Love is a smoke rais'd with the fume of sighs; being purg'd, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; being vex'd, a sea nourish'd with lovers' tears; what is it else? A madness most discreet, a choking gall, and a preserving sweet.

William Shakespeare
About This Quote

In this quote from William Shakespeare, love is defined as a smoke. The smoke is a metaphor for the emotion that love is made of. In addition, love is described as a sigh, a fire that glows in the eyes of lovers, and a sea nourished by their tears. This particular quote refers to the romantic side of love, which is what most people picture when they read this phrase. However, the original context in which the quote was used also includes a reference to madness and a choking gall in addition to a preserving sweet.

Source: Romeo And Juliet

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