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,

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.