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ACT. I. SCENE I.

The back-ground of this design represents the church of Santa Maria Antica, as also part of the Piazza, in Verona, with the domestics of the Capulets and of the Montagues, quarrelling and fighting. The fore-ground represents Benvolio, Montague's nephew, who has interposed, with his drawn sword, to force the servants to part; when

houses join in the fray but the Prince entering, his attendants, separate the combatants. Capulet and Montague, who had come out, are ordered, the former to attend the Prince immediately; and the latter to come, the same evening, to the palace. All present are then commanded to disperse, on pain of death. It is after this broil that Romeo appears; whilst Montague is discussing with his nephew, Benvolio, the cause of his son's present grief, and

<< The fiery Tybalt, with his sword prepar'd,» arrives, and ever-ready to breathe defiance to any of his frequent visiting — of the Montagues, exclaims furiously

<< What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds? Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death. >>

Although challenging, it might be said, that, in the design, Tybalt seems to turn from his adversary. It must, however, be remembered, that his contempt for the heartless hinds » around, sufficiently points out his wish to seek another, and less contaminated spot, to fight upon : when Benvolio's answer,

<< I do but keep the peace; put up thy sword, Or manage it to part these men with me, »

again urges him; and he retorts:

<<< What, drawn, and talk of peace? I hate the word, As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee:

Have at thee, coward. >>

The grove

of
sycamore,
That westward rooteth from the city's side,

Many a morning hath he there been seen,
With tears augmenting the fresh morning's dew,
Adding to clouds more clouds with his deep sighs:
But all so soon as the all-cheering sun
Should in the furthest east begin to draw
The shady curtains from Aurora's bed,
Away from light steals home my heavy son,
And private in his chamber pens himself;
Shuts up his windows, locks fair day light out,
And makes himself an artificial night:

Black and portentous must this humour prove,
Unless good counsel may the cause remove. »

Benvolio accosts Romeo, and finally succeeds in making his cousin acknowledge the cause of the

They fight, and several of the followers of both deep-rooted sorrow that has so altered him.

SERIES II.

ROMEO AND JULIET.

ACT I. SCENE 2.

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«< 0, then, I see, queen Mab hath been with you.

She is the fairies' midwife; and she comes

In shape no bigger than an agate-stone

On the fore finger of an alderman,
Drawn with a team of little atomies
Athwart men's noses as they lie asleep:

Her waggon-spokes made of long-spinners' legs;
The cover, of the wings of grasshoppers;
The traces, of the smallest spider's web;
The collars, of the moonshine's watery beams:
Her whip, of cricket's bone; the lash, of film:
Her waggoner, a small grey-coated gnat,
Not half so big as a round little worm
Prick'd from the lazy finger of a maid:

PL. 2.

Her chariot is an empty hazel-nut,
Made by the joiner squirrel, or old grub,
Time out of mind the fairies' coach-makers.
And in this state she gallops night by night
Through lovers' brains, and then they dream of love:
On courtiers' knees, that dream on court'sies straight:
O'er lawyers' fingers, who straight dream on fees:
O'er ladies' lips, who straight on kisses dream;
Which oft the angry Mab with blisters plagues,
Because their breaths with sweet-meats tainted are.
Sometimes she gallops o'er a courtier's nose,
And then dreams he of smelling out a suit:
And sometimes comes she with a tithe-pig's tail,
Tickling a parson's nose as 'a lies asleep,
Then dreams he of another benefice:
Sometimes she driveth o'er a soldier's neck,
And then dreams he of cutting foreign throats,
Of breaches, ambuscadoes, Spanish blades,
Of healths five fathom deep; and then anon
Drums in his ears; at which he starts, and wakes;
And, being thus frighted, swears a prayer or two,
And sleeps again. >>

Notwithstanding Mercutio and Benvolio's gay efforts, Romeo feels a cruel foreboding, which he expresses thus ;

«.

My mind misgives, Some consequence, yet hanging in the stars, Shall bitterly begin his fearful date With this night's revels; and expire the term Of a despised life, clos'd in my breast, By some vile forfeit of untimely death: But he, that hath the steerage of my course, Direct my saill-On, lusty gentlemen. »

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