So thou, my surfeit, and my heresy,

Quin. Well, it shall be só. But there is two Of ali be hated; but the most of me!

hard things; that is, to bring the moon-light into
Au:d all my powers, address your love and might, a chamber: for you know, Pyramus and Thisby
To honour Helen, and to be her knight! [Erit. meet by moon-light.
Her. (sturting.] Help me, Lysander, help me! Snug. Doth the moon shine that night we play
do thy test,

our play?
To pluck this crawling serpent from my breast! Bot. A calendar, a calendar! look in the alma-
Ah me, for pity !-what a dream was here? nack; find out moon-shine, find out moonshine.
Lysander, look, how I do quake with fear:

Quin. Yes, it doth shine that night.
Methought a serpent eat my heart away,

Bot. Why, then you may leave a casement of
And you sal smiling at his cruel prey :-

the great chamber window, where we play, open ;
Lvsander! whai, romor'd? Lysander! lord ! and the moon may shine in at the casement.
What, out of hearing? gone? 'no sound, no word ? Quin. Ay; or else one must come in with a
Alack, where are you? speak, an if you hear; bush of thorns and a lanthorn, and say, he comes
Speak, of all loves;' I swoon almost with fear. to disfigure, or to present, the person of moon-shine.
No ?--then I weli perceive you are not nigh: Then, there is another thing: we must have a wall
Either death, or you, I'll find immediately. (Exit. in the great chamber; for Pyramus and Thisby,

says the story, did talk through the chink of a wall.

Snug. You never can bring in a wall.-What
ACT II.

say you, Bottom?

Bol. Some man or other must present wall: and SCENE I. The same. The Queen of Fairies ly- let him have some plaster, or some loam, or some

ing asleep. Enter QUINCE, Snug, BOTTOM, rough-cast about him, to signify wall; or let him FLUTE, Scout, and STARVELING.

hold his fingers thus, and through that cranny shall Bot. Are we all met?

Pyramus and Thisby whisper. Quin. Pat, pat; and here's a marvellous conve- Quin. If that may be, then all is well. Come, nient place for our rehearsal : This green plot shall sit down, every mother's son, and rehearse your be our stage, this hawthorn brake out tyring house ; parts. Pyramus, you begin : when you have spoand we will do it in action, as we will do it before ken your speech, enter into that brake,' and so the duke.

every one according to his cue. Bot. Peter Quince,

Enter Puck behind.
Quin. What say'st thou, bully Bottom?
Bot. There are things in this comedy of Pyramus

Puck. What herpen home-spuns have we swag. and Thishy, that will never please. First

, Pyramus so hear the cradle of the fairy queen?

gering here, must draw a sword to kill himself; which the ladies What, a play toward ? I'll be an auditor ; cannot abide. How answer you that? Snout. By’rlakin,2 a parlous' fear.

An actor, too, perhaps, if I see cause. Star. I believe, we must leave the killing out,

Quin. Speak, Pyramus :- Thisby, stand forth. when all is done.

Pyr. Thisby, the flowers of odious savours sweet, Bot. Not a whit; I have a device to make all

Quin, Odours, odours. well. Write me a prologue : and let the prologue

Pyr. -odours savours sweet : seem to say, we will do no harm with our swords;

So hath thy breath, my dearest Thisby dear. and that Pyramus is not killed indeed: and for the But, hark, a voice ! stay thou but here a while, more better assurance, tell them, that I Pyramus

And by and by I will to thee appear. (Exit. am not Pyramus, but Bottom the weaver: This

Puck. A stanger Pyramus than e'er play'd here ! will put them out of fear.

(Àside.-Exit. Quin. Well, we wiil have such a prologue ; and

This. Must I speak now? at shall be written in eight and six, 4

Quin. Ay, marry, must you: for you must underBot. No, make it two more ; let it be written in stand, he goes but to see a noise that he heard, and eight and eight.

is to come again. Snout. Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion?

This. Most radiant Pyramus,most lilly-white of hue, Star. I fear it, I promise you.

Of colour like the red rose on triumphant brier, Bot. Masters, you ought to consider with your

Most brisky Juvenal, and eke most lovely Jew, selves: to bring in, God shield us! a on

48 true as truest horse, that yet would never tire,

among adies, is a most dreadful thing; for there is not a

I'll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny's tomb. more fearful: wild-fowl than your lion, living; and

Quin. Ninus' tomb, man: Why you must not we ought to look to it.

speak that

yet;
that

you answer to Pyramus : you Snout. Therefore, another prologue must tell, he speak all your part at once, cues' and all.-Pýrais not a lion.

mus, enter; your cue is past; it is, never tire. Bot. Nay, you must name his name, and half Re-enter Puck, and Bottom with an ass's head. his face must be seen through the lion's neck; and

This. 0,-As true as truest horse, that yet would he himself must speak through, saying thus, or to

never tire. the same defect ---Ladies, or fair ladies, I would

Pyr. If I were fair, Thisby, I were only thine.wish you, or, I would request you, or, I would en

Quin. O monstrous ! O strange! we are haunted. treat you, not to fear, not to tremble: my life for Pray, masters ! fly, masters! help! yours. If you think I come hither as a lion, it were

(Ereunt Clowns. pity of my life: No, I am no such thing; I am a Puck. I'll follow you, I'll lead you about a round, man as other men are:--and there, indeed, let him

Through bog, through bush, through brake, name his name; and tell them plainly he is Snug through brier; the joiner.

among others Harry Goldingham was to represent 1 By all that is dear.

Arion upon the Dolphin's backe; but finding his voice 2 i. c. by our ladykin or little lady, as ifakins, is a to be verye hoarse and unpleasant when he came to per. corruption of by my faith.

form it, he tears off his disguise, and swears he was 3 Corrupted from perilous; but used for alarming, none of Arion, not he, but even honest Harry Golding. amazing.

ham ; which blunt discoverio pleased the queen better 4 That is, in alternative verses of eight and six sylla. than if he had gone through in the right way :-yet he oles.

could order his voice to an instrument exceeding well! 5 Terrible.

7 Thicket. 6 Shakspeare may here allude to an incident said to 8 Young man. have occurred in his time, which is recorded in a collec. 9 The cues were the last words of the preceding dion of anecdotes, stories, &c. entitled 'Mery Passages speech, which serve as a hint to him who was to speak and Jeasts,' MS. Harl. 6395. “There was a spectacle next; and generally written out with that which was to presented to Queen Elizabeth upon the water, and be learnt by rote.

Sometime a horse I'll be, sometime a hound, Tita. Be kind and courteous to this gentleman ;

A hog, a headless bear, sometime a fire; Hop in his walks, and gambol in his eyes;
And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar, and burn, Feed him with apricocks and dewberries,
Like horse, hound, hog, bear, fire, at every turn. With purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries;

[Erit. The honey bags steal from the humble-bees, Bot. Why do they run away? this is a knavery And, for night tapers, crop their waxon thighs, of them, to make me afeard.

And light them at the fiery glow-worm's eyes,
Re-enter SNOUT.

To have my love to bed, and to arise ;
Snout. O Bottom, thou art changed! what do I To fan the moonbeams from his sleeping eyes :

And pluck the wings from painted butterflies, see on thee?

Nod to him, elves, and do him courtesies.
Bot. What do you see ? you see an ass's head I Fai. Hail, mortal!
of your own; Do you ?

2 Fai. Hail !
Re-enter QUINCE.

3 Fai. Hail ! Quin. Bless thee, Bottom ! bless thee! thou art

4 Fai. Hail ! translated.

[Esit.

Bot. I cry your worship's mercy, heartily. I be. Bot. I see their kavery! this is to make an ass

seech, your worship's name? of me; to fright me, if they could. But I will not

Cob. Cobweb. stir from this place, do what they can: I will walk

Bot. I shall desire you of more acquaintance, up and down here, and I will sing, that they shall good master Cobweb: f I cut my finger, I shall lear I am not afraid.

Sings.

make bold with you. Your name, honest gentle.

man?
The ourel-cock, so black of hue,

Peas. Peas-blossom.
With orange-tawney bill,
The throstle with his note so true,

Bot. I pray you, commend me to mistress

Squash, your mother, and to master Peascod, The wren with little quill.

your father. Good master Peas-blossom, I shall Prta. What angel wakes me from my flowery desire you of more acquaintance too.-Your name, bed?

(Waking. I beseech you, sir?

Mus. Mustard-seed.
Bot. The finch, the sparrow, and the lark,
The plain-song cuckoo' gray,

Bot. Good master Mustard-seed, I know your
Whose note full many a man doth mark,

patiences well: that same cowardlý, giant-like oxAnd dares not answer, nay ;

beef hath devoured many a gentleman of your house:

I promise you, your kindred hath made my eyes for, indeed, who would set his wit to so foolish a water ere now. "I desire you more acquaintance, bird ? who would give a bird the lie, though he cry, good master Mustard-seed. cuckoo, never so?

Tita. Come, wait upon him; lead him to my Tita. I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again ;

bower. Mine ear is much enamour'd of thy note,

The moon methinks looks with a watery eye;
So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape;

And when she weeps, weeps every little flower,
And thy fair virtue's force perforce doth move me, Lamenting some enforced chastity.
On the first view, to say, to swear, I love thee. Tie up my lover's tongue, bring him silently.
Bot. Methinks, mistress, you should have little

[Ereuns,
reason for that: And yet, to say the truth, reason SCENE II Another part of the Wood. Enter
and love keep little company together nowadays :
The more the pity, that some honest neighbours

OBERON.
will not make them friends. Nay, I can gleeko up Obe. I wonder if Titania be awak'd;
on occasion.

Then, what it was that next came in her eye,
Tita. Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful. Which she must dote on in extremity.
Bot. Not so, neither; but if I had wit enough to

Enter Puck.
get out of this wood, I have enough to serve mine
own turn.

Here comes my messenger.--How now, mad spirit?
Tita. Out of this wood do not desire to go; What night-rule' now about this haunted grove ?
Thou shalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no. Puck. My mistress with a monster is in love.
I am a spirit of no common rate;

Near to her close and consecrated bower,
The summer still doth tend upon my state, While she was in her dull and sleeping hour,
And I do love thee: therefore, go with me; A crew of patches, rude mechanicals,
I'll give thee fairies to attend on thee;

That work for bread upon Athenian stalls,
And they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep: Were met together to rehearse a play,
And sing, while thou on pressed flowers dost sleep: Intended for great Theseus' nuptial day.
And I will purge thy mortal grossness so The shallowest thick-skin of that barren sort,
That thou shalt like an airy spirit go.-

Who Pyramus presented, in their sport
Peas-blossom! Cobweb! Moth! and Mustard-seed! Forsook bis scene, and entered in a brake :
Enter four Fairies.

When I did him at this advantage take,

An ass's now!?" I fixed on his head;
1 Fai. Ready.

Anon, his 'Thisbe must be answered,
2 Fai.
And I.

And forth my mimic! comes : When they him spy 3 Fai.

And I.

As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye,
4 Fai.

And I. Or russet-pated choughs, 1a 'many in sort, 13
AU, Where shall we go?

ken ironically, as it was the prevailing opinion in Shak.
1 The cuckoo, having no variety of note, sings in speare's time, that mustard excited choler.
plain song (plano cantu), by which expression the uni 7 Revelry.
form modulation or simplicity of the chaunt was an. 8 A patch sometimes means a fool, or simpleton; but
ciently distinguished in opposition to prick-song, or ra. it was a common contemptuous term, and may be either
riated music sung by note.

a corruption of the Italian pazzo, or derived from the 2 j. e. jest or scoft

patch'd clothes sometimes worn by persons of low con-
3 The fruit of a bramble called Rubus cæsius : some- dition. Tooke gives a different origin from the Saxon
times called also the blue-berry,

verb pæcan, to deceive by false appearances.
4 "I shall desire you of more acquaintance. This 9 Barren is dull, unpregnant. Sort is company
kind of phraseology was not uncommon.

10 A head. The metamorphosis of Bottom might

have 5 A squash is an immature peascod. So in Twelfth been suggested by a similar trick played by Dr. Feos Night, Act i. Sc. 5:

tus. See his History, c. xliii.
As a squash is before 'uis a peascod.'

11 Actor.
6 Mason proposes to read passing well," which is 12 The chough is a bird of the daw kin
plausible de change be necessary. The words are spo. 13 Sort is company, as abov .

Rising and cawing at the gun's report,

Obe. What hast thou done? thou hast mistaken Sever themselves, and madly sweep the sky;

quite, So, at his sight, away his fellows fly:

And laid the love-juice on some true-love's sight :
And, at our stamp, here o'er and o'er one falls ; Of thy misprision must perforce ensue
He murder cries, and help from Athens calls. Some true-love turn'd, and not a false turn'd true.
Their sense, thus weak, lost with their fears, thus Puck. Then fate o'er-rules; that, one man hold
strong,

ing troth,
Made senseless things begin to do them wrong: A million fail, confounding oath on oath.
For briars and thorns at their apparel snatch; Obe. About the wood go swifter than the wind,
Some, sleeves; some, hats; from yielders all things And Helena of Athens look thou find :
catch.

All fancy-sick“ she is, and pale of cheers I led them on in this distracted fear,

With sighs of love, that cost the fresh blood dear • And left sweet Pyramus translated there :

By some illusion see thou bring her here; When in that moment (so it came to pass,) I'll charm his eyes, against she do appear. Titania wak'd, and straightway lov'd an ass. Puck. I go, I'go; look, how I go :

Obe. This falls out better than I could devise. Swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow. (Erd But hast thou yet latch'd' the Athenian's eyes

Obe. Flower of this purple die, With the love-juice, as I did bid thee do?

Hit with Cupid's archery, Puck. I took him sleeping,—that is finish'd too, Sink in apple of his eye! And the Athenian woman by his side ;

When his love he doth espy,
That, when he wak’d, of force she must be ey'd. Let her shine as gloriously

As the Venus of the sky.
Enter DEMETRIUS and HERMIA.

When thou wak’st, if she be by,

Beg of her for remedy.
Obe. Stand close; this is the same Athenian.
Puck. This is the woman, but not this the man.

Re-enter Puck.
Dem. O, why rebuke you him that loves you so ? Puck. Captain of our fairy band,
Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe.

Helena is here at hand;
Her. Now I but chide, but I should use thee worse ; And the youth, mistook by me,
For thou, I fear, hast given me cause to curse.

Pleading for a lover's fee;
If thou hast slain Lysander in his sleep,

Shall we their fond pageant see ? Being o'er shoes in blood, plunge in the deep,

Lord, what fools these mortals be! And kill me too.

Obe. Stand aside : the noise they make, The sun was not so true unto the day,

Will cause Demetrius to awake. As he to me: Would he have stolen away

Puck. Then will two at once woo ono ;
From sleeping Hermia ? I'll believe as soon,

That must needs be sport alone;
This whole earth may be bor'd; and that the moon And those things do best please me,
May through the centre creep, and so displease That befall preposterously.
Her brother's noon-tide with the Antipodes.
It cannot be, but thou hast murder'd him ;

Enter LYSANDER and HELENA.
So should a murderer look ; so dead, so grim.

Lys. Why should you think, that I should woo Dem. So should the murder'd look; and so should I,

in scorn ? Pierc'd through the heart with your stern cruelty : Scorn and derision never come in tears : Yet you, the murderer, look as bright, as clear,

Look, when I vow, I weep; and vows so bom
As yonder Venus in her glimmering sphere.

In their nativity all truth appears.
Řer. What's this to my Lysander ? Where is he? How can these things in me seem scorn to you,
Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me ?

Bearing the badge of faith, to prove them true ?
Dem. I had rather give his carcass to

Hel. You do advance your cunning more and more. Her. Out, dog! out, cur! thou driv'st me past When truth kills truth, O devilish holy fray! the bounds

These vows are Hermia's ; Will you give her o'er ? Of maiden's patience. Hast thou slain him then?

Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing weigh. Henceforth be never number'd among men!

Your vows, to her and me, put in two scales, 0! once tell true, tell true, even for my sake ; Durst thou have look'd upon him, being awake,

Will even weigh; and both as light as tales.

Lys. I had no judgment when to her I swore. And hast thou kill'd him sleeping ? O brave touch !!

Hel. Nor none, in my mind, now you give her o'er. Could not a worm, an adder, do so much?

Lys. Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you. An adder did it; for with doubler tongue

Dem. (awaking.) O Helen, goddess, nymph, per Than thine, thou serpent, never adder stung.

lect divine ! Dem. You spend your passion on a mispris'd' To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne ? mood:

Crystal is muddy. O, how ripe in show I am not guilty of Lysander's blood;

Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow! Nor is he dead, for aught that I can tell.

That pure congealed white, high Taurus's snow, Her. I pray thee, tell me then that he is well.

Fann'd with the eastern wind, turns to a crow, Dem. An if I could, what should I get therefore ? When thou hold'st up thy hand : O let me kiss

Her. A privilege, never to see me more.And from ihy haied presence part I so:

This princess of pure white, this seal of bliss !

Hel.
See me no more, whether he be dead or no. {Erit. To set against me, for your merriment.

spite! 'O hell! I see you all are bent
Dem. There is no following her in this fierce vein: If you were civil, and knew courtesy,
Here, therefore, for a while I will remain.
So sorrow's heaviness doth heavier grow

You would not do me thus much injury:

Can you not hate me, as I know you do,
For debt that bankrupt sleep doth sorrow owe; But you must join in souls, to mock me too?
Which now, in some slight measure it will pay,
If for his tender here I make some stay.

If you were men, as men you are in show,
(Lies down.

signifying the face, visage, sight, or countenance, look

or cheere of a man or woman.' The old French chere 1 Latch'd or letch'd, licked or smeared over.

had the same meaning. ? A touch anciently signified a trick. Ascham tas 6 So in K. Henry VI. we have 'blood-consuming,' • the shrewd touches of many curst boys.' And in the blood-drinking,' and 'blood-sucking sighs. All allud. old story of Howlegias, 'for at all times he did some mading to the ancient supposition, that every sigh was indul. touch.'

ged at the expense of a drop of blood. 3 · On a mispris'd mood,' i. e. in a mistaken manner. 7 So in Antony and Cleopatra : On was sometimes used licentiously for in.

My playfellow, your hand; this kingly seal, 4 Love-sick.

And plighter of high hearts. 3 Cheer here signifies countenance, from cera, Ital. 8 i. e. join heartily, unite in the same mind

my hounds.

aken

for it ;

You would not use a gentle lady so;

Two of the first,' like coats in heraldry,
To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts, Due but to one, and crowned with one crest.
When, I am sure, you hate me with your hearts. And will you rent our ancient love asunder,
You both are rivals, and love Hermia;

To join with men in scorning your poor friend ?
And now both rivals to mock Helena:

It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly :
A trim exploit, a manly enterprise,

Our sex, as well as I may chide

you To conjure tears up in a poor maid's eyes, Though I alone do feel the injury. With your derision! none of noble sorti

Her. I am amazed at your passionate words: Would so offend a virgin; and extort

I scorn you not ; it seems that you scorn me.
poor
soul's patience, all to make you sport.

He. Have you not set Lysander, as in scorn,
Lys. You are unkind, Demetrius; be not so; To follow me, and praise my eyes and face ?
For

you love Hermia: this, you know, I know: And made your other love, Demetrius,
And here, with all good will, with all my heart, (Who even but now did spurn me with his foot,)
In Hermia's love I yield you up my part;

To call me goddess, nymph, divine, and rare, And yours of Helena to me bequeath,

Precious, celestial ? Wherefore speaks he this
Whom I do love, and will do to my death.

To her he hates ? and wherefore doth Lysander
Hel. Never did mockers waste more idle breath. Deny your love, so rich within his soul,
Dem. Lysander, keep thy Hermia; I will none : And tender me, forsooth, affection;
Ire'er I lov'd her, all that love is gone.

But by your setting on, by your consent?
My heart with her but, as guest-wise, sojourn'd;

What though I be not so in grace as yoth
And now to Helen is it home return'd,

So hung upon with love, so fortunate
There to remain.

But miserable most, to love unlov'd ?"
Lys.
Helen, it is not so.

This you should pity, rather than despise.
Dem. Disparage not the faith thou dost not know, Her. I understand not what you mean by this.
Lest, to thy peril, thou abide it dear.2-

Hel. Ay, do, persever, counterfeit sad looks,
Look where thy love comes ; yonder is thy dear. Make mows upon me when I turn my back ;

Wink at each other; hold the sweet jest up: Enter HERMIA.

This sport, well carried, shall be chronicled.

If
Her. Dark night, that from the eye his function

you have any pity, grace, or manners,
takes,

You would not make me such an argument. The ear more quick of apprehension makes ;

But, fare ye well : 'tis partly mine own fault; Wherein it doth impair the seeing sense,

Whích death, or absence, soon shall remedy. It pays the hearing double recompense :

Lys. Stay, gentle Helena; hear my excuse;
Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander, found ;

My love, my life, my soul, fair Helena !
Mine ear I thank it, brought me to thy sound.

Hel ó excellent!
But why unkindly didst thou leave me so ?

Her.

Sweet, do not scorn her so. Lys. Why should he stay, whom love doth press

Dem. If she cannot entreat, I can compel. to go?

Lys. Thou canst compel no more than she entreat; Her. What love could press Lysander from my Thy threats have no more strength, than her weak side ?

prayers.-
Lys. Lysander's love, that would not let him bide. Helen I love thee; by my life I do:
Fair Helena, who more engilds the night

I swear by that which I will lose for thee,
Than all yon fiery oes and eyes of light.

To prove him false, that says I love thee not.
Why seek'st thou me ? could not this make thee

Dem. I say I love thee more than he can do. know,

Lys. If thou say so, withdraw and prove
The hate I bare thee made me leave thee so.

Dem. Quick, come,
Her. You speak not as you think ; it cannot be.

Her.

Lysander, whereto tends all this? Hel. Lo, she is one of this confederacy!

Lys. Away, you Ethiop!

Dem.
Now I perceive they have conjoin'd all three,

he'l-Sir, To fashion this false sport in spite of me.

Seem to break loose ; take on as you would follow ;
Injurious Hermia! most ungraieful maid !

But yet come not: You are a tame man, go!
Have you conspir’d, have you with these contriv'd Lys. Hang off, thou cat, thou burr: vile thing
To bate me with this foul derision?

let loose;
Is all the counsel that we two have shar’d,

Or I will shake thee from me like a serpent.
The sisters' vows, the hours that we have spent,

Her. Why are you grown so rude? what change
When we have chid the hasty-footed time

is this,

Sweet loye ?
For parting us,-0, and is all forgot ?
All school-days' friendship, childhood innocence ?

Lys. Thy love ! out, tawny Tartar, out!
We, Hermia, like two artificials gods,

Out, loathed medicine ! hated potion, hence !
Have with our neeldse created both one flower,

Her. Do you not jest ?

Hel.
Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion,

Yes, 'sooth: and so do you.
Both warbling of one song, both in one key;

Lys. Demetrius, I will keep my word with thee. As if our hands, our sides, voices, and minds,

Dem. I would, I had your bond; for, I perceive, Had been incorporate. So we grew together,

A weak bond holds you; I'll not trust your word. Like to a double cherry, seeming parted;

Lys. What, should I hurt her, strike her, kill her

dead ?
But yet a union in partition,
Two lovely berries moulded on one stem :

Although I hate her, I'll not harm her so.
So, with two seeming bodies, but one heart;

7 Mr. Douce thus explains this passage : Helen says,

"we had two seeming bodies, but only one heart' She 1 Degree, or quality,

then exemplifies the position by a simile-- we had tro 2 Pay dearly for it, rue it.

of the first, i. e. bodies, like the double coats in heraldry 3 i, e, circles.

it too.

No, no,

10

me :

Her. What, can you do me grealer harm than Dem. You are too officious,
hate?

In her behalf that scorns your services :
Hate me! wherefore ? O me! what news, my love? Let her alone; speak not of Helena;
Am not I Hermia ? Are not you Lysander ? Take not her pari: for if thou dost intends
I am as fair now as I was erewhile,

Never so little show of love to her,
Since night you lov'd me; yel since night you left Thou shalt aby it.

Lys.

Now she holds me not, Why, then you left me,-0, the gods forbid !-- Now follow if thou dar’st, to try whose right, In earnest shall I say?

Or thine, or mine, is most in Helena.
Lys.
Ay, by my life;

Dem. Follow ? nay, I'll go with thee cheek by And never did desire to see thee more.

jole.

(Eseunt Lys. and Dem. Therefore, be out of hope, of question, doubt, Her. You, mistress, all this coil is 'long of you: Be certain nothing truer 'lis no jest,

Nay, go not back. That I do hate thee, and love Helena.

Hel.

I will not trust you, I; Her. O me, you juggler! you canker-blossom!' Nor longer stay in your curst company. You thief of love ! what, have you come by night, Your hands, than mine, are quicker for a fray; And stol'n my love's heart from him ?

My legs are longer though, to run away. (Éril. Hel.

Fine, i'faith! Her. I am amaz'd, and know not what to say. Have you no modesty, no maiden shame,

(Exit, pursuing HELENA. No touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear Obe. This is thy negligence : still thou mistak'st, Impatient answers from my gentle tongue ? Or else committ'st thy knaveries wilfully, Fie, fie! you counterfeit, you puppet you!

Puck. Believe me, king of shadows, I mistook. He. Puppet! why so ? Ay, that way goes the Did not you tell me, I should know the man game.

By the Athenian garments he had on? Now I perceive that she hath made

compare

And so far blameless proves my enterprise, Between our statures, she hath urg'd her height; That I have 'nointed an Athenian's eyes : And with her personage, her tall personage,

And so far am I glad it so did sort," Her height, forsooth, she hath prevail'd with him.- As this their jangling 1 esteem a sport, And are you grown so high in his esteem,

Obe. Thou seest, these lovers seek a place to fight : Because I am so dwarfisa, and so low?

Hie, therefore, Robin, overcast the night;
How low ain I, thou painted maypule ? speak; The starry welkin cover thou anon
How low am I? I am not yet so low,

With drooping fog, as black as Acheron;
But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes. And lead these testy rivals so astray,

Hel. I pray you, though you mock me, gentlemen, As one come not within another's way. Let her not hurt me: I was never curst;a

Like to Lysander sometime frame thy tongue, I have no gift at all in shrewishness;

Then stir Demetrius up with bitter wrong; I am a right maid for my cowardice;

And sometime rail thou like Demetrius : Let her not strike me : 'You, perhaps, may think, And from each other look thou lead them thus, Because she's something lower than myself, Till o'er their brows death-counterfeiting sleep That I can match her.

With leaden legs and batty wings doth creep:
Her.
Lower! hark, again.

Then crush this herb into Lysander's eye:
Hel. Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me. Whose liquor hath this virtuous property,
I evermore did love you, Hermia,

To take from thence all error with his might, Did ever keep your counsels, never wrong'd you; And make his eye-balls roll with wonted sight Save that, in love unto Demetrius,

When they next wake, all this derision I told him of your stealth unto this wood:

Shall seem a dream, and fruitless vision; He follow'd you; for love, I follow'd him.

And back to Athens shall the lovers wende But he hath chid me hence: and threaten'd me With league whose date till death shall never end. To strike me, spurn me, nay, to kill me too : Whiles I in this affair do thee employ, And now, so you will let me quiet go,

I'll to my queen, and beg her Indian boy; To Athens will I bear my folly I ack,

And then I will her charmed eye release And follow you no further : Let me go:

From monster's view, and all things shall be peace, You sec bow simple and how fond” I am.

Puck. My fairy lord, this must be done with haste; Her. Why, gei you gone: Who is't that hinders For night's swift dragons' cut the clouds full fast,

And yonder shines Aurora's harbinger; Hel. A foolish heart that I leave here behind. At wbose approach, ghosts, wandering here and Her. What! with Lysander ?

there, Hel.

With Demetrius. Troop home to church-yards : damned spirits all, Lys. Be not afraid : she shall not harm thee, He- That in cross-ways and floods have burial," lena.

Already to their wormy beds" are gone; Dem. No, sir ; she shall not, though you take her For fear lest day should look their shames upon, part.

They wilfully themselves exile from light, Hel. O, when she's angry, she is keen and shrewd: And must for aye consort with black-brow'd night She was a vixen, when she went to school ;

Obe. But we are spirits of another sort :
And, though she be but little, she is fierce. I with the Morning's lovel! have oft made sport.

Her. Little again ? nothing but low and littlo?- And, like a forester, the groves may tread,
Why will you suffer her to flout me thus ? Even till the eastern gate, all fiery red,
Let me come to her.

Opening on Neptune with fair blessed beams,
Lys.
Get

Turns into yellow gold his salt-green streams. You minimus of hind'ring knot-grass* made; you gone, you dwarf;

But, notwithstanding, haste; make no delay : You bead, you acorn.

We may effect this business yet ere day.

(Exit OBEROX, I A worm that preys on the leaves or buds of flowers, always beginaing in the middle.

10 The ghosts of self-murderers, who are buried in 2 1 e. froward, cross, ill-conditioned, or jll-spoken. cross-roads; and of those who being drowned were 3 Foolish.

condemned (according to the opinion of the ancients) 19 à Arcierly knot-grass was believed to prevent the wander for a hundred years, as the rites of sepulchre growth of children.

had never been regularly bestowed on their bodies. 5 Pretend.

11. Or that thy beauties lie in wormy bed.:-Milio's & Aby it, for abide it, i. e. pay dearly for it, rue it. Ode on the Death of a fair Infant. 7 Chance, fall out, from sort, French.

12 Cephalus, the mighty hunter, and paramour of Au. 9 so in Cymbeline, Act ii. Sc. 11:

rora, was here probably meant. • Swift, swift, ye dragons of the night.'

13 Oberon here boasts that he was not compelled, like See note on that passage.

meaner spirits, :0 vanish at the first dawn

you?

13

9 Go.