3 Earth-treading stars that make dark heaven light; And like her moft, whofe merit most shall be: Though 3 Earth-treading ftars that make dark heaven light.] This nonfenfe fhould be reformed thus: Earth-treading stars that make dark even light: i. e. When the evening is dark, and without stars, thefe earthly ftars fupply their place, and light it up. So again in this play; Her beauty hangs upon the cheek of night, Like a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear. WARBURTON. But why nonfenfe? Is any thing more commonly faid, than that beauties eclipfe the fun? Has not Pope the thought and the word? "Sol through white curtains fhot a tim'rous ray, "And ope'd thofe eyes that muft eclipfe the day.' Both the old and the new reading are philofophical nonfenfe, but they are both, and both equally poetical fenfe. JOHNSON. 4-do lufty young men feel,] To fay, and to fay in pompous words, that a young man shall feel as much in an affembly of beauties, as young men feel in the month of April, is furely to wafte found upon a very poor fentiment. I read, Such comfort as do lufty yeomen feel. You fall feel from the fight and converfation of these ladies, fuch hopes of happiness and fuch pleasure, as the farmer receives: from the fpring, when the plenty of the year begins, and the profpect of the harveft fills him with delight. JOHNSON. I believe Shakespeare meant no more by this comparison an to fay, you will feel fuch pleafure from the fair fociety you are to meet this evening, as young rufticks experience when that feafon of the year returns which is favourable to their amafements of dancing, &c. STEEVENS. 5 Such, amongst view of many, mine, being one, May fand in number, tho' in reckoning none.] The first of thefe lines I do not understand. The old folio gives no help; the Through fair Verona; find thofe perfons out, [Exeunt Capulet and Paris. Serv. Find them out, whofe names are written here? -It is written, that the fhoemaker fhould meddle with his yard, and the tailor with his aft; the fifher with his pencil, and the painter with his nets: but I am fent to find thofe perfons, whofe names are here writ; and can never find what names the writing perfon hath here writ. I muft to the learned.In good time Enter Benvolio and Romeo. Ben. Tut, man! one fire burns out another's burning, One pain is leffen'd by another's anguifh, Turn giddy, and be help'd by backward turning, One defperate grief cure with another's languifh; Take thou fome new infection to thy eye, And the rank poifon of the old will die. the paffage is there, Which one more view. I can offer nothing better than this: Within your view of many, mine being one, May ftand in number, &c. JOHNSON. This is likewife the reading of the quarto, 1597, which I would explain thus: Such, amongst view of many, mine, being one. has already informed Paris of the fhew of opening hich he is to expect at fupper, and inftructs him to if to her whofe merit appears to be the greatest: ch in this general difplay of beauties, be admitted, though not with any pretence to an equar degree of refpect with the relt." STEEVENS. Find them out, whofe names are written here?] The quarto, 1597, adds; "And yet I know not who are written here: "I must to the learned to learn of them; that's as much as to "fay, the tailor, &c." STEEVENS. Rom. 7 Your plantain leaf is excellent for that. Rom. For your broken fhin. Ben. Why, Romeo, art thou mad? Rom. Not mad, but bound more than a mad-man is; Shut up in prifon, kept without my food, Whipt and tormented, and-Good-e'en, good fellow. [To the Servant. Serv. God gi' good e'en.-I pray, Sir, can you read? Rom. Ay, mine own fortune in my mifery. Serv. Perhaps you have learn'd it without book. But, I pray, Can you read any thing you fee? Rom. Ay, if I know the letters and the language. [He reads the lift.] Signior Martino, and his wife and daughters; County Anfelm, and his beauteous fifters; the lady widow of Vitruvio; Signior Placentio, and his lovely neices; Mercutio, and his brother Valentine; mine uncle Capulet, bis wife and daughters; my fair neice Rofaline; Livia; Signior Valentio, and his coufin Tybalt; Lucio, and the lively Helena. —A fair assembly; whither fhould they come? 7 Your plantain leaf is excellent fo that a toad, before the engages with felf with fome of this plant; and at, if he comes of wounded, the cures herfelf afterwards with it. Dr. GRAY. The fame thought occurs in Albumazar, in the following lines: "Help, Armellina, help! I'm fall'n i' the cellar: "Bring a fresh plantain leaf, I've broke my thin." The plantain leaf is a blood-ftauncher, and was formerly applied to green wounds. STEEVENS. Rom. Rom. Whither? to fupper? Serv. To our house. Rom. Whofe house? Serv. My mafter's. Rom. Indeed, I fhould have afk'd you that before. My mafter not of the Serv. Now I'll tell you without afking. is the great rich Capulet, and if you be houfe of Montagues, I pray, come and crush a cup of wine. Reft you merry. [Exit. Ben. At this fame ancient feaft of Capulet's One fairer than my love! the all-feeing fun ice in fplendor of mine own. be weigh'd [Excunt. Your lady's love against fome other maid] But the comparison was not betwixt the love that Romeo's mistress paid him, and the perfon of any other young woman; but betwixt Romeo's mistress herfelf, and fome other that fhould be matched against her. The poet therefore must certainly have wrote; Your lady-love against some other maid. WARBURTON, Your lady's love is the love you bear to your lady, which in our language is commonly used for the lady herself, REVISAL. SCENE B 3 Enter lady Capulet and Nurfe. La. Cap. Nurfe, where's my daughter? call her forth to me. Nurfe. Now (by my maiden-head, at twelve years old) I bade her come.-What, lamb! what, lady-bird!God forbid !-where's this girl? what, Juliet! Enter Juliet. Jul. How now, who calls? Jul. Madam, I am here, what is your will? La. Cap. This is the matter--Nurse, give leave a while, we muft talk in fecret-Nurfe, come back again; I have remembered me, thou fhalt hear our counfel. Thou know'ft my daughter's of a pretty age. Nurfe. 'Faith I can tell her age unto an hour. La. Cap. She's not fourteen. I Nurfe. I'll lay fourteen of my teeth (and yet to my teen be it fpoken, I have but four) fhe's not fourteen. How long is't now to Lammas-tide? La. Cap. A fortnight, and odd days. Nurje. Even or odd, of all days in the yea good But as I faid, on Lammas-eve at night fhall fhe be fourteen; that fhall fhe, marry, I remember it well. It is fince the earthquake now eleven years; and she was wean'd; I never fhall forget it; of all the days in the year, upon that day; for I had then laid worm to my teen] To my forrow. JoHNSON. wood |