ON DREAMS. O, 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 wat'ry 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: 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 sweetmeats tainted arc. Sometime 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: Sometime 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 ear; at which he starts, and wakes; And, being thus frighted, swears a prayer or two, And sleeps again. This is that very Mab, That plats the manes of horses in the night; This, this is she Rom. Peace, peace, Mercutio, peace; Thou talk'st of nothing. Mer. True, I talk of dreams; Begot of nothing but vain fantasy; Which is as thin of substance as the air; DESCRIPTION OF A BEAUTY. O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! ACT II. THE GARDEN SCENE. Enter ROMEO. Rom. He jest at scars, that never felt a wound.[JULIET appears above, at a Window. But, soft, what light through yonder window breaks! It is the east, and Juliet is the sun! Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, * i. e. Fairy-locks, locks of hair clotted and tangled in the night. ↑ An Ethiopian, a black. Who is already sick and pale with grief, That thou her maid art far more fair than she: Be not her maid *, since she is envious; O, that she knew she were! She speaks, yet she says nothing; What of that? I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks: That I might touch that cheek! Jul. Rom. Ah, me! She speaks:- Unto the white-upturned wond'ring eyes 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? Jul. 'Tis but thy name, that is my enemy. 崇 * A votary to the moon, to Diana. [Aside. What's in a name? that which we call a rose, Rom. [night, *Jul. What man art thou, that, thus bescreen'd in So stumblest on my counsel? Rom. 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 sound; Art thou not Romeo, and a Montague? Rom. Neither, fair saint, if either thou dislike. Jul. How cam'st thou hither, tell me? and wherefore? The orchard walls are high, and hard to climb; And the place death, considering who thou art, If any of my kinsmen find thee here. [walls; Rom. With love's light wings did I o'erperch these For stony 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 see 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 saw thee here. Rom. I have a night's cloak to hide me from their sight; And, but thou love me§, let them find me here: * Owns, possesses. + Hinderance. + Do off. § Unless thou love me. 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 inquire; 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, Jul. Thou know'st the mask of night is on my face; Rom. Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear, That tips with silver all these fruit-tree topsJul. O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant That monthly changes in her circled orb, Lest that thy love prove likewise variable. Rom. What shall I swear by? [moon, Jul. Do not swear at all; Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self, |