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James Boswell [1821], The plays and poems of William Shakspeare, with the corrections and illustrations of various commentators: comprehending A Life of the Poet, and an enlarged history of the stage, by the late Edmond Malone. With a new glossarial index (J. Deighton and Sons, Cambridge) [word count] [S10201].
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SCENE II. A Street. Enter Capulet, Paris, and Servant.

Cap.
And Montague is bound1 note as well as I,
In penalty alike; and 'tis not hard, I think,
For men so old as we to keep the peace.

Par.
Of honourable reckoning are you* note both;
And pity 'tis, you* note liv'd at odds so long.
But now, my lord, what say you to my suit?

Cap.
But saying o'er what I have said before;
My child is yet a stranger in the world,
She hath not seen the change of fourteen years;
Let two more summers wither in their pride2 note

,

-- 25 --


Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.

Par.
Younger than she are happy mothers made.

Cap.
And too soon marr'd are those so early made3 note



.

The earth hath swallow'd all my hopes but she,
She is the hopeful lady of my earth4 note









:

-- 26 --


But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart,
My will to her consent is but a part5 note;

An she agree, within her scope of choice
Lies my consent and fair according voice.

This night I hold an old accustom'd feast,
Whereto I have invited many a guest,
Such as I love; and you, among the store,
One more, most welcome, makes my number more.
At my poor house, look to behold this night
Earth-treading stars, that make dark heaven light6 note










:

-- 27 --


Such comfort, as do lusty young men feel7 note































When well-apparell'd April on the heel

-- 28 --


Of limping winter treads, even such delight
Among fresh female buds shall you this night
Inherit at my house8 note; hear all, all see,
And like her most, whose merit most shall be:
Such, amongst view of many, mine, being one,
May stand in number, though in reckoning none9 note



























.

-- 29 --


Come, go with me;—Go, sirrah, trudge about
Through fair Verona; find those persons out,

-- 30 --


Whose names are written there1 note




, [Gives a Paper, and to them say,
My house and welcome on their pleasure stay. [Exeunt Capulet and Paris.

Serv.

Find them out, whose names are written here2 note? It is written—that the shoemaker should meddle with his yard, and the tailor with his last, the fisher with his pencil, and the painter with his nets; but I am sent to find those persons, whose names are here writ, and can never find what names the writing person hath here writ. I must to the learned:—
In good time.

Enter Benvolio and Romeo.

Ben.
Tut, man! one fire burns out another's burning,
  One pain is lessen'd by another's anguish;
Turn giddy, and be holp by backward turning;

-- 31 --


  One desperate grief cures with another's languish3 note




:
Take thou some new infection to thy eye,
And the rank poison of the old will die4 note










.

Rom.
Your plantain leaf is excellent for that5 note



.

-- 32 --

Ben.
For what, I pray thee?

Rom.
For your broken shin.

Ben.
Why, Romeo, art thou mad?

Rom.
Not mad, but bound more than a madman is:
Shut up in prison, kept without my food,
Whipp'd, and tormented, and—Good-e'en, good fellow.

Serv.
God gi' good e'en.—I pray, sir, can you read?

Rom.
Ay, mine own fortune in my misery.

Serv.
Perhaps you have learn'd it without book:
But I pray, can you read any thing you see?

Rom.
Ay, if I know the letters, and the language.

Serv.
Ye say honestly; Rest you merry!

Rom.
Stay, fellow; I can read. [Reads. Signior Martino, and his wife, and daughters; County Anselme, and his beauteous sisters; The lady widow of Vitruvio; Signior Placentio, and his lovely nieces; Mercutio, and his brother Valentine; Mine uncle Capulet, his wife, and daughters; My fair niece Rosaline; Livia; Signior Valentio, and his cousin Tybalt; Lucio, and the lively Helena.
A fair assembly; [Gives back the Note;] Whither should they come?

Serv.

Up.

Rom.
Whither?

Serv.

To supper; to our house6 note.

Rom.
Whose house?

Serv.

My master's.

-- 33 --

Rom.
Indeed, I should have asked you that before.

Serv.

Now I'll tell you without asking: My master is the great rich Capulet; and if you be not of the house of Montagues, I pray, come and crush a cup of wine7 note




. Rest you merry.

[Exit.

Ben.
At this same ancient feast of Capulet's
Sups the fair Rosaline, whom thou so lov'st;
With all the admired beauties of Verona:
Go thither; and, with unattainted eye,
Compare her face with some that I shall show,
And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.

Rom.
When the devout religion of mine eye
  Maintains such falsehood, then turn tears to fires!
And these,—who, often drown'd, could never die,—
  Transparent hereticks, be burnt for liars!
One fairer than my love! the all-seeing sun
Ne'er saw her match, since first the world begun.

Ben.
Tut! you saw her fair, none else being by,
Herself pois'd with herself in either eye:
But in those crystal scales8 note, let there be weigh'd
Your lady's love against some other maid9 note

That I will show you, shining at this feast,

-- 34 --


And she shall scant show well, that now shows* note best.

Rom.
I'll go along, no such sight to be shown,
But to rejoice in splendour of mine own.
[Exeunt.
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James Boswell [1821], The plays and poems of William Shakspeare, with the corrections and illustrations of various commentators: comprehending A Life of the Poet, and an enlarged history of the stage, by the late Edmond Malone. With a new glossarial index (J. Deighton and Sons, Cambridge) [word count] [S10201].
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