Mal

But,

To!

Would so offend a virgin ; and extort

Н. A poor soul's patience, ali to make you sport. I sco Lys. You are unkind, Demetrius ; be not

80; For you love Hermia ; this, you know, I know : To fa And bere, with all good will, with all my And beart,

(Wb in Hermia's love 1 yield you up my part; And your's of Helena to me bequeath,

То с W bom I do love, and will do to my death. Prec Hel. Never did mockers waste more idle Toh breath.

Den Dem. Lysander, keep thy Hermia ; I will And none :

But If e'er I lov'd her, all that love is gone.

Wha My heart with her but, as guest-wise, 80- So b journ'd;

But And now to Helen is it home return'd,

This
There to reinain.

Lys. Helen, it is not so.
Dem. Disparage not the faith thou dost not H

know,
Lest, to thy peril, thou aby it dear.
Look where thy love comes ; yonder is thy Wini
dear.

This

If yo Enter HERMI.

You Her. Dark Dight, that from the eye his func-Whi tion takes,

L.
The ear more quick of apprehension makes ;

My
Wherein it doth impair the seeing sense,
It pays the hearing double recompense :-

H
Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander, found ;
Mine ear, tbank ii, brought me to thy L

sound.
But why unkindly didst thou leave me so ?

Thy
Lys. Why should be stay, whom love doth
press to go!

Hele Her. What love could press Lysander from

I sw
my side?
Lys. Lysander's love, that would not let him

D
bide,
Fair Helena; who more engilds the night
Tban ali yon fiery oes + and eyes of light.
Why seek'st thou me I could not this make thee

D know,

H The bate I bare thee made me leave thee so?

1 Her. You speak not as you think; it cannot D be.

Seel
Hel. Lo, she is one of this confederacy !
Now I perceive they have conjoin'd, all three, But
To fashion this false sport in spite of me.

L
Injurious Hermia! most ungrateful maid !
Have you conspir'd, have you with these con- or 1
trived

H
To bait me with this foul derison ?
Is all the counsel that we two have shar'd,

Swee
The sisters' vows, the hours that we bave

L
spent,
When we have chid the basty-footed time
For parting us, --Oh! and is all forgot ?

H
All school days' friendship, childhood, inno.

L
cence ?
We, Hermia, like two artificial gods,

D
Have with our neelds $ created both one flower,
Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion,

A W
Both warbling of one song, both in one key;
As if our bands, our sides, voices, and minds,

L
Had been incorporate. So we grew together,
Like to a double cherry, seeming parted,

Alth:
But yet a union in partition ;
Two lovely berries moulded on one stem :
So, with two seeming bodies, but one heart :

Hate
Two of the tirst, like coats in heraldry,
Due but to one, and crowned with one crest.

Am
And will you rent our ancient love asunder

I am
To join with men in Scorning your

friend?
It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly:
Our sex, as well as I, mav chide you for it

Out,

poor Since

why

is past;

I did upbraid her, and fall out with her :

The. My hounds are bred out of the Spartan For she his hairy temples then had rounded

kind, With coronet of fresh and fragrant flowers ; So few'd, so sanded ; and their heads are And that same dew, which sometime on the hung buds

With ears that sweep away the morning dew; Was wont to swell, like round and orient pearls, Crook-kuee'd, and dew-lap'd like Thessalian Stood now within the pretty flourets' eyes,

bulls; Like tears, that did their own disgrace be wail. Slow in pursuit, but matcb'd in mouth like When I had, at my pleasure, taunted her,

bells, And she, in mild terms, begg'd my patience, Each under each. A cry more tuneable I then did ask of her her cbangeling child ; Was never bolla'd to, nor cheer'd with horn, Which straigbt she gave me, and ber fairy sent In Crete, in Sparta, nor in Thessaly : To bear hiu to my bower in fairy land. Judge, when you hear.-But, soft ; what nympbs And now I have the boy, I will undo

are these ? This hateful imperfection of her eyes.

Ege. My lord, this is my daughter here And, gentle Puck, take this transformed scalp

asleep : From off the head of this Athenian swain; And this, Lysander : this Demetrius is ; That he awaking when the other do,

This Helena, old Nedar's Helena : May all to Athens back again repair ;

I wonder of their being here together. And think no more of this night's accidents, The. No doubt, they rose up early to observe But as the fierce vexation of a dream.

The rite of May ; and, bearing our intent,
But Arst I will release the fairy queen.

Came here in grace of our solemnity.-
Be, as thou wast wont to be ;

But, speak, Egeus ; is not this the day
(Touching her eyes with an herb. Tbat Herusia should give answer of ber choice !
See, as thou wast wont to see :

Ege. It is, my lord.
Dian's bud o'er Cupid's flower

The. Go, bid the huntsmen wake them with
Hatb such force and blessed power.

their horns. Now, my Titania; wake you, my sweet queen. Tita. My Oberon ! what visious have I seen!

Horns, and shout within. DEMETRIUS, Lr. Methought, I was enamour'd of an ass.

SANDER, HERMIA, and HELENA, wake and

start up. Obe. There lies your love. Tita. How came these things to pass ?

The. Good-morrow, friends. Saint Valentine Ob ! how mine eyes do loath his visage now! Obe. Silence, a while.--Robin, take off this Begin these wood-birds but to couple now ! bead.

Lys. Pardon, my lord. Titania, music call ; and strike more dead

(He and the rest kneel to THESEUS. Than common sleep, of all these five the sense. The. I pray you all, stand up. Tita. Masic, hol music ; sucb as charmeth I know you are two rival enemies ; sleep.

How comes this gentle concord in the world, Puck. Now, when thou wak'st, with thine own That batred is so far from jealousy, fool's eyes peep.

To sleep by bate and fear no enmity? Obe. Sound, music. (Still Musie.] Come, my Lys. My lord, I shall reply amazedly, queen, take hands with me,

Half 'sleep, balf waking : But as yet, I swear, And rock the ground whereon those sleepers ! cannot truly say how I came here : be.

But, as I think, (for truly would I speak,Nov thou and I are new in amity;

And now I do bethink me, so it is ;) And will, to-morrow midnigbt, solemnly,

I came with Hermia hither : our intent Dance in duke Theseus' house triumpbantly, Was, to be gone from Athens, where we might And bless it to all fair posterity :

be There shall the pairs of faithful lovers be Without the peril of the Athenian law. Wedded, with Theseus, all in jollity.

Ege. Enough, enough, my lord ; you have Puck. Fairy king, altend, and mark;

enough:
I do frear the morning lark.

I beg the law, the law upon his head.-
Obe. Then, my queen, in silence sad, They would bave stoi'n away, they would,
Trip we after the night's shade :

Demetrius,
We the globe can coinpass soon,

Thereby to have defeated you and me :
Swifter than the wand'ıing moon.

You, of your wife ; and me, of my consent ;
Tita. Come, my lord ; and in our light, of my consent that she should be your wife.
Tell me how it came this vight,

Dem. My lord, fair Helen told me of their
That I sleeping bere was found,

stealth,
With these mortais, on the ground. of this their purpose hither to this wood ;

(Ereunt. And I in fury hither foliow'd them ;
(Horns sound within. Fair Helena in fancy + following me.

But, my good lord, I wot not by what power, Enter Theseus, HIPPOLYTA, EGEUS, and (But by some power it is,) my love to Hermia train.

Melted as doth the snow, seems to me now
The. Go, one of you, find on the forester ;- As the remembrance of an idle gawd, I
For oor our observation is perform'd :

Which in my childhood I did dote upon :
And since we bare the vaward • of the day,

And all the faith, the virtue of my heail, My love shall hear the music of my hounds.- The object, and the pleasure of mine eye L'acouple in the western valley ; go :

Is only Helena. To her, my lord,
Despatch, I say, aud find the forester.-

Was I betrotli'd ere I saw Hernia :
We will, fair qucen, up to the mountain's top, But, like in sickness, did I loath this food :
And mark the inusiral confusion

But, as in health, come to my natural laste, of bounds and ecbo in conjunction.

Now do I wish it, love it, long for it, Hip. I was with Hercules, and Cadmus, And will for evermore be true to it. once,

The. Fair lovers, you are fortunately met: When in a wood of Crete they bay'd the bear of tbis discourse we more will litar anon.with bounds of Sparta : never did I bear Egeus, I will overbear your will; Sarh gallant cbiding ; + for, besides the groves, For in the temple, by and hy with us, The skies, the fountains, every region near These couples shall eternally be kuit. Srem'd all one mutual cry : I never heard And, for the morning now is comietbing worn, Su musical a discord, such sweet thunder.

• The fews are the large chape of a boond, • Forepart.

+ Sound.
lore.

1 Toy.

fret you

Puck. Here, villain ; drawn and ready. Where

art thou?
Lys, I will be with thee straight.

Puck. Follow me then
To plainer ground.

(Exit Lys. as following the voice.

Enter DEMETRIUS.
Dem. Lysander! speak again.
Thou runaway, thou coward, art thou fled !
Speak. In some bush? Where dost thon hide The man

thy head?
Puck. Thou coward, art thou bragging to the

stars,
Telling the bushes that thou look'st for wars,
And wilt not come ? Come, recreant ; come, thou

child ;
I'll whip thee with a rod : He is defil'd,
That draws a sword on thee.
Dem. Yea; art thou there?

Enter
Puck. Follow my voice ; we'll try no manhood

te here.

(Eseunt.

Tita.
Re-enter LYSANDER.
Lys. He goes before me, and still dares me
on ;

And stic
When I coinc where he calls, then he is gone.

And The villain is much lighter herl'd than 1:

Bol. I follow'd fast, but faster he did fly ;

Peas. That fallen am I in dark oneven way,

Bot. Aud here will rest me. Come, tbou gentle day! monsieu

(Lies down. C'ob. For if but once thou show me thy gray ligbt,

Bot I'll find Deu:etrius, and revenge this spite.

your we [Sleeps.

bipped

good and Re-enter Puck and DEMETRIUS. Puck. Ho, bo ! ho, ho ! Coward, why com'st and, gou thou not?

To ease the anguish of a torturing hour ? I read as much, as from the rattling tongue
Call Philostrate.

Of saucy and audacious eloquence.
Philost. Here, mighty Theseus,

Love, therefore, and tougue-lied simplicity,
The. Say, what abridgment* have you for this In least, speak must, to my capacity.

evening?
What mask! what music! How sball we be-

Enter PHILOSTRATB. guile?

Philost. So please your grace the prologue is The lazy tiine, if not with some delight?

addrest.
Philost. There is a brief, + bow many sports The. Let him approach.
are ripe ;

(Flourish of Trumpets, Make choice of which your highness will see first. (Giving a paper.

Enter PROLOGUE. The. (Reads.) The battle with the centaurs, Prol. If we offend, it is with our good to be sung,

will, By an Athenian eunuch to the harp.

That you should think, we come not to of. We'll none of that : that have I told my love,

Jend, 18 glory of my kinsman Hercules.

But with good will. To show our simple The riol of the tipsy Bacchanals,

skill, Tearing the Thracian singer in their rage. Thut is the true beginning of our end. That is an old device ; and it was play'd Consider then, we come but in despite, When I from Thebes came last a conqueror. We do not come as minding to content you, The thrice three Muses mourning for the Our true intent is. All for your delight, death

We are not here. Thut you should here of learning, late deceas'd in beggary.

repent you, That is some satire, keen, and critical,

The actors are al hand ; and, by their sholt, Not sorting with a nuptial ceremony.

You shall know all, that you are like to A tedious brief scene of young Pyramus,

knou. And his love Thisbe ; very tragical mirth. The. This fellow doth not stand upon points. Merry and tragical? Tedious and brief?

Lys. He hath rid his prologue, like a rough That is, hot ice, and wonderous strange show. colt, he knows not the stop. A good moral, my How shall we find the concord of this discord ? lord : It is not enough to speak, but lo speak Philost. A play there is, my lord, some ten true. words long;

Hip. Indeed he hath played on this prologue, Which is as brief as I have known a play ; like a child on a recorder ; t a sound, but uot Bat by ten words, my lord, it is too long; in govejninent. Which makes it tedious : for in all the play The. His speech was like a tangled chain; There is not one word apt, one player fitted. nothing impaired, but all disordered. Who is And tragical, my noble lord, it is ;

next? For Pyramus therein doth kill himself. Whicle, when I saw rehears'd, I must confess, Enter PYRAMUS and THISBE, WALL, MOONMade mine eyes water ; but more mery tears SHINE, and Lion, as in dumb show. The passion of loud laughter vever shed.

Prol. “Gentles, perchance, you wonder at The. What are tbey, that do play it?

this show ; Philost. Hard-handed men, that work in “But wonder on, till truth make all things Athens bere,

plain. Which never laboured in their minds till now; “ This man is Pyramus, if you would know ; Aud DOW bave toil'd their unbreath'd I me- “ This beauteous lady Thisby is, certain. inories

“ This man, with lime and rough-cast, doth preWith this same play, against your nuptial.

sent Tue. And we will hear it.

“ Wall, that vile wall which did these lovers Philost. No, my noble lord,

sunder; It is not for you: I have heard it over,

“ And through wall's chink, poor souls they are And it is nothing, nothing in the world ;

content Caless you can find sport in their intents,

“To whisper ; at the which let no man wonExtremely stretch'd and conn'd with cruel pain,

der. To do you service.

“ This man, with lantern, dog, and bush of The. I will bear that play ;

thoro, For bever auy thing can be amiss,

“ Presenteth moonshine: for, if you will W ben simpleness and duty tender it.

know, Go, bring them in :-aud take your places, By moonshipe did these lovers think no scoru ladies.

[Exit PHILOSTRATE. “ To meet at Ninus' tomb, there, there to Hip. I love not to see wretchedness o'er

W00. cbarg'd,

“ This grisly beast, which by name lion bicht, And Haly in his service perishing.

The trusty Thisby, coming tiist by night, The. Wby, gentle sweet, you shall see no "Did scare away, or rather did affright: such thing.

“ And, as she fled, her mantle she did fall ; Hiy. He says, they can do nothing in this “ Which lion vile with bloody mouth did kind.

stain : The. The kinder we, to give them thanks for “ Anon comes Pyramus, sweet youth, and tall, nothing.

“ And finds bis trusty Thisby's mantle slain : Our sport shall be, to take what they mistake : “ Whereat with blade, with bloody blameful And what poor duty cannot do,

blade, Noble respect takes it in might, not merit.

“ He bravely broach'd bis boiling bloudy bere i bave come, great clerho have purposed

breast; 1 grtet me with preineditated welcomes;

“ And, Thishy tarrying in mulberry shade bere I have seen them shiver and look pale, “ His dag er drew, and died. For all the Make periods in the midst of sentences,

rert, I brottle their practis'd accent in their fears, " Let lion, moonshine, wall, and lovers twain, 1, in conclusion, dumbly have broke off,

" At large discourse, wbile here they do repaying me a welcome : Trust me, sweet,

main." Otell this silence, yet, I pick'd a welcome;

(Earunt PROLOGUE, THISBE, Lion, and ased in the modesty or fearful duty

MOONSHINE.
• Soort scannt.

• Ready.
• Pastime.
Unexercised.
A musical instrument.

Cail.d.

Never mole, hare-lip, nor scar,

Puck. If we shadows have offended, Nor mark prodigious, such as are

Think but this, (and all is mended) Despised in nativity,

That you have but slumber'd kere, Shail upon their children be.

While these visions did appear. With this field-dew consecrate,

And this ueak and idle theme, Every fairy take bis gait; +

No more yielding but a dream, And rach several chainber bless,

Gentles, do not reprehend; Through this palace with sweet peace :

If you pardon, we'uill mend. E'er shall it in safety rest,

And, as I'm an honest Puck,
And tbe owner of it blest.

If we have unearned luck
Trip away;

Now to 'scape the serpent's torgue,
Make no stay,

We will make amends ere long :
Meet me all by break of day.

Else the Puck a liar call.
(Exeunt OBERON, TITANIA, and So, good night unto you all.
Train.

Give me your hands, if we be friends,

And Robin shall restore drvends, • Portentous. Was.

(Exit.