Hel. O, wilt thou darkling leave me? do not fo. So thou, my furfeit, and my herefy,
Dem. Stay on thy peril: I alone will go.
[Exit Demetrius.
Hel. O, I am out of breath, in this fond chace!
The more my prayer, the leffer is my grace 2.
Happy is Hermia, wherefoe'er the lies;
For the hath blessed and attractive eyes.
How came her eyes fo bright? Not with falt tears:
If fo, my eyes are ofther wash'd than hers.

Of all be hated; but the moft, of me!
And all my powers, addrefs your love and might,
To honour Helen, and to be her knight! [Exit.
Her. [farting from flrep.] Help me, Lyfander,
help me! do thy beft,

To pluck this crawling ferpent from my breast!
Ay me, for pity !—what a dream was here?
Lyfander, look, how I do quake with fear!

1 Beskrew means the fame as if she had faid, “Now ill befal my manners, &c." acceptableneis. 3 i. e. What then? 4 Meaning, that he had more of the Spirit of a gentleman.

Methought, a ferpent eat my heart away,
And you fat fimiling at his cruel prey:-

Lyfander! what, remov'd Lyfander! lord!

Alack, where are you? fpeak, an if you hear;
Speak, of all loves; I fwoon almoft with fear.
No then I well perceive you are not nigh:

What, out of hearing? gone? no found, no word? Or death, or you, I'll find immediately.

Quin. Well, it fhall be fo. But there is two hard things; that is, to bring the moon-light into

Enter Quince, Snug, Bottom, Flute, Snout, and a chamber: for you know, Pyramus' and Thisby

Bot.

Starveling.

The Queen of Fairies lying afleep.

RE all met?

we

Quin. A Pat, it, and here's a marvellous con

venient place for our rehearfal: This green plot fhall be our stage, this hawthorn broke our tyring houfe; and we will do it in action, as we will do it before the duke.

Bot. Peter Quince,

meet by moon-light.

Bot. A calendar, a calendar! look in the almanack; find out moon-fhine, find out moon-shine. Quin. Yes, it doth shine that night.

Bot. Why, then you may leave a cafement of the great chamber window, where we play, open; and the moon may fhine in at the cafement.

Quin. What dy't thou, bully Bottom? Sin. Av; or elfe one must come in with a bush Bot. There are things in this comedy of Pyro-of thorns and a lanthorn, and fay, he comes to difmus and Thirby, that will never pleafe. First, figure, or to prefent, the perfon of moon-shine. Pyramus must draw a word to kill himself; which Then, there is another thing: we must have a the ladies cannot abide. How anfwer you that? wall in the great chamber; for Pyramus and ThifSnout. By 'r lakin 2, a partons 3 fear. be, fays the ftory, did talk through the chink of a

Stir. I believe we must leave the killing out, wall. when all is done.

Saug. You never can bring in a wall:-What fay you, Bottom?

Bat. Not a whit; I have a device to make all well. Write me a prologue: and let the prok gne | Bot. Some man or other muft prefent wall: and feem to fay, we will do no harm with our words; let him have fome platter, or fome lome, or fome and that Pyramus is not kill'd indeed: and, for the rough-caft, about him, to fignify wall; or let him more better afurance tell them, that I Pyramus am hold his fingers thus, and through that cranny shall not Pyramus, bat Bottom the weaver; Tins will ¦ Pyramus and Thitby whisper!

put them out of fear.

Sin. If that may be, then all is well. Come, Qin. Well, we will have fuch a prologue; and fit down, every mother's fon, and rehearse your it fhall be written in eight and fix. parts. Pyramus, you begin: when you have spoBot. No, make it two more; let it be written in 'ken your fpeech, enter into that brake; and fo eight and eight.

Shout. Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion?
Star. I fear it, I promife you.

every one according to his cue.

Exter Puck behind.

Pack. What hempen liome-fpuns have we swags gering here,

Bot. Mafters, you ought to confider with yourfelves to bring in, God fhield us! a lion among So near the cradle of the fairy queen? ladies, is a moit dreadful thing: for there is not a more fearful wild-fowl, than your lion, living; aid we ought to look to it.

Snout. Therefore, another prologue must tell, he is not a lion.

Bot. Nay, you must name his name, and half his face must be feen through the lion's neck; and{ he himself muft speak through, saying thus, or to" the fame defect,-Ladies, or fair ladies, I would wish you, or, I would request you, on, I would entreat you, not to fear, not to tremble: my life for yours. If you think I come hither as a lion, it were pity of my life: No, I am no fuch thing; I am a man as other men are :-and there, indeed, let him name his name; and tell them plainly, he is Saug, the joiner, y

This adjuration is frequently used by our author. 2. c. by our Ind kin, or little Lady, 3 Parlous means dangerous. 4 Brake anciently fignified a the ket of bigh, 5 i. 8, a little while.

Thif. "Moft radiant Pyramus, moft lilly-white | So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape

❝ of hue,

"Of colour like the red-rofe on triumphant brier, "Most brisky juvenal 1, and eke most lovely Jew, "As true as trueft horse, that yet would never ❝tire,

I'll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny's tonb." Quin. Ninus' tomb, man: Why you must not fpeak that yet; that you anfwer to Pyramus: you speak all your part at once, cues2 and all.-Pyramus enter; your cue is past; it is, never tire.

Re-enter Puck, and Bottom, with an afs's head. Thif. "O-As true as trueft horfe, that yet "would never tire."

And thy fair virtue's force, perforce doth move me,
On the first view, to say, to fwear, I love thee.

Bot. Methinks, miftrefs, you should have little reason for that: And yet, to say the truth, reason and love keep little company together now-a-days: The more the pity, that fome honest neighbours will not make them friends, Nay, I can gleek, upon occafion.

Queen. Thou art as wife, as thou art beautiful. Bot. Not fo, neither; but if I had wit enough to get out of this wood, I have enough to ferve mine own turn.

Queen. Out of this wood do not defire to go; Pyr. "If I were fair, Thisby, I were only thine:"Thou shalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no, Quin. Omonftrous! Oftrange! we are haunted! I am a fpirit, of no common rate; The fummer ftill doth tend upon my state, Pray, mafters! fly, mafters! help! And I do love thee; therefore, go with me; I'll give thee fairies to attend on thee; And they fhall fetch thee jewels from the deep, And fing, while thou on prefied flowers doft fleep; And I will purge thy mortal groffness so, That thou fhalt like an airy fpirit go.Peafe-bloffom1 Cobweb! Moth! and Mustard,

[Exeunt Clowns. Puck. I'll follow you, I'll lead you about a round,

Through bog, through bufh, through brake,
through brier:

Sometime a horfe I'll be, fometime a hound,
A hog, a headless bear, fometime a fire;
And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar and burn,
Like horse, hound, hog, bear, fire, at every turn.

[Exit. Bot. Why do they run away? this is a knavery of them, to make me afeard 3.

Re-enter Snout.

Snout. O Bottom, thou art chang'd! what do I fee on thee?

B. What do you fee? you fee an afs' head of Do you? your own;

Re-enter Quince.

feed!

Enter four Fairies.

1 Fair. Ready.

2 Fair. And I.

3 Fair. And I.

4

Fair. And I: Where fhall we go? Queen. Be kind and courteous to this gentleman; Hop in his walks, and gambol in his eyes; Feed him with apricocks, and dewberries, With purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries; The honey-bags fteal from the humble-bees, And, for night tapers, crop their waxen thighs, [Exit. Bot. I fee their knavery: this is to make an afs And light them at the fiery glow-worm's eyes, of me; to fright me, if they could. But I will not To have my love to bed, and to arife; ftir from this place, do what they can: I will And pluck the wings from painted butterflies, walk up and down here, and I will ting, that they To fan the moon-beams from his fleèping eyes;

Quin. Bless thee, Bottom! bless thee! thou art tranflated.

fhall hear I am not afraid.

The oufel-cock, fo black of hue,
With orange-tarny bill,

The throfile 5 with his note so true,

The wren with little quill a

[Sings.

Queen. What angel wakes me from my flowery

bed?

Bottom fings.

The finch, the Sparrow, and the lark,

The plain-fong cuckow gray,

Whofa note full many a man doth mark,

And dares not anfwer, nay;

Waking.

Peafe. Peafe-bloffom.

Bot. I pray you, commend me to mistress for, indeed, who would fet his wit to fo foolish a Squash your mother, and to master Peafcod, your bird? Who would give a bird the lye, though he father. Good mafter Peafe-bloffom, Ifhall defire you of more acquaintance too.-Your name, I becry cuckoo, never fo. Queen. I pray thee, gentle moital, fing again: feech you, fir? Mine ear is much enamour'd of thy note,

Muf. Mustard-feed.

A cue, in the language of the 1. e. young man. fpeech, and ferves as a hint to him who is to fpeak next. rally understood to be the cock blackbird. The threftle 7 Aquaß is an unripe pcafood.

ftage, is the last words of the preceding 3. c. afraid. 4 The oufel cock is geneis the thrufh. i. c. deceive, os beguile.

Fol

B. Good mafter Muftard-feed, I know your And the Athenian woman by his fide; patience well: that fame cowardly, giant-like, ox-That, when he wak'd, of force the must be ey'd. beef hath devoured many a gentleman of your houfe: I promise you your kanered hath made my eyes water ere now. I deûre you, more acquaintance, good mafter Mustard-feed.

Queen. Come, wait upon him; lead him to my bower.

The moon, methinks, looks with a watry eye; And when the weeps, weeps every little flower, Lamenting fome enforced chastity.

Tie up my love's tongue, bring him filently.

Ob. This falls out better than I could devife. But haft thou yet latch'd 7 the Athenian's eyes With the love-juice, as I did bid thee do? Pack. I took him sleeping,—that is finish'd too,| And laid the love-juice on fome true-love's fight :

By patience is meant, ftanding fill in a muftard pot to be eaten with the beef, on which it was a conftant attendant. 2 Meaning, what frolick of the night ? 3. e. low, paltry fellows. 4 i. e. a head. 5 Minnchin, now minx, is a nice trifling girl. Minnock is apparently a word of contempt. • i. e. company. 7 i. e. closed. To latch the door, in Staffordshire, and the adjoining counties, is, to fhut the door. Touch, in our author's time, was the fame with our exploit, of rather stroke. 91. c. wflaken.

Of thy mifprifion must perforce enfue?

Some true love turn'd, and not a false turn'd true.

Hel. O fpight! O hell! I fee you all are bent
To fet against me, for your merriment.

Puck. Then fate o'er-rules; that, one man hold-If you were civil, and knew courtesy,

ing troth,

A million fail, confounding oath on oath.

Ob. About the wood go swifter than the wind,
And Helena of Athens look thou find :
All fancy-fick 2 the is, and pale of cheer
With fighs of love, that coft the fresh blood dear:
By fome illufion fee thou bring her here;
I'll charm his eyes, against the do appear.
Puck. I go, I go; look, how I go;
Swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow.

Ob. Flower of this purple dye,

Hit with Cupid's archery,

Sink in apple of his eye!

When his love he doth efpy,

Let her thine as gloriously

As the Venus of the sky.--
When thou wak'st, if she be by,
Beg of her for remedy.

Re-enter Puck.

Puck. Captain of our fairy band,
Helena is here at hand;
And the youth, miftook by me,
Pleading for a lover's fee;
Shall we their fond pageant fee?'
Lord, what fools these mortals be!

Ob. Stand afide: the noife they
Will caufe Demetrius to awake.

[Exit.

You would not do me thus much injury.
Can you not hate me, as I know you do,
But you must join, in fouls 3, to mock me too?
If you were men, as men you are in fhow,
You would not ufe a gentle lady fo;
To vow, and fwear, and fuperpraife my parts,
When, I am fure, you hate me with your hearts,
You both are rivals, and love Hermia;
And now both rivals to mock Helena:
A trim exploit, a manly enterprize,
To conjure tears up in a poor maid's eyes,
With your derition! None, of nobler fort 4,
Would fo offend a virgin; and extort 5
A poor foul's patience, all to make you fport.

Lyf. You are unkind, Demetrius; be not fo;
For you love Hermia; this, you know, I know;
And here, with all good-will, with all my heart,
In Hermia's love I yield you up my part;
And yours of Helena to me bequeath,
Whom I do love, and will do to my death.

Hel. Never did mockers wafte more idle breath,
Dem. Lyfander, keep thy Hermia; I will none;
If e'er I lov'd her, all that love is gone.
My heart with her but as gueft-wife fojourn'd;
And now to Helen it is home return'd,

make,There to remain.

Puck. Then will two, at once, woo one;
That must needs be fport alone :

And thofe things do best please me,

That befal prepost'rously.

Enter Lyfander and Helena.

Lv. Helen, it is not fo.

6

Dem. Disparage not the faith thou doft not know,
Left, to thy peril, thou aby it dear.-
Look, where thy love comes; yonder is thy dear.
Enter Hermia.

Her. Dark night, that from the eye his function

Lyf. Why fhould you think, that I fhould woo The ear more quick of apprehenfion makes; [takes,

in fcorn?

Scorn and derifion never come in tears:
Look, when I vow, I weep; and vows fo born,
In their nativity all truth appears.
How can these things in me feem fcorn to you,
Bearing the badge of faith to prove them true?

He You do advance your cunning more and

more.

When truth kills truth, O devilish-holy fray!
Thefe vows are Hermi..'s; Will you give her o'er?
Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing
weigh:

Your vows, to her and me, put in two fcales,
Will even weigh; and both as light as tales.

Lvf. I had no judgement, when to her I swore.
Hel. Nor none, in my mind, now you give her o'er.
Lyf. Demetrius loves her; and he loves not you.
Dem. [awaking.] O Helen, goddess, nymph,
perfect, divine!

To what, my love, fhall I compare thine eyne?
Cryftal is muddy. O, how ripe in fhow
Thy lips, thofe kifling cherries, tempting grow!
That pure congealed white, high Taurus' fnow,
Fann'd with the eastern wind, turns to a crow,
When thou hold'ft up thy hand: O, let me kifs
This princess of pure white, this feal of bliis!

1 That is. mistake. 2 i. e. all love-fick. or quality. 5 i. e. Harrafs, or torment.

Her. What love could prefs Lyfander from my
fide?

Lyf. Lyfander's love, that would not let him bide,
Fair Helena; who more engilds the night
Than all yon fiery o's 7, and eyes of light. [know,
Why feek'it thou me? could not this make thee
The hate I bear thee made me leave thee so?

Her. You speak not as you think; it cannot be.
Hel. Lo, fhe is one of this confederacy!
Now I perceive they have conjoin'd, all three,
To fashion this false sport in spight of me.
Injurious Hermia! moft ungrateful maid!
Have you confpir'd, have you with thefe contriv'd
To bait me with this foul derifion?

Is all the counfel that we two have shar'd,
The fifters' vows, the hours that we have spent,
When we have chid the hafty-footed time
For parting us,-O, and is all forgot?
All fchool-day friendship, childhood innocence ?

3 That is, join heartily, 4 Sort is here used for degree 6 See note 4, page 188. 7 Shakspeare ufes O for a circle. We,