HER. O fpight! too old, to be engag'd to young! Swift as a shadow, fhort as any dream, So quick bright things come to confusion. HER. If then true lovers have been ever croft, It stands as an edict in destiny: Then, let us teach our tryal patience; Because it is a customary cross, As due to love, as thoughts and dreams and fighs, Wishes and tears, poor fancy's followers! 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 remov'd feven leagues, And the refpects me as her only fon. There, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee; HER. My good Lyfander, I fwear to thee by Cupid's ftrongest bow, By his best arrow with the golden head, By that, which knitteth fouls, and prospers loves; Lys. Keep promife, love. Look, here comes Helena. SCENE III. Enter Helena. HER. God fpeed, fair Helena! whither away? Your eyes are lode ftars, and your tongue's fweet air When wheat is green, when haw-thorn buds appear. O teach me, how you look and with what art HER. I frown upon him, yet he loves me still. HEL. Oh, that your frowns would teach my fimiles fuch HER. I give him curses, yet he gives me love. HEL. Oh! that my pray'rs could fuch affection move! HER. His folly, Helena, is no fault of mine. HEL. None, but your beauty: would that fault were mine! HIR. Take comfort; he no more fhall fee my face; Lyfander and myself will fly this place. Before the time I did Lyfander fee Seem'd Athens like a paradife to me. O then, what graces in my love do dwell, Lys. Helen, to you our minds we will unfold: Decking with liquid pearl the bladed grass; [Exit. Hermia. Lys. I will, my Hermia-Helena, adieu; As you on him, Demetrius doat on you! [Exit Lyf. HEL. How happy some, o'er other some, can be! But what of that? Demetrius thinks not fo: Things bafe and vile, holding no quantity, Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind [Exit. SCENE IV. Changes to a cottage. Enter Quince, Snug, Bottom, Flute, Snowt, and Starveling. QUIN. Is all our company here? BOT. You were beft to call them generally man by man, according to the fcrip. QUIN. Here is the fcrowl of every man's name, which is thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our interlude before the duke and dutchess, on his wedding-day at night. Bor. First, good Peter Quince, fay what the play treats on; then read the names of the actors; and fo grow on 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 fcrowl. Masters, fpread yourselves. QUIN. Answer, as I call you. Nick Bottom, the weaver. BOT. Ready: name what part I am for, and proceed. QUIN. You, Nick Bottom, are fet down for Pyramus. BOT. What is Pyramus, a lover, or a tyrant? QUIN. A lover, that kills himself most gallantly for love. BOT. That will afk fome tears 'in the true performing of it; if I do it, let the audience look to their eyes; I will move storms; I will condole in fome measure. To the reft;—yet, my chief humour is for a tyrant; I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cap in: To make all Split: |