;

As is a winged messenger of heaven
Unto the white-upturned wond'ring eyes
Of mortals, that fall back to gaze on him,
When he bestrides the lazy-pacing clouds,

And fails upon the bofom of the air.

Jul. O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou

Romeo?

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?

[Afide,

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 Belonging to a man. O, be fome other name! What's in a name? that which we call a rose, 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, doff thy name; And for that name, which is no part of thee, Take all myfelf.

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 counfel?

Rom.

By a name

I know not how to tell thee who I am:

My name, dear faint, is hateful to myfelf,

Because it is an enemy to thee;

Had I it written, I would tear the word.

Jul. My ears have not yet drunk a hundred

words

Of that tongue's utterance, 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

wherefore?

The orchard walls are high, and hard to climb ; And the place death, confidering who thou art, If any of my kinfmen find thee here.

Ram. With love's light wings did I 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 let 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 faw thee

here.

Rom. I have night's cloak to hide me from their

fight; 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, who first did prompt me to in

quire;

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 furthest sea,
I would adventure for fuch merchandise.

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

face;

Elfe would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek,
For that which thou haft heard me speak to night.
Fain would I dwell on form, fain fain deny

What I have spoke; But farewell 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. O, gentle Romeo,
If thou doft love, pronounce it faithfully:
Or if thou think'st I am too quickly won,
I'll frown, and be perverse, and say thee nay,
So thou wilt woo; but, else, not for the world.
In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond;
And therefore thou may'st think my haviour light:
But trust me, gentleman, I'll prove more true
Than those that have more cunning to be strange.
I should have been more strange, I must confess,
But that thou over-heard'it, 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 fo discovered.

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

Jul. O, fwear not by the moon, the inconftant

moon

That monthly changes in her circled orb,
Lest that thy love prove likewise 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 heart's dear 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 ceafe to be,
Ere one can fay-It lightens. Sweet, good night!
This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath,
May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.

Good night, good night! as sweet repose and reft
Come to thy heart, as that within my breast!
Rom. O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied ?
Jul. What fatisfaction canst thou have to-night?
Rom. The exchange of thy love's faithful vow

for mine.

Jul. I gave thee mine before thou didst request

1t:

And yet I would it were to give again.

Rom. Would'st 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.

[Nurse calls within.

I hear fome noise within; Dear love, adieu!
Anon, good nurse! - Sweet Montague, be true.
Stay but a little, I will come again.

[Exit.

Rom. O blefied blessed night! I am afeard,
Being in night, all this is but a dream,
Too flattering-fweet to be substantial.

Re-enter JULIET, above.

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

indeed.

If that thy bent of love be honourable,
Thy purpose marriage, send me word to-morrow,
By one that I'll procure to come to thee,
Where, and what time, thou wilt perform the rite;

And all my fortunes at thy foot I'll lay,

And follow thee my lord throughout the world:

Nurse. [Within.] Madam.

Jul. I come, anon :-But if thou mean'st not

well,

I do befeech thee,

3

Nurse. [Within.] Madam.

Jul.

By and by, I come :

To ceafe thy fuit, and leave me to my grief:

To-morrow will I fend.

Rom.

So thrive my foul,

Jul. A thousand times good night!

[Exit.

: Rom. A thousand times the worse, to want thy

light.

Love goes toward love, as fchool-boys from their

books;

But love from love, toward fchool with heavy [retiring flowly.

looks.

Re-enter JULIET, above.

Jul. Hift! Romeo, hist!-O, for a falconer's

voice,

To lure this tassel-gentle back again!

Bondage is hoarfe, and may not speak aloud;
Elfe would I tear the cave where echo lies,

And make her airy tongue more hoarse than mine

With repetition of my Romeo's name.

Rom. It is my foul, that calls upon my name : How filver-fweet found lovers' tongues by night, Like softeft musick to attending ears!

Jul. Romeo!

Rom.

Ful.

My sweet!

Shall I fend to thee?
Rom.

At what o'clock to-morrow

At the hour of nine.

Jul. I will not fail; 'tis twenty years till then. I have forgot why I did call thee back.

Rom. Let me stand here till thou remember it. Jul. I shall forget, to have thee still stand there,

Remem'bring how I love thy company.

Rom. And I'll still stay, to have thee still forget, Forgetting any other home but this.