Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-09-14
NO. 2l2.
MiseellaneoMs.
THE TOMB OF JULIET AT VERONA.

Duly rested, sailed forth to visit the
tomba di Giulietta. My guide did not
care to 60. He had no romantic notions
on the subject. He said all the Inglese
had rage for this tomb. and it was only
coarse, old. stone trough, which he did
not believe, ETC.. etc. At least, thought
he said something of that sort. At last,
after good deal of pro and con, he con-
sented to humor me in what he considered
sort of harmless English mania. s. "n4
lie had shown me before Juliet's house,
very high, and not very grand, with lit
tie cap, the family crest, on a small stone
shield over the court entrance. 1t is now an
inn, like Sir Thomas More's house of per.
scouting fame in Chelsea was, for the new
embankment has swept it away. The
street was formerly "Capuletti," but it is
now under the protection of st. Sebas-
tian. aas.l.
AT length we came to pair of broad
doors, that prevented our further pro-
gress up narrow lane. But there was a
long bell handle outside, at which my
Italian tugged; and the sound produced
small boy, who opened part Of the door.
with an inquiring face. which inquiry l
suppose was satisfactorily answered, for
we crossed the bar into low shed, q car
penter's shop, the floor of which was COW
cred after the usual manner. Leaving
this we entered a large garden, with beau
ttully laden vines trellised over the path.
Juliet's garden A rea! garden, with real
vines, real grapes, real flowers, real
fruit above the earth, and in it, real rain
too falling, and not such garden as one
sees on the stage. And yet the stage gar
den has one advantage, for it possesses a
real Juliet. a@ sai
And the window away there to the
right-did Juliet look out there, or show
Il light there, after the manner OF the
young lady in "a Blot in the Scutcheon, y
when she was waiting for Romeo? And
this high wall to the lelt-did Romeo
scale this Not that it is too high for q
lover to scale.
Such thoughts as these and others like
them crossed my mind. In fact l was in
high state of reverie somewhere in cloud
cuckoo-land, but came down to earth
all too rapidly when my umbrella would
catch against the Overhanging trellis
work on which the vine was supported.
| enjoyed the visit; but as humanity
notable English humanity-is not wholly
free from weather influences, l could not
get up much romantic ardor. S4
| saw "fair Melrose" once, but not
"aright." Another time the moon would
not come through the right window at Tin
tern. 1t was as foggy as London in that
real yellow November celebrated in
"Bleak House," when was on Snowdon
and on the Titlis, and the sun would not
rise on the Sceafberg, the Right of the Ty-
rol. Such experiences have taught me to
make the most Of what can get, although
do not believe, as a rule. that myself or
anybody else ever learns from expert
ence.
Meditation among the tombs of the
mighty dead was clearly out of place.
One couldn't "shed tear" very well; the
heavens were doing that too plentifully;
and ones poetic or imaginative flights. or
even ones wishes, that ones own Juliet
were by ones side, were pretty sure to be
disagreeably put to flight by an envious
rain drop finding its globular and chilly
way just inside ones collar.
On the whole an umbrella is not roman
tic. Fancy Romeo and Juliet under an
umbrella which wouldn't cover either of
them Cannot you see the stream from
the tips making sad work with Juliet's
dress Then an umbrella under a vine
walk o Bacchus .es les
But at last by careful lodging. arrived
at the lend proposed" A Lw- shed tool
shed-broken walls-roof off. Bah Ju-
lets tomb here! Twere proclamation to
think so base thought. d3
''Ecco = said my conductor, with wit
tish smile, and pointed to long stone
trough, exactly like the baths of Roman
times one sees in the galleries of the Uffizi
place for the head even. 1t contained
half an inch of dirty water and stood
there, looking at it, with my umbrella
dripping into it..
My poor Italian stood with both gar
ments and boots exhibiting many solutions
of continuity, smiling wetly, as l said, and
saying, "EccO, signor." could see that
my folly amused him; but he was glad Of
it, nevertheless, for there were certain pa
per francs to come on account of it,
toward the polenta for a wife and four
children all but starving at home. Fancy
Friar Laurence and Juliet, and nurse, and
County Paris here But no-no "Do
you-does the signor believe it?n was
nearly the question; and my answer was
that which any OF my young readers, ii
have any, would likely have made under
the circumstances.
Poor Juliet! Didst lie there with bloody
Tybalt and the bones of thy great anccs-
tors? Did that fond, foolish, loving. cruel
father and mother of thine-that wordy,
dear-on-one-ear old nurse-that paste.
board county-that hearty friar. who re-
minds one very much of "Goldsmith's
Hermit of the Dale"-and all the mourn
ing courtiers of Verona follow thee hitherp
Here didst thou sleep off that potent two
and forty hours draught? Did Peter and
Simon Calling and Hugh Rebeck and
James Soundpost try quips here Was
all that fighting and tragedy work done
here
"Here fies the County Paris slain;
And Romeo dead and Juliet dead before,
Warm and new killed.n N e
Nay. And again, no! j 8su N
walked from the scene thinking much.
The small boy looked, wondering why I
should give him certain small coins for a
look at stone box. The guide hurried
me off to another church 1--WE had seen
several before), and my visit was ended.
But l should like to 60 again fine day,
and not accompanied by guide only
r. n