Follying (her womb then rich with my young squire) haunts. Ob. Give me that boy, and I will go with thee. Queen. Not for thy fairy kingdom. Elves, away: We shall chide downright, if I longer stay. [Exeunt Queen and her train. Ob. Well, go thy way: thou shalt not from this grove, "Till I torment thee for this injury. My gentle Puck, come hither; thou remember'ft And heard a mermaid, on a dolphin's back, And certain ftars fhot madly from their spheres, Puck. I remember. Ob. That very time I faw, but thou could'st not, At Would imitate;] Following what? She did not follow the ship whofe motion the imitated; for that failed on the water, fhe on the land. And if by following, we are to understand, copying; it is a mere pleonafm, that meaning being included in the word imitate. From circumftances in the context, there is great reason to think our Author wrote, follying, i. e. wantoning, in fport and gaiety; fo the old writers used follity for foolishness; and both words are from, and in the fenfe of folatrer, to play the wanton. And this admirably agrees with the action, for which the is here commended, and with the context;full iften bas he goffip'd by my fide, and, When we bave laugh'd to fee, &c. Mr. Warburton, (9) Cupid all arm'd ;] Surely, this prefents us with a very unclaffical image. Where do we read or fee, in ancient books, or monu ments, At a fair veftal, throned by the weft, And loos'd his love-fhaft fmartly from his bow, In maiden meditation, fancy free. Yet mark'd I where the bolt of Cupid fell, Before milk-white, now purple with love's wound; Fetch me that flow'r.; (the herb I fhew'd thee once) Puck. I'll put a girdle round about the earth Ob. Having once this juice, I'll watch Titania when she is afleep, The next thing which the waking looks upon, [Exit. ments, Cupid aim'd more than with his bows and arrows? and with thefe we for ever fee him arm'd. And thefe are all the arms he had occafion for in this prefent action; a more illuftrious one, than any, his friends, the clafficks, ever brought him upon. -The change I make is fo fmall, but the beauty of the thought fo great, which this alteration carries with it, that, I think, we are not to hefitate upon it. For what an addition is this to the compliment made upon this Virgin Queen's celibacy, that it alarm'd the power of love? as if his empire was in danger, when this Imperial Votrefs had declared herfelf for a fingle life: fo powerful would her great example be in the world-Queen Elizabeth could not but be pleafed with our Author's address upon this head. Mr. Warburton. A Midfummer-Night's Dream. I'll make her render up her to me, But who comes here? I am invifible, (1c) Enter Demetrias, Helena following him. The one I'll flay; the other layeth me. (11) Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more. my heart Leave you your pow'r to draw, you. Dem. Do I entice you? do I fpeak you fair? Or rather do I not in plainest truth Tell you, I do not, nor I cannot, love you? Hel. And ev'n for that do I love thee the more; I am your fpaniel; and, Demetrius, you. my 97 Spirit; The more you beat me, I will fawn on you: Ufe me but as your spaniel, fpurn me, ftrike me, Neglect me, lofe me; only give me leave, Unworthy as I am, to follow What worfer place can I beg in your love, And yet a place of high refpect with me) Than to be used, as you use your dog? Dem. Tempt not too much the hatred of For I am fick, when I do look on thee. Hel. And I am fick, when I look not on you. (10) I am invifible,] I thought proper here to obferve, that, as Oberon, and Puck his attendant, may be frequently obferved to fpeak, when there is no mention of their entering; they are defigned by the Poet to be fuppofed on the flage during the greateft part of the remainder of the play; and to mix, as they pleafe, as fpirits, with the other actors; and embroil the plot, by their interpofition, wi.hout being feen, or heard, but when to their own purpose. (11) The one I'll Ray, the other Rayeth me.] Thus it has been in all the editions hitherto but Dr. Thirlby ingeniously saw, it must be, as I have conected in the text. Vol. I. f Dem. You do impeach your modesty too much, When all the world is here to look on me?. d Dem. I'll run from thee and hide me in the brakes, And leave thee to the mercy of wild beafts. Hel. The wildeft hath not fuch a heart as you; 9731 Dem. I will not tay thy queftions; let me go: Or if thou follow me, do not believe, lead of since fhall do thee mifchief in the wood. 1. Ay, in the temple, in the town, the field, fex: We fhou'd be woo'd, and were not made to woo. To die upon the hand, I love fo well. [Exeunt. Ob Fare thee well, nymph; ere he doth leave this grove, Thou shalt fly him, and he shall feek thy love. Haft thou the flow'r there? welcome, wanderer. Enter Puck. Puck. Ay, there it is. Ob. I pray thee, give it me;" I know a bank whereon the wild thyme blows, O'er Γ' "O'er-canopy'd with lufcious woodbine, no. And with the juice of this I'll freak her eyes, 1 And make her full of hateful fantafies. .1 ད་ 124 With a difdainful youth; anoint his eyes; Queen. Come, now a roundel, and a fairy long: Some my fmall elves coats; and fome keep back Some war with rear-mice for their leathern wings, To The clamorous owl, that nightly hoots, and wonders 124 to Fairies fingyas, pada wolleł 2 vo You spotted fnakes with double tongue.) ? vol Thorny hedgehogs, be not feen Newts and blind worms, do no wrong a bence, But the Queen (12) Then for the third part of employ'd for the remainder fets them work, that is to of the night: The Poet, them btedly, intended her to fay, dance your round, and fing your fong, and then instantly before the third part of a minute) begone to your respective duties, go gradu Philomel |