight bound high overleap'd all bound

Of hill or highest wall," etc.

29.Give me a case.Perhaps Mercutio thinks he will wear a mask, and then changes his mind. Littledale suggests pointing "visage in!" It is possible, however, that lines 30-32 refer to a mask that is handed to him, and which he decides to wear, though it is an ugly one. On the whole, I prefer this explanation.

31.Quote.Note, observe. Cf.Ham.ii. 1. 112:—

"I am sorry that with better heed and judgmentI had not quoted him."

"I am sorry that with better heed and judgment

I had not quoted him."

32.Beetle-brows.Prominent or overhanging brows. Cf. the verbbeetleinHam.i. 4. 71.

36.Rushes.Before the introduction of carpets floors were strewn with rushes. Cf.1 Hen. IV.iii. 1. 214: "on the wanton rushes lay you down;"Cymb.ii. 2. 13:—

"Our Tarquin thusDid softly press the rushes," etc.

"Our Tarquin thus

Did softly press the rushes," etc.

See alsoR. of L.318,T. of S.iv. 1. 48, and2 Hen. IV.v. 5. 1. The stage was likewise strewn with rushes. Steevens quotes Dekker,Guls Hornbook: "on the very rushes where the comedy is to daunce."

37.I am proverb'd,etc. The old proverb fits my case, etc.To hold the candleis a very common phrase for beingan idle spectator. Among Ray's proverbs is "A good candle-holder proves a good gamester" (Steevens).

39.The game,etc. An old proverbial saying advises to give over when the game is at the fairest; and Romeo also alludes to this.

40.Dun's the mouse.Apparently = keep still; but no one has satisfactorily explained the origin of the phrase. Malone quotesPatient Grissel, 1603: "yet don is the mouse, lie still;" and Steevens addsThe Two Merry Milkmaids, 1620: "Why then 'tis done, and dun's the mouse and undone all the courtiers."

41.If thou art Dun,etc. Douce quotes Chaucer,C.T.16936:

"Ther gan our hoste for to jape and play,And sayde, 'sires, what? Dun is in the myre.'"

"Ther gan our hoste for to jape and play,

And sayde, 'sires, what? Dun is in the myre.'"

Gifford explains the expression thus: "Dun in the mireis a Christmas gambol, at which I have often played. A log of wood is brought into the midst of the room: this isDun(the cart-horse), and a cry is raised that he isstuck in the mire. Two of the company advance, either with or without ropes, to draw him out. After repeated attempts, they find themselves unable to do it, and call for more assistance. The game continues till all the company take part in it, when Dun is extricated of course; and the merriment arises from the awkward and affected efforts of the rustics to lift the log, and from sundry arch contrivances to let the ends of it fall on one another's toes. This will not be thought a very exquisite amusement; and yet I have seen much honest mirth at it." Halliwell-Phillipps quotesWestward Hoe, 1607: "I see I'm born still to draw dun out o' th' mire for you; that wise beast will I be;" andButler,Remains: "they meant to leave reformation, like Dun in the mire."

42.Sir-reverence.A contraction of "save reverence" (salva reverentia), used as an apology for saying what might be deemed improper. Cf.C. of E.iii. 2. 93: "such a one as a man may not speak of without he say 'Sir-reverence.'" Taylor the Water-Poet says in one of his epigrams:—

"If to a foule discourse thou hast pretence,Before thy foule words name sir-reverence,Thy beastly tale most pleasantly will slip,And gaine thee praise, when thou deserv'st a whip."

"If to a foule discourse thou hast pretence,

Before thy foule words name sir-reverence,

Thy beastly tale most pleasantly will slip,

And gaine thee praise, when thou deserv'st a whip."

Here "Mercutio says he will draw Romeo from themire of this love, and uses parenthetically the ordinary form of apology for speaking so profanely of love" (Knight). For the full phrase, seeMuch Ado, iii. 4. 32,M. of V.ii. 2. 27, 139, etc.

43.Burn daylight."A proverbial expression used when candles are lighted in the daytime" (Steevens); hence applied to superfluous actions in general. Here it is = waste time, as the context shows. Cf.M.W.ii. 1. 54, where it has the same meaning.

45.We waste,etc. The quartos have "We waste our lights in vaine, lights lights by day;" the folios, "We wast our lights in vaine, lights, by day." The emendation is Capell's. Daniel and Dowden read, "light lights by day," which is very plausible.

47.Five wits.Cf.Much Ado, i. 1. 66: "four of his five wits went halting off;"Sonn.141. 9: "But my five wits nor my five senses." Here thefive witsare distinguished from thefive senses; but the two expressions were sometimes used interchangeably. Thefive wits, on the other hand, were defined as "common wit, imagination, fantasy, estimation (judgment), and memory."

50.To-night.That is, last night, as inM.W.iii. 3. 171: "I have dreamed to-night;"W.T.ii. 3. 10: "He took good rest to-night," etc. See also ii. 4. 2 below.

53.Queen Mab.No earlier instance ofMabas the name of thefairy-queen has been discovered, but S. no doubt learned it from the folk-lore of his own time. Its derivation is uncertain.

54.The fairies' midwife.Not midwifetothe fairies, but the fairy whose department it was to deliver the fancies of sleeping men of their dreams, thosechildren of an idle brain(Steevens). T. Warton believes she was so called because she steals new-born infants, and leaves "changelings" (seeM.N.D.ii. 1. 23, etc.) in their place.

55.No bigger,etc. That is, no bigger than the figures cut in such an agate. Cf.Much Ado, iii. 1. 65: "If low, an agate very vilely cut." Rings were sometimes worn on thethumb. Steevens quotes Glapthorne,Wit in a Constable, 1639: "and an alderman as I may say to you, he has no more wit than the rest o' the bench; and that lies in his thumb-ring."

57.Atomies.Atoms, or creatures as minute as atoms. Cf.A.Y.L.iii. 2. 245: "to count atomies;" andId.iii. 5. 13: "Who shut their coward gates on atomies." In2 Hen. IV.v. 4. 33, Mrs. Quickly confounds the word withanatomy.S. uses it only in these four passages,atomnot at all.

59.Spinners.Long-legged spiders, mentioned also inM.N.D.ii. 2. 21: "Hence, you long-legg'd spinners, hence!"

65.Worm.Nares says, underidle worms: "Worms bred in idleness. It was supposed, and the notion was probably encouraged for the sake of promoting industry, that when maids were idle, worms bred in their fingers;" and he cites Beaumont and Fletcher,Woman Hater, iii. 1:—

"Keep thy hands in thy muff and warm the idleWorms in thy fingers' ends."

"Keep thy hands in thy muff and warm the idle

Worms in thy fingers' ends."

67-69.Her chariot...coachmakers.Daniel puts these lines before 59. Lettsom says: "It is preposterous to speak of the parts of a chariot (such as the waggon-spokes and cover) before mentioning the chariot itself." Butchariothere, as the descriptionshows, means only thebodyof the vehicle, and is therefore one of the "parts."

76.Sweetmeats.That is, kissing-comfits. These artificial aids to perfume the breath are mentioned by Falstaff, inM.W.v. 5. 22.

77.A courtier's nose.As this is a repetition, Pope substituted "lawyer's" (from 1st quarto), but this would also be a repetition. Other suggestions are "tailor's" and "counsellor's;" but the carelessness of the description is in perfect keeping with the character. See the comments on the speech p. 290 below.

79.Sometime.Used by S. interchangeably withsometimes.

84.Ambuscadoes.Ambuscades; used by S. only here. TheSpanish bladesof Toledo were famous for their quality.

85.Healths,etc. Malone quotesWestward Hoe, 1607: "troth, sir, my master and sir Goslin are guzzling; they are dabbling together fathom deep. The knight has drunk so much health to the gentleman yonder, upon his knees, that he hath almost lost the use of his legs." Cf.2 Hen. IV.v. 3. 57:—

"Fill the cup, and let it come;I'll pledge you a mile to the bottom."

"Fill the cup, and let it come;

I'll pledge you a mile to the bottom."

89.Plats the manes,etc. "This alludes to a very singular superstition not yet forgotten in some parts of the country. It was believed that certain malignant spirits, whose delight was to wander in groves and pleasant places, assumed occasionally the likeness of women clothed in white; that in this character they sometimes haunted stables in the night-time, carrying in their hands tapers of wax, which they dropped on the horses' manes, thereby plaiting them in inextricable knots, to the great annoyance of the poor animals and vexation of their masters. These hags are mentioned in the works of William of Auvergne, bishop of Paris in the 13th century" (Douce).

90.Elf-locks.Hair matted or clotted, either from neglect or from the disease known as thePlica Polonica. Cf.Lear, ii. 3. 10:"elf all my hair in knots;" and Lodge,Wit's Miserie, 1596: "His haires are curld and full of elves locks."

91.Which,etc. The real subject ofbodesiswhich once untangled= the untangling of which.

97.Who.Forwhich, as often; but here, perhaps, on account of the personification. Cf.2 Hen. IV.iii. 1. 22:—

"the winds,Who take the ruffian billows by the top."

"the winds,

Who take the ruffian billows by the top."

103.My mind misgives,etc. One of many illustrations of Shakespeare's fondness for presentiments. Cf. ii. 2. 116, iii. 5. 53, 57, etc., below. See also 50 above.

105.Date.Period, duration; as often in S. Cf.R. of L.935: "To endless date of never-ending woes;"Sonn.18. 4: "And summer's lease hath all too short a date;"M.N.D.iii. 2. 373: "With league whose date till death shall never end," etc.

106.Expire.The only instance of the transitive use in S. Cf. Spenser,F.Q.iv. 1. 54: "Till time the tryall of her truth expyred."

107.Clos'd.Enclosed, shut up. Cf. v. 2. 30 below: "clos'd in a dead man's tomb." See alsoR. of L.761,Macb.iii. 1. 99, etc.

111.In the earlyeds. the stage-direction is "They march about the Stage, and Seruingmen come forth with[orwith their]Napkins." This shows that the scene was supposed to be immediately changed to the hall of Capulet's house.

2.Shift a trencher."Trenchers [wooden plates] were still used by persons of good fashion in our author's time. In theHousehold Book of the Earls of Northumberland, compiled at the beginning of the same century, it appears that they were common to the tables of the first nobility" (Percy). Toshift a trencherwas a technical term. Forscrape a trencher, cf.Temp.ii. 2. 187: "Nor scrape trencher, nor wash dish."

7.Joint-stools.A kind of folding-chair. Cf.1 Hen. IV.ii. 4. 418,2 Hen. IV.ii. 4. 269, etc.

8.Court-cupboard.Sideboard. Steevens quotes Chapman,Monsieur D'Olive, 1606: "Here shall stand my court-cupboard with its furniture of plate;" and hisMay-Day, 1611: "Court-cupboards planted with flaggons, cans, cups, beakers," etc. Cotgrave definesdressoiras "a court-cupboord (without box or drawer), onely to set plate on."

Good thou.For this vocative use ofgood, cf.Temp.i. 1. 3, 16, 20,C. of E.iv. 4. 22, etc.

9.Marchpane.A kind of almond-cake, much esteemed in the time of S. Nares gives the following from one of the old English receipt-books,Delightes for Ladies, 1608: "To make a marchpane.—Take two poundes of almonds being blanched, and dryed in a sieve over the fire, beate them in a stone mortar, and when they be small mix them with two pounde of sugar beeing finely beaten, adding two or three spoonefuls of rosewater, and that will keep your almonds from oiling: when your paste is beaten fine, drive it thin with a rowling pin, and so lay it on a bottom of wafers, then raise up a little edge on the side, and so bake it, then yce it with rosewater and sugar, then put it in the oven againe, and when you see your yce is risen up and drie, then take it out of the oven and garnish it with pretie conceipts, as birdes and beasts being cast out of standing moldes. Sticke long comfits upright in it, cast bisket and carrowaies in it, and so serve it; guild it before you serve it: you may also print of thismarchpanepaste in your molds for banqueting dishes. And of this paste our comfit makers at this day make their letters, knots, armes, escutcheons, beasts, birds, and other fancies." Castles and other figures were often made of marchpane, to decorate splendid desserts, and were demolished by shooting or throwing sugar-plums at them. Cf. Beaumont and Fletcher,Faithful Friends, iii. 2:—

"They barr'd their gates,Which we as easily tore unto the earthAs I this tower of marchpane."

"They barr'd their gates,

Which we as easily tore unto the earth

As I this tower of marchpane."

16.Cheerly.Cheerily, briskly. Cf.Temp.i. 1. 6, 29, etc.

16.The longer liver take all.A proverbial expression.

18.Toes.Pope thought it necessary to change this to "feet." Malone remarks that the word "undoubtedly did not appear indelicate to the audience of Shakespeare's time, though perhaps it would not be endured at this day." We smile at this when we recollect some of the words that were endured then; but it shows how fashions change in these matters.

21.Deny.Refuse. Cf.L. L. L.v. 2. 228: "If you deny to dance;"T. of S.ii. 1. 180: "If she deny to wed," etc.Makes dainty= affects coyness. Cf.K. John, iii. 4. 138:—

"And he that stands upon a slippery placeMakes nice of no vile hold to stay him up."

"And he that stands upon a slippery place

Makes nice of no vile hold to stay him up."

22.Am I come near ye now?Do I touch you, or hit you, now? Cf.1 Hen IV.i. 2. 14: "Indeed, you come near me now, Hal." Schmidt is clearly wrong in givingT.N.ii. 5. 29 as another example of the phrase in this sense. He might have givenT.N.iii. 4. 71.

23.Welcome, gentlemen!Addressed to the masked friends of Romeo.

28.A hall, a hall!This exclamation occurs frequently in the old comedies, and is = make room. Cf.Doctor Dodypoll, 1600: "Room! room! a hall! a hall!" and Jonson,Tale of a Tub: "Then cry, a hall! a hall!"

29.Turn the tables up.The tables in that day were flat leaves hinged together and placed on trestles; when removed they were therefore turned up (Steevens).

30.The fire.S. appears to have forgotten that the time was in summer. See p. 19 above.

32.Cousin.The "uncle Capulet" of i. 2. 70. The word was often used loosely = kinsman in S. Cf. iii. 1. 143 below: "Tybalt, my cousin! O my brother's child!"

37.Nuptial.The regular form in S. In the 1st folionuptialsoccurs only inPer.v. 3. 80.

43.What lady is that,etc. Cf. Brooke's poem:—

"At length he saw a mayd, right fayre of perfect shape:Which Theseus, or Paris would haue chosen to their rape.Whom erst he neuer sawe, of all she pleasde him most:Within himselfe he sayd to her, thou iustly mayst thee boste.Of perfit shapes renoune, and Beauties sounding prayse:Whose like ne hath, ne shalbe seene, ne liueth in our dayes.And whilest he fixd on her his partiall perced eye,His former loue, for which of late he ready was to dye,Is nowe as quite forgotte, as it had neuer been."

"At length he saw a mayd, right fayre of perfect shape:

Which Theseus, or Paris would haue chosen to their rape.

Whom erst he neuer sawe, of all she pleasde him most:

Within himselfe he sayd to her, thou iustly mayst thee boste.

Of perfit shapes renoune, and Beauties sounding prayse:

Whose like ne hath, ne shalbe seene, ne liueth in our dayes.

And whilest he fixd on her his partiall perced eye,

His former loue, for which of late he ready was to dye,

Is nowe as quite forgotte, as it had neuer been."

47.Her beauty hangs.The reading of the later folios, adopted by many editors. The quartos and 1st folio have "It seemes she hangs." As Verplanck remarks, it is quite probable that the correction was the poet's own, obtained from some other MS. altered during the poet's life; it is besides confirmed by the repetition ofbeautyin 49. Delius, who retainsit seems, thinks that the boldness of the simile led the poet to introduce it in that way; but it is Romeo who is speaking, and the simile is not over-bold for him. The commentators often err in looking at the text from the "stand-point" of the critic rather than that of the character.

48.Ethiope's ear.For the simile, cf.Sonn.27. 11: "Which, like a jewel hung in ghastly night," etc. Holt White quotes Lyly,Euphues: "A fair pearl in a Morian's ear."

55.I ne'er saw,etc. Cf.Hen. VIII.i. 4. 75:—

Back to Index Next