Here comes my messenger.-How now, mad fpirit?
What night-rule 2 now about this haunted grove?
Puck. My mistress with a monster is in love.
Near to her close and confecrated bower,
While fhe was in her dull and fleeping hour,
A crew of patches 3, rude mechanicals,
That work for bread upon Athenian stalls,
Were met together to rehearse a play,
Intended for great Thefeus' nuptial day.
The shallowest thick skin of that barren fort,
Who Pyramus presented, in their sport
Forfook his scene, and enter'd in a brake:
When I did him at this advantage take,
An afs's now14 I fixed on his head;
Anon, his Thisby must be answered,

And the Athenian woman by his fide;
That, when he wak'd, of force the must be ey'd.
Enter Demetrius and Hermia.

Ob. Stand clofe; this is the fame Athenian.
Puck. This is the woman, but not this the man.
Dem. O, why rebuke you him that loves you fo?
Lay breath fo bitter on your bitter foe.

Her. Now I but chide, but I fhould use thee worfe; For thou, I fear, haft given me cause to curfe. 10 If thou haft flain Lyfander in his fleep, Being o'er fhoes in blood, plunge in the deep, And kill me too.

The fun was not fo true unto the day, As he to me: Would he have ftol'n away 15 From fleeping Hermia? I'll believe as foon, This whole earth may be bor'd; and that the moon May through the center creep, and so displease Her brother's noon-tide with the Antipodes. It cannot be, but thou haft murder'd him; 20 So fhould a murderer look, fo dead, fo grim.

Dem. So fhould the murder'd look: and fo fhould I,

Pierc'd through the heart with your stern cruelty : Yet you, the murderer, look as bright, as clear, 25 As yonder Venus in her glimmering sphere.

30

And forth my minnock 5 comes: When they him
As wild geefe, that the creeping fowler eye,
Or ruffet-pated choughs, many in fort,
Rifing and cawing at the gun's report
Sever themselves, and madly sweep the sky;
So, at his fight, away his fellows fly:
And, at our stamp, here o'er and o'er one falls;
He murder cries, and help from Athens calls.
Their fenfe, thus weak, loft with their fears, thus
ftrong,

Made fenfeless things begin to do them wrong:
For briers and thorns at their apparel fnatch;
Some, fleeves; fome, hats: from yielders all
things catch.

I led them on in this distracted fear,
And left sweet Pyramus translated there:
When in that moment (fo it came to pass)
Titania wak'd, and straightway lov'd an ass.
Ob. This falls out better than I could devife.
But haft thou yet latch'd the Athenian's eyes
With the love-juice, as I did bid thee do?

Puck. I took him fleeping-that is finish'd too,

40

45

Her. What's this to my Lyfander? where is he?
Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me?
Dem. I had rather give his carcafe to my hounds.
Her. Out, dog! out, cur! thou driv'st me past
the bounds

Of maiden's patience. Haft thou flain him then?
Henceforth be never number'd among men!
O! once tell true, tell true, even for my fake;
Durft thou have look'd upon him, being awake,
And haft thou kill'd him sleeping? O brave touch!
Could not a worm, an adder, do so much?
An adder did it; for with doubler tongue
Than thine, thou ferpent, never adder stung.
Dem. You fpend your paffion on a mispris'd
mood:

I am not guilty of Lyfander's blood;
Nor is he dead, for aught that I can tell.

Her. I pray thee, tell me then that he is well.
Dem. An if I could, what should I get therefore?
Her. A privilege, never to fee me more.-
And from thy hated prefence part I fo:
See me no more, whether he be dead, or no. [Exit.
Dem. There is no following her in this fierce vein :
Here, therefore, for a while I will remain.
50 So forrow's heaviness doth heavier grow,
For debt that bankrupt fleep doth forrow owe;
Which now in fome flight measure it will pay,
If for his tender here I make some stay.

55

[Lies doron. Ob. What haft thou done? thou haft mistaken

quite,

And laid the love-juice on some true-love's fight:

6

3 i. e.

9 i. c. mistaken.

Of

3

Your vows, to her and me, put in two scales,
Will even weigh; and both as light as tales.

Ly. I had no judgement, when to her I swore.
Hel. Nor none, in my mind, now you give her o`er.
Lyf. Demetrius loves her; and he loves not you.
Dem. [asaking.] O Helen, goddess, nymph,
perfect, divine !

To what, my love, fhall I compare thine eyne?
Crystal is muddy. O, how ripe in show
Thy lips, thofe kiffing cherries, tempt.ng grow!
That pure congealed white, high Taurus' (now,
Fann'd with the eastern wind, turns to a crow,
When thou hold't up thy hand: 0, let me kifs
This princefs of pure white, this feal of blifs!

I That is, mifake. 2 i. e. all love-fick. quality. 5 i. e. Harrafs, or torment. for a circle; here he means the stars.

Hel. Ofpight! O hell! I fee you all are bent To fet againft mo, for your merriment. If you were civil, and knew courtesy, You would not do me thus much injury.

5 Can you not hate me, as I know you do, But you must join, in fouls 3, to mock me too? If you were men, as men you are in show, You would not use a gentle lady so; To vow, and fwear, and fuperpraise my parts, 10 When, I am fure, you hate me with your hearts. You both are rivals, and love Hermia;

And now both rivals to mock Helena:

A trim exploit, a manly enterprize, To conjure tears up in a po.r maid's eyes, 15 With your derifion! None, of nobler fort*, Would fo offend a virgin; and extort s A poor foul's patience, all to make you sport.

Lyf. You are unkind, Demetrius; be not fo; For you love Hermia; this, you know, I know: 20 And here, with all good-will, with all my heart, In Hermia's love I yield you up my part; And yours of Helena to me bequeath, Whom I do love, and will do to my death.

35

Look, where thy love comes; yonder is thy dear. Enter Hermia.

Her. Dark night, that from the eye his function The ear more quick of apprehenfion makes; [takes, Wherein it doth impair the feeing fense,

It pays the hearing double recompence :— Thou art not by mine eye, Lyfander, found; 40 Mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy found. But why unkindly didft thou leave me fo?

145]

Lyf. Why should he stay, whom love doth prefs to go?

Her. What love could prefs Lyfander from my fide?

Lyf. Lyfander's love, that would not let him bide, Fair Helena; who more engilds the night Than all yon fiery o's 7, and eyes of light. [know, Why feek'ft thou me? could not this make thee 50 The hate I bear thee made thee leave me fo?

Her. You speak not as you think; it cannot be. Hel. Lo, the is one of this confederacy! Now I perceive they have conjoin'd, all three, To fashion this falfe fport in fpight of me. 55 Injurious Hermia! moft ungrateful maid! Have you confpir'd, have you with thefe contriv'd To bait me with this foul derifion?

Is all the counfel that we two have shar'd, The fifters' vows, the hours that we have spent, 60 When we have chid the hafty-footed time For parting us-O, and is all forgot? All fchool-day friendship, childhood innocence?

4 Sart is here used for degree or 7 Shakspeare fometimes ufes O

We,

We, Hermia, like two artificial gods,
Have with our neelds created both one flower,
Both on one fampler, fitting on one cushion,
Both warbling of one song, both in one key;
As if our hands, our fides, voices, and minds,
Had been incorporate. So we grew together,
Like to a double cherry, feeming parted;
But yet a union in partition,

Two lovely berries moulded on one stem:
So, with two feeming bodies, but one heart;
Two of the firft, like coats in heraldry,

Due but to one, and crowned with one creft.
And will you rent our ancient love asunder,
To join with men in fcorning your poor friend?
It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly:
Our fex, as well as I, may chide you for it;
Though I alone do feel the injury.

Her. I am amazed at your paffionate words:
I fcorn you not; it feems that you scorn mẹ,
Hel. Have you not fet Lyfander, as in fcorn,
To follow me, and praise my eyes and face?
And made your other love, Demetrius,
(Who even but now did spurn me with his foot)
To call me goddefs, nymph, divine, and rare,
Precious, celeftial? Wherefore speaks he this
To her he hates? and wherefore doth Lysander
Deny your love, fo rich within his foul,
And tender me, forfooth, affection;
But by your fetting on, by your confent?
What though I be not fo in grace as you,
So hung upon with love, so fortunate;
But miferable most, to love unlov'd?
This you should pity, rather than despise.

Her. I understand not what you mean by this. Hel. Ay, do, perfever, counterfeit fad looks, Make mouths upon me when I turn my back; Wink at each other; hold the sweet jeft up: This fport, well carry'd, shall be chronicled. If you have any pity, grace, or manners, You would not make me fuch an argument 3. But, fare ye well; 'tis partly mine own fault; Which death, or abfence, soon shall remedy.

Lyf. Stay, gentle Helena; hear my excufe; My love, my life, my foul, fair Helena !

Or I will shake thee from me, like a ferpent.
Her. Why are you grown fo rude? what change
Sweet love?
[is this,
Lyf. Thy love? out, tawny Tartar, out!

5 Out, loathed medicine! hated potion, hence!
Her. Do you not jest?

Hel. Yes, 'footh; and fo do you.

Lyf. Demetrius, I will keep my word with thee. Dem. I would, I had your bond: for, I perceive, 10A weak bond holds you; I'll not trust your word. Lyf. What, fhould I hurt her, ftrike her, kill her Although I hate her, I'll not harm her fo. [dead? Her. What, can you do me greater harm, than hate?

15 Hate me! wherefore? O me! what news, my

30

Her. O me! you juggler! oh, you canker-blossom4! You thief of love! what, have you come by night, And ftol'n my love's heart from him?

Hel. Fine, i' faith!

Have you no modesty, no maiden shame, No touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear Impatient anfwers from my gentle tongue ? Fie, fie! you counterfeit, you puppet, you! 35 Her. Puppet! why fo? Ay, that way goes the game. Now I perceive that the hath made compare Between our ftatures; the hath urg'd her height; And with her perfonage, her tall perfonage, Her height, forfooth, she hath prevail'd with him.40 And are you grown fo high in his esteem, Because I am fo dwarfish and so low? How low am I, thou painted maypole? speak; How low am I? I am not yet fo low,

451

I fwear by that which I will lofe for thee,
To prove him falfe, that fays I love thee not.
Dem. Ifay, I love thee more than he can do.
Lyf. If thou fay so, withdraw, and prove it too.
Dem. Quick, come,—

Her. Lyfander, whereto tends all this?
Lyf. Away, you Ethiop!

Dem. No, no, fir, he'll

Seem to break loofe; take on, as you would follow;
But yet come not: You are a tame man, go!
Lyf. Hang off, thou cat, thou burr: vile thing,
let loose;

But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes.
Hel. I pray you, though you mock me, gentlemen,
Let her not hurt me: I was never curst;

I have no gift at all in fhrewishness;

I am a right maid for my cowardice;

Let her not ftrike me: You, perhaps, may think,
Because she's something lower than myself,
That I can match her.

Her. Lower! hark, again.

Hel. Good Hermia, do not be fo bitter with me. I evermore did love you, Hermia;

55 Did ever keep your counfels, never wrong'd you; Save that, in love unto Demetrius,

I told him of your stealth unto this wood: He follow'd you; for love, I follow'd him. But he hath chid me hence; and threaten'd me 60 To ftrike me, fpurn me, nay, to kill me too And now, fo you will let me quiet go, To Athens will I bear my folly back,

And