And ere a man hath power to say, - Behold! So quick bright things come to confusion. Her. If then true lovers have been ever cross'd, It stands as an edíct in destiny: Then let us teach our trial patience, Because it is a customary cross; As due to love, as thoughts, and dreams, and sighs, Wishes, and tears, poor fancy's followers 9. Lys. A good persuasion; therefore, hear me, Hermia. I have a widow aunt, a dowager Of great revenue, and she hath no child; From Athens is her house remote seven leagues ; And she respects me as her only son. There, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee; And to that place the sharp Athenian law Cannot pursue us: If thou lov'st me then, Steal forth thy father's house to-morrow night: And in the wood, a league without the town, Where I did meet thee once with Helena, To do observance to a morn of May, There will I stay for thee. Her. My good Lysander ! I swear to thee, by Cupid's strongest bow; By his best arrow with the golden head; By the simplicity of Venus' doves; By that which knitted souls, and prospers loves ; When the false Trojan under sail was seen; Lys. Keep promise, love: Look, here comes Helena. 9 - fancy's followers.] Fancy is love. 1 -by that fire which burn'd the Carthage queen,] Shakspeare had forgot that Theseus performed his exploits before the Trojan war, and consequently long before the death of Dido. Her. God speed fair Helena! Whither away? Demetrius loves your fair2: O happy fair! Her. I frown upon him, yet he loves me still. skill! Her. I give him curses, yet he gives me love. Hel. O, that my prayers could such affection move! Hel. None, but your beauty; 'Would that fault were mine! Her. Take comfort; he no more shall see my face; Lysander and myself will fly this place. Demetrius loves your fair:] Fair is used as a substantive. 3 Your eyes are lode-stars;] This was a compliment not unfrequent among the old poets. The lode-star is the leading or guiding star, that is, the pole-star. 4 5 -0, were favour so!] Favour is feature, countenance. to be to you translated.] To translate, says Mr. Steevens, in our author, sometimes signifies to change, to transform; but here it obviously means transferred. C. Before the time I did Lysander see, Lys. Helen, to you our minds we will unfold : [Exit HERM. [Exit. Lys. Lys. I will, my Hermia. - Helena adieu: As you on him, Demetrius dote on you ! 6 Take comfort; he no more shall see my face; Lysander and myself will fly this place. Before the time I did Lysander see,] Perhaps every reader may not discover the propriety of these lines. Hermia is willing to comfort Helena, and to avoid all appearance of triumph over her. She therefore bids her not to consider the power of pleasing, as an advantage to be much envied or much desired, since Hermia, whom she considers as possessing it in the supreme degree, has found no other effect of it than the loss of happiness. JOHNSON. - deep midnight.] Shakspeare has a little forgotten himself It appears from p. 283, that to-morrow night would be within three nights of the new moon, when there is no moon-shine at all, much less at deep midnight. The same oversight occurs in Act III. sc. i. BLACKSTONE. Hel. How happy some, o'er other some can be! 8 9 [Exit. in game - Game here signifies sport, jest. and Spenser. 1 it is a dear expence :] i. e. it will cost him much, (be a severe constraint on his feelings,) to make even so slight a return for my communication. STEEVENS. SCENE II. The same. A Room in a Cottage. Enter SNUG, BOTTOM, FLUTE, SNOUT, QUINCE, and STARVELING.2 Quin. Is all our company here? Bot. You were best to call them generally, man by man, according to the scrip.3 Quin. Here is the scroll of every man's name, which is thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our interlude before the duke and duchess, on his wedding-day at night. Bot. First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats on; then read the names of the actors; and so grow to a point. Quin. Marry, our play is - The most lamentable comedy, and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby. Bot. A very good piece of work, I assure you, and a merry. - Now, good Peter Quince, call forth your actors by the scroll: Masters, spread yourselves. 4 Quin. Answer, as I call you. - Nick Bottom, the weaver. Bot. Ready. Name what part I am for, and proceed. 2 In this scene Shakspeare takes advantage of his knowledge of the theatre, to ridicule the prejudices and competitions of the players. Bottom, who is generally acknowledged the principal actor, declares his inclination to be for a tyrant, for a part of fury, tumult, and noise, such as every young man pants to perform when he first steps upon the stage. The same Bottom, who seems bred in a tiring-room, has another histrionical passion. He is for engrossing every part, and would exclude his inferiors from all possibility of distinction. He is therefore desirous to play Pyramus, Thisbe, and the Lion, at the same time. JOHNSON. 3 the scrip.] A scrip, Fr. escrip, now written ecrit. + spread yourselves.] i. e. stand separately, not in a group. |