Sam. I strike quickly, being mov'd. Greg. But thou art not quickly mov'd to strike. Sam. A dog of the house of Montague moves me.. Greg. To move, is-to stir; and to be valiant, is-to stand to it: therefore, if thou art mov'd, thou runn'st away. I believe that Shakspeare formed his drama on the poem en titled The Tragical Hystory of Romeus and Juliet, 1562, (which very rare piece the reader will find at the end of the notes on this tragedy,) rather than on Painter's Novel, for these reasons : 2 1. In the poem the prince of Verona is called Escalus; so alfo in the play. In Painter's tranflation from Boileau he is named Signor Escala, and sometimes Lord Bartholomew of Efcala. The messenger employed by friar Lawrence to carry a letter to Romeo to inform him when Juliet would awake from her trance, is in Painter's tranflation called Anfelme. In the poem, and in the play, fryar John is employed in this business. 3. The cir cumstance of Capulet's writing down the names of the guests whom he invites to supper, is found in the poem and in the play, but is not mentioned by Painter. 4. Several passages of Romeo and Juliet appear to have been formed on hints furnished by the poem, and some expressions are borrowed from thence. With respect to the name of Romeo, this also Shakspearé might have had from the poem'; for in one place that name is given to him. MALONE. It is plain, from many circumstances, that Shakspeare had read this novel, both in its profaick and metrical form. He might likewise have met with other poetical pieces on the same subject. We are not yet at the end of our discoveries relative to the originals of our author's dramatic pieces. STEEVENS. This story was well known to the English poets before the time of Shakspeare. In an old collection of poems, called "A gorgeous "Gallery of gallant Inventions, 1578," I find it mentioned: "Sir Romeus' annoy but trifle seems to mine." And again, Romeus and Juliet are celebrated in "A poor Knight bis Palace of private Pleasures, 1579." I quote these passages for the fake of observing, that, if Shakspeare had not read Painter's translation, it is not likely that he would have altered the name to Romeo. There was another novel on the subject by L. de Porto; which has been lately printed at Venice. FARMER. The two entries which I have quoted from the books at Stationers' Hall, may possibly dispose Dr. Farmer to retract his obfervation concerning Shakspeare's changing the names. Sam. A dog of that house shall move me to stand: I will take the wall of any man or maid of Montague's. Greg. That shews thee a weak flave; for the weakest goes to the wall. Sam. True; and therefore women, being the weaker veffels, are ever thrust to the wall:-therefore I will push Montague's men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the wall. Greg. The quarrel is between our masters, and us their men. Sam. "Tis all one, I will shew myself a tyrant: when I have fought with the men, I will be civil with maids; I will cut off their heads. Greg. The heads of the maids? 1 Sam. Av, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads; take it in what sense thou wilt. Greg. They must take it in sense that feel it. and, 'tis known, I am a pretty piece of flesh. Greg. 'Tis well, thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou hadst been poor John. Draw thy tool; here comes of the house of the Montagues *. Enter 3 civil with the maids;) So both the folios and the 4to 1609. Modern editors have altered the word civil to cruel, I think without neceffity. EDITOR. 4 Here comes of the house of the Montagues.] I believe the author wrote: Here comes tavo of the house of the Montagues. The word two was inadvertently omitted in the quarto of 1599, from which the subsequent impressions were printed; but in the first edition of 1597, the paflage stands thus : Here comes tavo of the Montagues-" which confirms the emendation. The disregard of concord is in character, and was probably intended. It should be observed, that the partizans of the Montague family wore a token in their hats in order to diftinguish them from their enemies, the Capulets. Hence throughout this play, they are known at a distance. This circumstance is mentioned by Gafcoigu Enter Abram, and Balthafar Sam. My naked weapon is out; quarrel, I will Greg. How? turn thy back, and run ? Sam. Fear me not. Greg. No, marry; I fear thee! Sam. Let us take the law of our fides; let them begin. Greg. I will frown, as I pass by; and let them take it as they lift. Sam. Nay, as they dare. 5 I will bite my thumb at them; which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it. Abr. coigne, in a Devise of a Masque, written for the right honourable viscount Mountacute, 1575 : " And for a further proofe he shewed in hys hat 66 : Thys token which the Mountacutes did beare alwaies, for that " They covet to be known from Capels, wliere they pass, “ For ancient grutch whych long ago 'tweene these houfes was." MALONE. 5 I will bite my thumb at them; which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it.] So it fignifies in Randolph's Muses Looking Glass, act iii. fc. 3. p. 45. Orgylus. "To bite his thumb at me. Argus. "Why should not a man bite his thumb ; Orgylus. "At me? were I scorn'd to see men bite their thumbs; "Rapiers and daggers, &c." Dr. GREY. Dr. Lodge, in a pamphlet called Wits Miserie, &c. 1596, has this paffage- " Behold next I fee Contempt marching forth, " giving mee the fico with his thumbe in his mouth." In a tranflation from Stephens's Apology for Herodotus, in 1607, page 142, I meet with these words: "It is faid of the Italians, if they once " bite their fingers' ends in a threatning manner, Godknows, if they " set upon their enemies face to face, it is because they cannot " affail them behind their backs." Perhaps Ben Jonfon ridicules this scene of Romeo and Juliet, in his New Inn : "Huff. How, Spill it ? Spill it at me ? "Tip. I reck not, but I pill it." STEEVENS. The Abr. Do you bite your thumb at us, fir? Sam. I do bite my thumb, fir. Abr. Do you bite your thumb at us, fir? Greg. No. Sam. No, fir, I do not bite my thumb at you, fir; but I bite my thumb, fir. Greg. Do you quarrel, fir? Abr. Quarrel, fir? no, fir. Sam. If you do, fir, I am for you; I serve as good a man as you. Abr. No better. Sam. Well, fir. 6 Enter Benvolio. Greg. Say-better; here comes one of my master's kinsmen 7. Sam. Yes, better, fir, Abr. You lye. Sam. Draw, if you be men. -Gregory, remember thy swashing blow 8. [They fight. Ben. This mode of quarrelling appears to have been common in our author's time. "What swearing is there (says Decker, describing the various groupes that daily frequented the walks of St. Paul's Church,) what shouldering, what justling, what jeering, what byting of thumbs to beget quarrels!" THE DEAD TERM. 1608. MALONE.. 6 Enter Benvolio, Much of this scene is added fince the first edition; but probably by Shakspeare, fince we find it in that of the year 1599. POPE. 7" Here comes one of my Master's kinsmen." Some mistake has happened in this place: Gregory is a servant of the Capulets; and Benvolio was of the Montague faction. FARMER. Perhaps there is no mistake. Gregory may mean Tybalt, who enters immediately after Benvolio, but on a different part of the stage. The eyes of the fervant may be directed the way he fees Tybalt coming, and in the mean time, Benvolio enters on the opposite fide. STEEVENS. 8-thy fwashing blow.) Ben Jonson uses this expression in his Staple 2 Ben. Part, fools; put up your swords; You know not what you do. Enter Tybalt. Tyb. What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds? : Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death. Or manage it to part these men with me. Tyb. What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word, As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee; Enter three or four citizens, with clubs. Cit. Clubs, bills, and partizans! strike! beat them down! Down with the Capulets! down with the Montagues! Enter old Capulet, in his gown; and lady Capulet. Cap. What noise is this? - Give me my long fword, ho! Staple for News: "I do confess a fwashing blow." In the Three Ladies of London, 1584, Fraud says: " I will flaunt it and brave it after the lufty Swash." To fwash feems to have meant to be a bully, to be noisily valiant. So, Green, in his Card of Fancy, 1608," - in spending and fpoiling, in swearing and swashing." Barrett, in his Alvearie, 1580, says, that " to swash is to make a noise with swordes against "tergats." See vol. iii. p. 303. STEEVENS. 9 Give me my long sword) The long fword was the sword ufed in war, which was fometimes wielded with both hands. JOHNSON. This long fword is mentioned in The Coxcomb, a comedy by Beaumont and Fletcher, where the justice says : "Take their confessions, and my long fword; " I cannot tell what danger we may ineet with." It appears that it was once the fashion to wear two swords of diferent fizes at the same time. Soin Decker's Satiromaflix : "Peter Salamander, tie up your great and your little favord." STEEVENS. La. |