Pyr.

So thou, my surfeit, and my heresy,

Quin. Well, it shall be so. But there is too Orail bé hãied; but the most of me!

hard things; that is, to bring the moon-liglet into And all my powers, address your love and might, a chamber: for you know, Pyramus and Tlisby To honour Fleien, and to be her knight! (Exit. meet by moon-light. Her. (surting.) Help me, Lysander, help me! Snug. Doth the moon shine that night we play do ihy best,

our play? To pluck this crawling serpent from my breast.! Bot. A calendar, a calendar! look in the almaAh 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 sat smiling at his cruel prey :

the great chamber window, where we play, open; Lysander! what, remov'd ? Lysander! lord ! and the moon may shine in at the casemeul. 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 well perceive you are not nigh: Then, there is another thing: we must have a mal Either death, or you, I'll find immediately. [Erit. 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 III.

say you, Bottom ? SCENE I. The same.

Bot. Some man or other must present wall: an. 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 bin Flute, Srout, and STARVELING,

hold his fingers thus, and through thai cranny shai 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 oui 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 sa 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 hempen home-spuns have we sw25 and Thisby, that will never please. First, Pyramus

gering here, must draw a sword to kill himself; which the ladies So near the cradle of the fairy queen ? cannot abide. How answer you that?

What, a play toward ? I'll be an auditor; Snout. By’rlakin,a parlous fear.

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

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

Pyr. Thisby, the fluwers of odious sarours nocet, Bot. Not a whit; I have a device to make all

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

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

So hath thy breath, my dearest Thishy dert.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. (E: am not Pyramus, but Bottom the weaver: This

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

(Aside.-E. Quin. Well, we will have such a prologue; and

This. Must I speak now? it shall be written in eight and six..

Quin. Ay, marry, must you : for you must under 1 Bot. 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.

1 Snout. Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion?

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

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

Most brishy Juvenal," and cke most lorely Jer, selves: to bring in, God, shield us! a lion among ru meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny's tomb.

As true as truest horse, that yet uould never tire, ladies, is a mosi dreadful thing ; for there is not a 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: yo Snout. Therefore, another prologue must tell, he speak all your part at once, cues and all.–Pyrais not a lion.

mus, enter; your cue is past; it is, neve tire. Bot. Nay, you must name his name, and half Re-enter Puck, and Bortom with an ass's head. his face must be seen through the lion's neck; and This. 0,- Ax true as truest horse, that yet souil 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 thinewish 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 pity of my life : No, I am no such thing; I am a

(Errunt Clowns. Puck. I'll follow you,

I'll lead man as other men are:-and there, indeed, let him

you about a round, name his name; and tell them plainly he is Snug

Through bog, through bush, through brake, the joiner.

through brier;

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

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

form it, he tears off his disguise, and sweer hi *** 3 Corrupted from perilous; but used for alarming, none of Arion, not he, but even honest Harry Gold amazing

ham; which blunt discoverie pleased the queen Pin 4 That is, in alternative verses of eight and six aylla. than if he had gone through in the right way:-whe blee.

coulil order his voice to an instrument exceeding well! 5 Terrible,

7 Thicket. 6 Shak-peare may here allude to an incident said to S Your man. have occurred in his time, which is recorded in a collec. 9 The cutes were the last words of the precedia tion 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 a presented to Qucen Elizabeth upon the water, and be learnt by rote.

ܪ

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

A bog, 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, i
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, Bol. Why do they run away ? this is a knavery And, for night tapers, crop their waxen thighs, of them, to make me afeard.

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

To have my love to bed, and to arise ;

And pluck ihe wings from painted butterflies, Snout. O Bottom, thou art changed! what do I To fan the moonbeams from his sleeping eyes : see on thee?

Nod to him, elves, and do him courtesies. Bol. What do you see ? you see an ass's head 1 Foi. Hail, mortal! of your own; Do you?

2 Fai. Hail! Re-enter QUINCE.

3 Fai. Hail!

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

[Exit.

Bot. I cry your worship's mercy, heartily.-I beBot. 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: if I cut my finger, I shall hear I am not afraid.

| Sings.

make bold with you. Your name, honest gentle

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

Peas. Peas-blossom.
With orange-launey bil,

Bot. I pray you, commend me to mistress
The throstle with his note so true,

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

your father. Good master Peas-blossom, I shall Tila. 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,

Bot. Good master Mustard-seed, I know your
The plain-song cuckoo' gray,
Whose note full many a man doth mark,

patience® well: that same cowardly, giant-like ox

beef hath devoured many a gentleman of your house: And dares not answer, nay ;

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 ery, good master Mustard-seed. cuckoo, never so?

Tila. Come, wait upon him; lead him to my Tia. 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. Bol, Methinks, mistress, you should have little

(Exeunt. reason for that : And yet, to say the truth, reason and love keep little company together nowadays :

SCENE II Another part of the Wood. Enter

OBERON.
The more the pity, that some honest neighbours
will not make thein friends. Nay, I can gleek? up- Obe. I wonder if Titania be awak'd ;
an occasion.

Then, what it was that next came in her eye,
Tila. 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

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 sunimer 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:

When I did him at this advantage take,
Enter four Fairies.

An ass's nowlio I fixed on his head;
I Fri. Ready.

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

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

And I.

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

And I. Or russel-pated choughs, 12 many in sort, Al. Where shall we go?

ken ironically, as it was the prevailing opinion in Shak. The cuckoo, having no variety of note, sings in speare's time, that mustard excited choler. plzin song (plano cantu), hy which expression the uni. 7 Revelry. form molulation 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 ya. it was a common contemptuous term, and may be either tizeri music sung by note.

a corruption of the Italian pazzo, or derived from the 2 i. e, jest or scott'.

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 blueberry.

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 mighi have 5 A sepuash is an immature peascod. So in Twelfth been suggested by a similar trick played by Dr. Faus. Fighi, Act i. Sc. 5:

See his History, c. xliii. * As a squash is before 'tis a peascod.' Mason proposes to read 'passing well,' which is 12 The chough is a bird of the daw kind. plausible if change be necessary. The words are spo. 13 Sort is company, as above

own tum.

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 ihe 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 holdstrong,

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'l 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. (Eril. 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 Pock.
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 sec ? 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 one ; From sleeping Hermia? I'll believe as soon,

That must needs be sport alone;
This whole carth 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,
As yonder Venus in her glimmering sphere.

Look, when I vow, I weep; and vows so born

In their nativity all truth appears. Her. What's this to my Lysander? Where is ho? How can these things in me seem scorn to youl

; Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me? Dem. I had rather give his carcass 10 my hounds. Bearing

the badge of faith, to prove them true

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 ? Henceforth be never number'd among men!

Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing weigh: 0! once tell true, tell true, even for my sake;

Your vows, to her and me, put in two scales, Durst thou have look'd upon him, being awake,

Will even weigh; and both as light as tales.
And hast thou kill'd him sleeping ? O brave touch !?

Lys. I had no judgment when to her I swore.,
Hel

. Nor none, in my mind, now you give her o'er. Could not a worm, an adder, do so much ? An adder did it; for with doubler tongue

Lys. Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you. Than thine, thou serpent, never adder stung.

Dem. (awaking.) O Helen, goddess, nymph, perDem. You spend your passion on a mispris'd' To what, my love, shall I compare thine egne ?

fect divine ! mood: I am not guilty of Lysander's blood;

Crystal is muddy. O, how ripe in show Nor is he dead, for aught that I can tell.

Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow! Her. I pray thee, tell me then that he is well.

That pure congealed white, high Taurus's snow, Dem. An if I could, what should I get therefore ? When thou hold'st up thy hand: 0 let me kiss

Fann'd with the eastern wind, turns to a crowy, Her. A privilege, never to see me more.And from ihy hated presence part I so:

This princess of pure white, this seal of bliss! See me no more, whether he be dead or no. [Erit. To set against me, for your merriment.

Hel. O 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.

You would not do me thus much injury:
So sorrow's heaviness doth heavier grow
For debt that bankrupt sleep doth sorrow owe;

Can you not hate me, as I know you do,
Which now, in some slight measure it will pay,

But you must join in souls, to mock me too? 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 1 Latch'd or letch'd, licked or smeared over.

or cheere of a man or woman. The old French chere

had the same meaning. A trick. the shrewd touches of many curst boys. And in the blood-drinking, and blood-sucking sighs. All saluda

6 So in K. Henry VI. we have blood-consuming;' old story of Howleglas, for at all times he did some mading to the ancient supposition, that every

sigh was indula touch.: 3. On a mispris'd mood,' i. e. in a mistaken manner.

ged at the expense of a drop of blood.

7 So in Antony and Cleopatra : On was sometimes used licentiously for in. 4 Love-sick.

My playfellow, your hand; this kingly seal,

And 5 Cheer here signifies countenance, from cera, Ital.

plighter of high hearts.
S i. e. join heartily, unite in the same mind.

:

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my back

You would not use a gentle lady so;

Two of the first,” like coats in heraldry, To yow, 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, 'uis not maidenly:
A trim exploit, a manly enterprise,

Our sex, as well as I may chide you for it;
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.
A poor soul's patience, all to make you sport. Hel. 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 Hd. 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 yolk, 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 ?
Luis.
Helen, it is not so.

This you should pily, rather than despise.
Den. 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. -

Hd. Ay, do, persever, counterfeit sad looks, Look where thy love comes ; yonder is thy dear. Make mowss upon me when I turn

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

This sport, well carried, shall be chronicled.
He, Dark night, that from the

If
his function
eye

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,

Which 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!

Hel excellent ! Mine ear I thank it, brought me to thy sound.

Her. Bat why unkindly didst thou leave me so ?

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

Dem. If she cannot entrcat, 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. Way 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 it 100. The hate I bare thee made me leave thee so.

Dem. Quick, come,

Her. Her. You speak not as you think; it cannot be.

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'll—Sir, To fashion this false sport in spite of me.

Seem to break loose ; take on as you would follow;

But Injurious Hermia! most ungrateful maid !

yet come not : You are a tame man, go! Have you conspir'd, have you with these contriv'd

Lijs. Hang off, thou cat, thou burr: vile thing,

let loose; To bate me with this foul derision? 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 love?
For parting us,—0, and is all forgot ?
All school-days' friendship, childhood innocence ?

Lys. Thy love ! out, tawny Tartar, out! Te, 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 But yet a union in partition,

dead? 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 inly one heart. She 1 Degree, or quality.

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

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

that belong to man and wife as one person, but which 4'Is all the counsel that we two have shared,' &c. like our single heart, have but one cresl.' Malone ex

Gregory of Nazianzen's poem on his own life con- plains the heraldric allusion differently, but not so clearly tains some beautiful lines (resembling these) which burst nor satisfactorily.

in the heart and speak the pange of injured and lost 8 Make mouthg. friendship. Shakspeare had never read the poems of 9 i. e. such a subject of light merriment. Greeory; he was ignorant of the Greek language ; but 10 This arrangement of the text is Malone's, who thus his mother tongue, the language of nature, is the same explains it. The words he'll are not in the folio, and in Cappadocia as in Britain. -Gibbon's Hist. vol. v. p. sir is not in the quarto. Demetrius I suppose would say, 17. Evo, ed.

no, no, he'll not have the resolution to disengage himself 5 1. e. ingenious, artful. Artificiose, Lat.

from Hermia. But turning to Lysander, he addresses 61. e, needles

him ironically : 'Sir, seem to break loose;? &c.

No, no,

10

me:

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

In hier 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; yet 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 is thou dar'st, to try whose righi, In earnest shall I say?'

Or ihine, 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.

(Ereunt Lys. and Dev. Therefore, be out of hope, of question, doubt, Her. You, mistress, all this coil is 'long of you: Be certain nothing truer; 'tis 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 thongh, to run away. Hel.

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

(Exit, pursuing HELESI. 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’si thy knaveries wilfully. Fie, fie! you counterfeit, you puppet you !

Puck. Believe me, king of shadows, I mistook. Her. 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 prevaild with him. As this their jangling I esteem a sport. And are you grown so bigh in his esteem,

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

Hie, therefore, Robin, overcast the night;
How low am I, thou painted maypole ? 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 iesty rivals so astray, Hel. 1

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

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 thal, 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 wend 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 back,

And then I will her charmed eve release And follow you no further: Let me yo:

From monster's view, and all things shall be peare. You see how 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, you?

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

there, Hd.

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 anothe: 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 little ? - And, like a foroster, the groves may tread,
Why will you suffer her to tlout me thus? Even till the eastern gate, all fiery red,
Let me come to her.

Opening on Neptune with fair blessed beams, Lys.

Get you gone, you dwarf; Turns into yellow gold his salt-green streans." You minimus of hind'ring knot-grass* made; But, notwithstanding, haste; make no delay: You bead, you acorn.

may effect this business yet ere day.

(Erit OBF80. 1 A worm that preys on the leaves or buds of flowers, always beginning in the middle.

10 The ghosts of self-murderers, who are burie! t. 2 i e. froward, cross, ill-conditioned, or ill-spoken. cross-roads; and of those who being drowned *** 3 Foolish.

condemned (according to the opiniou of the ancienta *** 4 Anciently knot-grass was believed to prevent the wander for a hundred years, as the rites of sepulture growth of children.

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

11. Or that thy beauties lie in uormy bed--Millbs 6 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. 8 Go. 12 Cephalus, the mighty hunter, and paramour of Ad9 So in Cymbeline, Ace ji. 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 ou that passage.

meaner spirits, to vanish at the first dann.

We