This palpable gross Play hath well beguil'd
The heavy gait of night.-Sweet friends to bed.
A fortnight hold we this solemnity,
In nightly revels and new jollity,

[Exeunt,

Puck. Now the hungry lion roars,

And the wolf behowls the moon : * Whilst the heavy ploughman (nores,

All with weary task fore-done. Now the wasted brands do glow,

Whilst the scritch-bwl, schrieking loud, Puts the wretch, that lies in woe,

In remembrance of a fhroud. Now it is the time of night,

That the graves, all gaping wide, Every one lets forth his spright,

In the church-way paths to glide; And we Fairies, that do run

By the triple Hecat's team, From the presence of the sun,

Following darkness like a dream, Now are frolick ; not a mouse, Shall disturb this hallow'd house:

2 In the old copies : And the that Season, feem also intended Wolf beholds the moon :) As to be represented ; I make no 'cis the Design of these Lines Question but the Poet wrote; to characterize the Animals, as they present themselves at the

And the Wolfbehowls ibe Moon. Hour of Midnight; and as the For fo the Wolf is exactly chaWolf is not justly characteriz'd racteriz'd, it being his peculiar by saying he beholds the Moon; Property to. bowl at the Moon. which all other Beatts of Prey, (Bihorul, as bemcan, bejeen, and then awake, do ; and as the an hundred others.) Sounds chefe Animals make at

WÁRBURTON.

I am

Enter King and Queen of Fairies, with their train.

Ob. Through this house give glimmering light, *

By the dead and drowsy fire,
Every elf, and every spright,

Hop as light as bird from brier
And this ditty after me
Sing, and dance it trippingly.

Queen. First rehearse this song by rote,
To each word a warbling note.
Hand in hand, with fairy grace,
Will we sing and bless this place.

Ob. Now until the break of day, 5.
Through this house each Fairy stray.

To

rue

3 I am sent with broom before,

So Drayton. To sweep the dust behind the Hence shadows seeming idle door.

Mapes Cleanliness was always neces. Of little frisking Elves and sary to invite the residence and Apes. the favour of Fairies.

To earth do make their wanten

scapes, These make our Girls their slutt ry

As hope of paftime bastes

them. By pinching them both black and blue,

I think it should be read, And put a penny in their shoe

Through this House in glimmering The house for cleanly sweeping.

Light.
DRAYTON.

$ This speech, which both the 4 Through this house give glim• the Edition of 1623, and in all the

old quartos give to Oberon, is in mering light,

following, printed as the song. I Milton perhaps had this picture have restored it to Oberon, as it in his thought.

apparently contains not the blerGlowing embers through the room fing wh ch he intends to beltow Teach light to counterfeit a on the bed, but his declaration gloom,

Il Penieroso. that he will bless it, and his or.

dess

To the best bride-bed will we,
Which by us shall blefsed be:
And the issue, there create,
Ever shall be fortunate;
So shall all the couples three
Ever true in loving be:
And the blots of nature's hand
Shall not in their issue stand;
Never mole, hare lip, nor scar,
Nor mark prodigious, such as are
Despised in nativity,
Shall upon their children be.
With this field dew consecrate,
Every Fairy take his gait,
And each several chamber bless,
Through this palace, with sweet peace,
Ever shall it safely reft,
And the owner of it bleft.
Trip away,
Make no stay;
Meet me all by break of day.

Puck. If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended ;
That you have but Number'd here,
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theam
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend;
If you pardon, we will mend.

ders to the Fairies now to pero Titania leads another song which
form the necessary rites. But is indeed lost like the former,
where then is the song ?-I am though the Editors have endea-
afraid it is gone after many other voured to find ic. Then Oberon
things of greater value. The dismisses his Fairies to the dif.
truth is that two songs are lost. patch of the ceremonies.
The series of the scene is this ; The fongs, I suppose, were
after the speech of Puck, Obe. loft, becaule they were not infer-
rok enters, and calls his Fairies to ted in the players parts, from
a long, which song is apparently which the drama was printed.
wanting in all the copies. Next

And

And as I am honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck
Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue, i
We will make amends ere long :
Else the Puck a liar call :
So, good night unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends ;
And Robin shall restore amends. (Exeunt omnes.

as it

6 Now to 'scape the ferpent's I have used the copy of Roberts, tongue.)

very carefully collated, That is, If we be dismiss'd with- seems, with that of Fisher. Neiout hisles.

ther of the editions approach to 7 Give me your hands. ] exactness. Fisher is fometimes That is, Clap your hands. Give preferable, but Roberts was fol. us your applause.

lowed, though not without some * Of this play there are two variations, by Hemings and Cor. editions in quarto, one printed del, and they by all the folios for Thomas Fisser, the other for that succeeded them. James Roberts, both in 1600.

THE