Juliet shall go to the Friar's cell, and that the ceremony has been performed. The next scene is between a servant of Romeo and the Nurse, to concert the means by which Romeo may enter the chamber of Juliet. We have no scene corresponding to that which follows in Shakespeare; but in the Latin Play we are introduced to a new character called Philophilus, who meets Romeo, and they enter into conversation. Romeo acquaints him with his marriage. While they are talking, a messenger arrives with the news that there is a fray in the streets between the Capulets and Montagues, and that Tybalt is conducting himself with the utmost violence. Romeo is urged to come to the succour of his friends. He goes, or rather Tybalt appears to enter. Romeo uses mild and persuasive words to induce him to forbear, but Tybalt-in the true spirit of the character as drawn by Shakespeare-continues to act in the most violent manner, till he is slain by Romeo. Tybalt dies excusing Romeo. In the next scene we have two of the Capulets and two of the Montagues in conference with the Prince concerning the death of Tybalt. It ends in the Prince sparing the life of Romeo, but sentencing him to a seven years' banishment. A Chorus follows in Sapphic verse. The next act opens with the deep distress of Juliet, revealed in a conversation with the Nurse, who tells her that Romeo is concealed at the cell of the Friar; and we have then a scene between Romeo and the Friar, in which the latter urges him to bear with fortitude the calamity which had fallen upon him. The term of banishment is here spoken of as being ten years. This is all that remains of the Play. The most remarkable variation between the story as we find it here and in Shakespeare is, that in the Latin Play there is no mention of Paris. It is clearly the work of some person whose dramatic taste was formed in the school of the Ancients, and who would, therefore, exclude any characters not required for the sufficient evolution of the facts of a story which, in its simple form, presented material sufficient for the business of five short Acts. Philophilus supplies, in part, the place of Mercutio. Most of the names given to the characters in Shakespeare's play are to be found in the original stories. Tybalt is a form of Thibault, which was the name of a king of Navarre and Count of Champagne of the twelfth century, "accounted," says Mr. Hallam, "the best as well as noblest of the French Poets." Benvolio reminds of a London contemporary of Shakespeare, Hieronymo Benvolio, a foreigner, who is in the same list with the father of Shakespeare, as one to whom grants of arms had been made unsuitably by the Heralds of the time. I. 1. SAMPSON. I will bite my thumb at them. It ought to have been added in the notes that this is a trait of Italian manners. Thus Fuller, in his Abel Redivivus, p. 38, after relating a conversation between Luther and a messenger of Cardinal Cajetan, says, "at this the messenger, after the Italian manner, biting his thumbs, went away." I. 1. FIRST CITIZEN. Clubs, bills, and partizans! strike! beat them down! The first word should probably be so printed as to indicate that the citizen called out "Clubs!" an English expression used by one who would part two combatants. It may still sometimes be heard, and occurs in another passage of Shakespeare-" Clubs cannot part them." I. 4. MERCUTIO. O, then, I see, Queen Mab hath been with you. In the quartos when Benvolio hears this, surprised with a name he had never heard before, he says, "Queen Mab! who's she?" And this ought by all means to have been retained, as affording a just pretence for the long description of the practices and attributes of Queen Mab which follows; and which, according to the present arrangement, is obtruded upon us. It is also to this question of Benvolio that the words with which Mercutio closes his long speech refer"This, this is she." In this speech the quartos differ from each other, and the folios from the quartos. The received is an eclectic text formed from them all. I. 5. FIRST SERVANT. Save me a piece of MARCH PANE. Perhaps enough is said about the March pane in the notes. It was a paste composed of almonds, fine sugar, gum, the white of eggs, and rose water. This was sometimes served in small cakes like the modern maccaroon, which is the degenerated posterity of March pane, (Panis Martius,) and sometimes into loaves or cakes moulded into fantastical forms. Receits for making it are in most of the old books of cookery. "To make a March pane," stands in the first place in The Treasury of Hidden Secrets, commonly called The Good Housewife's Closet of Provision, 1627. See also, A Hermetical Banquet dressed by a Spagirical Cook, 1652, p. 102, in which strange work, in which Shakespeare's name is found, we have particular directions for making the March pane. A hall! a hall! give room, and foot it, girls! I shall add one instance more of the use of this exclamation, to those adduced by the commentators. Praise but orchestra and the skipping art, You shall command him, faith you have his heart Room for the spheres, the orbs celestial Will dance Kemp's jig. They'll revel with neat jumps, A worthy poet hath put on their pumps. SCOURGE OF VILLAINY, by Marston, Sat. xi. 1. 5. TYBALT. To scorn at our SOLEMNITY this night. So in Macbeth, "To night we hold a solemn supper," a banquet, high festival. So in Ariosto, as translated by Harington, For never did a child take more delight With gaudy flowers in time of spring to play, Like dancing better on a solemn day. This application of the word solemn is a relic of the sentiment of remote ages, when there was something of the religious feeling connected with all high festivals and banquettings. The history of the word solemn would form an interesting philological article, presenting as it does so many phases in succession. II. I. BENVOLIO. He ran this way, and leapt this orchard wall: Call, good Mercutio. MERCUTIO. Romeo! Madman! Humours! Passion! Liver! Speak but one rhyme, and I am satisfied; Cry but "Ah, me!" pronounce but "Love" and "Dove;" Speak to my gossip Venus one fair word, Thus I would regulate a passage of which there are so many varying lections in the early editions that a little licence is allowable. There seems not the smallest reason for substituting "Adam" for "Abraham," which, as a nickname of Cupid, has something more of humour about it. II. 2. JULIet. O swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon, Lest that thy love prove likewise variable. This was a common-place comparison when Shakespeare used it, and has been made more common-place by his successful use of it. Thus Wilson in his Rhetorique, chapter on Amplification, "as in speaking of constancy, to shew the sun who ever keepeth one course; in speaking of inconstancy, to shew the moon which keepeth no certain course." I have already remarked upon the resemblance of the moon-lit garden of Verona to the moon-lit garden of Belmont; both scenes among the most delicious creations of fancy. At Belmont the silver light of the moon fell upon a pair not unhappily united; here it falls on an impassioned youth in the hour of his proudest exultation, soon to be followed by deepest anxieties, misery, and death. Such is life! II. 3. FRIAR. Within the infant rind of this small flower Poison hath residence and med'cine power: For this, being smelt, with that part cheers each part; |