That they have over-borne their continents". Since once I fat upon a promontory,
The ox hath therefore stretch'd his yoke in vain, And heard a mermaid on a dolphin's back,
The ploughman lost his sweat; and the green corn Uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath,
Hath rotted, ere his youth attain'd a beard : That the rude sea grew civil at her song;
The fold stands empty in the drowned field, 5 And certain stars Ahot madly from their spheres,
And crows are fatted with the murrain flock : To hear the sea-maid's mufick.
The nine-men's morris 2 is fill'd up with mud; Puck. I remember.
And the quaint mazes in the wanton green,

06. That very time I saw, (but thou could'ft not) For lack of tread, are undistinguishable.

Flying between the cold moon and the earth, The human mortals want their winter here, 10 Cupid all arm'd: a certain aim he took No night is now with hymn, or carol bleft: At a fair vestal, throned by the west; Therefore the moon, the governess of floods, And loos'd his love-fhaft smartly from his bow, Pale in her anger, washes all the air,

As it should pierce a hundred thousand hearts : That rheumatick diseases do abound 3 :

But I might see young Cupid's fiery shaft And, thorough this distemperature 4, we see 15 Quench'd in the chalte beams of the watry moon; 'The seasons alter : hoary-headed frosts

And the imperial votress pafsed on, Fall in the fresh lap of the crimson rose;

In maiden meditation, fancy-free 8. And on old Hyems' chin, and icy crown,

Yet mark'd I where the bolt of Cupid fell: An odorous chaplet of sweet summer buds It fell upon a little western flower,[wound, Is, as in mockery, set: The spring, the summer,20 Before, milk-white; now purple with love's The childing 5 autumn, 'angry winter, change And maidens call it, love-in-idleness %. (once ; Their wonted liveries; and the 'mazed world, Fetch me that flower; the herb I shew'd thee By their increase, now knows not which is which: The juice of it on fleeping eye-lids laid, And this same progeny of evils comes

Will make or man or woman madly doat From our debate, from our diffention;

25 Upon the next live creature that it sees. We are their parents and original.

Fetch me this herb; and be thou here again, Ob. Do you amend it then; it lies in you : Ere the leviathan can swim a league. Why should Titania cross her Oberon?

Puck. I'll put a girdle round about the earth I do but beg a little changeling boy,

In forty minutes.

[Exie To be my henchman 7.

30 Ob. Having once this juice, Queen. Set your heart at rest,

I'll watch Titania when she is alleep, The fairy land buys not the child of me.

And drop the liquor of it in her eyes : His mother was a votress of my order :

The next thing when he waking looks upon, And, in the spiced Indian air, by night,

|(Be it on lion, bear, or wolf, or bull, Full often hath the gossip'd by my side;

135

On meddling monkey, or on busy ape) And lat with me on Neptune's yellow sands, She shall pursue it with the soul of love. Marking the embark'd traders on the flood; And tre I take this charm off from her fight When we have laugh`d to see the sails conceive, (As I can take it with another herb) And grow big-bellied with the wanton wind: I'll make her render up her page to me. Which she, with pretty and with swimming gait, 40 But who comes here? I am invisible ; (Following her womb, then rich with my young And I will over-hear their conference. Would imitate ; and sail upon the land, ('squire) Enter Demetrius, Helena following bim. To fetch me trifles, and return again,

Dem. I love thee not, therefore purfue me not, As from a voyage, rich with merchandize. Where is Lysander and fair Hermia ? But she, being mortal, of that boy did die; 45 The one I'll flay, the other sayeth me. And, for her sake, I do rear up her boy ;

Thou told'ft me, they were stol’n unto this wood; And, for her sake, I will not part with him. And here am I, and wood 10 within this wood, 06. How long within this wood intend you Because I cannot meet my Hermia. stay?

[day. Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more. Queen. Perchance, til after Theseus' wedding-150 Hd. You draw me, you hard-hearted adamant; If you will patiently dance in our round,

But yet you draw not iron, for my heart And see our moon-light revels, go with us; Is true as steel : Leave you your power to draw, If not, shun me, and I will spare your haunts. And I shall have no power to follow you.

ob. Give me that boy, and I will go with thee. Dem. Do I entice you ? do I speak you fair?

Queen. Not for thy fairy kingdom.--Fairies, away: 55 Or, rather, do I not in plainest truth We ihall chide down-right, if I longer Aay. Tell you, I do not, nor I cannot love you ?

[Exưant Queen and ber train. Hei. And even for that do I love you the more Oh. Well, go thy way: thou shalt not from this |I am your spaniel ; and, Demetrius, 'Till I tormene thee for this injury. [grove, The more you beat me, I will fawn on you : My gentle Puck, come hither : Thou remember no Use me but as your spaniel, spurn me, strike me,

? Meaning their banks. 2 Nine men's merris is a game still played by the shepherds, cow-keepers, &c. in the midland counties, 3 The confusion of seasons here described, is no more than a poetical account of the weather, which happened in England about the time when this play was first published. + That is, perturbation. That is, the pregrart. 6 That is, produce. 7 Page of honour. 8 This was intended as a compliment to Queen Elizabeth. 9 i. e. hearts-ease.

10 Wand here means mad, wilt, raving. In this fenfc it was formerly tpelled svods.

IO

20

Neglect me, lose me ; only give me leave, May be the lady: Thou shalt know the man
Unworthy as I am, to follow you,

By the Athenian garments he hath on.
What worser place can I beg in your love, Effect it with some care, that he may prove

(And yet a place of high respect with me) More fond on her, than the upon her love : linker Than to be used as you use your dog?

5 And look thou meet me ere the first cock crow. Dem.Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit; Puck, Fear not, my lord, your servant shall do so. For I am sick, when I do look on thee.

[Exeum
Hd. And I am fick, when I look not on you.

SCENE III.
Dem. You do impeach your modesty too much,
To leave the city, and commit yourself

Ancrber part of the Wood.
Into the hands of one that loves you not ;

Enter tbe Queen of Fairies, with her train.
To trust the opportunity of night,

Queen. Come, now a roundel?, and a fairy fong;
And the ill counsel of a desert place,

Then, for the third part of a minute, hence :
With the rich worth of your virginity.

Some, to kill cankers in the musk-rose buds;
Hel. Your virtue is my privilege for that. 15|Some,war with rear-mice 3 for their leathern wings,
It is not night, when I do see your face,

To make my small elves coats; and tome keep back
Therefore I think I am not in the night :

The clamorous owl, that nightiy hoots, and wonders
Nor doth this wood lack worlds of company;

At our quaint spirits 4 : Sing me now asleep;
For you, in my respect, are all the world: Then to your offices, and let me reít.
Then how can it be said, I am alone,

First Fairy.
When all the world is here to look on me

You spotted snakes, with double tongue,
Dem. I'll run from thee, and hide me in the brakes,

Ohorny bedge-hegs, be not seen;
And leave thee to the mercy of wild beasts.

Newes, and blind-worms, do no wrong :
Hd. The wildert hath not such a heart as you.

Come riot near our fairy queen :
Run when you will, the story shall be chang'd: 25

Chorus.
Apollo flies, and Daphne holds the chase ;

Pbilmel, with melody,
The dove pursues the griffin ; the mild hind
Makes speed to catch the tyger: Bootless speed!

Sing in your saveet lullaby :
When cowardice pursues, and valour fies.

Lulis, lulla, lullaby; lulla, lulla, lullaby :
Dem. I will not stay thy questions; let me go : 130

Never barm, nor spell nor cberm,
Or, if thou follow me, do not believe

Come our lovely lady nigh;
But I fall do thee mischief in the wood.

So, good nigbt, with lullaby.
Hi. Ay, in the temple, in the town, the field,

Second Fairy.
You do me mischief. Fie, Demetrius !

Weaving Spiders, come rios bere;
Your wrongs do set a scandal on my sex : 35 Hence, you long-legg’d Spinners, bencer
We cannot fight for love, as men may do ;

Beetles black, approach not near ;
We thou'd be woo'd, and were not made to woo. Worni, nor snail, do no offence.
I'll follow thee, and make a heaven of hell,

Chorus.
To die upon the hand I love so well. {Exeunt.

Pbilomel, with melody, &c.
06. Fare thee well, nymph: ere he do leave 40

Firft Fairy.

Hence, away; now all is well:
Thou shalt fly him, and he shall seek thy love.

One, aloof, stand sentinel.
Halt thou the flower there? Welcome, wanderer.

[Exeunt Fairies. The Queen sleeps.
Re-enter Puck.
Puck. Ay, there it is.

1451

Enter Oberon.
Ob. I pray thee, give it me.

Ob. What thou seest, when thou dort wake,
I know a bank whereon the wild thyme blows,

[Squeezes the floruer on her eye-lids.
Where ox-lips' and the nodding violet grows; Do it for thy true love take;
Quite over-canopy'd with luscious woodbine, Love, and languish for his fake :
With sweet musk roses, and with eglantine : 50 Be it ounces, or cat, or bear,
There sleeps Titania, some time of the night, Pard, or boar with bristled hair,
Lull'd in these flowers with dances and delight ; In thy eye thar Mall appear
And there the snake throws her enamell'd skin, When thou wak'lt, it is thy dear;
Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in :

Wake, when some vile thing is near. (Exit Ot crophe
And with the juice of this I'll streak her eyes, 55

Enter Lyfander and Hermia.
And make her full of hateful fantasies.

Lys. Fair love, you faint with wandering in the
Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove :

wood;
A sweet Athenian lady is in love

And, to speak troth, I have forgot our way:
With a disdainful youth: anoint his eyes ;

We'll reft us, Hermia, if you think it good,
But do it, when the next thing he espies 60! And tarry for the confort of the day.
? The greater cowslip. 2 A roundel is a dance in a ring. 3 A rere-mouse is a bat.

4 Dr. Warburton
teads quaint sports. 5 The ounce is a small tyger, or tyger-cat.

this grove,

IO

20

Her. Be it fo, Lysander : find you out a bed, No, no, I am as ugly as a bear, For I upon this bank will reft my head.

For beasts, that meet me, run away for fear : Lyf. One turf shall serve as pillow for us both; Therefore, no marvel, though Demetrius One heart, one bed, two bosoms, and one troth. Do, as a monster, fly my presence thus.

Her. Nay, good Lysander; for my fake, my dear, 5 What wicked and dissembling glass of mine Lye further off yet, do not lye so near,

Made me compare with Hermia's sphery eync !Lyf. O, take the sense, sweet, of my innocence; But who is here? Lysander ? on the ground? Love takes the meaning, in love's conference. Dead? or asleep? I see no blood, no wound:I mean, that my heart unto yours is knit; Lysander, if you live, good fir, awake. So that but one heart we can make of it:

Lys. And run through fire I will, for thy sweet Two bosons interchained with an oath ;

fake.

[Waking So then, two bosoms, and a single troth.

Transparent Helena! Nature Mews art, Then, by your side no bed-room me deny; That through thy bolom makes me see thy heart. For, lying so, Hermia, I do not lie.

Where is Demetrius? Oh, how fit a word Her. Lysander riddles very prettily :

15 Is that vile name, to perish on my sword ! Now much bethrew ! my manners, and my pride, Hel. Do not say so, Lysander; say not so: If Hermia meant to say, Lysander lyd.

What though he love your Hermia ? Lord, what But, gentle friend, for love and courtesy

though 3? Lye further off; in human modesty

Yet Hermia still loves you : then be content. Such separation, as, may well be said,

Lys. Content with Hermia? No: I do repent Becomes a virtuous batchelor, and a maid : The tedious minutes I with her have spent. So far be diftant; and good night, sweet friend : Not Hermia, but Helena I love : 'Thy love ne'er alter, till thy sweet life end ! Who will not change a raven for a dove?

Lys. Amen, amen, to that fair pray'r, say I ; The will of man is by his reason sway'd; And then end life, when I end loyalty ! 25 And rearon says you are the worthier maid. Here is my bed : Slcep give thee all his rest! Things growing are not ripe until their season: Her. With half that with the wisher's eyes be Sol, being young, till now ripe not to reason; press'd!

[They diep. And touching now the point of human skill, Enter Puck.

Reason becomes the mai mal to my will, Puck. Through the forest have I gone,

30And leads me to your eyes; where I o'erlook But Athenian found I none,

Love's stories, written in Love's richest book. On whose eyes I might approve

Hel. Wherefore was I to this keen mockery This flower's force in stirring love.

born ? Night and filence! who is here?

When, at your hands, did I deserve this scorn? Weeds of Athens he doth wear :

35 Is't not enough, is't not enough, young man, This is he, my master said,

That I did never, no, nor never can,
Despised the Athenian maid;

Deserve a sweet look from Demetrius' eye,
And here the maiden, neeping sound, But you must fiout my insufficiency?
On the dank and dirty ground.

Good troth, you do me wrong, good footh, you do,
Pretty soul! The durst not lye

40 In such disdainful manner me to woo.
Near to this lack-love, this kill-courtesy. But fare you well: perforce I must confess,
Chuil, upon thy eyes I throw

I thought you lord of more true gentleness 4.
All the power this charm doth owe : Oh, that a lady, of one man refus d,
When thou wak'st, let love forbid

Should, of another, therefore be abus'd! (Exit.
Sleep his seat on thy eye-lid.

145) Lyf. She sees not Hermia :-Hermia, Neep thou So awake, when I am gone ;

there; For I must now to Oberon. [Exit. And never may'st thou come Lysander near! Enter Demetrius and Helena running,

For, as a surfeit of the sweetest things, Hel. Stay, though thou kill me, Tweet Demetrius. The deepest loathing to the somach brings ; Dem. I charge thee, hence, and do not haunt 50 Or, as the heresies, that men do leave, me thus,

Are hated most of those they did deceive; Hel. O, wilt thou darkling leave me? do not fo.

So thou, my surfeit, and my heresy, Demi. Stay on thy peril: I alone will go. Of all be hated; but the most, of me!

[Exit Demetrius. And all my powers, address your love and might, Hi. O, I am out of breath, in this fond chace ! 55 To honour Helen, and to be her knight! (Exit. The more my prayer, the lefser is my gracę 2. Her. [farting from sleep.] Heip me, Lysander, Happy is Hermia, where soe'er the lies;

help me! do thy beft, For the hath blefied and attractive eyes,

To pluck this crawling serpent from my breast! How came her eyes so bright ? Not with salt tears : Ay me, for pity !-what a dream was here? If so, my eyes are oftner wash'd than hers.

60 Lysander, look, how I do quake with fear! 1 Bishrew means the same as if he had said, “ Now i!l befal my manners, &c.” ? i. c. My acceptableness. 3 i. c. What thin? 4 Meaning, that he had more of the spirit of a gentleman.

Methought,

SCENE .

Quin. Well, it Thall be so. But there is two
Tbe Wood.

hard things; that is, to bring the moon-light into
Enter Quince, Snug, Botscm, Fluie, Snout, and a chamber : for you know, Pyramus and Thilby
Starveling

meet by moon-light.
The Queen of Fairies lying asleep. 1151 Srug. Doth the moon shine that night we play
Beat ARE we all met?

our play?
Quir. Pat, pat; and here's a marvellous con Bor. A calendar, a calendar! look in the alma-
venient place for our rehearsal: This green plot nack; find out moon-hine, find out moon-hinc.
hall be our stage, this hawthorn brake our tyring Quir. Yes, it doth shine that night,
house; and we will do it in action, as we willf20 Bot. Why, then you may leave a casement of
do it before the duke.

the great chamber window, where we play, open ;
Bai. Peter Quince,

and the moon may thine in at the casement. Quin. What tay'st thou, bully Pottom?

Quin. Ay; or else one must come in with a
Bor. There are things in this comedy of Pyra burh of thorns and a lanthorn, and say, he comes
mus and Thilby, that will never please. First,|25|to disfigure, or to present, the person of moon-
Pyramus muft draw a sword to kill himself; which hine. Then, there is another thing: we must
the ladies cannot abide. How answer you that? have a wall in the great chamber; for Pyramus
Skout. By'r lakin ?, a parlous 3 fear.

and Thisby, says the story, did talk through the
Star, I believe we must leave the killing out, Ichink of a wall.
when all is done.

30 Snug. You never can bring in a wall: What
Bot

. Not a whit; I have a device to make all ray you, Bottom?
well

. Write me a prologue: and let the pro Bot. Some man or other must present wall :
logue seem to say, we will do no harm with our and let him have some plaster, or some lome, or
fwords ; and that Pyramus is not kill'd indeed : fome rough-cast, about him, to signify wall; or
and, for the more better assurance tell them, that 35 let him hold his fingers thus, and through that
I Pyramus am not Pyramus, but Bottom the cranny Mall Pyramus and Thisby whisper.
weaver: This will put them out of fear.

Quin. If that may be, then all is well. Come,
Quis. Well, we will have such a prologue; fit down, every mother's son, and rehearse your
and it hall be written in eight and fix.

parts. Pyramus, you begin : when you have Bot. No, make it two more; let it be written 40(poken your speech, enter into that brake 4; and in eight and eight.

lo every one according to his cue.
Snout. Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion

Enter Puck bebind,
Star. I fear it, I promise you.

Puck. What hempen home-spuns, have wo
Bot. Masters, you ought to consider with your

swaggering here,
felves : to bring in, God Thield us! a lion among 45 so near the cradle of the fairy queen ?
ladies, is a mort dreadful thing : for there is not What, a play toward? I'll be an auditor ;
a more fearful wild-fowl, than your lion, living; An actor too, perhaps, if I see cause.
and we ought to look to it.

Quino Speak, Pyramus :- Thisby, stand fortha
Svour. Therefore, another prologue must tell, Pyr.“ Thilby, the flower of odious favours sweet."
he is not a lion.

501 Quin. Odours, odours.
Bot. Nay, you must name his name, and half Pyr. “ odours savours sweet.
his face must be seen through the lion's neck; “ So doth thy breatlı, my dearett Thilby dear...
and he himself must speak through, saying thus, " But, hark, a voice! stay thou but here a whits,
or to the same defect, Ladies, or fair ladies, I “ And by and by I will to thee appear."
would with you, or, I would request you, or, 155

[Exi: Pyramusa
would entreat you, not to fear, not to tremble: Puck. A stranger Pyramus than e'er play'd here!
my life for yours. If you think I come hither as

[Ajide. [Exita
a lion, it were pity of my life : No, I am no This. Must I speak now?
such thing ; I am a man as other men are :--and Quin. Ay, marry, murt you : for you must un.
there, indeed, let him name his name; and tell 6 deritand, he goes but to see a noite that he heard,
them plainly, he is Snug the joiner.

and is to come again.
This adjuration is frequently used by our author. 3 i.e. by our Ladykin, or little Ledy.
bus means dangerous. 4 Bruke anciently signified a thi. kit or bujho si, e a little while.

3 Par

N4

66 tire,

Thil
. “ Most radiant Pyramus, most lilly-white So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape;

E lead 46 of hue,

And thy fair virtue's force, perforce doth move me, “Of colour like the red-rose on triumphant brier, On the first view, to say, to swear, I love thee. “ Most brisky juvenal', and eke most lovely Jew, Bot. Methinks, mistress, you should have little " As true as truest horse, that yet would never 5 reason for that : And yet, to say the truth, reason

and love keep little company together now-a-days: I'll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny's tomb." The more the pity, that some honest neighbours

Quir. Ninus' tomb, man : Why you must not will not make them friends. Nay, I can gleek, speak that yet; that you answer to Pyramus: you

upon occasion.
speak all your part at once, cues 2 and all. ---Pyra- 10 Queen. Thou art as wise, as thou art beautiful.
mus enter; your cue is part; it is, never tire. Bot. Not so, neither: but if I had wit enough

Re-enter Puck, and Burtom, with an ass's bead. to get out of this wood, I have enough to ferve
Thil
. “ 0-As true as truest horse, that yet mine own turn.
16 would never tire."

Queen. Out of this wood do not desire to go;
Pyr.“ If I were fair, Thisby, I were only thine:"15 Thou shalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no.

Quin. O monstrous ! O strange! we are haunted! I am a spirit, of no common rate; Pray, masters ! fiy, masters ! help!

The summer still doth tend upon my state,

[Exeunt Clowns. And I do love thee : therefore, go with me; Puck. I'll follow you, I'll lead you about a I'll give thee fairies to attend on thee; round,

20 And they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep, Through bog, through bush, through brake, And sing, while thou on pressed flowers doft sleep: through brier:

And I will purge thy mortal grossness so, Sometime a horse I'll be, sometime a hound, That thou shalt like an airy spirit go.

A hog, a headless bear, sometime a fire; Pease-blossom! Cobweb! Moth! and MustardAnd neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar and burn, 25

seed! Like horse, hound, hog, bear, fire, at every turn.

[Exit.

Enter four fairies. Bot. Why do they run away? this is a knavery i Fair. Ready. of them, to make me afeard 3.

2 Fair. And I. Re-enter Snoxt.

30 3 Fair. And I. Snout. O Bottom, thou art chang'd! what do 4 Fair. And I: Where Mall we go? I see on thee?

Queen. Be kind and courteous to this gentleman;
Bos. What do you see you see an ass' head of Hop in his walks, and gambol in his eyes ;
your own ; Do you?

Feed him with apricocks, and dewberries,
Re-enter Quince.

35 With purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries; Quin. Bless thee, Bottom! bless thee! thou art The honey-bags steal from the humble-bees, translated.

[Exit. And, for night tapers, crop their waxen thighs, Bot. I see their knavery: this is to make an ass And light them at the fiery glow-worm's eyes, of me; to fright me, if they could. But I will To have my love to bed, and to arise ; not stir from this place, do what they can: I will 40 And pluck the wings from painted butterflies, walk up and down here, and I will fing, that they To fan the moon-beams from his neeping eyes: thall hear I am not afraid.

[Sings. Nod to him, elves, and do him courtesies. The oufel-cock 4, so black of bue,

i Fair. Hail, mortal, hail ! Wick orange-lawny bill,

2 Fair. Hail ! The ebristle 5 with his note so true,

145 3 Fair. Hail ! The wrin with little quill :

Bor. I cry your worship's mercy heartily.-

beseech, your worship's name? Queen. What angel wakes me from my flowery

Cob. Cobweb. bed?

(Waking Bot. I shall desire you of more acquaintance, Bottom lings.

50 good master Cobweb : If I cut my finger, I shall The finch, the sparrow, and the lark,

make bold with you. Your name, honest genThe plain-fong cuckow gray,

|tleman ? Whose note full many a man dith mark,

Peasi. Pease-blossom.
And dares not arswer, nay;

Bot. I pray you, commend me to mistress for, indeed, who would set his wit to so foolish a 55 Squash 7 your mother, and to master Peascod, your bird? Who would give a bird the lye, though he father. Good master Pease-blossom, i thall delire cry cuckoo, never fo.

you of more acquaintance too.—Your name, I Queen. I pray thee, gentle mortal, fing again : beseech you, fir ? Mine ear is much enamour'd of thy note,

Muf. Mustard seed. ri.e. young man. 2 A cue, in the language of the stage, is the last words of the preceding speech, and serves as a hint to him who is to speak next. 3 i.e. afraid. 4 The oufel cock is generally underfood to be the cock blackbird. 5 The ibrofile is the thrush. o i. c. deceive, or beguile.

A squash is an unrise peascode

Bat.