As is a winged meffenger of heaven
Unto the white-upturned wond'ring eyes
Of mortals, that fall back to gaze on him,
When he beftrides the lazy-pacing clouds,
And fails upon the bofom of the air.

Jul. O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou

Romeo?

Deny thy father, and refufe thy name :
Or, if thou wilt not, be but fworn my love,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet.

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

[Afide, ful. 'Tis but thy name, that is my enemy ; Thou art thyfelf 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 rofe, By any other name would fmell as fweet; 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 befcreen'd in night,

So ftumbleft 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 faint, if either thee dislike. Jul. How cam'ft 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 thefe walls;

For ftony limits cannot hold love out:

And what love can do, that dares love attempt; Therefore thy kinfmen 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 fwords; 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 whofe direction found'st thou out this
place?

Rom. By love, who firft did prompt me to inquire;

He lent me counfel, and I lent him eyes.
I am no pilot; yet, wert thou as far

As that vaft shore wash'd with the furtheft sea,
I would adventure for fuch merchandise.

Jul. Thou know'ft, the mask of night is on my face;

Elfe would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek,
For that which thou haft heard me fpeak 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 fay-Ay;
And I will take thy word: yet, if thou swear'st,
Thou may'ft prove falfe; at lovers' perjurics,
They fay, Jove laughs. O, gentle Romeo,
If thou doft love, pronounce it faithfully:
Or if thou think'ft I am too quickly won,
I'll frown, and be perverfe, and fay thee nay,
So thou wilt woo; but, else, not for the world.
In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond;

And therefore thou may't think my haviour light :
But trust me, gentleman, I'll prove more true
Than those that have more cunning to be strange.
I fhould have been more ftrange, I must confess,
But that thou over-heard'ft, 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 difcovered.

Rom. Lady, by yonder bleffed 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,
Left that thy love prove likewise variable.
Rom. What fhall I swear by ?

Jul.
Do not fwear at all;
Or, if thou wilt, fwear by thy gracious felf,
Which is the god of my idolatry,

And I'll believe thee.

Rom.

If my heart's dear love— ful. Well, do not fwear: although I joy in thee, I have no joy of this contract to-night: It is too rafh, too unadvis'd, too fudden; Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be, Fre one can fay-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 fweet repose and rest
Come to thy heart, as that within my breast!
Rom. O, wilt thou leave me fo unfatisfied?
Jul. What fatisfaction canft thou have to-night?
Rom. The 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. Would't thou withdraw it? for what purpofe, 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.

[Nurfe calls within.
I hear fome noife within; Dear love, adieu!
Anon, good nurfe!-Sweet Montague, be true.
Stay but a little, I will come again.

[Exit. Rom. O bleffed bleffed night! I am afeard, Being in night, all this is but a dream,

Too flattering-fweet to be fubftantial.

Re-enter JULIET, above.

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

If that thy bent of love be honourable,

Thy purpofe marriage, fend 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:
Nurfe. [Within.] Madam.

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

I do befeech thee,

3

By and by, I come :

Nurfe. [Within.] Madam.

Jul.

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

To-morrow will I fend.

Rom.

So thrive my foul,

ful. A thousand times good night!

[Exit. : Rom. A thoufand times the worfe, 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, hift !-O, for a falconer's voice,

To lure this taffel-gentle back again!

Bondage is hoarfe, and may not fpeak 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 fofteft mufick to attending ears!

Jul. Romeo!

Rom.

Jul.

My sweet!

Shall I fend to thee?

Rom.

Jul. I will not fail;

At what o'clock to-morrow

At the hour of nine.

'tis twenty years till then.

I have forgot why I did call thee back.

Rom. Let me ftand here till thou remember it. Jul. I fhall forget, to have thee still stand there, Remem'bring how I love thy company.

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