SERIES II. ROMEO AND JULIET. ACT III. SCENE 5. « Hath rush'd aside the law, And turn'd that black word death to banishment :>> Romeo, at the idea of being separated from his lovely bride, is driven to the very verge of frenzy. << 'Tis torture, and not mercy: heaven is here, Hadst thou no poison mix'd, no sharp-ground knife, But banished to kill me; banished? O Friar, the damned use that word in hell; To mangle me, with that word banishment!» << FRTAR. Thou fond mad man, hear me but speak a word. O thou wilt speak again of banishment. ROMEO. PL. 8. FRIAR. I'll give thee armour to keep off that word; Adversity's sweet milk, philosophy, To comfort thee, though thou art banished. ROMEO. Yet banished? - hang up philosophy! Unless philosophy can make a Juliet, Displant a town, reverse a prince's doom; It helps not, it prevails not, talk no more. » The nurse, who has been sent to the Friar's cell, by Juliet, relieves the distracted mind of Romeo; and, through her means, he gets admission, at night, into his love's chamber. The design represents Romeo, at break of day, parting from Juliet, who says to him : << Wilt thou be gone? it not yet near day : ROMEO. It was the lark, the herald of the morn, I must be gone and live, or stay and die. Farewell, farewell! one kiss and I'll descend. >> In the design the nurse is seen, hurrying in to warn the lovers, that Lady Capulet, Juliet's mother, is coming to their chamber. |