Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1859-03-19
Runaway Eyes.

To the Editor of the ~ Y. Tribune SIR:
AS this vexed question has been briskly
agitated since Mrs Palmer, in her "Stratford
Gallery" revived, with new and accurate ar
guments, the views of Mr.. Douce and as
her explanation seems to be rapidly growing
in favor with Shakespearean scholars, per-
NIT me briefly, but clearly, to state what that
explanation is, if interpret it.
Spread thy close curtain, love performing Night,
That runaway eyes may wink, and Romeo
Lap to these arms, untalked of and unseen"
If have not misunderstood Mrs. Palmer
(and have the best reason for believing that
have not she turns the, passage into the
plain prose of human nature, thus:
"Draw thy close curtain, love.pertornsing Night"
(for Juliet is about to meet her lover this
time, and for the first time, as husband)-
that "runaway's eye's' (prettily calling her
self truant, rebel, from the authority of her
parents, in having loved and welded one of
the Montagues, hereditary enemies of her
family, } which have been. on the watch, in an
agony of anxiety all day Qest her lover, her
new-made husband, should be "seen," as
we'll as .'talked Of" in his dangerous connec-
ton with her, manyI' wind, !" rest from watch
ing, be closed in the assurance of security,
under the protecting cover of the night, be-
cause then Romeo can leap to her arms, un-
talked of and unseen.
GAS for ourselves" she seems to say, "aoe
have no need of light"
"Lovers can see to do their amorous rites
By their own beauties"
You perceive, sir, that, for lady, this,
with what follows, is a trying passage she
may not quite speak out Juliets longed-
for sense of privacy and security find a
brides expression in the figure of the close
curtain.
Simply then, Juliet has been painfully on
guard all day, lest her lover should be "seen''
no doubt he been "talked of enough
in the family. With the coming of night she
may rest from her watching, because that
danger will then no longer exist. Now, trans
pose the sentence and at once it becomes per-
fectly clear; "Spread the curtain, love- per.
forming Night, that Romeo may leap to these
arms untalked of and unseen, and (so) run.
away's eyes may wink"-which is but re.
ducing it to natural, colloquial form of ex.
preston.
Mrs Palmer's construction of the word
"wink," in the sens of repose from anxious
watching, is completely justified by a pos
sage in act 2 sentence 2, of Hamlet, where
ing Polonious, in conversation with the King
and Queen, this alludes to the relations be-
tween Hamlet and Ophelia, and his own con
duct in that affair: -
"But what might you think,
| When had seen his hot love on the wing,
| =
If had played the desk, or table-book;
Or given my heart s0inking, mute and dumb;
Or looked upon this love aO1h idle sight;
What might you think? No, l went round to work.
"Here "a winking' evidently means res
from watching Polonius claims that h
neither failed to detect (see) this shot love,
nor looked upon it with idle sight is
was s,indifferent to it. So Juliet prays for tn
hiding curtain of the night, that persecute
"runaways" may give their hearts "a wink
ing.p ,t, ~
i If the disputed word be taken in the plu
; raj (rnnaways,) so as to include Romeo, j
. Mrs. Palmer's opinion the case remains as
was. To quote her own words, ''it is eve
more natural that she (Juliet) should coupl
t and name alike, their identical transgres.
sions :" and to their identical predicament e,
cry part of this argument, SO far as it is a
r argument, will apply. I think it as well
? mention that Mrs. Palmer's analysis is ht
a own that of Douce was quite unknown
:. her until the g Stratford Gallery was prin
: ed. Faithfully yours, -
w. r.-o 1osn q