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But scant he lays him on the floor, When hollow winds remove the door,

And, trembling, rocks the ground : And, well I ween to count. aright,

At once a hundred tapers light

On all the walls around.

Now sounding tongues assail his ear,
Now sounding feet approachen near,
And now the sounds increase:
And from the corner where he lay
He sees a train profusely gay
Come prankling o'er the place.

But (trust me, Gentles!) never yet
Was dight a masquing half so neat,

Or half so rich, before;

The country lent the sweet perfumes, The sea the pearl, the sky the plumes,

The town its silken store.

Now whilst he gaz'd, a gallant, drest

In flaunting robes above the rest,

With awful accent cry'd;

What mortal of a wretched mind,

Whose sighs infect the balmy wind,
Has here presum❜d to hide ?

At this the swain, whose vent'rous soul No fears of magic art controul,

Advanc'd in open sight;

"Nor have I cause of dreed, he said,

"Who view, by no presumption led,

"Your revels of the night.

""Twas grief, for scorn of faithful love,. "Which made my steps unweeting rove "Amid the nightly dew."

""Tis well, the gallant cries again,

"We fairies never injure men

"Who dare to tell us true.

"Exalt thy love-dejected heart,

"Be mine the task, or ere we part,

"To make thee grief resign;

"Now take the pleasure of thy chaunce;

"Whilst I with MAB, my partner, daunce, "Be little MABLE thine."

He spoke, and all a sudden there
Light music floats in wanton air;
The monarch leads the queen:

The rest their fairy partners found:
And MABLE trimly tripp'd the ground

With EDWIN of the Green.

The dauncing past, the board was laid,

And siker such a feast was made,

As heart and lip desire;

Withouten hands the dishes fly,

The glasses with a wish come nigh,

And with a wish retire.

But now, to please the fairy king,

Full every deal they laugh and sing,
And antic feats devise ;

Some wind and tumble like an ape,

And other some transmute their shape
In EDWIN'S wond'ring eyes.

Till one at last, that ROBIN hight,
Renown'd for pinching maids by night,
Has hent him up aloof;

And full against the beam he flung,

Where by the back the youth he hung

To spraul unneath the roof.

From thence," Reverse my charm,” he cries,

"And let it fairly now suffice

"The gambol has been shown."

But OBERON answers with a smile,

"Content thee, EDWIN, for a while, "The 'vantage is thine own."

Here ended all the phantom-play;

They smelt the fresh approach of day,

And heard a cock to crow;

The whirling wind that bore the crowd

Ilas clapp'd the door, and whistled loud,

To warn them all to go.

Then screaming all at once they fly,

And all at once the tapers dye;

Poor EDWIN falls to floor:

Forlorn his state, and dark the place,

Was never wight in such a case
Through all the land before.

But soon as Dan APOLLO rose,
Full jolly creature home he goes,
He feels his back the less;

Ilis honest tongue and steady mind
Ilad rid him of the lump behind,

Which made him want success.

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