The Two Gentlemen of Verona Act II, Scene iv – First Folio
The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Act 2, Scene 4. Proteus
(This text is featured in our interview with Jeffrey Hawkins)
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188 Euen as one heate, another heate expels,
189 Or as one naile, by strength driues out another.
190 So the remembrance of my former Loue
191 Is by a newer obiect quite forgotten,
192 It is mine, or Valentines praise?
193 Her true perfection, or my false transgression?
194 That makes me reasonlesse, to reason thus?
195 Shee is faire: and so is Iulia that I loue,
196 (That I did loue, for now my loue is thaw’d,
197 Which like a waxen Image ‘gainst a fire
198 Beares no impression of the thing it was.)
199 Me thinkes my zeale to Valentine is cold,
200 And that I loue him not as I was wont:
201 O, but I loue his Lady too-too much,
202 And that’s the reason I loue him so little.
203 How shall I doate on her with more aduice,
204 That thus without aduice begin to loue her?
205 ‘Tis but her picture I haue yet beheld,
206 And that hath dazel’d my reasons light:
207 But when I looke on her perfections,
208 There is no reason, but I shall be blinde.
209 If I can checke my erring loue, I will,
210 If not, to compasse her Ile vse my skill.