Love. William Shakespeare (1564-1616). II. Love's Nature. Bliss Carman, et al., eds. 1904. The World's Best Poetry. II. Love

Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume II. Love. 1904.

II. Love’s Nature

Love

William Shakespeare (1564–1616)

From “The Merchant of Venice,” Act III. Sc. 2.

TELL me where is fancy bred,
Or in the heart, or in the head?
How begot, how nourishèd?
Reply, reply.

It is engendered in the eyes,	5
With gazing fed; and fancy dies
In the cradle where it lies.
Let us all ring fancy’s knell;
I ’ll begin it,—ding, dong, bell,
Ding, dong, bell.	10