To prove him false, that says I love thee not. But he hath chid me hence; and threaten 'd me
Dem. I say, I love thee more than he can do. To strike me, spurn me, nay, to kill me too :
Lys. If thou say so, withdraw, and prove it too. And now, so you will let me quiet go,
Denne Quick, come, –

To Athens will I bear my folly back,
Her.

Lysander, whereto tends all this? And follow you no further: Let me go:
Lys. Away, you Ethiop!

You see how simple and how fond I am.
Dem.
No, no, sir:-he will

Her. Why, get you gone: Who is't that hinders you?
Seem to break loose ; take on, as you would follow; Hel. A foolish heart, that I leave here behind.
But yet come not : You are a tamne man, go!

Her. What, with Lysander ? Lys. Hang off, thou cat, thou burt: vile thing let

Hel.

With Demetrius. loose;

Lys. Be not afraid : she shall not harm thee, Helena. Or I will shake thee from me, like a serpent.

Dem. No, sir; she shall not, though you take her part. Her. Why are you grown so rude? what change is Hel. O, when she's angry, she is keen and shrewd: this,

She was a vixen, when she went to school;
Sweet love?

And, though she be but little, she is fierce.
Lys. Thy love? out, tawny Tartar, out ! Her, Little again ? nothing but low and little
Out, loathed medicine! hated potion, hence !

Why will you suffer her to flout me thus?
Her. Do you not jest?

Let me come to her.
Hel
Yes, 'sooth ; and so do you.

Lys.

Get you gone, you dwarf; Lys. Demetrius, I will keep my word with thee.

You minimus, of hind'ring knot-grass made; Dem. I would, I had your bond; for, I perceive,

You bead, you acorn. A weak bond holds you ; I'll not trust your word.

Dem.

You are too officious, Lys. What, should I hurt her, strike her, kill her | In her behalf that scorns your services. dead?

Let her alone; speak not of Helena; Although I hate her, I'll not harm her so.

Take not her part: for if thou dost intend Her. What, can you do me greater harm, than hate?

Never so little show of love to her, Hate me! wherefore? O me! what news, my love?

Thou shalt aby it. Am not 1 Hermia ? Are not you Lysander?

Lys.

Now she holds me not ; I am as fair now, as I was erewhile.

Now follow, if thou darst; to try whose right, Since night, you lov'd me; yet, since night you left

Or thine or mine, is most in Helena. me :

Dem. Follow ? nay, I'll go with thee, cheek by jole. Why, then you left me,-0, the gods forbid !

[Ere. Lys. and Dem. In earnest, shall I say?

Her. You, mistress, all this coil is 'long of you: Lyr. Ay, by my life;

Nay, go not back. And never did desire to see thee more.

Hel.

I will not trust you, I; Therefore, be out of hope, of question, doubt, Nor longer stay in your curst company. Be certain, nothing truer; 'tis no jest,

Your hands, than mine, are quicker for a fray; That I do hate thee, and love Helena.

My legs are longer though, to run away. [Exit. Her. O me! you juggler! you canker-blossom!

Her. I am amaz’d, and know not what to say. Top thief of love! what, have you come by night,

[Esrit, pursuing Helena. And stola my love's heart from him?

06. This is thy negligence : still thou mistak'st, Hel.

Fine, i' faith!

Or else committ'st thy knaveries wilfully. Have you no modesty, no maiden shame,

Puck. Believe me, king of shadows, I mistook. Ko touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear

Did you not tell me, I should know the man Inpatient answers from my gentle tongue?

By the Athenian garments he had on? Fie, fie! you counterfeit, you puppet you !

And so far blameless proves my enterprize, Her. Puppet! why so? Ay, that way goes the game. That I have ’nointed an Athenian's eyes; Now I perecive that she hath made compare

And so far am I glad it so did sort, Between our statures, she hath urgʻd her height; As this their jangling I esteem a sport. And with her personage, her tall personage,

Ob. Thou seest, these lovers seek a place to fight : Her height, forsooth, she hath prevaild with him.

Hie therefore, Robin, overcast the night; And are you grown so high in his esteem,

The starry welkin cover thou anon
Because I am so dvarfish, and so low?

With drooping fog, as black as Acheron;
How low am I, thou painted may-pole? speak; And lead these testy rivals so astray,
How low am I? I am not yet so low,

As one come not within another's way.
But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes. Like to Lysander sometime frame thy tongue,
kel. I pray you, though you mock me, gentlemen , || Then stir Demetrius up with bitter wrong ;
Let her not hurt me: I was never curst;

And sometime rail thou like Demetrius;
I have no gift at all in shrewishness;

And from each other look thou lead them thus, I am a right raid for my cowardice;

Till o'er their brows death-counterfeiting sleep Lat her not strike me: You, perhaps, may think, With leaden legs and batty wings doth creep: Because she's something lower than myself,

Then crush this herb into Lysander's eye;
That I can match her.

Whose liquor hath this virtuous property,
Lower! härk, again.

To take from thenee all error, with his might,
Hd. Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me.
I evermore did love you, Hermia,

And make his eye-balls roll with wonted sight.
Did ever keep your counsels, never wrong'd you ;

When they next wake, all this derision Save that, in love unto Demetrius,

Shall seem a dream, and fruitless vision ; I told him of your stealth into this wood.

And back to Athens shall the lovers wend,

With league, whose date till death shall never end. Le follow'd you; for love, I follow'd him.

Whiles I in this affair do thee employ,

Hier.

(Lies down

bring me the honey-bag. Do not fret yourself 100 much in the action, monsieur; and, good monsieur,

Bot. Give me your nief, monsieur Mustard-seed,

I'll to my queen, and beg her Indian boy;

Now, go thy way. Faintness constraineth me
And then I will her charmed eye release

To measure out my length on this cold bed.
From monster's view, and all things shall be peace. By day's approach look to be visited.
Puck. My fairy lord, this must be done with haste ;

[Lies daun and sleeps For night's swift dragons cut the clouds full fast,

Enter Helena. And yonder shines Aurora's harbinger;

Hel. O weary night, o long and tedious night, At whose approach, ghosts, wandering here and there, Abate thy hours : shine, comforts, from the east; Troop home to churcb-yards : damned spirits all, That I may back to Athens, by day-light, That in cross-ways and floods have burial,

From these that my poor company detest :Already to their wormy beds are gone;

And, sleep, that sometime shuts up sorrow's eye,
For fear lest day should look their shames upon, Steal me a while from mine own company. (Sleeps,
They wilfully exile themselves from light,

Puck. Yet but true? Come one more;
And must for aye consort with black-brow'd night. Two of both kinds makes up four,
Ob. But we are spirits of another sort :

Here she comes, curst and sad :-
I with the morning's love have oft made sport;

Cupid is a knavish lad, And, like a forester, the groves may tread,

Thus to make poor females mad. Even till the eastern gate, all fiery-red,

Enter Hermia. Opening on Neptune with fair blessed beams,

Her. Never so weary, never so in woe, Turns into yellow gold his salt-green streams.

Bedabbled with the dew, and torn with briers ; But, notwithstanding, haste; make no delay:

I can no further crawl, no further go;
We may effect this business yet ere day. [E.rit Ob.
Puck. Up and down, up and down;

My legs can keep no pace with my desires.
I will lead them up and down :

Here will I rest me, till the break of day.
I am fear'd in field and town;

Heavens shield Lysander, if they mean a fray!
Goblin, lead them up and down.

Puck. On the ground
Here comes one.

Sleep sound:
Enter Lysander.

I'll apply
Lys. Where art thou, proud Demetrius ? speak thon

To your eye, now.

Gentle lover, remedy. Puck. Here, villain; diawn and ready. Where art

[Squeezing the juice on Lysander's eyes thou?

When thou wakost,
Lys. I will be with thee straight.

Thou tak'st
Puck.
Follow me then

True delight
To plainer ground. [Exit Lys. as following the voice.

In the sight
Enter Demetrius.

Of thy former lady's eye:
Dem.
Lysander! speak again.

And the country proverb known
Thou runaway, thou coward, art thou fed?

That every man should take his own, Speak. In some bush? Where dost thou hide thy

In your waking shall be shown : head?

Jack shall have Jill; Puck. Thou coward, art thou bragging to the stars,

Nought shall go ill; Telling the bushes that thou look'st for wars,

The man shall have his nare again, and all shall be

well. And wilt no: come? Come, recreant; come, thou child;

[Etit Puck-Dem Hel. ớc. auer I'll whip thee with a rod: He is defild, That draws a sword on thee. Dem. Yea; art thou there?

ACT IV. Puck. Follow my voice; we'll try no manhood here.

SCENE I.-The same. [Exeunt.

Enter Titania and Bottom, Re-enter Lysander.

Fairies attending ; Oberon behind unscerlo

Titania. Lys. He goes before me, and still dares me on; COME, sit thee down upon this flowery bed, When I come where he calls, then he is gone.

While I thy amiable checks do coy, The villain is much lighter heeld than 1:

And stick muck-roses in thy sleek smooth head, I follow'd fast, but faster he did fly;

And kiss thy fair large ears, my gentle joy. That fallen am I, in dark uneven way,

Bot. Where's Peas-blossom? And here will rest me. Come, thou gentle day!

Peas. Ready.

[Lies down. For if but once thou show me thy grey light,

Bot. Scratch my head, Peas-blossom.-Where's mon

sieur Cobweb? I'll find Demetrius, and revenge this spite. [Sleeps.

Cob. Ready.
Re-enter Puck and Demetrius.

Bot. Monsieur Cobweb; good monsieur, get your Puck. Ho, ho! ho, ho!, Coward, why com'st thou weapons in your hand, and kill me a red-hipped humnot?

ble-bee on the top of a thistle ; and, good monsieur, Dem. Abide me, if thou dar'st ; for well I wot, Thou runn'st before me, shifting every place ; And dar`st not stand, nor look me in the face.. have a care the honey-bag break not; I would be loath Where art thou ?

to have you overflown with a honey-bag, signior.Puck. Come hither; I am bere.

Where's monsieur Mustard-seed? Dem. Nay, then thou mock'st me. Thou shalt buy Must. Ready.

this dear, If ever I thy face by day-light see :

Pray you, leave your courtesy, good monsieur.

Nust. What's your will?

06. Sound, music. (Still music.] Come, my queen, Bete Nothing, good monsieur, but to help cavalero take hand with me, Cobweb to scratch. I must to the barber's, monsieur ; || And rock the ground wherron these sleepers be. fer, nethinks, I am mawellous hairy about the face : Now thou and I are new in amity; and I am such a tender ass, if my hair do but tickle And will, to-morrow midnight, solemnly, the, I must scratch.

Dance in duke Theseus' horse triumphantly, Tica. What, wilt thou hear some music, my sweet And bless it to all fair posterity: love?

There shall the pairs of faithful lovers ble Bat. I have a reasonable good ear in music: let us Wedded, with Theseus, all in jollity. have the tongs and the bones.

Puck. Fairy king, attend, and mark; Titaz. Or, say, sweet love, what thou desir'st to eat. I do hear the morning lark. Bot. Truly, a peck of provender; I could munch 06. Then, my queen, in silence sad, your good dry oats. Methinks, I have a great desire to Trip we after the night's shade : a bottle of hay: good hay, sweet hay, hath no fellow. We the globe can compass soon, Tite. I have a venturous fairy that shall seck

Swifter than the wanı'ring moon. The squirrel's hoard, and fetch thee new nuts.

Tita. Come, my lord; and in our flight, Bd. I had rather have a handful, or two, of dried Tell me how it came this night, pens But, I pray you, let none of your people stir That I sleeping here was found, me; I have an exposition of sleep come upon me. With these mortals, on the ground. [Exeunt. Tite. Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my arms.

[Horns sound within. Fairies, be gone, and be all ways away.

Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus, and truin. So doth the woodbine, the sweet honey suckle,

The. Go, one of you, find out the forester ;Gently entwist,-the female ivy so

For now our observation is performd:
Eurings the barky fingers of the elm.

And since we have the vaward of the day,
Q, how I love thee! how I dote on thee! [They sleep. | My love shall hear the music of my hounds.
Oberon advances. Enter Puck.

-Uncouple in the western valley; go:

Despatch, I say, and find the forester. Oł. Welcome, good Robin. See'st thou this sweet

-We will, fair queen, up to the mountain's top, sight?

And mark the musical confusion Der dotage now I do begin to pity.

Of hounds and echo in conjunction. Por meeting her of late, behind the wood,

Hip. I was with Hercules, and Cadmus, once, Seeking sweet savours for this hateful fool,

When in a wood of Crete they bay'd the bear I did upbraid her, and fall out with her:

With hounds of Spaita : never did I hear For she his hairy temples then had rounded

Such gallant chiding; for, besides the groves, With coronet of fresh and fragrant flowers ;

The skies, the fountains, every region near And lat same dew, which sometime on the buds

Seem'd all one mutu

cry: I never heard Was wont to swell, like round and orient pearls,

So musical a discord, such sweet thunder. Steed now within the pretty flowrets' eyes,

The. My hounds are bred out of the Spartan kind, Like tears, that did their own disgrace bewail.

So flewd, so sanded ; and their heads are hung When I kad, at my pleasure, taunted her,

With ears that sweep away the morning dew; And she, in mild terms, begg'd my patience,

Crook-knee'd, and dew-lap'd like Thessalian bulls ; I then did ask of her her changeling child ;

Slow in pursuit, but match'd in mouth like bells, Which straight she gave me, and her fairy sent

Each under each. A cry more tuneable To bear him to my bower in fairy land.

Was never hullad to, nor cheer'd with horn, And now I have the boy, I will undo

In Crete, in Sparta, nor in Thessaly: This hateful imperfection of her eyes.

Judge, when you hear. But, soft; what nymphs are Amd gentle Puck, take this transformed scalp

these? Frua off the head of this Athenian swain;

Ege. My lord, this is my daughter here asleep ; That be awaking when the other do, May all to Athens back again repair ;

And this, Lysander; this Demetrius is;

This Helena, old Nedar's Helena: And think no more of this night's accidents,

I wonder of their being here together. • But as the fierce vexation of a dream. Bat first I will release the fairy queen.-

The. No doubt, they rose up early, to observe

The rite of Play; and, hearing our intent, Be, as thou wast wont to be;

Came here in grace of our solemnity.[Touching her eyes with an herb.

But, speak, Egeus; is not this the day See, as thou wast wont to see:

That Hermia should give answer of her choice? Dian's bud o'er Cupid's flower Hath such force and blessed power.

Ege: It is, my lord.

The. Go, bid the huntsmen wake them with their Now, my Titania ; wake you, my sweet queen.

horns. Tita. My Oberon! what visions have I seen! Methought, I was enamourd of an ass.

Horns, and shout within. Demetrius, Isysander, Her0%. There lies your love.

mia, and Helena, weke and start up. How came these things to pass ?

The. Good-morrow, friends. Saint Valentine is past; O, box mine eyes do loath his visage now !

Begin these wood-birds but to couple now? 06. Silence a-while-Robin, take off this head.- Lys. Pardon, my lord. Titania, music call; and strike more dead

[lie and the rest kneel to Theseus. "Num common sleep, of all these five the sense.

The

I pray you all, stand up. Tita. Music, ho! musie; such as charmeth sleep. I know, you are two rival enemies ; Puck. Now when thou wak'st, with thine own fool's How comes this gentle concord in the worki, eyes peep

That hatred is so far from jenlousy,

Tite.

linen; and let not him, that plays the lion, pare his SCEVE 1.-The same. An Apartment in the Palace

Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Philor *TIS strange, my Theseus, that these lovers speak

The. More strange than true. I never may believe

To sleep by hate, and fear no enmity?

heard, the ear of man hath not seen; man's hand is Lys. My lord, I shall reply amazedly,

not able to taste, his tongue to conceive, nor his heart Half 'sleep, half waking: But as yet, I swear, to report, what my dream was. I will get Peter I cannot truly say how I came here:

Quince to write a ballad of this dream : it shall be But, as I think (for truly would I speak,

called Bottom's Dream, because it hath no bottom; And now I do bc:think me, so it is ;)

and I will sing it in the latter end of a play, before the I came with Hermia hither: our intent

duke: Peradventure, to make it the more gracious, Was, to be gone from Athens, where we might be I shall sing it at her death.

[Exit. Without the peril of the Athenian law. Ege. Enouglu, enough, my lord ; you have enough:

SCENE II.-Athens. 1 Room in Quince's House. I beg the law, the law, upon his head.

Enter Quince, Flute, Snout, and Starveling. They would have stol'n away, they would, Demetrius, Quin. Have you sent to Bottom's house ? is he come Thereby to have defeated you and me:

home yet? You, of your wife; and me, of my consent ;

Star. He cannot be heard of. Out of douby, be is Of my consent that she should be your wife.

transported. Dem. My lord, fair Helen told me of their sttalth, Flu. If he come not, then the play is marred; it Of this their purpose hither, to this wood;

goes not forward, doth it? And I in fury hither follow'd them;

Quin. It is not possible: you have not a man in all Fair Helena in fancy following me.

Athens, able to discharge Pyramus, but he. But, my good lord, I wot not by what power,

Flu. No; he hath simply the best wit of any bandy (But by some power it is,) my love to Hermia,

craft man in Athens. Melted as doth the snow, seems to me now

Quin. Yea, and the best person too: and he is a As the remembrance of an idle gawd,

very paramour, for a sweet voice. Which in my childhood I did dote upon:

Flu. You must say, paragon: a paramour is, God And all the faith, the virtue of my heart,

bless us, a thing of nought. The object, and the pleasure of mine eye,

Enter Snug.
Is only Helena. To her, my lord,
Was I betroth'd ere I saw Hermia :

Snug. Masters, the duke is coming from the tein

ple, and there is two or three lords and ladies more But, like in sickness, did I loath this food :

married: if our sport had gone forward, we had all But, as in health, come to my natural taste,

been made men. Now do I wish it, love it, long for it, And will for evermore be true to it.

Flu. O sweet bully Bottom! Thus hath he lost six The. Fair lovers, you are fortunately met:

pence a-day during his life; he could not have 'scaped Of this discourse we more will hear anon.

six pence a day: an the duke had not given him sit Egeus, I will overbear your will ;

pence a-day for playing Pyramus, I'll be hanged; he

would have deserved it: six pence a-day, in Pyramus, For in the temple, by and by with us, These couples shall eternally be knil.

or nothing. And, for the morning now is something worn,

Enter Bottom. Our purpos 'd bunting shall be set aside.

Bot. Where are these lads? where are these hearts? Away, with us, to Athens : Three and three,

Quin. Bottom:-0 most courageous day! O most We'll hold a feast in great solumnity:

happy hour. Come, Hippolyta. [Ere. The. Hip. Ege. and train. Bot. Masters, I am to discourse wonders: but ask Denr. These things seem small, and undistinguisha. me not what ; for, if I tell you, I am no true Athenian.

I will tell you every thing, right as it fell out. Like far-off mountains turned into clouds.

Quin. Let us hear, sweet Bottom. Her. Methinks, I see these things with parted eye, Bot. Not a word of me. All that I will tell you, When every thing seems double.

that the duke hath dined: Get your apparel togethHel,

So methinks: er; good strings to your bevards, new ribbons to your And I have found Demetrius like a jewel,

pumps; meet presently at the palace; every man Mine own, and not mine own.

look o'er his part; for, the short and the long is, our Dem.

It seems to me,

play is preferred. In any case, let Thishy have clean 'That yet we sleep, we dream.-Do not you think, The duke was here and bid us follow him?

nails, for they shall hang out for the lion's claws Her. Yea; and my father.

And, most dear actors, eat no onions, nor garlic, for Hel. And Ilippolyta.

we are to utter sweet breath ; and I do not doubt, but Lys. And be did bid us follow to the temple. to hear them say, it is a sweet comedy. No more

Dem. Why then, we are awake : let's follow hiin; words; away; go, away.
And, by the way, let us recount our dreams. [Exeunt.

As they go out, Bottom arrakee.
Bot. When my cue comes, call me, and I will an-

ACT V.
swer:-my next is, Most fair Pyramus.-Hey, ho! -
Peter Quince! Flute, the bellow's-mender! Snout, the of Theseus.
tinktr! Starveling! God's my life! stolen hence, and trate, Lords, and attendants.
left me asleep! I have had a most rare vision. I have

Hippolyta.
had a dream,-past the wit of man to say what dream
it was: Man is but an ass, if he go about to expound of.
this dream. Methought I was--there is no man can
tell what. Méthought I was, and methought I had,- || These antique fables, nor these fairy toys.
But man is but a patched tool, if he will offer to say
what liitthonight I lind. The eye of man hath not

Lovers, and madmen, lave such seething brains,
Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend

ble,

is.

[E.xcutul.