Now the wafted brands do glow,

Whilft the fcritch-owl, fcritching loud,
Puts the wretch, that lies in woe,
In remembrance of a shroud.
Now it is the time of night,

That the graves, all gaping wide,
Every one lets forth his fpright,
In the church-way paths to glide:
And we fairies, that do run

By the triple Hecate's team,
From the prefence of the fun,
Following darkness like a dream,
Now are frolick; not a mouse
Shall difturb this hallow'd house:
I am fent, with broom, before 4,
To fweep the duft behind the door.

Enter OBERON and TITANIA, with their Train.
Obe. Through the house give glimmering light',
By the dead and drowsy fire:

Every elf and fairy sprite,

Hop as light as bird from brier;

And this ditty, after me,

Sing, and dance it trippingly.

Tita. Firft, rehearse this song by rote:
To each word a warbling note,
Hand in hand, with fairy grace,
Will we fing, and bless this place.

4 I am fent with broom, before,

To fweep the duft behind the door.] Cleanliness is always neceffary to invite the refidence and the favour of fairies:

"Thefe make our girls their flutt'ry rue,

"By pinching them both black and blue,

"And put a penny in their fee,

"The boufe for cleanly fweeping. Drayton. JOHNSON.

To freep the duft behind the door is a common expreffion, and a common practice in large, old houses; where the doors of halls and galleries are thrown backward, and feldom or never shut. FARMER.

5 Through the boufe give glimmering-light,] Milton perhaps had this picture in his thought:

"Glowing embers through the room

"Teach light to counterfeit a gloom." Il Penferofo. JOHNSON. N n

VOL. II.

SONG.

SONG, and DANCE.

Obe. Now, until the break of day
Through this houfe each fairy tray.
To the best bride-bed will we,
Which by us fhall blessed be;
And the iffue, there create,
Ever fhall be fortunate.
So fhall all the couples three
Ever true in loving be:

And the blots of nature's hand
Shall not in their issue stand;
Never mole, hare-lip, nor fcar,
Nor mark prodigious 7, fuch as are
Defpifed in nativity,

Shall upon their children be.-
With this field-dew confecrate,

Every fairy take his gait ;

And each feveral chamber bless,

Through this palace, with fweet peace :

E'er fhall it in fafety reft,

And the owner of it bleft.

Trip away;

Make no stay ;

Meet me all by break of day.

[Exeunt OBERON, TITANIA, and Train.

Puck. If we hadows have offended,
Think but this, (and all is mended,)

That you have but flumber'd here,
While thefe vifions did appear,

6 This fong, like many others, is loft. Dr. Johnson thinks that another fong has alfo been loft, which he supposes to have been fung by Oberon, immediately after his first speech on his entrance:

And this ditty, after me,

Sing, and dance it trippingly.

MALONE.

7 Nor mark prodigious,] Prodigious has here its primitive fignification of portentous. So, in K. Richard III.

"If ever he have child, abortive be it,

"Prodigious, and untimely brought to light." STEEVENS.

➡ take bis gait ;] i. e. take his way, or direct his feps. STEEV.

And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend;
If you pardon, we will mend.
And as I'm an honeft Puck,
If we have unearned luck

I

Now to 'fcape the ferpent's tongue",
We will make amends, ere long:
Elfe the Puck a liar call.

So, good night unto you all.

Give me your hands3, if we be friends,

And Robin fhall reftore amends.

[Exit".

— an honeft Puck,] The propriety of this epithet has been already fhewn in p. 460, n. 7.

MALONE.

unearned luck] i. e. if we have better fortune than we have deferved. STEEVENS.

2 Now to 'fcape the ferpent's tongue,] That is, if we be difmiffed without hiffes. JOHNSON.

3 Give me your bands,-] That is, Clap your hands. Give us your applaufe. JOHNSON.

So in J. Markham's English Arcadia, 1607:

"But then ymph, after the custom of diftreft tragedians, whose first act is entertained with a fnaky falutation, &c. STEEVENS.

4 Wild and fantastical as this play is, all the parts in their various modes are well written, and give the kind of pleafure which the author defigned. Fairies in his time were much in fashion; common tradition had made them familiar, and Spenfer's poem had made them great. JOHNSON.

THE END OF THE SECOND VOLUME.