Dem. 0, why rebuke you him that loves you so? Look, when I vow, I weep; and vows so born, Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe.

In their nativity all truth appears. Her. Now I butchide, but I should use thee worse, How can these things in me seem scorn to you, For thou, I fear, has given me caure to curse. Bearing the badge of faith, to prove them. true? If thou hast slain Lysander in his sleep,

Hel. You do advance your cunning more and more. Being o'er shoes in blood, plunge in the deep,

When truth kills truth, O devilish-holy fray! And kill me too.

These vows are Hermia's; Will you give her o'er? The sun was not so true unto the day,

Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing weigh: As he to me : Would he have stolen away

Your vows to her and me, put in two scales, Prom sleeping Hermia ? I'll believe as soon,

Will even weigh; and both as light as tales. This whole earth may be bored ; and that the moon Lys. I had no judgment, when to her I swore. May through the centre creep, and so displease Hel. Nor none, in my mind, now you give her o'er. Her brother's noon-tide with the Antipodes.

Lys. Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you. It cannot be, but thou hast murder'd him;

Dem. (Awaking.) O Helen, goddess, nymph, perSo should a murderer look; so dead, so grim.

fect, divine! Dem. So should the murder'd look, and so should I To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne ? Piercell through the heart with your stern cruelty, Crystal is inuddy. O, how ripe in show Yet you, the murderer, look as bright, as clear, Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow! As youder Venus in her glinmering sphere. That pure congealed white, high Taurus' snow,

Per. What's this to iny Lysander? Where is he? Fann'd with the eastern wind, turns to a crow, Al, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him ine? When thou hold'st up thy hand : O let me kiss

Dem, I had rather give his carcase to my hounds. This princess of pure white, this seal of bliss !
Her. Out, dog! out, cur! thou driv'st me past thie Hel. O spite! O hell! I see you all are bent
bounds

To set against me for your merriment.
Of maiden's patience. Hast thou slain him then ? If you were civil, and knew courtesy,
Henceforth be never number'd among men! You would not do me thus much injury.
0! once tell true, tell true, even for my sake! Can you not hate me, as I know you do,
Durst thou have look'd upon him, being awake, But you must join, in souls *, to mock me too?
And hast thou kill'd him sleeping ? O brave touch *! If

you were men, as men yon are in show, Could not a worm, an adder, do so much?

You would not use a gentle lady so; An adder did it; for with a doubler tongue

To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts, Than thine, thou serpent, never adder stung. When, I am sure, you hate me with your hearts.

Dem. You spend your passion on a misprised + mood: Yon both are rivals, and love Hermia;
I am not guilty of Lysander's blood;

And now both rivals, to mock Helena:
Nor is he dead, for aught that I can tell.

A trim exploit, a manly enterprise,
Her. I pray thee, tell me then that he is well. To conjure tears up in a poor maid's eyes,
Dem. An if I could, what should I get therefore? With your derision ! None of noble sortt,
Her. A privilege uever to see me more.-

Would so offend a virgin ; and extort
And from thy hated presence part I so:

A poor soul's patience, all to make you sport. See me no more, whether he be dead or no. (Erit. Lys. You are unkind, Demetrius; be not so;

Dem. There is no following her in this fierce vein: For you love Hermia; this you know, I know : Here, therefore, for a while I will remain.

And here, with all good will, with all my heart, So sorrow's heaviness doth heavier grow

In Herinia's love I yield you up my part; For debt that bankrupt sleep doth sorrow owe; And yours of Helena to me bequeath, Which now in some slight measure it will pay, Whom I do love, and will do to my death. If for his tender here I make some stay. (Lies down. Hel. Never did mockers waste more idle breath. Obe. What hast thou done? Thou hast mistaken Dem. Lysander, keep thy Hermia; I will none : quite,

If e'er I loved her, all that love is gone.
And laid the love-juice on some true-love's sight: My heart with her but, as guest-wise, sojourn'd;
Of thy misprision must perforce ensue

And now to Helen is it home return'd,
Some true love turn'd, and not a false tarn'd true. There to remain.
Puck. Then fate o'er-rules; that, one man holding Lys. Helen, it is not so.
troth,

Dem. Desparage not the faith thou dust not know, A million fail, confounding oath on oath.

Lest, to thy peril, thou aby it dear 1.Obe. About the wood go swifter than the wind, Look, where thy love comes; yonder is thy dear, And Helena of Athens look thou find : All fancy-sick t she is, and pale of cheers

Enter HERMIA. With sighs of love, that cost the fresh blood dear: Her. Dark night, that from the eye his function By some illusion see thou bring her here ;

takes, l'Il charm his eyes, against she do appear.

The ear more quick of apprehension makes ; Puck. I go, I'go; look, how I go;

Wherein it doth impair the seeing sense, Swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow. (Exit. It pays the hearing dnuble recompence : Obe. Flower of this purple

Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander, found ; Hit with Cupid's archery,

Mine

ear, I thank it, brought me to thy sound. Sink in apple of his eyel

But why unkindly didst thou leave me so ? When his love he doth espy,

Lys. Why should he stay, whom love doth press Let her shine as gloriously

to go? As the Venus of the sky,

Her. What love could press Lysander from my When thou wak'st, if she be by,

side? Beg of her for remedy.

Lys. Lysander's love, that would not let him bide,

Fair Helena ; who more engilds the night
Re-enter Puck.

Than all yon fiery oes g and eyes of light.
Puck. Captain of our fairy band,

Why seek'st thou me? Could not this make thee Helena is here at hand;

know, And the youth, mistook by me,

The hate I bear thee made me leave thee so ? Pleading for a lover's fee;

Her. You speak not as you think; it cannot be. Shall we their fond pageant see?

Hel. Lo, she is one of this confederacy! Lord, what fools these mortals be!

Now I perceive they have conjoin'd, all three, Obe. Stand aside; the noise they make,

To fashion this false sport in spite of me. Will cause Demetrios to awake.

Injurions Hermia! most ungraieful maid ! Puck. Then will two, at once, woo one ;

Have you conspired, have you with these contrived That must needs be sport alone:

To bait me with this foul derision ? And those things do best please me,

Is all the counsel that we too have shared, That befal preposterously.

The sisters' vows, the hours that we have spent,

When we have chid the hastyfooted time
Enter LYSANDER and HELENA.

For parting us,-0, and is all forgot?
Lys. Why should you think, that I should woo in All school-days" friendship, childhood innocence ?
Scorn and derision never come in tears :

We, Hermia, like two artificial | gods,
• Heartily.

+ Degree.
Mistaken.
Love-sick." Pay dearly for it.

$ Circles.
Countenance,

( Ingenious.

Exploit.

i

Have with our neelds * created both one flower, Her. O me! you juggler! you canker-blossoin !
Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion,

You thiet of love: Whai, have you come by nigh
Both warbling of one song, both in one key; And stolen my love's heart from him ?
As if our hands, our sides, voices, and minds,

Hel. Fine, i' faith!
Had been incorporate. So we grew together, Have you no mode-ty, no maiden shame,
Like to a double cherry, seemin parted;

No touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear
But yet a union in partition,

Impatient answers from iny gentle tongue !
Two lovely berries inoulded on one stem :

Fie, fie! you counterteit, you puppet, you!
So, with two seeming bodies, but one heart;

Her. Puppet! Why so! Ay, that way goes the
Two of the first, like coats in heraldry,

game,
Due but to one, aud crowned with one crest.

Now I perceive that she hath made compare
And will you reut our ancient love asunder, Between our statures, she hath urged her height;
To join with men in scorning your poor friend? Aud with her personage, her tall personage,
It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly :

Her height forsooth, she bath prevail'd with him.
Our sex, as well as I, chide you for it;

And are you grown so high in his esteem,
Though I alone do feel the injury.

Because I am so dwarfish, and so low?
ller. I am amazed at your passionate words: How low am I, thou painted maypole? Speak,
I scorn you not; it seems that you scorn me.

How low ain I, I am not yet so low,
Hel. Have you not set Lysander, as in scorn, But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes
To follow me, and praise my eyes and face?

Hel. I pray you, though you mock me, gentle-
And made your other love, Demetrius,

men,
(Who even but now did spurn me with his foot,)

Let her not hurt me: I was never curst t;
To call me goddess, nympli, divine, and rare, I have no gift at all in shrewishness,
Precious, celestial ? Wherefore speaks be this I am a right maid for my cowardice;
To her he hates? And wherefore doth Lysander Let her not strike me : you perhaps may think,
Deny your love, so rich within his soul

Because she's something lower than myself,
And tender me, forsooth, affection;

That I can match her.
But by your setting on, by your consent?

Her. Lower! hark, again.
What though I be not so in grace as you,

Hel. Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me.
So hung upon with love, so fortunate;

Ievermore did love you, Hermia,
But miserable most, to love unloved ?

Did ever keep your councils, never wrong'd you;
This you should pity, rather than despive.

Save that in love unto Demetrius,
Her. I understand not what you mean by this. I told him of your stealth unto this wood :
Hel. Ay, do, persever, counterfeit sad looks, He follow'd you ; for love, I follow'd him.
Make mows + upon me when I turn my back; But he hath chid me hence; and threaten't me
Wink at each other; hold the sweet jest up: To strike me, spurn me, nay, to kill me loo;
This sport, well carried, shall be chronicled.

And now, so you will let me quiet go,
If you have any pity, grace or manners,

To Athens will I bear my folly back,
You would not make me such an argument.

And follow you no further: let me go :
But, fare ye well: 'lis partly mine own fault; You see how simple and how fond: I am.
Which death, or absence, soon shall remedy.

Her. Why get you gone : Who is't that hinders
Lys. Stay, gentle Helena; hear my excuse;

you? My love, my lite, my soul, fair Helena!

Hel. A foolish heart, that I leave here behind. Hel. O excellent!

llor. What, with Lysander ? Her. Sweet, do not scorn her so.

llel. With Demetrius. Dem. If she cannot entreat, I can compel.

Lys. Be not afraid: she shall not harm thee lie. Lys. Thou canst compel no more than she entreat;

lena. Thy threats have no more strength, than her weak Dem. No, Sir; she shall not, though you take her prayers.

part. Helen, I love thee ; by my life, I do;

Hel. 0, when she's angry, she is keen and
I swear by that which I will lose for thee,

shrewd:
To prove him false, that says I love thee not. She was a vixen when she went to school;

Dem. I say, I love thee more than he can do. And though she be but little, she is tierce.
Lys. If thou say so, withdraw, and prove it too. Her. Liule again? Nothing but low and little -
Dem. Quick, come,-

Why will you s fter her to flout me thus ?
Her. Lysander, whereto tends all this?

Let me come to her.
Lys. Away, you Ethiop!

Lys. Get you gone, you dwarf;
Dam. No, no, Sir :--He will

You miniinus, of hind'ring knot-grass 5 made ;
Seem to break loose; take on, as you would follow; You bead, you acorn.
But yet come not: you are a tame man, go !

Dem. You are too oficious,
Lys. Hang off, thou cat, thou burr: vile thing, In her behalf that scorns your services.
let loose ;

Let her alone ; speak not ot Helena ;
Or I will shake thee froin me, like a serpent. Take not her part : for if tl:ou dost intend ||
Her. Why are you grown so rude? What change Never so little show of love to her,
is this,

Thou shalt aby it.
Sweet love?

Lys. Now she holds me not;
Lys. Thy love ? Out, tawny Tartar, out!

Now follow, if thou dar’st, to try whose right,
Out, loathed medicine! Hated potion, hence! Or thine or mine, is most in Helena.
Her. Do you not jest?

Dem. Follow? Nay I'll go with thee, cheek by
Hel. Yes, sooth; and so do yon.

jole.

(Errunt Lys, and Dem. Lys. Demetrius, I will keep my word with thee. Her. You, mistress, all this coil is 'long of you :

Dem. I would, I had your bond : for, I perceive, Nay, go not back.
A weak bond holds you; I'll not trust your word.

tel. I will not trust you, I;
Lys. What, should I hurt her, strike her, kill her Nor longer stay in your curst company.
dead?

Your hands, than mine, are quicker for a fray ;
Although I hate her, I'll not harm her so.

My legs are longer though, to run away, (Erit. Her. What, can you do me greater harm, than Her. I am amazed, and know not what to say. hate?

(Exit, pursuing Helena. Hate me! Wherefore? () me! what news, my love? Obe. This is thy negligence : still thou mistak'st, Am not I Herinia ! Are not you Lysander?

Or else commit'st thy knaveries wilfully.
I am as fair now, as I was erewhile.

Puch. Believe me, king of shadows, I mistook,
Since night, yo'i loved me; yet, since night, you Did not you tell me, I should know the man
leit me:

By the Athenian garments he had ou?
Why, then you left me,-0, the gods forbid !- And so far blameless proves my enterprise,
In earnest, shall I say?

That I have 'nointed an Athcnian's eyes:
Lys. Ay, hy my life;

And so far am I glad it so did sort
And never did desire to see thee more.

As this their jangling I esteem a sport.
Therefore, be out of hope, of question, doubt,
Be certain, nothing truer; 'tis no jest,

• A worm that preys on the buds of flowers, That I do hate thee, and love Helena.

+ Shrewish or inischevious 1 Foolish,

6 Anciently knot-grass was supposed to prevent • Needles. + Wry faces.

the growth of children. || Pretend. S Happen.

Obe. Thou seest, these lovers seek a place to

Re-enter Puck and DEMETRIUS. fight; Rie therefore, Robin, overcast the night;

Puck. Ho, ho! Ho, hol Coward, why com'st The starry welkin cover thou anon

thou not? With drooping fog, as black as Acheron :

Dem Abide me, if thou dar'st; for well I wot, And lead these testy rivals so astray,

Thou runn'st before me, shifting every place; As one come not within another's way.

And dar'st not stand, nor look ne in the face. Like to Lysander some time frame thy tongue,

Where art thou ? Then stir Demetrius up with bitter wrong ;

Puck. Come hither; I am here. And sometime rail thou like Demetrius ;

Dem. Nay, then thou mock'st me. Thou shalt And from each other look thou lead them thus,

buy this dear,
'Till o'er their brows death-counterfeiting sleep If ever I thy face by day.light see:
With leaden legs and batty wings doth creep: Now go thy way. Faintness constraineth me
Then crush this herb into Lysander's eye,

To measure out my length on this cold bed.-
Whose liquor hath this virtuous property, By day's approach look to be visited.
To take from thence all error, with his might,

(Lies down and sleeps. And make his eye-balls roll with wonted sight.

Enter HELENA.
When they nexi wake, all this derision
Shall seem a dream and fruitless vision ;

Hel. O weary night, Olong and tedious night,
And back to Athens shall the lovers wend +,

Abate thy hours; shine comforts, from the east; With league, whose date till death shall never That I may back to Athens, by day-light, end.

From these that my poor company detest: Whiles I in this affair do thee employ,

And, sleep, that sometime shuts up sorrow's eye, I'll to my queen, and beg her Indian boy ;

Steal me a while from mine own company. (Sleep S. And then I will her charmed eye release

Puck. Yet but three ? Come one more; From monster's view: and all things shall be Two of both kinds makes up four.

Here she comes, curst and sad : peace. Puck. My fairy lord, this must be done with Cupid is a knavish lad, haste;

Thus to make poor females mad.
For night's swift dragons cut the clouds full fast,

Enter HERMA.
And yonder shines Aurora's harbinger;
At whose approach, ghosts, wandering here and

Her. Never so weary, never so in woe, there,

Bedabbled with the dew, and torn with briers;
Troop honie to church-yards: damned spirits all, I can no further crawl, no further go;
That in cross-ways and floods have burial,

My legs can keep no pace with my desires.
Already to their wormy beds are gone;

Here will I rest me, till the break of day. For fear lest day should look their shames upon,

Heavens shield Lysander,

if they mean á fray! They wilfully themselves exile from light,

(Lies down, And must for aye consort with black brow'd night. Puck. On the ground Obe. But we are spirits of another sort:

Sleep sound : I with the morning's love I have oft made sport;

l'll apply And, like a forester, the groves may tread,

To your eye, Even till the eastern gate, all fiery red,

Gentle lover, remedy: Opening on Neptune with fair blessed beams,

(Squeezing the juice on Lysander's eye. Turns into yellow gold his salt-green streams.

When thou wak'st, But, notwithstanding, haste; make no delay :

Thou tak'st We may effect this business yet ere day. (Exit Obe.

True delight Puck. Up and down, up and down;

In the sight I will lead them up and down:

of thy former lady's eye : I am fear'd in field and town;

And ihe country proverb known, Goblin lead them up and down.

That every man should take his own, Here comes one.

In your waking shall be shewn;

Jack shall have Jill;
Enter LYSANDER.

Nought shall go ill;
Lys. Where art thou, proud Demetrius ? Speak The man shall have his mare again, and all shall
thou now.

be well, (Exit Puck.- Dem. Hel. &c. sleep.
Puck. Here, villain ; drawn and ready. Where
art thou ?

ACT IV.
Lys. I will be with thee straight.
Puck. Follow me then

SCENE I.-The same.
To plainer ground.

Enter Titania and Bottom, FAIRIES attending;
(Ex it Lysander as following the voice.

OBERON behind unseen.
Enter DEMETRIUS.

Tita. Come sit thee down upon this flowery bed,
Dem. Lysander! Speak again.

While I thy amiable cheeks do coy,
Thou runaway, thou coward, art thou fled ? And stick musk-roses in thy sleek smooth head,
Speak. In sume bush ? Where dost thou hide thy And kiss thy fair large ears, my gentle joy.
head 1

Bot. Where's Peas-blossom?
Puck. Thou coward, art thou bragging to the stars,

Peas. Ready. Telling the bushes that thou look'st for wars,

Bot. Scratch my head, Peas-blossom.- Where's And wilt not come ? Come, recreant; come thou monsieur Cobweb? child;

Cob. Ready, I'll whip thee with a rod : he is defiled,

Bot. Monsieur Cobweb; good monsieur, get your That draws a sword on thee.

weapons in your hand, and kill me a red-hipp'd Dem. Yea; art thou there?

humble-bce on the top of a thistle ; and, good Puck. Follow my voice; we'll try no mauhood monsieur, bring me the honey bag. 'Do not fret

(Exeunt yourself too much in the action, monsieur; and

good monsieur, have a care the honey-bag, break Re-enter LYSANDER.

not ; I would be loth to have you overflown with a Lys. He goes berore me, and still dares me on ; honey-bag, signior.-Where's monsieur MustardWhen I come where he calls, then he is gone.

seed? The villain is much lighter-beeld, than I :

Must. Ready. I follow'd fast, but faster he did fly ;

But. Give me your nieft, monsieur Mustard-seed That fallen am I in dark uneven way,

Pray you, leave your courtesy, good monsieur. And here will rest me. Come, thou gentle day!

Must. What's your will?

(Lies down. Bot. Nothing, good monsieur, but to help cavalero Por if but once thou shew me thy grey light,

Cobweb to scratch. I must to the barber's, mon. Pil find Demetrius, and revenge this spite

sieur; for, methinks, I am marvellous hairy (Sleeps. about the face: and am such a tender ass, if my

hair do but tickle me, I must scratch.

+Go, Cephalus, the paramour of Aurora

• Stroke.

fFist.

here,

Medicinal efficacy.

arins.

Tita. What wilt thou hear some music, my sweet And since we have the vaward of the day, love?

My love shall hear the music of my hounds.Bot. I have a reasonable good ear in music : let Uncouple in the western valley; go :us have the tongs and the bones.

Derpatch, I say, and find the forester.Tita. Or, say, sweet love, what thou desir’st to eat. We will, fair queen, up to the mountain's top. Bot. Truly, a peck of provender; I could munch And mark the musical confusion your good dry oats. Methinks, I have a great Of hounds and echo in conjunction. desire to a bottle of hay: good' hay, sweet hay, Hip. I was with Hercules, and Cadmus, once, bath no fellow.

When in a wood of Crete they bay'd the bear Tita. I have a venturous fairy that shall seek With hounds of Sparta : never did I hear The squirrel's hoard, and fetch thee new nuts. Such gallant chiding t; for, besides the groves,

Bot. I had rather have a handful, or two, of the skies, the fountains, every region neai dried peas. But, I pray you, let none of your peo- Seem'd all one mutual cry; I never heard ple stir me; I have au exposition of sleep come So musical a discord, such sweet thunder. upon me.

The. My hounds are bred out of the Spartan kind Tita. Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my so flew'd' I, so sanded; and their heads are hang

With ears that sweep away the morning dew; Fairies, be gone, and be all ways away.

Crook-knee'd, and dew-lap'd like Thessalian bulls So doth the woodbine, the sweet honeysuckle, Slow in pursuit, but match'd in mouth like bells, Gently entwist,-the female ivy so

Each under each. A cry more tuneable Enrings the barky fingers of the elm.

Was never holla'd to, nor cheer'd with horn, 0, how I love thee ! how I dote on thee!

In Crete, in Sparta, nor in Thessaly : (They sleep. Judge, when you hear.-But, soft ; what nymphs

are these? OBERON advances.Enter Puck.

Ege. My lord, this is my daughter here asleep; Obe. Welcome, good Robin. Seest thou 'this and this, Lysander ; this Demetrius is; sweet sight?

This Helena, old Nedar's Helena; Her dotage now I do begin to pity.

I wonder of their being here together. For meeting her of late, behind the wood,

The. No doubt, they rose up early, to observe Seeking sweet savour's for this hateful fool, The rite of May; and, hearing our intent, I did upbraid her, and fall out with her:

Came here in grace of our solemnity.For she his hairy temples then had rounded But, speak, Egeus ; is not this the day With coronet of fresh and fragrant flowers ;

Thai Hernia should give answer of her choice And that same dew which sometime on the buds Ege. It is, my lord. Was wont to swell, like round and orient pearls, The. Go, bid the huntsmen wake them with their Stood now within the pretty flourets' eyes

horns. Like tears, that did their own disgrace bewail. When I had, at my pleasure, taunted her,

Horns and shout within. DEMETRIUS, LYSANDEE, And she, in inild terms, begg'd my patience,

HERMIA, and HELENA wake and start up. I then did ask of her her changeling child;

The. Good-morrow, friends. Saint Valentine is Which straight she gave me, and her fairy sent

past ; To bear him to my buwer in fairy land.

Begin these wood-birds but to couple now? And now I have ihe boy, I will undo

Lys. Pardon, my lord. This hateful imperfection of her eyes.

(He and the rest kneel to Theseus. And, gentle Puck, take this transformed scalp The. I pray you all, stand up. From off the head of this Athenian swain;

I know, you two are rival enemies; That he awaking when the other do,

How comes this gentle concord in the world, May all to Athens back again repair;.

That hatred is so far from jealousy, And think no more of this night's accidents, To sleep by hate, and fear no enmity ? But as the fierce vexation of a dream.

Lys. My lord, I shall reply, amazedly, But first I will release the fairy queen.

Half'sleep, half waking: but as yet, I swear, Be, as thou wast wont to be ;

I cannot truly say, how I came here: [Touching her eyes with an herb. But, as I think, (for truly would I speak, See, as thou wast wont to see :

And now I do bethink me, so it is :) Dian's bud o'er cupid's flower

I came with Hermia hither: our intent Hath such force and blessed power.

Was, to be gone from Athens, where we might be Now, my Titania; wake you, my sweet queen, Without the peril of the Athenian law.

Tita. My Oberon! what visions have I seen! Ege. Enough, enough, my lord ; you have enough Methought, I was enamour'd of an ass.

I beg the law, the law, upon this head. Obe. There lies your love.

They would have stolen away, they would, De Tita. How came these things to pass ?

metrius, 0, low mine eyes do loath his visage now!

Therehy to have defeated you and me:
Obe. Silence, a while.-Robin, take off this head. You, of your wife ; and me, of my consent;
Titania, music call ; and strike more dead

of my consent that she should be your wife. Than common sleep, of all these five the sense. Dem. My lord, fair Helen told me of their stealth, Tita. Music, hol music; such as charmeth sleep. of this their purpose hither, to this wood; Puck. Now, when thou wak'st, with thine own And I in fury hither tollow'd them ; fool's eyes peep:

Fair Helena in fancy following me. Obe. Sound, music. (Still music.] Come, my queen, But, my good lord, I wot not by what pou er, take hands with me,

(But by some power it is,) my love to Hermia, And rock the ground whereon these sleepers be. Melted as doth the snow, seems to me now Now thou and I are new in amity :

As the remembrance of an idle gawd I, And will, to-morrow midnight, solemnly,

Which in my childhood I did dote upon : Dance in duke Theseus' house triumphantly, And all the faith, the virtue of my heart, And bless it to all fair posterity :

The object and the pleasure of mine eye, There shall the pairs of faithful lovers be

Is only Helena. To her, my lord,
Wedded, with Theseus, all in jollity.

Was į betroth'd ere I saw Hermia:
Puck. Fairy king attend and mark ;

But, like in sickness, did I loath this food :
I do hear the morning lark.

But, as in health, come to my natural taste,
Obe. Then, my queen, in silence sad,

Now do I wish it, love it, long for it,
Trip we after the night's shade;

And will for evermore be true to it. We the globe can compass soon,

The. Fair lovers, you are fortunately met: Swifter than the wand'ring moon.

of this discourse we more will hear anon, Tita. Come, my lord; and in our flig..., Egeus, I will overbear your will ; Tell me how it came this night,

For in the temple, by and by with us, That I sleeping here was found,

These couples shall eternally be knit With these mortals on the ground. (Exeunt. And, for the inorning now is something worn

Horns sound within. Our purposed hunting shall be set aside. Enter Theseus, HIPPOLYTA Eceus, and Train.

• Forepart.

+ Sound. The. Go, one of you, find out the forester ;-- The news are the large chaps of a hound. For now our observation is perform'd:

Love.

Toy,

Away with us, to Athens: three and three, eat no onions, nor garlick, for we are to utter sweeļ We'll hold a feast in great solemnity:

breath; and I do not doubt but to hear them say, Come, Hippolyta.

it is a sweet comedy. No more words; away ; go, (Ereunt Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus, and Train. away.

(Ereuni. Dem. These things seem sinall, and undistinguishable,

ACT V. Like far-off mountains turned into clouds.

Her. Methinks, I see these things with parted eye, SCENE I.-The same.-An Apartment in the Palace When every thing seems double.

of THESEUS. Hel. So methinks:

Enter Theseus, HIPPOLYTA, PHILOSTRATE, Lords, And I have found Demetrius like a jewel,

and Attendants. Mine own, and not mine own. Dem. It seems to me,

Hip. 'Tis strange, my Theseus, that these lovers That yet we sleep, we dream.-Do not you think,

speak of. The duke was here, and bid as follow him?

The. More strange than true. I never may believe Her. Yea; and my father.

These antique fables, nor these fairy toys. Hel. And Hippolyta.

Lovers, and madmen, have such seething brains,
Lys. And he did bid us follow to the temple. Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend
Dem. Why then, we are awake: let's follow him; More than cool reason ever comprehends.
And, by the way, let us recountour dreams. (Exeunt. The lunatic, the lover, and the poet,

Are of imagination all compact!
As they go out, BOTTOM awakes

One sees more devils than vast hell can hold; Bot. When my cue comes, call me, and I will That is, the madman : the lover, all as frantic, answer:My next is, Most fair Pyramus.--Hey, Sees Helen's beauty in a brow of Egypt: ho !-Peter Quince! Flute, 'the bellows-mender! The poet's eye, in a fine frenzy rolling, Snout, the tinker! Starveling! God's my life! | Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to stolen hence, and left me asleep! I have had a

heaven; most rare vision. I have had a dream,-past the And, as imagination bodies forth wit of man to say what dream it was: Man is but the forms of things unknown, the poet's pen an ass, if he go about to expound this dream. Me. Turns them to shapes, and gives to airy nothings thought I was-there is no man can tell what. Me- A local habitation, and a rame. thought I was, and methought I had.-But man is Such tricks hath strong imagination; but a patch'd fool, if he will offer to say what me. That, if it would but apprehend some joy, thought I had. The eye of man hath not heard, It comprehends some bringer of that joy: the ear of man hath not seen; man's hard is not Or, in the night, imagining some fear, able to taste, his tongue to conceive, nor his heart How easy is a bush supposed a bear! to report, what my dream was. I will get Peter Hip. But all the story of the night told over, Quince to write a ballad of this dream: it shall be And all their minds transfigured so together, called Bottom's Dream, because it hath no bottom; More witnesseth than fancy's images, and I will sing it in the latter end of a play, before and grows to something of great constancy; the duke : peradventure, to make it the more gra. But, howsoever, strange, and admirable. cious, I shall sing it at her death.

(Erit.
Enter LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HERMIA, and

HELENA.
SCENE II.-Athens.-A Room in QUINCE's House.

The. Here come the lovers full of joy and mirth. Enter QUINCE, FLUTE, SNOUT, and STARVELING.

Joy, gentle friends ! joy, and fresh days of love, Quin. Have you sent to Bottom's house ? Is he | Accompany your hearts ! come home yet?

Lys. More than to us Star. He cannot be heard of. Out of doubt, he wait on your royal walks, your board, your bed ! is transported.

The. Come now; what masks, what dances shall Flu. If he come not, then the play is marrd; it we have, goes not forward, doth it?

To wear away this long age of three hours, Quin. It is not possible: you have not a man in Between our aster-supper, and bed-time? all Athens, able to discharge Pyramus, but he. Where is our usual manager of mirth?

Flu. No; he hath simply the best wit of any han- What revels are in hand ? Is there no play, dycraft man in Athens.

To ease the anguish of a torturing hour ! Quin. Yea, and the best person too : and he is Call Philostrate. a very paramour for a sweet voice.

Philost. Here, mighty Theseus. Flu. You must say, paragon: a paramour is, God The. Say, what abridgment have you for this bless us! a thing of nought.

evening?

What mask? What music ? How shall we beguile Enter SNUG.

The lazy time, if not with some delight? Snug. Masters, the duke is coming from the tem- Philost. There is a brief, how many sports are ple, and there is two or three lords and ladies more

ripe; married: if our sport had gone forward, we had Make choice of which your highness will see first. all been made men.

[Giving a paper. Flu. O sweet bully Bottom! Thus hath he lost The reads.] The battle with the Centaurs, to be sung șix-pence a-day during his life; he could not have By an Athenian eunuch to the harp. 'scaped six-pence a-day: an the dake had not We'll none of that : that have I told my love, given him six-pence a-day for playing Pyramus, I'll In glory of my kinsman Hercules. be hang'd; he would have deserved it: six-pence The riot of the tipsy Bacchanals, a-day, in Pyramus, or nothing.

Tearing the Thracian singer in their rage.

That is an old device ; and it was play'd
Enter BOTTOM.

When I from Thebes came last a conqueror. Bot. Where are these lads? Where are these The thrice three Muses mourning for the death hearts?

of learning, late deceased in beggary. Quin. Bottom 2-0 most courageous day! O most That is some satire, keen, and critical, happy hour!

Not sorting with a nuptial ceremony.
Boi. Masters, I am to discourse wonders : but A tedious brief scene of young Pyramus.
ask me not what ; for, if I tell you, I am no true And his love Thisbe ; very trugical mirth,
Athenian. I will tell you every thing, right as it Merry and tragical ? Tedious and brief?

That is, hot ice, and wonderous strange snow. Quin. Let us hear, sweet Bottom.

How shall we find the concord of this discord ? All that I will tell you, Philost. A play there is, my lord, some ten words is, that the dake hath dined : get your apparel to

long ; gether; good strings to your beards, new ribbons which is as brief as I have known a play to your pumps ; meet presently at the palace; But by ten

words, my lord, it is too long the fong is, our play is preferrd. 'In any case, let There is not one word apt, one player titted! plays the lion, pare his nails, for they shall hang

And tragical, my noble lord, it is; out for the lion's claws. And, most 'dear actors,

• Are made of mere imagination

fell out.

Bot. Not a word of me.