Star. Here, Peter Quince. Quin. Robin Starveling, you must play Thisby's mother. Tom Snowt, the tinker. Snow. Here, Peter Quince. Quin. You, Pyramus's father; myself, Thisby's father; Snug, the joiner, you, the lion's part: I hope, there is a play fitted. Snug. Have you the lion's part written? pray you, if it be, give it me, for I am flow of study. Quin. You may do it extempore, for it is nothing but roaring. Bot. Let me play the lion too; I will roar, that I will do any man's heart good to hear me. I will roar, that I will make the Duke fay, let him roar again, let him roar again. Quin. If you should do it too terribly, you would fright the Dutchess and the ladies, that they would fhriek, and that were enough to hang us all. All. That would hang us every mother's fon. Bot. I grant you, friends, if you should fright the ladies out of their wits, they would have no more difcretion but to hang us; but I will aggravate my voice fo, that I will roar you as gently as any fucking dove; I will roar you an 'twere any nightingale. Quin. You can play no part but Pyramus, for Pyramus is a sweet-fac'd man; a proper man, as one fhall fee in a fummer's day; a moft lovely gentleman-like man: therefore you must needs play Pyramus. What beard were Bot. Well, I will undertake it. I best to play it in? Quin. Why, what you will. Bot. I will difcharge it in either your straw-colour'd beard, your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grain beard, or your French crown-colour'd beard; your perfect yellow, Quin. Some of your French crowns have no hair at all, and then you will play bare-fac'd. But, mafters, here are your parts; and I am to intreat you, request you, and defire you, to con them by to-morrow night; and meet me in the palace-wood, a mile without the town, by moon-light, there we will rehearse; for if we meet in the city, we fhall be dog'd with company, and our devices known. In the mean time I will draw a bill of properties, fuch as our play wants. I pray you, fail me not. Bot. We will meet, and there we may rehearse more obfcenely and courageously. Take pains, be perfect, adieu. Quin. 4At the Duke's oak we meet. Bot. Enough; hold, or cut bow-strings. ACT II. [Exeunt. SCENE I. *** A WOO D.. Enter a Fairy at one Door, and Puck (or Robin-good fellow) at another. PUCK. OW now, fpirit, whither wander you? Ho Through bufh, through briar, 4 At the Duke's Oak we meet-hold, or cut bowftrings.] This proverbial phrase came originally from the Camp. When a Rendezvous was appointed, the militia Soldiers would frequently make excufe for not keeping word that their bowstrings were broke, i. e. their arms unferviceable. Hence when one would give another abfolute affurance of meeting him, he would fay proverbially · hold or cut bow-firings i. e. whether the bowftring held or broke. For cut is used as a neuter, like the verb frets. As when we fay, the firing frets - the filk frets, for the paffive, it is cut or fretted. Over park, over pale, Puck. The King doth keep his revels here to night, Take heed, the Queen come not within his fight. For Oberon is paffing fell and wrath, Because that she, as her attendant, hath I Fai. Or I miftake your fhape and making quite, Or else you are that fhrewd, and knavish sprite, Call'd Robin-goodfellow. Are you not he, That fright the maidens of the villageree, Skim milk, and fometimes labour in the quern, And bootlefs make the breathlefs hufwife chern: And fometime make the drink to bear no barm, Mif-lead night-wand'rers, laughing at their harm? i. e. quarrel or jar. Mr. Pope. Thofe Thofe that Hobgoblin call you, and fweet Puck, You do their work, and they shall have good luck. Are not you he? Puck. Thou speak'ft aright; مدا I am that merry wand'rer of the night: But make room, Fairy, here comes Oberon. Enter Oberon King of Fairies at one door with his train, and the Queen at another with hers. Ob. Ill met at moon-light, proud Titania. Ob. Tarry, rafh Wanton; am not I thy lord? Playing on pipes of corn, and verfing love o ひまい [(a) rails or cries, Oxf. Ed. Vulg. Taylor cries.] Το To am'rous Phillida. Why art thou here, Ob. How can't thou thus for fhame, Titania, [night * Didft thou not lead him glimmering, through the From Periguné, whom he ravifhed; 2 And make him with fair Egle break his faith, Queen. These are the forgeries of jealousie: *Didft thou not lead him through the glimmering night] We fhould read, Didft thou not lead him glimmering, through the night The meaning is, She conducted him in the appearance of fire through the dark night. Mr. Pope. 2 Perigenia, Vid. Plut. vit. Thesei. 3 And never fince that middle fummer's fpring, &c.] There are not many paffages in Shakespear of which one can be certain he has borrowed from the Ancients; but this is one of the few that, I think, will admit of no difpute. Our Author's admirable defcription of the miferies of the Country being plainly an imitation of that which Ovid draws, as confequent on the grief of Ceres, for the lofs of her daughter. Nefcit adhuc ubi fit: terras tamen increpat omnes; Fregit aratra manu parilique irata colonos 4 THE middle fummer's fpring.] We fhould read THAT. For it appears to have been fome years fince the quarrel first began. VOL. I. Το |