A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM.

Previous
William Shakespeare
TOC

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ1.

Theseus, Duke of Athens.

Egeus, father to Hermia.

Lysander,inlovewithHermia.

Demetrius,””””

Philostrate, master of the revels to Theseus

Quince, a carpenter.

Snug, a joiner.

Bottom, a weaver.

Flute, a bellows-mender.

Snout, a tinker.

Starveling, a tailor.

Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus.

Hermia, daughter to Egeus, in love with Lysander.

Helena, in love with Demetrius.

Oberon, king of the fairies.

Titania, queen of the fairies.

Puck, or Robin Goodfellow.

Peaseblossom,fairy.

Cobweb,”

Moth,”

Mustardseed,”

Other fairies attending their King and Queen. Attendants on Theseus and Hippolyta.

Scene—Athens, and a wood near it.

FOOTNOTE:
1: Dramatis PersonÆ] first given by Rowe.
A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT’S DREAM.

ACT I.

000 Scene I. Athens. The palace of Theseus.

MSND I. 1 Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Philostrate, and Attendants.

The. Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour

Draws on apace; four happy days bring in

Another moon: but, O, methinks, how slow

004 This old moon wanes! she lingers my desires,

005 Like to a step-dame, or a dowager,

006 Long withering out a young man’s revenue.

007 Hip. Four days will quickly steep themselves in night;

008 Four nights will quickly dream away the time;

And then the moon, like to a silver bow

010 New-bent in heaven, shall behold the night

Of our solemnities.

The.

Go, Philostrate,

Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments;

Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth:

Turn melancholy forth to funerals;

015 The pale companion is not for our pomp. [Exit Philostrate.

Hippolyta, I woo’d thee with my sword,

And won thy love, doing thee injuries;

But I will wed thee in another key,

019 With pomp, with triumph and with revelling.

Enter Egeus, Hermia, Lysander, and Demetrius.

020 Ege. Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke!

The. Thanks, good Egeus: what’s the news with thee?

Ege. Full of vexation come I, with complaint

Against my child, my daughter Hermia.

024 Stand forth, Demetrius. My noble lord,

025 This man hath my consent to marry her.

Stand forth, Lysander: and, my gracious duke,

027 This man hath bewitch’d the bosom of my child:

Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes,

And interchanged love-tokens with my child:

030 Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung,

With feigning voice, verses of feigning love;

And stolen the impression of her fantasy

With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits,

Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats, messengers

035 Of strong prevailment in unharden’d youth:

With cunning hast thou filch’d my daughter’s heart;

Turn’d her obedience, which is due to me,

038 To stubborn harshness: and, my gracious duke,

Be it so she will not here before your Grace

040 Consent to marry with Demetrius,

I beg the ancient privilege of Athens,

As she is mine, I may dispose of her:

Which shall be either to this gentleman

Or to her death, according to our law

045 Immediately provided in that case.

The. What say you, Hermia? be advised, fair maid:

To you your father should be as a god;

One that composed your beauties; yea, and one

To whom you are but as a form in wax

050 By him imprinted and within his power

051 To leave the figure or disfigure it.

Demetrius is a worthy gentleman.

Her. So is Lysander.

The.

In himself he is;

But in this kind, wanting your father’s voice,

055 The other must be held the worthier.

Her. I would my father look’d but with my eyes.

The. Rather your eyes must with his judgement look.

Her. I do entreat your Grace to pardon me.

I know not by what power I am made bold,

060 Nor how it may concern my modesty,

In such a presence here to plead my thoughts;

But I beseech your Grace that I may know

The worst that may befall me in this case,

If I refuse to wed Demetrius.

065 The. Either to die the death, or to abjure

For ever the society of men.

Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires;

Know of your youth, examine well your blood,

069 Whether, if you yield not to your father’s choice,

070 You can endure the livery of a nun;

For aye to be in shady cloister mew’d,

To live a barren sister all your life,

Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon.

Thrice-blessed they that master so their blood,

075 To undergo such maiden pilgrimage;

076 But earthlier happy is the rose distill’d,

Than that which, withering on the virgin thorn,

Grows, lives, and dies in single blessedness.

Her. So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord,

080 Ere I will yield my virgin patent up

081 Unto his lordship, whose unwished yoke

My soul consents not to give sovereignty.

The. Take time to pause; and, by the next new moon,—

The sealing-day betwixt my love and me,

085 For everlasting bond of fellowship,—

Upon that day either prepare to die

087 For disobedience to your father’s will,

Or else to wed Demetrius, as he would;

Or on Diana’s altar to protest

090 For aye austerity and single life.

Dem. Relent, sweet Hermia: and, Lysander, yield

Thy crazed title to my certain right.

Lys. You have her father’s love, Demetrius;

094 Let me have Hermia’s: do you marry him.

095 Ege. Scornful Lysander! true, he hath my love,

And what is mine my love shall render him.

And she is mine, and all my right of her

098 I do estate unto Demetrius.

Lys. I am, my lord, as well derived as he,

100 As well possess’d; my love is more than his;

101 My fortunes every way as fairly rank’d,

102 If not with vantage, as Demetrius’;

And, which is more than all these boasts can be,

I am beloved of beauteous Hermia:

105 Why should not I then prosecute my right?

Demetrius, I’ll avouch it to his head,

107 Made love to Nedar’s daughter, Helena,

And won her soul; and she, sweet lady, dotes,

Devoutly dotes, dotes in idolatry,

110 Upon this spotted and inconstant man.

The. I must confess that I have heard so much,

And with Demetrius thought to have spoke thereof;

But, being over-full of self-affairs,

My mind did lose it. But, Demetrius, come;

115 And come, Egeus; you shall go with me,

I have some private schooling for you both.

For you, fair Hermia, look you arm yourself

To fit your fancies to your father’s will;

Or else the law of Athens yields you up,—

120 Which by no means we may extenuate,—

To death, or to a vow of single life.

Come, my Hippolyta: what cheer, my love?

Demetrius and Egeus, go along:

I must employ you in some business

125 Against our nuptial, and confer with you

Of something nearly that concerns yourselves.

127 Ege. With duty and desire we follow you. [Exeunt all but Lysander and Hermia.

128 Lys. How now, my love! why is your cheek so pale?

How chance the roses there do fade so fast?

130 Her. Belike for want of rain, which I could well

131 Beteem them from the tempest of my eyes.

132 Lys. Ay me! for aught that I could ever read,

Could ever hear by tale or history,

The course of true love never did run smooth;

135 But, either it was different in blood,—

136 Her. O cross! too high to be enthrall’d to low.

Lys. Or else misgraffed in respect of years,—

138 Her. O spite! too old to be engaged to young.

139 Lys. Or else it stood upon the choice of friends,—

140 Her. O hell! to choose love by another’s eyes.

Lys. Or, if there were a sympathy in choice,

War, death, or sickness did lay siege to it,

143 Making it momentany as a sound,

Swift as a shadow, short as any dream;

145 Brief as the lightning in the collied night,

146 That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and earth,

And ere a man hath power to say ‘Behold!’

148 The jaws of darkness do devour it up:

So quick bright things come to confusion.

150 Her. If then true lovers have been ever cross’d,

It stands as an edict in destiny:

Then let us teach our trial patience,

Because it is a customary cross,

154 As due to love as thoughts and dreams and sighs,

155 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:

159 From Athens is her house remote seven leagues;

160 And she respects me as her only son.

There, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee;

And to that place the sharp Athenian law

Cannot pursue us. If thou lovest me, then,

Steal forth thy father’s house to-morrow night;

165 And in the wood, a league without the town,

Where I did meet thee once with Helena,

167 To do observance to a morn of May,

There will I stay for thee.

Her.

168 My good Lysander!

I swear to thee, by Cupid’s strongest bow,

170 By his best arrow with the golden head,

By the simplicity of Venus’ doves,

172 By that which knitteth souls and prospers loves,

And by that fire which burn’d the Carthage queen,

When the false Troyan under sail was seen,

175 By all the vows that ever men have broke,

In number more than ever women spoke,

In that same place thou hast appointed me,

To-morrow truly will I meet with thee.

Lys. Keep promise, love. Look, here comes Helena.

Enter Helena.

180 Her. God speed fair Helena! whither away?

Hel. Call you me fair? that fair again unsay.

182 Demetrius loves your fair: O happy fair!

Your eyes are lode-stars; and your tongue’s sweet air

More tuneable than lark to shepherd’s ear.

185 When wheat is green, when hawthorn buds appear.

186 Sickness is catching: O, were favour so,

187 Yours would I catch, fair Hermia, ere I go;

My ear should catch your voice, my eye your eye,

My tongue should catch your tongue’s sweet melody.

190 Were the world mine, Demetrius being bated,

191 The rest I’d give to be to you translated.

O, teach me how you look; and with what art

You sway the motion of Demetrius’ heart!

Her. I frown upon him, yet he loves me still.

195 Hel. O that your frowns would teach my smiles such skill!

Her. I give him curses, yet he gives me love.

Hel. O that my prayers could such affection move!

Her. The more I hate, the more he follows me.

Hel. The more I love, the more he hateth me.

200 Her. His folly, Helena, is no fault of mine.

Hel. None, but your beauty: would that fault were mine!

Her. Take comfort: he no more shall see my face;

Lysander and myself will fly this place.

Before the time I did Lysander see,

205 Seem’d Athens as a paradise to me:

206 O, then, what graces in my love do dwell,

207 That he hath turn’d a heaven unto a hell!

Lys. Helen, to you our minds we will unfold:

To-morrow night, when Phoebe doth behold

210 Her silver visage in the watery glass,

Decking with liquid pearl the bladed grass,

A time that lovers’ flights doth still conceal,

213 Through Athens’ gates have we devised to steal.

Her. And in the wood, where often you and I

215 Upon faint primrose-beds were wont to lie,

216 Emptying our bosoms of their counsel sweet,

There my Lysander and myself shall meet;

And thence from Athens turn away our eyes,

219 To seek new friends and stranger companies.

220 Farewell, sweet playfellow: pray thou for us;

And good luck grant thee thy Demetrius!

Keep word, Lysander: we must starve our sight

From lovers’ food till morrow deep midnight.

Lys. I will, my Hermia. [Exit Herm.

Helena, adieu:

225 As you on him, Demetrius dote on you! [Exit.

Hel. How happy some o’er other some can be!

Through Athens I am thought as fair as she.

But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so;

229 He will not know what all but he do know:

230 And as he errs, doting on Hermia’s eyes,

So I, admiring of his qualities:

Things base and vile, holding no quantity,

Love can transpose to form and dignity:

Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind;

235 And therefore is wing’d Cupid painted blind:

Nor hath Love’s mind of any judgement taste;

237 Wings, and no eyes, figure unheedy haste:

And therefore is Love said to be a child,

239 Because in choice he is so oft beguiled.

240 As waggish boys in game themselves forswear,

So the boy Love is perjured every where:

For ere Demetrius look’d on Hermia’s eyne,

He hail’d down oaths that he was only mine;

244 And when this hail some heat from Hermia felt,

245 So he dissolved, and showers of oaths did melt.

I will go tell him of fair Hermia’s flight:

Then to the wood will he to-morrow night

248 Pursue her; and for this intelligence

249 If I have thanks, it is a dear expense:

250 But herein mean I to enrich my pain,

To have his sight thither and back again. [Exit.

000 Scene II. The same. Quince’s house.

MSND I. 2 Enter Quince, Snug, Bottom, Flute, Snout, and Starveling.

Quin. Is all our company here?

Bot. You were best to call them generally, man by 003 man, according to the scrip.

Quin. Here is the scroll of every man’s name, which is 005 thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our interlude before 006 fore the duke and the duchess, on his wedding-day at night.

Bot. First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats 008 on; then read the names of the actors; and so grow to a point.

010 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 scroll. Masters, spread yourselves.

015 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 set down for Pyramus.

Bot. What is Pyramus? a lover, or a tyrant?

019 Quin. A lover, that kills himself most gallant for love.

020 Bot. That will ask some tears in the true performing of it: if I do it, let the audience look to their eyes; I will move 022 storms, I will condole in some measure. To the rest: yet my chief humour is for a tyrant: I could play Ercles rarely, 024 or a part to tear a cat in, to make all split.

025 The raging rocks

026 And shivering shocks

Shall break the locks

Of prison-gates;

And Phibbus’ car

030 Shall shine from far,

And make and mar

The foolish Fates.

This was lofty! Now name the rest of the players. This is Ercles’ vein, a tyrant’s vein; a lover is more condoling.

035 Quin. Francis Flute, the bellows-mender.

Flu. Here, Peter Quince.

037 Quin. Flute, you must take Thisby on you.

Flu. What is Thisby? a wandering knight?

Quin. It is the lady that Pyramus must love.

040 Flu. Nay, faith, let not me play a woman; I have a beard coming.

Quin. That’s all one: you shall play it in a mask, and you may speak as small as you will.

Bot. An I may hide my face, let me play Thisby too, I’ll 045 speak in a monstrous little voice, ‘Thisne, Thisne;’ ‘Ah Pyramus, my lover dear! thy Thisby dear, and lady dear!’

Quin. No, no; you must play Pyramus: and, Flute, you Thisby.

Bot. Well, proceed.

050 Quin. Robin Starveling, the tailor.

Star. Here, Peter Quince.

Quin. Robin Starveling, you must play Thisby’s mother. Tom Snout, the tinker.

Snout. Here, Peter Quince.

055 Quin. You, Pyramus’ father: myself, Thisby’s father: 056 Snug, the joiner; you, the lion’s part: and, I hope, here is a play fitted.

Snug. Have you the lion’s part written? pray you, if 059 it be, give it me, for I am slow of study.

060 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 say, ‘Let him roar again, let him roar 065 again.’

066 Quin. An you should do it too terribly, you would fright the duchess and the ladies, that they would shriek; and that were enough to hang us all.

All. That would hang us, every mother’s son.

070 Bot. I grant you, friends, if that you should fright the ladies out of their wits, they would have no more discretion but to hang us: but I will aggravate my voice so, that I 073 will roar you as gently as any sucking dove; I will roar you an ’twere any nightingale.

075 Quin. You can play no part but Pyramus; for Pyramus is a sweet-faced man; a proper man, as one shall see in a summer’s day; a most lovely, gentleman-like man: therefore you must needs play Pyramus.

Bot. Well, I will undertake it. What beard were I 080 best to play it in?

Quin. Why, what you will.

Bot. I will discharge it in either your straw colour beard, your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grain 084 beard, or your French crown colour beard, your perfect 085 yellow.

Quin. Some of your French crowns have no hair at all, and then you will play barefaced. But, masters, here are your parts: and I am to entreat you, request you, and desire you, to con them by to-morrow night; and meet me 090 in the palace wood, a mile without the town, by moonlight; 091 there will we rehearse, for if we meet in the city, we shall be dogged with company, and our devices known. In the meantime I will draw a bill of properties, such as our play wants. I pray you, fail me not.

095 Bot. We will meet; and there we may rehearse most obscenely 096 and courageously. Take pains; be perfect: adieu.

Quin. At the duke’s oak we meet.

Bot. Enough; hold or cut bow-strings. [Exeunt.

ACT II.

000 Scene I. A wood near Athens.

MSND II. 1 Enter, from opposite sides, a Fairy, and Puck.

Puck. How now, spirit! whither wander you?

Fai.

Over hill, over dale,

003 Thorough bush, thorough brier,

Over park, over pale,

005 Thorough flood, thorough fire,

I do wander every where,

007 Swifter than the moon’s sphere;

And I serve the fairy queen,

009 To dew her orbs upon the green.

010 The cowslips tall her pensioners be:

011 In their gold coats spots you see;

Those be rubies, fairy favours,

In those freckles live their savours:

014 I must go seek some dewdrops here,

015 And hang a pearl in every cowslip’s ear.

Farewell, thou lob of spirits; I’ll be gone:

Our queen and all her elves come here anon.

Puck. The king doth keep his revels here to-night:

Take heed the queen come not within his sight;

020 For Oberon is passing fell and wrath,

Because that she as her attendant hath

A lovely boy, stolen from an Indian king;

She never had so sweet a changeling:

And jealous Oberon would have the child

025 Knight of his train, to trace the forests wild;

But she perforce withholds the loved boy,

Crowns him with flowers, and makes him all her joy:

And now they never meet in grove or green,

By fountain clear, or spangled starlight sheen,

030 But they do square, that all their elves for fear

Creep into acorn-cups and hide them there.

032 Fai. Either I mistake your shape and making quite,

033 Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite

034 Call’d Robin Goodfellow: are not you he

035 That frights the maidens of the villagery;

036 Skim milk, and sometimes labour in the quern,

And bootless make the breathless housewife churn;

And sometime make the drink to bear no barm;

Mislead night-wanderers, laughing at their harm?

040 Those that Hobgoblin call you, and sweet Puck,

You do their work, and they shall have good luck:

Are not you he?

Puck.

042 Thou speak’st aright;

I am that merry wanderer of the night.

I jest to Oberon, and make him smile,

045 When I a fat and bean-fed horse beguile,

046 Neighing in likeness of a filly foal:

And sometime lurk I in a gossip’s bowl,

In very likeness of a roasted crab;

And when she drinks, against her lips I bob

050 And on her wither’d dewlap pour the ale.

The wisest aunt, telling the saddest tale,

Sometime for three-foot stool mistaketh me;

Then slip I from her bum, down topples she,

054 And ‘tailor’ cries, and falls into a cough;

055 And then the whole quire hold their hips and laugh;

056 And waxen in their mirth, and neeze, and swear

A merrier hour was never wasted there.

058 But, room, fairy! here comes Oberon.

059 Fai. And here my mistress. Would that he were gone!

Enter, from one side, Oberon, with his train; from the other, Titania, with hers.

060 Obe. Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania.

061 Tita. What, jealous Oberon! Fairies, skip hence:

I have forsworn his bed and company.

Obe. Tarry, rash wanton: am not I thy lord?

Tita. Then I must be thy lady: but I know

065 When thou hast stolen away from fairy land,

And in the shape of Corin sat all day,

Playing on pipes of corn, and versing love

To amorous Phillida. Why art thou here,

069 Come from the farthest steppe of India?

070 But that, forsooth, the bouncing Amazon,

Your buskin’d mistress and your warrior love,

To Theseus must be wedded, and you come

To give their bed joy and prosperity.

Obe. How canst thou thus for shame, Titania,

075 Glance at my credit with Hippolyta,

Knowing I know thy love to Theseus?

077 Didst thou not lead him through the glimmering night

078 From Perigenia, whom he ravished?

079 And make him with fair Ægle break his faith,

080 With Ariadne and Antiopa?

Tita. These are the forgeries of jealousy:

082 And never, since the middle summer’s spring,

Met we on hill, in dale, forest, or mead,

By paved fountain or by rushy brook,

085 Or in the beached margent of the sea,

To dance our ringlets to the whistling wind,

But with thy brawls thou hast disturb’d our sport.

Therefore the winds, piping to us in vain,

As in revenge, have suck’d up from the sea

090 Contagious fogs; which falling in the land,

091 Have every pelting river made so proud,

That they have overborne their continents:

The ox hath therefore stretch’d his yoke in vain,

The ploughman lost his sweat; and the green corn

095 Hath rotted ere his youth attain’d a beard:

The fold stands empty in the drowned field,

097 And crows are fatted with the murrion flock;

The nine men’s morris is fill’d up with mud;

099 And the quaint mazes in the wanton green,

100 For lack of tread, are undistinguishable:

101 The human mortals want their winter here;

No night is now with hymn or carol blest:

Therefore the moon, the governess of floods,

Pale in her anger, washes all the air,

105 That rheumatic diseases do abound:

106 And thorough this distemperature we see

107 The seasons alter: hoary-headed frosts

Fall in the fresh lap of the crimson rose;

109 And on old Hiems’ thin and icy crown

110 An odorous chaplet of sweet summer buds

Is, as in mockery, set: the spring, the summer,

112 The childing autumn, angry winter, change

113 Their wonted liveries; and the mazed world,

114 By their increase, now knows not which is which:

115 And this same progeny of evils comes

From our debate, from our dissension;

We are their parents and original.

Obe. Do you amend it, then; it lies in you:

Why should Titania cross her Oberon?

120 I do but beg a little changeling boy,

To be my henchman.

Tita.

Set your heart at rest:

122 The fairy land buys not the child of me.

123 His mother was a votaress of my order:

And, in the spiced Indian air, by night,

125 Full often hath she gossip’d by my side;

And sat with me on Neptune’s yellow sands,

127 Marking the embarked traders on the flood;

When we have laugh’d to see the sails conceive

And grow big-bellied with the wanton wind;

130 Which she, with pretty and with swimming gait

131 Following,—her womb then rich with my young squire,—

Would imitate, and sail upon the land,

To fetch me trifles, and return again,

As from a voyage, rich with merchandise.

135 But she, being mortal, of that boy did die;

136 And for her sake do I rear up her boy;

And for her sake I will not part with him.

Obe. How long within this wood intend you stay?

Tita. Perchance till after Theseus’ wedding-day.

140 If you will patiently dance in our round,

And see our moonlight revels, go with us;

If not, shun me, and I will spare your haunts.

Obe. Give me that boy, and I will go with thee.

144 Tita. Not for thy fairy kingdom. Fairies, away!

145 We shall chide downright, if I longer stay. [Exit Titania with her train.

Obe. Well, go thy way: thou shalt not from this grove

Till I torment thee for this injury.

My gentle Puck, come hither. Thou rememberest

149 Since once I sat upon a promontory,

150 And heard a mermaid, on a dolphin’s back,

Uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath,

That the rude sea grew civil at her song,

And certain stars shot madly from their spheres,

To hear the sea-maid’s music.

Puck.

I remember.

155 Obe. That very time I saw, but thou couldst not,

Flying between the cold moon and the earth,

157 Cupid all arm’d: a certain aim he took

158 At a fair vestal throned by the west,

And loosed his love-shaft smartly from his bow,

160 As it should pierce a hundred thousand hearts:

But I might see young Cupid’s fiery shaft

162 Quench’d in the chaste beams of the watery moon,

163 And the imperial votaress passed on,

In maiden meditation, fancy-free.

165 Yet mark’d I where the bolt of Cupid fell:

It fell upon a little western flower,

Before milk-white, now purple with love’s wound,

And maidens call it love-in-idleness.

Fetch me that flower; the herb I shew’d thee once:

170 The juice of it on sleeping eye-lids laid

Will make or man or woman madly dote

172 Upon the next live creature that it sees.

Fetch me this herb; and be thou here again

Ere the leviathan can swim a league.

175 Puck. I’ll put a girdle round about the earth

In forty minutes. [Exit.

Obe.

Having once this juice,

177 I’ll watch Titania when she is asleep,

And drop the liquor of it in her eyes.

179 The next thing then she waking looks upon,

180 Be it on lion, bear, or wolf, or bull,

181 On meddling monkey, or on busy ape,

She shall pursue it with the soul of love:

183 And ere I take this charm from off her sight,

As I can take it with another herb,

185 I’ll make her render up her page to me.

But who comes here? I am invisible;

And I will overhear their conference.

Enter Demetrius, Helena following him.

188 Dem. I love thee not, therefore pursue me not.

Where is Lysander and fair Hermia?

190 The one I’ll slay, the other slayeth me.

191 Thou told’st me they were stolen unto this wood;

192 And here am I, and wode within this wood,

Because I cannot meet my Hermia.

Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more.

195 Hel. You draw me, you hard-hearted adamant;

But yet you draw not iron, for my heart

197 Is true as steel: leave you your power to draw,

And I shall have no power to follow you.

Dem. Do I entice you? do I speak you fair?

200 Or, rather, do I not in plainest truth

201 Tell you, I do not nor I cannot love you?

202 Hel. And even for that do I love you the more.

I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius,

The more you beat me, I will fawn on you:

205 Use me but as your spaniel, spurn me, strike me,

206 Neglect me, lose me; only give me leave,

Unworthy as I am, to follow you.

208 What worser place can I beg in your love,—

And yet a place of high respect with me,—

210 Than to be used as you use your dog?

Dem. Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit;

For I am sick when I do look on thee.

Hel. And I am sick when I look not on you.

Dem. You do impeach your modesty too much,

215 To leave the city, and commit yourself

Into the hands of one that loves you not;

To trust the opportunity of night

And the ill counsel of a desert place

With the rich worth of your virginity.

220 Hel. Your virtue is my privilege: for that

It is not night when I do see your face,

Therefore I think I am not in the night;

Nor doth this wood lack worlds of company,

For you in my respect are all the world:

225 Then how can it be said I am alone,

When all the world is here to look on me?

Dem. I’ll run from thee and hide me in the brakes,

And leave thee to the mercy of wild beasts.

Hel. The wildest hath not such a heart as you.

230 Run when you will, the story shall be changed:

Apollo flies, and Daphne holds the chase;

The dove pursues the griffin; the mild hind

Makes speed to catch the tiger; bootless speed,

When cowardice pursues, and valour flies.

235 Dem. I will not stay thy questions; let me go:

Or, if thou follow me, do not believe

But I shall do thee mischief in the wood.

238 Hel. Ay, in the temple, in the town, the field,

You do me mischief. Fie, Demetrius!

240 Your wrongs do set a scandal on my sex:

We cannot fight for love, as men may do;

242 We should be woo’d, and were not made to woo. [Exit Dem.

243 I’ll follow thee, and make a heaven of hell,

244 To die upon the hand I love so well. [Exit.

245 Obe. Fare thee well, nymph: ere he do leave this grove,

246 Thou shalt fly him, and he shall seek thy love.

Re-enter Puck.

247 Hast thou the flower there? Welcome, wanderer.

Puck. Ay, there it is.

Obe.

I pray thee, give it me.

249 I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,

250 Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows;

251 Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,

With sweet musk-roses, and with eglantine:

253 There sleeps Titania sometime of the night,

254 Lull’d in these flowers with dances and delight;

255 And there the snake throws her enamell’d skin,

256 Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in:

257 And with the juice of this I’ll streak her eyes,

And make her full of hateful fantasies.

Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove:

260 A sweet Athenian lady is in love

With a disdainful youth: anoint his eyes;

But do it when the next thing he espies

May be the lady: thou shalt know the man

By the Athenian garments he hath on.

265 Effect it with some care that he may prove

266 More fond on her than she upon her love:

And look thou meet me ere the first cock crow.

268 Puck. Fear not, my lord, your servant shall do so. [Exeunt.

000 Scene II. Another part of the wood.

MSND II. 2 Enter Titania, with her train.

Tita. Come, now a roundel and a fairy song;

002 Then, for the third part of a minute, hence;

Some to kill cankers in the musk-rose buds;

Some war with rere-mice for their leathern wings,

005 To make my small elves coats; and some keep back

The clamorous owl, that nightly hoots and wonders

007 At our quaint spirits. Sing me now asleep;

Then to your offices, and let me rest.

Song.

009 Fir. Fairy.

You spotted snakes with double tongue.

010 Thorny hedgehogs, be not seen;

Newts and blind-worms, do no wrong,

Come not near our fairy queen.

CHORUS.

013 Philomel, with melody

014 Sing in our sweet lullaby;

015 Lulla, lulla, lullaby, lulla, lulla, lullaby:

Never harm,

Nor spell, nor charm,

Come our lovely lady nigh;

So, good night, with lullaby.

Fir. Fairy.

020 Weaving spiders, come not here;

021 Hence, you long-legg’d spinners, hence!

Beetles black, approach not near;

Worm nor snail, do no offence.

CHORUS.

Philomel, with melody, &c.

Sec. Fairy.

025 Hence, away! now all is well:

026 One aloof stand sentinel. [Exeunt Fairies. Titania sleeps.

Enter Oberon, and squeezes the flower on Titania’s eyelids.

Obe. What thou seest when thou dost wake,

Do it for thy true-love take;

Love and languish for his sake:

030 Be it ounce, or cat, or bear,

Pard, or boar with bristled hair,

032 In thy eye that shall appear

When thou wakest, it is thy dear:

034 Wake when some vile thing is near. [Exit.

Enter Lysander and Hermia.

035 Lys. Fair love, you faint with wandering in the wood;

And to speak troth, I have forgot our way:

We’ll rest us, Hermia, if you think it good,

038 And tarry for the comfort of the day.

039 Her. Be it so, Lysander: find you out a bed;

040 For I upon this bank will rest my head.

Lys. One turf shall serve as pillow for us both;

One heart, one bed, two bosoms, and one troth.

Her. Nay, good Lysander; for my sake, my dear,

Lie further off yet, do not lie so near.

045 Lys. O, take the sense, sweet, of my innocence!

046 Love takes the meaning in love’s conference.

047 I mean, that my heart unto yours is knit,

048 So that but one heart we can make of it:

049 Two bosoms interchained with an oath;

050 So then two bosoms and a single troth.

Then by your side no bed-room me deny;

For lying so, Hermia, I do not lie.

Her. Lysander riddles very prettily:

Now much beshrew my manners and my pride,

055 If Hermia meant to say Lysander lied.

But, gentle friend, for love and courtesy

057 Lie further off; in human modesty,

Such separation as may well be said

Becomes a virtuous bachelor and a maid,

060 So far be distant; and, good night, sweet friend:

Thy love ne’er alter till thy sweet life end!

Lys. Amen, amen, to that fair prayer, say I;

And then end life when I end loyalty!

Here is my bed: sleep give thee all his rest!

065 Her. With half that wish the wisher’s eyes be press’d! [They sleep.

Enter Puck.

Puck. Through the forest have I gone,

067 But Athenian found I none,

On whose eyes I might approve

This flower’s force in stirring love.

070 Night and silence.—Who is here?

Weeds of Athens he doth wear:

This is he, my master said,

Despised the Athenian maid;

And here the maiden, sleeping sound,

075 On the dank and dirty ground.

Pretty soul! she durst not lie

077 Near this lack-love, this kill-courtesy.

Churl, upon thy eyes I throw

All the power this charm doth owe.

080 When thou wakest, let love forbid

Sleep his seat on thy eyelid:

So awake when I am gone;

For I must now to Oberon. [Exit.

Enter Demetrius and Helena, running.

084 Hel. Stay, though thou kill me, sweet Demetrius.

085 Dem. I charge thee, hence, and do not haunt me thus.

Hel. O, wilt thou darkling leave me? do not so.

087 Dem. Stay, on thy peril: I alone will go. [Exit.

Hel. O, I am out of breath in this fond chase!

The more my prayer, the lesser is my grace.

090 Happy is Hermia, wheresoe’er she lies;

For she hath blessed and attractive eyes.

How came her eyes so bright? Not with salt tears:

If so, my eyes are oftener wash’d than hers.

No, no, I am as ugly as a bear;

095 For beasts that meet me run away for fear:

096 Therefore no marvel though Demetrius

Do, as a monster, fly my presence thus.

What wicked and dissembling glass of mine

Made me compare with Hermia’s sphery eyne?

100 But who is here? Lysander! on the ground!

Dead? or asleep? I see no blood, no wound.

Lysander, if you live, good sir, awake.

Lys. [Awaking] And run through fire I will for thy sweet sake.

104 Transparent Helena! Nature shows art,

105 That through thy bosom makes me see thy heart.

106 Where is Demetrius? O, how fit a word

Is that vile name to perish on my sword!

Hel. Do not say so, Lysander; say not so.

What though he love your Hermia? Lord, what though?

110 Yet Hermia still loves you: then be content.

Lys. Content with Hermia! No; I do repent

The tedious minutes I with her have spent.

113 Not Hermia but Helena I love:

Who will not change a raven for a dove?

115 The will of man is by his reason sway’d;

And reason says you are the worthier maid.

Things growing are not ripe until their season:

118 So I, being young, till now ripe not to reason;

And touching now the point of human skill,

120 Reason becomes the marshal to my will,

And leads me to your eyes; where I o’erlook

122 Love’s stories, written in love’s richest book.

Hel. Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born?

When at your hands did I deserve this scorn?

125 Is’t not enough, is’t not enough, young man,

That I did never, no, nor never can,

127 Deserve a sweet look from Demetrius’ eye,

But you must flout my insufficiency?

Good troth, you do me wrong, good sooth, you do,

130 In such disdainful manner me to woo.

But fare you well: perforce I must confess

I thought you lord of more true gentleness.

O, that a lady, of one man refused,

Should of another therefore be abused! [Exit.

135 Lys. She sees not Hermia. Hermia, sleep thou there:

And never mayst thou come Lysander near!

For as a surfeit of the sweetest things

138 The deepest loathing to the stomach brings,

Or as the heresies that men do leave

140 Are hated most of those they did deceive,

So thou, my surfeit and my heresy,

Of all be hated, but the most of me!

143 And, all my powers, address your love and might

To honour Helen and to be her knight! [Exit.

Her. [Awaking] 145 Help me, Lysander, help me! do thy best

To pluck this crawling serpent from my breast!

147 Ay me, for pity! what a dream was here!

Lysander, look how I do quake with fear:

Methought a serpent eat my heart away,

150 And you sat smiling at his cruel prey.

Lysander! what, removed? Lysander! lord!

What, out of hearing? gone? no sound, no word?

Alack, where are you? speak, an if you hear;

154 Speak, of all loves! I swoon almost with fear.

155 No? then I well perceive you are not nigh:

156 Either death or you I’ll find immediately. [Exit.

ACT III.

Scene I. The wood. Titania lying asleep. 000

MSND III. 1 Enter Quince, Snug, Bottom, Flute, Snout, and Starveling.

Bot. Are we all met?

002 Quin. Pat, pat; and here’s a marvellous convenient place for our rehearsal. This green plot shall be our stage, this hawthorn-brake our tiring-house; and we will do it in 005 action as we will do it before the duke.

Bot. Peter Quince,—

Quin. What sayest thou, bully Bottom?

Bot. There are things in this comedy of Pyramus and Thisby that will never please. First, Pyramus must draw 010 a sword to kill himself; which the ladies cannot abide. How answer you that?

012 Snout. By’r lakin, a parlous fear.

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

015 Bot. Not a whit: I have a device to make all well. Write me a prologue; and let the prologue seem to say, we will do no harm with our swords, and that Pyramus is not 018 killed indeed; and, for the more better assurance, tell them that I Pyramus am not Pyramus, but Bottom the weaver: 020 this will put them out of fear.

Quin. Well, we will have such a prologue; and it shall be written in eight and six.

023 Bot. No, make it two more; let it be written in eight and eight.

025 Snout. 025 Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion?

Star. I fear it, I promise you.

027 Bot. Masters, you ought to consider with yourselves: to bring in,—God shield us!—a lion among ladies, is a most dreadful thing; for there is not a more fearful wild-fowl 030 than your lion living; and we ought to look to ’t.

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

Bot. Nay, you must name his name, and half his face must be seen through the lion’s neck; and he himself must 035 speak through, saying thus, or to the same defect,—‘Ladies,’ —or, ‘Fair ladies,—I would wish you,’—or, ‘I would request you,’—or, ‘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 such thing; I 040 am a man as other men are:’ and there indeed let him 041 name his name, and tell them plainly, he is Snug the joiner.

Quin. Well, it shall be so. But there is two hard things; that is, to bring the moonlight into a chamber; for, you know, Pyramus and Thisby meet by moonlight.

045 Snout. Doth the moon shine that night we play our play?

Bot. A calendar, a calendar! look in the almanac; find 047 out moonshine, find out moonshine.

Quin. Yes, it doth shine that night.

049 Bot. Why, then may you leave a casement of the great 050 chamber window, where we play, open, and the moon may shine in at the casement.

Quin. Ay; or else one must come in with a bush of thorns and a lantern, and say he comes to disfigure, or to present, the person of moonshine. Then, there is another 055 thing: we must have a wall in the great chamber; for Pyramus and Thisby, says the story, did talk through the chink of a wall.

058 Snout. You can never bring in a wall. What say you, Bottom?

060 Bot. Some man or other must present wall: and let him 061 have some plaster, or some loam, or some rough-cast about 062 him, to signify wall; and let him hold his fingers thus, and through that cranny shall Pyramus and Thisby whisper.

Quin. If that may be, then all is well. Come, sit 065 down, every mother’s son, and rehearse your parts. Pyramus, you begin: when you have spoken your speech, enter into that brake: and so every one according to his cue.

Enter Puck behind.

068 Puck. What hempen home-spuns have we swaggering here,

So near the cradle of the fairy queen?

070 What, a play toward! I’ll be an auditor;

071 An actor too perhaps, if I see cause.

Quin. Speak, Pyramus. Thisby, stand forth.

073 Bot. Thisby, the flowers of odious savours sweet,—

074 Quin. Odours, odours.

075 Bot. —— odours savours sweet:

So hath thy breath, my dearest Thisby 076 dear.

But hark, a voice! stay thou but here 077 awhile,

And by and by I will to thee appear. [Exit.

Puck. 079 A stranger Pyramus than e’er play’d here. [Exit.

080 Flu. Must I speak now?

081 Quin. Ay, marry, must you; for you must understand he

goes but to see a noise that he heard, and is to come again.

Flu. Most radiant Pyramus, most lily-white of hue,

Of colour like the red rose on triumphant brier,

085 Most brisky juvenal, and eke most lovely Jew,

As true as truest horse, that yet would never tire,

I’ll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny’s tomb.

Quin. ‘Ninus’ tomb,’ man: why, you must not speak that yet; that you answer to Pyramus: you speak all your 090 part at once, cues and all. Pyramus enter: your cue is past; it is, ‘never tire.’

Flu. O,—As true as truest horse, that yet would never 092 tire.

Re-enter Puck, and Bottom with an ass’s head.

093 Bot. If I were fair, Thisby, I were only thine.

Quin. O monstrous! O strange! we are haunted. Pray, 095 masters! fly, masters! Help! [Exeunt Quince, Snug, Flute, Snout, and Starveling.

096 Puck. I’ll follow you, I’ll lead you about a round,

097 Through bog, through bush, through brake, through brier:

Sometime a horse I’ll be, sometime a hound,

099 A hog, a headless bear, sometime a fire;

100 And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar, and burn,

101 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.

Re-enter Snout.

104 Snout. O bottom, thou art changed! what do I see on 105 thee?

Bot. What do you see? you see an ass-head of your own, do you? [Exit Snout.

Re-enter Quince.

Quin. Bless thee, Bottom! bless thee! thou art translated. [Exit.

110 Bot. I see their knavery: this is to make an ass of me; to fright me, if they could. But I will not stir from this place, do what they can: I will walk up and down here, and 113 I will sing, that they shall hear I am not afraid. [Sings.

114 The ousel cock so black of hue,

115 With orange-tawny bill,

The throstle with his note so true,

117 The wren with little quill;

Tita. [Awaking] What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?

Bot. [Sings

The finch, the sparrow, and the lark,

120 The plain-song cuckoo gray,

Whose note full many a man doth mark,

And dares not answer nay;—

for, indeed, who would set his wit to so foolish a bird? who would give a bird the lie, though he cry ‘cuckoo’ never so?

125 Tita. I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again:

Mine ear is much enamour’d of thy note;

127 So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape;

And thy fair virtue’s force perforce doth move me

On the first view to say, to swear, I love thee.

130 Bot. Methinks, mistress, 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 some honest neighbours will not make them friends. Nay, I can gleek upon occasion.

135 Tita. Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful.

Bot. Not so, neither: but if I had wit enough to get out of this wood, I have enough to serve mine own turn.

Tita. Out of this wood do not desire to go:

Thou shalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no.

140 I am a spirit of no common rate:

The summer still doth tend upon my state;

And I do love thee: therefore, go with me;

I’ll give thee fairies to attend on thee;

And they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep,

145 And sing, while thou on pressed flowers dost sleep:

And I will purge thy mortal grossness so,

That thou shalt like an airy spirit go.

148 Peaseblossom! Cobweb! Moth! and Mustardseed!

Enter Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth, and Mustardseed.

First Fai.

149 Ready.

Sec. Fai.

And I.

Third Fai.

And I.

Fourth Fai.

And I.

All.

Where shall we go?

150 Tita. 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;

154 The honey-bags steal from the humble-bees,

155 And for night-tapers crop their waxen thighs,

And light them at the fiery glow-worm’s eyes,

To have my love to bed and to arise;

And pluck the wings from painted butterflies

To fan the moonbeams from his sleeping eyes:

160 Nod to him, elves, and do him courtesies.

161 First Fai. Hail, mortal!

Sec. Fai. Hail!

Third Fai. Hail!

Fourth Fai. Hail!

165 Bot. I cry your worships mercy, heartily: I beseech your worship’s name.

Cob. Cobweb.

168 Bot. I shall desire you of more acquaintance, good Master Cobweb: if I cut my finger, I shall make bold with 170 you. Your name, honest gentleman?

Peas. Peaseblossom.

Bot. I pray you, commend me to Mistress Squash, your mother, and to Master Peascod, your father. Good 174 Master Peaseblossom, I shall desire you of more acquaintance 175 too. Your name, I beseech you, sir?

176 Mus. Mustardseed.

177 Bot. Good Master Mustardseed, I know your patience well: that same cowardly, giant-like ox-beef hath devoured many a gentleman of your house: I promise you 180 your kindred hath made my eyes water ere now. I desire 181 your more acquaintance, good Master Mustardseed.

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

The moon methinks looks with a watery eye;

184 And when she weeps, weeps every little flower,

185 Lamenting some enforced chastity.

186 Tie up my love’s tongue, bring him silently. [Exeunt.

Scene II. Another part of the wood. 000

MSND III. 2 Enter Oberon.

Obe. I wonder if Titania be awaked;

Then, what it was that next came in her eye,

003 Which she must dote on in extremity.

Enter Puck.

Here comes my messenger.

004 How now, mad spirit!

005 What night-rule now about this haunted grove?

006 Puck. My mistress with a monster is in love.

Near to her close and consecrated bower,

While she was in her dull and sleeping hour,

A crew of patches, rude mechanicals,

010 That work for bread upon Athenian stalls,

Were met together to rehearse a play,

Intended for great Theseus’ nuptial-day.

013 The shallowest thick-skin of that barren sort,

Who Pyramus presented, in their sport

015 Forsook his scene, and enter’d in a brake:

When I did him at this advantage take,

017 An ass’s nole I fixed on his head:

Anon his Thisbe must be answered,

019 And forth my mimic comes. When they him spy,

020 As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye,

021 Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort,

Rising and cawing at the gun’s report,

Sever themselves and madly sweep the sky,

So, at his sight, away his fellows fly;

025 And, at our stamp, here o’er and o’er one falls;

He murder cries, and help from Athens calls.

Their sense thus weak, lost with their fears thus strong,

Made senseless things begin to do them wrong;

For briers and thorns at their apparel snatch;

030 Some sleeves, some hats, from yielders all things catch.

I led them on in this distracted fear,

And left sweet Pyramus translated there:

When in that moment, so it came to pass,

Titania waked, and straightway loved an ass.

035 Obe. This falls out better than I could devise.

036 But hast thou yet latch’d the Athenian’s eyes

With the love-juice, as I did bid thee do?

Puck. I took him sleeping,—that is finish’d too,—

And the Athenian woman by his side;

040 That, when he waked, of force she must be eyed.

Enter Hermia and Demetrius.

041 Obe. Stand close: this is the same Athenian.

Puck. This is the woman, but not this the man.

Dem. O, why rebuke you him that loves you so?

Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe.

045 Her. Now I but chide; but I should use thee worse,

For thou, I fear, hast given me cause to curse.

If thou hast slain Lysander in his sleep,

048 Being o’er shoes in blood, plunge in the deep,

And kill me too.

050 The sun was not so true unto the day

As he to me: would he have stolen away

052 From sleeping Hermia? I’ll believe as soon

This whole earth may be bored, and that the moon

054 May through the centre creep, and so displease

055 Her brother’s noontide with the Antipodes.

It cannot be but thou hast murder’d him;

057 So should a murderer look, so dead, so grim.

058 Dem. So should the murder’d look; and so should I,

Pierced through the heart with your stern cruelty:

060 Yet you, the murderer, look as bright, as clear,

As yonder Venus in her glimmering sphere.

Her. What’s this to my Lysander? where is he?

Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me?

064 Dem. I had rather give his carcass to my hounds.

065 Her. Out, dog! out, cur! thou drivest me past the bounds

Of maiden’s patience. Hast thou slain him, then?

Henceforth be never number’d among men!

068 O, once tell true, tell true, even for my sake!

069 Durst thou have look’d upon him being awake,

070 And hast thou kill’d him sleeping? O brave touch!

Could not a worm, an adder, do so much?

072 An adder did it; for with doubler tongue

Than thine, thou serpent, never adder stung.

074 Dem. You spend your passion on a misprised mood:

075 I am not guilty of Lysander’s blood;

Nor is he dead, for aught that I can tell.

Her. I pray thee, tell me then that he is well.

Dem. An if I could, what should I get therefore?

Her. A privilege, never to see me more.

080 And from thy hated presence part I so:

See me no more, whether he be dead or no. [Exit.

Dem. There is no following her in this fierce vein:

Here therefore for a while I will remain.

So sorrow’s heaviness doth heavier grow

085 For debt that bankrupt sleep doth sorrow owe;

Which now in some slight measure it will pay,

087 If for his tender here I make some stay. [Lies down and sleeps.

088 Obe. What hast thou done? thou hast mistaken quite,

And laid the love-juice on some true-love’s sight:

090 Of thy misprision must perforce ensue

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

Puck. Then fate o’er-rules, that, one man holding troth,

A million fail, confounding oath on oath.

094 Obe. About the wood go swifter than the wind,

095 And Helena of Athens look thou find:

All fancy-sick she is and pale of cheer,

097 With sighs of love, that costs the fresh blood dear:

By some illusion see thou bring her here:

099 I’ll charm his eyes against she do appear.

100 Puck. I go, I go; look how I go,

101 Swifter than arrow from the Tartar’s bow. [Exit.

Obe.

Flower of this purple dye,

Hit with Cupid’s archery,

Sink in apple of his eye.

105 When his love he doth espy,

Let her shine as gloriously

As the Venus of the sky.

When thou wakest, if she be by,

109 Beg of her for remedy.

Re-enter Puck.

Puck.

110 Captain of our fairy band,

Helena is here at hand;

And the youth, mistook by me,

Pleading for a lover’s fee.

Shall we their fond pageant see?

115 Lord, what fools these mortals be!

Obe.

Stand aside: the noise they make

Will cause Demetrius to awake.

Puck.

Then will two at once woo one;

That must needs be sport alone;

120 And those things do best please me

That befal preposterously.

Enter Lysander and Helena.

122 Lys. Why should you think that I should woo in scorn?

123 Scorn and derision never come in tears:

Look, when I vow, I weep; and vows so born,

125 In their nativity all truth appears.

How can these things in me seem scorn to you,

Bearing the badge of faith, to prove them true?

Hel. You do advance your cunning more and more.

When truth kills truth, O devilish-holy fray!

130 These vows are Hermia’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 scales,

Will even weigh; and both as light as tales.

Lys. I had no judgement when to her I swore.

135 Hel. Nor none, in my mind, now you give her o’er.

Lys. Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you.

Dem. [Awaking] 137 O Helen, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine!

To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne?

Crystal is muddy. O, how ripe in show

140 Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow!

That pure congealed white, high Taurus’ snow,

Fann’d with the eastern wind, turns to a crow

143 When thou hold’st up thy hand: O, let me kiss

144 This princess of pure white, this seal of bliss!

145 Hel. O spite! O hell! I see you all are bent

To set against me for your merriment:

If you were civil and knew courtesy,

You would not do me thus much injury.

Can you not hate me, as I know you do,

150 But you must join in souls to mock me too?

151 If you were men, as men you are in show,

You would not use a gentle lady so;

To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts,

When I am sure you hate me with your hearts.

155 You both are rivals, and love Hermia;

And now both rivals, to mock Helena:

A trim exploit, a manly enterprise,

To conjure tears up in a poor maid’s eyes

With your derision! none of noble sort

160 Would so offend a virgin, and extort

A poor soul’s patience, all to make you sport.

Lys. You are unkind, Demetrius; be not so;

For you love Hermia; this you know I know:

164 And here, with all good will, with all my heart,

165 In Hermia’s love I yield you up my part;

166 And yours of Helena to me bequeath,

167 Whom I do love, and will do till my death.

Hel. Never did mockers waste more idle breath.

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

170 If e’er I loved her, all that love is gone.

171 My heart to her but as guest-wise sojourn’d,

172 And now to Helen is it home return’d,

173 There to remain.

Lys. Helen, it is not so.

Dem. Disparage not the faith thou dost not know,

175 Lest, to thy peril, thou aby it dear.

Look, where thy love comes; yonder is thy dear.

Re-enter Hermia.

177 Her. Dark night, that from the eye his function takes,

The ear more quick of apprehension makes;

Wherein it doth impair the seeing sense,

180 It pays the hearing double recompense.

Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander, found;

182 Mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy sound.

But why unkindly didst thou leave me so?

Lys. Why should he stay, whom love doth press to go?

185 Her. What love could press Lysander from my side?

Lys. Lysander’s love, that would not let him bide,

Fair Helena, who more engilds the night

188 Than all yon fiery oes and eyes of light.

Why seek’st thou me? could not this make thee know,

190 The hate I bear thee made me leave thee so?

Her. You speak not as you think: it cannot be.

Hel. Lo, she is one of this confederacy!

Now I perceive they have conjoin’d all three

To fashion this false sport, in spite of me.

195 Injurious Hermia! most ungrateful maid!

Have you conspired, have you with these contrived

To bait me with this foul derision?

Is all the counsel that we two have shared,

199 The sisters’ vows, the hours that we have spent,

200 When we have chid the hasty-footed time

201 For parting us,—O, is all forgot?

202 All school-days’ friendship, childhood innocence?

We, Hermia, like two artificial gods,

204 Have with our needles created both one flower,

205 Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion,

Both warbling of one song, both in one key;

As if our hands, our sides, voices, and minds,

Had been incorporate. So we grew together,

Like to a double cherry, seeming parted;

210 But yet an union in partition,

211 Two lovely berries moulded on one stem;

So, with two seeming bodies, but one heart;

213 Two of the first, like coats in heraldry,

Due but to one, and crowned with one crest.

215 And will you rent our ancient love asunder,

To join with men in scorning your poor friend?

It is not friendly, ’tis not maidenly:

218 Our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it,

Though I alone do feel the injury.

220 Her. I am amazed at your passionate words.

I scorn you not: it seems that you scorn me.

Hel. Have you not set Lysander, as in scorn,

To follow me and praise my eyes and face?

And made your other love, Demetrius,

225 Who even but now did spurn me with his foot,

To call me goddess, nymph, divine and rare,

Precious, celestial? Wherefore speaks he this

To her he hates? and wherefore doth Lysander

Deny your love, so rich within his soul,

230 And tender me, forsooth, affection,

But by your setting on, by your consent?

What though I be not so in grace as you,

So hung upon with love, so fortunate,

But miserable most, to love unloved?

235 This you should pity rather than despise.

Her. I understand not what you mean by this.

237 Hel. Ay, do, persever, counterfeit sad looks,

238 Make mouths upon me when I turn my back;

Wink each at other; hold the sweet jest up:

240 This sport, well carried, shall be chronicled.

241 If you have any pity, grace, or manners,

You would not make me such an argument.

243 But fare ye well: ’tis partly my own fault;

Which death or absence soon shall remedy.

245 Lys. Stay, gentle Helena; hear my excuse:

246 My love, my life, my soul, fair Helena!

Hel. O excellent!

Her.

Sweet, do not scorn her so.

Dem. If she cannot entreat, I can compel.

Lys. Thou canst compel no more than she entreat:

250 Thy threats have no more strength than her weak prayers.

Helen, I love thee; by my life, I do:

I swear by that which I will lose for thee,

To prove him false that says I love thee not.

Dem. I say I love thee more than he can do.

255 Lys. If thou say so, withdraw, and prove it too.

Dem. Quick, come!

Her.

Lysander, whereto tends all this?

257 Lys. Away, you Ethiope!

Dem.

No, no; he’ll . . .

258 Seem to break loose; take on as you would follow,

But yet come not: you are a tame man, go!

260 Lys. Hang off, thou cat, thou burr! vile thing, let loose,

Or I will shake thee from me like a serpent!

Her. Why are you grown so rude? what change is this?

Sweet love,—

Lys. Thy love! out, tawny Tartar, out!

264 Out, loathed medicine! hated potion, hence!

Her. Do you not jest?

Hel.

265 Yes, sooth; and so do you.

Lys. Demetrius, I will keep my word with thee.

Dem. I would I had your bond, for I perceive

A weak bond holds you: I’ll not trust your word.

Lys. What, should I hurt her, strike her, kill her dead?

270 Although I hate her, I’ll not harm her so.

271 Her. What, can you do me greater harm than hate?

272 Hate me! wherefore? O me! what news, my love!

Am not I Hermia? are not you Lysander?

I am as fair now as I was erewhile.

275 Since night you loved me; yet since night you left me:

Why, then you left me,—O, the gods forbid!—

In earnest, shall I say?

Lys.

Ay, by my life;

And never did desire to see thee more.

279 Therefore be out of hope, of question, of doubt;

280 Be certain, nothing truer; ’tis no jest

That I do hate thee, and love Helena.

282 Her. O me! you juggler! you canker-blossom!

You thief of love! what, have you come by night

And stolen my love’s heart from him?

Hel.

Fine, i’faith!

285 Have you no modesty, no maiden shame,

No touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear

Impatient answers from my gentle tongue?

Fie, fie! you counterfeit, you puppet, you!

289 Her. Puppet? why so? ay, that way goes the game.

290 Now I perceive that she hath made compare

Between our statures; she hath urged her height;

292 And with her personage, her tall personage,

Her height, forsooth, she hath prevail’d with him.

And are you grown so high in his esteem,

295 Because I am so dwarfish and so low?

How low am I, thou painted maypole? speak;

How low am I? I am not yet so low

But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes.

299 Hel. I pray you, though you mock me, gentlemen,

300 Let her not hurt me: I was never curst;

I have no gift at all in shrewishness;

I am a right maid for my cowardice:

Let her not strike me. You perhaps may think,

304 Because she is something lower than myself,

That I can match her.

Her.

305 Lower! hark, again.

Hel. Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me

I evermore did love you, Hermia,

Did ever keep your counsels, never wrong’d you;

Save that, in love unto Demetrius,

310 I told him of your stealth unto this wood.

He follow’d you; for love I follow’d him;

But he hath chid me hence, and threaten’d me

To strike me, spurn me, nay, to kill me too:

And now, so you will let me quiet go,

315 To Athens will I bear my folly back,

And follow you no further: let me go:

You see how simple and how fond I am.

Her. Why, get you gone: who is’t that hinders you?

Hel. A foolish heart, that I leave here behind.

Her. What, with Lysander?

Hel.

320 With Demetrius.

321 Lys. Be not afraid; she shall not harm thee, Helena.

Dem. No, sir, she shall not, though you take her part.

323 Hel. O, when she’s angry, she is keen and shrewd!

She was a vixen when she went to school;

325 And though she be but little, she is fierce.

Her. Little again! nothing but low and little!

Why will you suffer her to flout me thus?

Let me come to her.

Lys.

Get you gone, you dwarf;

329 You minimus, of hindering knot-grass made;

You bead, you acorn.

Dem.

330 You are too officious

In her behalf that scorns your services.

Let her alone: speak not of Helena;

Take not her part; for, if thou dost intend

Never so little show of love to her,

335 Thou shalt aby it.

Lys.

Now she holds me not;

Now follow, if thou darest, to try whose right,

337 Of thine or mine, is most in Helena.

Dem. Follow! nay, I’ll go with thee, cheek by jole. [Exeunt Lysander and Demetrius.

Her. You, mistress, all this coil is ’long of you:

Nay, go not back.

Hel.

340 I will not trust you, I,

Nor longer stay in your curst company.

Your hands than mine are quicker for a fray,

My legs are longer though, to run away. [Exit.

344 Her. I am amazed, and know not what to say. [Exit.

345 Obe. This is thy negligence: still thou mistakest,

346 Or else committ’st thy knaveries wilfully.

Puck. Believe me, king of shadows, I mistook.

Did not you tell me I should know the man

349 By the Athenian garments he had on?

350 And so far blameless proves my enterprise,

351 That I have ’nointed an Athenian’s eyes;

352 And so far am I glad it so did sort,

As this their jangling I esteem a sport.

Obe. Thou see’st these lovers seek a place to fight:

355 Hie therefore, Robin, overcast the night;

The starry welkin cover thou anon

357 With drooping fog, as black as Acheron;

And lead these testy rivals so astray,

As one come not within another’s way.

360 Like to Lysander sometime frame thy tongue,

Then stir Demetrius up with bitter wrong;

And sometime rail thou like Demetrius;

And from each other look thou lead them thus.

Till o’er their brows death-counterfeiting sleep

365 With leaden legs and batty wings doth creep:

Then crush this herb into Lysander’s eye;

Whose liquor hath this virtuous property,

368 To take from thence all error with his might,

And make his eyeballs roll with wonted sight.

370 When they next wake, all this derision

Shall seem a dream and fruitless vision;

And back to Athens shall the lovers wend,

With league whose date till death shall never end.

374 Whiles I in this affair do thee employ,

375 I’ll to my queen and beg her Indian boy;

And then I will her charmed eye release

From monster’s view, and all things shall be peace.

Puck. My fairy lord, this must be done with haste,

379 For night’s swift dragons cut the clouds full fast,

380 And yonder shines Aurora’s harbinger;

At whose approach, ghosts, wandering here and there,

Troop home to churchyards: damned spirits all,

That in crossways and floods have burial,

Already to their wormy beds are gone;

385 For fear lest day should look their shames upon,

386 They wilfully themselves exile from light,

And must for aye consort with black-brow’d night.

Obe. But we are spirits of another sort:

389 I with the morning’s love have oft made sport;

390 And, like a forester, the groves may tread,

Even till the eastern gate, all fiery-red,

392 Opening on Neptune with fair blessed beams,

393 Turns into yellow gold his salt green streams.

394 But, notwithstanding, haste; make no delay:

395 We may effect this business yet ere day. [Exit.

Puck.

396 Up and down, up and down,

I will lead them up and down:

I am fear’d in field and town:

Goblin, lead them up and down.

400 Here comes one.

Re-enter Lysander.

Lys. Where art thou, proud Demetrius? speak thou now.

Puck. Here, villain; drawn and ready. Where art thou?

Lys. I will be with thee straight.

Puck.

Follow me, then,

To plainer ground. [Exit Lysander, as following the voice.

Re-enter Demetrius.

Dem.

Lysander! speak again:

405 Thou runaway, thou coward, art thou fled?

406 Speak! In some bush? Where dost thou hide 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;

410 I’ll whip thee with a rod: he is defiled

That draws a sword on thee.

Dem.

Yea, art thou there?

Puck. Follow my voice: we’ll try no manhood here. [Exeunt.

Re-enter Lysander.

413 Lys. He goes before me and still dares me on:

414 When I come where he calls, then he is gone.

415 The villain is much lighter-heel’d than I:

416 I follow’d fast, but faster he did fly;

That fallen am I in dark uneven way,

And here will rest me. [Lies down.] 418 Come, thou gentle day!

For if but once thou show me thy grey light,

420 I’ll find Demetrius, and revenge this spite. [Sleeps.

Re-enter Puck and Demetrius.

421 Puck. Ho, ho, ho! Coward, why comest thou not?

Dem. Abide me, if thou darest; for well I wot

Thou runn’st before me, shifting every place,

And darest not stand, nor look me in the face.

425 Where art thou now?

Puck.

425 Come hither: I am here.

426 Dem. Nay, then, thou mock’st me. Thou shalt buy this dear,

If ever I thy face by daylight see:

Now, go thy way. Faintness constraineth me

To measure out my length on this cold bed.

430 By day’s approach look to be visited. [Lies down and sleeps.

Re-enter Helena.

431 Hel. O weary night, O long and tedious night,

432 Abate thy hours! Shine comforts from the east,

That I may back to Athens by daylight,

From these that my poor company detest:

435 And sleep, that sometimes shuts up sorrow’s eye,

436 Steal me awhile from mine own company. [Lies down and sleeps.

437 Puck. Yet but three? Come one more;

438 Two of both kinds makes up four.

439 Here she comes, curst and sad:

440 Cupid is a knavish lad,

Thus to make poor females mad.

Re-enter Hermia.

442 Her. Never so weary, never so in woe;

Bedabbled with the dew, and torn with briers;

I can no further crawl, no further go;

445 My legs can keep no pace with my desires.

Here will I rest me till the break of day.

447 Heavens shield Lysander, if they mean a fray! [Lies down and sleeps.

Puck.

On the ground

449 Sleep sound:

450 I’ll apply

451 To your eye,

452 Gentle lover, remedy. [Squeezing the juice on Lysander’s eyes.

When thou wakest,

454 Thou takest

455 True delight

In the sight

Of thy former lady’s eye:

And the country proverb known,

That every man should take his own,

460 In your waking shall be shown:

Jack shall have Jill;

Nought shall go ill;

463 The man shall have his mare again, and all shall be well. [Exit.

Tita. Come, sit thee down upon this flowery bed,

While I thy amiable cheeks do coy,

And stick musk-roses in thy sleek smooth head,

And kiss thy fair large ears, my gentle joy.

005 Bot. Where’s Peaseblossom?

Peas. Ready.

007 Bot. Scratch my head, Peaseblossom. Where’s Mounsieur Cobweb?

Cob. Ready.

010 Bot. Mounsieur Cobweb, good mounsieur, get you your weapons in your hand, and kill me a red-hipped humble-bee on the top of a thistle; and, good mounsieur, bring me the honey-bag. Do not fret yourself too much in the action, mounsieur; and, good mounsieur, have a care the honey-bag 015 break not; I would be loth to have you overflown with a honey-bag, signior. Where’s Mounsieur Mustardseed.

Mus. Ready.

018 Bot. Give me your neaf, Mounsieur Mustardseed. Pray you, leave your courtesy, good mounsieur.

020 Mus. What’s your will?

021 Bot. Nothing, good mounsieur, but to help Cavalery 022 Cobweb to scratch. I must to the barber’s, mounsieur; for 023 methinks I am marvellous hairy about the face; and I am 024 such a tender ass, if my hair do but tickle me, I must scratch.

025 Tita. What, wilt thou hear some music, my sweet love?

026 Bot. I have a reasonable good ear in music. Let’s 027 have the tongs and the bones.

Tita. Or say, sweet love, what thou desirest to eat.

Bot. Truly, a peck of provender: I could munch your 030 good dry oats. Methinks I have a great desire to a bottle of hay: good hay, sweet hay, hath no fellow.

032 Tita. I have a venturous fairy that shall seek

033 The squirrel’s hoard, and fetch thee new nuts.

Bot. I had rather have a handful or two of dried peas. 035 But, I pray you, let none of your people stir me: I have an exposition of sleep come upon me.

Tita. Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my arms.

038 Fairies, be gone, and be all ways away. [Exeunt Fairies.

039 So doth the woodbine the sweet honeysuckle

040 Gently entwist; the female ivy so

Enrings the barky fingers of the elm.

O, how I love thee! how I dote on thee! [They sleep.

Enter Puck.

Obe. [Advancing] Welcome, good Robin. See’st thou this sweet sight?

Her dotage now I do begin to pity:

045 For, meeting her of late behind the wood,

046 Seeking sweet favours for this hateful fool,

I did upbraid her, and fall out with her;

For she his hairy temples then had rounded

With coronet of fresh and fragrant flowers;

050 And that same dew, which sometime on the buds

Was wont to swell, like round and orient pearls,

052 Stood now within the pretty flowerets’ eyes,

Like tears, that did their own disgrace bewail.

When I had at my pleasure taunted her,

055 And she in mild terms begg’d my patience,

I then did ask of her her changeling child;

057 Which straight she gave me, and her fairy sent

To bear him to my bower in fairy land.

And now I have the boy, I will undo

060 This hateful imperfection of her eyes:

And, gentle Puck, take this transformed scalp

062 From off the head of this Athenian swain;

063 That, he awaking when the other do,

May all to Athens back again repair,

065 And think no more of this night’s accidents,

But as the fierce vexation of a dream.

But first I will release the fairy queen.

068 Be as thou wast wont to be;

See as thou wast wont to see:

070 Dian’s bud o’er Cupid’s flower

Hath such force and blessed power.

Now, my Titania; wake you, my sweet queen.

Tita. My Oberon! what visions have I seen!

Methought I was enamour’d of an ass.

Obe. There lies your love.

Tita.

075 How came these things to pass?

076 O, how mine eyes do loathe his visage now!

077 Obe. Silence awhile. Robin, take off this head.

Titania, music call; and strike more dead

079 Than common sleep of all these five the sense.

080 Tita. Music, ho! music, such as charmeth sleep! [Music, still.

081 Puck. Now, when thou wakest, with thine own fool’s eyes peep.

Obe. Sound, music! Come, my queen, take hands with me,

And rock the ground whereon these sleepers be.

Now thou and I are new in amity,

085 And will to-morrow midnight solemnly

Dance in Duke Theseus’ house triumphantly,

087 And bless it to all fair prosperity:

088 There shall the pairs of faithful lovers be

Wedded, with Theseus, all in jollity.

Puck.

090 Fairy king, attend, and mark:

I do hear the morning lark.

Obe.

092 Then, my queen, in silence sad,

093 Trip we after the night’s shade:

We the globe can compass soon,

095 Swifter than the wandering moon.

Tita.

Come, my lord; and in our flight,

Tell me how it came this night,

098 That I sleeping here was found

099 With these mortals on the ground. [Horns winded within. [Exeunt.

Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus, and train.

100 The. Go, one of you, find out the forester;

For now our observation is perform’d;

And since we have the vaward of the day,

My love shall hear the music of my hounds.

104 Uncouple in the western valley; let them go:

105 Dispatch, I say, and find the forester. [Exit an Attend.

We will, fair queen, up to the mountain’s top,

And mark the musical confusion

Of hounds and echo in conjunction.

Hip. I was with Hercules and Cadmus once,

110 When in a wood of Crete they bay’d the bear

With hounds of Sparta: never did I hear

Such gallant chiding; for, besides the groves,

113 The skies, the fountains, every region near

114 Seem’d all one mutual cry: I never heard

115 So musical a discord, such sweet thunder.

The. My hounds are bred out of the Spartan kind,

So flew’d, so sanded; and their heads are hung

With ears that sweep away the morning dew;

119 Crook-knee’d, and dew-lapp’d like Thessalian bulls;

120 Slow in pursuit, but match’d in mouth like bells,

Each under each. A cry more tuneable

Was never holla’d to, nor cheer’d with horn,

In Crete, in Sparta, nor in Thessaly:

Judge when you hear. But, soft! what nymphs are these?

125 Ege. My lord, this is my daughter here asleep;

And this, Lysander; this Demetrius is;

127 This Helena, old Nedar’s Helena:

128 I wonder of their being here together.

The. No doubt they rose up early to observe

130 The rite of May; and, hearing our intent,

Came here in grace of our solemnity.

But speak, Egeus; is not this the day

That Hermia should give answer of her choice?

Ege. It is, my lord.

135 The. Go, bid the huntsmen wake them with their horns. [Horns and shout within. Lys., Dem., Hel., and Her., wake and start up.

136 Good morrow, friends. Saint Valentine is past:

Begin these wood-birds but to couple now?

Lys. Pardon, my lord.

The.

I pray you all, stand up.

I know you two are rival enemies:

140 How comes this gentle concord in the world,

141 That hatred is so far from jealousy,

To sleep by hate, and fear no enmity?

Lys. My lord, I shall reply amazedly,

Half sleep, half waking: but as yet, I swear,

145 I cannot truly say how I came here;

But, as I think,—for truly would I speak,

And now I do bethink me, so it is,—

I came with Hermia hither: our intent

149 Was to be gone from Athens, where we might,

150 Without the peril of the Athenian law.

Ege. Enough, enough, my lord; you have enough:

I beg the law, the law, upon his head.

They would have stolen away; they would, Demetrius,

Thereby to have defeated you and me,

155 You of your wife and me of my consent,

Of my consent that she should be your wife.

Dem. My lord, fair Helen told me of their stealth,

Of this their purpose hither to this wood;

And I in fury hither follow’d them,

160 Fair Helena in fancy following me.

But, my good lord, I wot not by what power,—

162 But by some power it is,—my love to Hermia,

163 Melted as the snow, seems to me now

As the remembrance of an idle gaud,

165 Which in my childhood I did dote upon;

And all the faith, the virtue of my heart,

The object and the pleasure of mine eye,

Is only Helena. To her, my lord,

169 Was I betroth’d ere I saw Hermia:

170 But, like in sickness, did I loathe this food;

But, as in health, come to my natural taste,

172 Now I do wish it, love it, long for it,

And will for evermore be true to it.

The. Fair lovers, you are fortunately met:

175 Of this discourse we more will hear anon.

Egeus, I will overbear your will;

For in the temple, by and by, with us

These couples shall eternally be knit:

And, for the morning now is something worn,

180 Our purposed hunting shall be set aside.

Away with us to Athens! three and three,

We’ll hold a feast in great solemnity.

183 Come, Hippolyta. [Exeunt The., Hip., Ege., and train.

184 Dem. These things seem small and undistinguishable,

185 Like far-off mountains turned into clouds.

Her. Methinks I see these things with parted eye,

When every thing seems double.

Hel.

So methinks:

188 And I have found Demetrius like a jewel,

189 Mine own, and not mine own.

Dem.

Are you sure

190 That we are awake? It seems to me

That yet we sleep, we dream. Do not you think

The Duke was here, and bid us follow him?

Her. Yea; and my father.

Hel.

And Hippolyta.

194 Lys. And he did bid us follow to the temple.

195 Dem. Why, then, we are awake: let’s follow him;

196 And by the way let us recount our dreams. [Exeunt.

197 Bot. [Awaking] When my cue comes, call me, and I will answer: my next is, ‘Most fair Pyramus.’ Heigh-ho! Peter Quince! Flute, the bellows-mender! Snout, the 200 tinker! Starveling! God’s my life, stolen hence, and left 201 me asleep! I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it was: man 203 is but an ass, if he go about to expound this dream. Methought I was—there is no man can tell what. Methought I was.—and methought I had,—but man is but a patched 205 fool, if he will offer to say what methought I had. The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not seen, man’s hand is not able to taste, his tongue to conceive, nor his heart to report, what my dream was. I will get Peter Quince 210 to write a ballad of this dream: it shall be called Bottom’s Dream, because it hath no bottom; and I will sing it in the 212 latter end of a play, before the Duke: peradventure, to make 213 it the more gracious, I shall sing it at her death. [Exit.

000 Scene II. Athens. Quince’s house.

MSND IV. 2 Enter Quince, Flute, Snout, and Starveling.

001 Quin. Have you sent to Bottom’s house? is he come home yet?

003 Star. He cannot be heard of. Out of doubt he is transported.

005 Flu. If he come not, then the play is marred: it goes not forward, doth it?

Quin. It is not possible: you have not a man in all Athens able to discharge Pyramus but he.

Flu. No, he hath simply the best wit of any handicraft 010 man in Athens.

011 Quin. Yea, and the best person too; and he is a very paramour for a sweet voice.

013 Flu. You must say ‘paragon’: a paramour is, God 014 bless us, a thing of naught.

Enter Snug.

015 Snug. Masters, the Duke is coming from the temple, and there is two or three lords and ladies more married: if our sport had gone forward, we had all been made men.

Flu. O sweet bully Bottom! Thus hath he lost sixpence 019 a day during his life; he could not have scaped sixpence 020 a day: an the Duke had not given him sixpence a day for playing Pyramus, I’ll be hanged; he would have deserved it: sixpence a day in Pyramus, or nothing.

Enter Bottom.

Bot. Where are these lads? where are these hearts?

Quin. Bottom! O most courageous day! O most 025 happy hour!

Bot. Masters, I am to discourse wonders: but ask me 027 not what; for if I tell you, I am no true Athenian. I will 028 tell you every thing, right as it fell out.

Quin. Let us hear, sweet Bottom.

030 Bot. Not a word of me. All that I will tell you is, that the Duke hath dined. Get your apparel together, good strings to your beards, new ribbons to your pumps; meet presently at the palace; every man look o’er his part; for 034 the short and the long is, our play is preferred. In any 035 case, let Thisby have clean linen; and let not him that plays the lion pare his nails, for they shall hang out for the lion’s claws. And, most dear actors, eat no onions nor 038 garlic, for we are to utter sweet breath; and I do not doubt but to hear them say, it is a sweet comedy. No more 040 words: away! go, away! [Exeunt.

ACT V.

000 Scene I. Athens. The palace of Theseus.

MSND V. 1 Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Philostrate, Lords, and Attendants.

Hip. ’Tis strange, my Theseus, that these lovers speak of.

The. More strange than true: I never may believe

These antique fables, nor these fairy toys.

Lovers and madmen have such seething brains,

005 Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend

006 More than cool reason ever comprehends.

The lunatic, the lover and the poet

Are of imagination all compact:

One sees more devils than vast hell can hold,

010 That is, the madman: the lover, all as frantic,

Sees Helen’s beauty in a brow of Egypt:

012 The poet’s eye, in a fine frenzy rolling,

Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven;

014 And as imagination bodies forth

015 The forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen

016 Turns them to shapes, and gives to airy nothing

A local habitation and a name.

Such tricks hath strong imagination,

019 That, if it would but apprehend some joy,

020 It comprehends some bringer of that joy;

021 Or in the night, imagining some fear,

How easy is a bush supposed a bear!

Hip. But all the story of the night told over,

And all their minds transfigured so together,

025 More witnesseth than fancy’s images,

And grows to something of great constancy;

But, howsoever, strange and admirable.

The. Here come the lovers, full of joy and mirth.

Enter Lysander, Demetrius, Hermia, and Helena.

029 Joy, gentle friends! joy and fresh days of love

Accompany your hearts!

Lys.

030 More than to us

031 Wait in your royal walks, your board, your bed!

The. Come now; what masques, what dances shall we have,

033 To wear away this long age of three hours

034 Between our after-supper and bed-time?

035 Where is our usual manager of mirth?

What revels are in hand? Is there no play,

To ease the anguish of a torturing hour?

038 Call Philostrate.

Phil.

Here, mighty Theseus.

The. Say, what abridgement have you for this evening?

040 What masque? what music? How shall we beguile

The lazy time, if not with some delight?

042 Phil. There is a brief how many sports are ripe:

043 Make choice of which your highness will see first. [Giving a paper.

The. [reads] 044 The battle with the Centaurs, to be sung

045 By an Athenian eunuch to the harp.

We’ll none of that: that have I told my love,

In glory of my kinsman Hercules.

[Reads] The riot of the tipsy Bacchanals,

Tearing the Thracian singer in their rage.

050 That is an old device; and it was play’d

When I from Thebes came last a conqueror.

[Reads] The thrice three Muses mourning for the death

Of Learning, late deceased in beggary.

That is some satire, keen and critical,

055 Not sorting with a nuptial ceremony.

[Reads] A tedious brief scene of young Pyramus

And his love Thisbe; very tragical mirth.

058 Merry and tragical! tedious and brief!

059 That is, hot ice and wondrous strange snow.

060 How shall we find the concord of this discord?

061 Phil. A play there is, my lord, some ten words long,

Which is as brief as I have known a play;

But by ten words, my lord, it is too long,

Which makes it tedious; for in all the play

065 There is not one word apt, one player fitted:

066 And tragical, my noble lord, it is;

For Pyramus therein doth kill himself.

Which, when I saw rehearsed, I must confess,

Made mine eyes water; but more merry tears

070 The passion of loud laughter never shed.

The. What are they that do play it?

Phil. Hard-handed men, that work in Athens here,

Which never labour’d in their minds till now;

And now have toil’d their unbreathed memories

075 With this same play, against your nuptial.

076 The. And we will hear it.

Phil.

No, my noble lord;

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

And it is nothing, nothing in the world;

079 Unless you can find sport in their intents,

080 Extremely stretch’d and conn’d with cruel pain,

To do you service.

The.

081 I will hear that play;

For never any thing can be amiss,

When simpleness and duty tender it.

Go, bring them in: and take your places, ladies. [Exit Philostrate.

085 Hip. I love not to see wretchedness o’ercharged,

And duty in his service perishing.

The. Why, gentle sweet, you shall see no such thing.

Hip. He says they can do nothing in this kind.

The. The kinder we, to give them thanks for nothing.

090 Our sport shall be to take what they mistake:

091 And what poor duty cannot do, noble respect

092 Takes it in might, not merit.

Where I have come, great clerks have purposed

To greet me with premeditated welcomes;

095 Where I have seen them shiver and look pale,

Make periods in the midst of sentences,

Throttle their practised accent in their fears,

And, in conclusion, dumbly have broke off,

Not paying me a welcome. Trust me, sweet,

100 Out of this silence yet I pick’d a welcome;

And in the modesty of fearful duty

I read as much as from the rattling tongue

Of saucy and audacious eloquence.

Love, therefore, and tongue-tied simplicity

105 In least speak most, to my capacity.

Re-enter Philostrate.

106 Phil. So please your Grace, the Prologue is address’d.

107 The. Let him approach. [Flourish of trumpets.

Enter Quince for the Prologue.

108 Pro. If we offend, it is with our good will.

That you should think, we come not to offend,

110 But with good will. To show our simple skill,

That is the true beginning of our end.

Consider, then, we come but in despite.

We do not come as minding to content you,

114 Our true intent is. All for your delight,

115 We are not here. That you should here repent you,

The actors are at hand; and, by their show,

You shall know all, that you are like to know.

118 The. This fellow doth not stand upon points.

Lys. He hath rid his prologue like a rough colt; he knows not the stop. A good moral, my lord: it is not 120 enough to speak, but to speak true.

122 Hip. Indeed he hath played on his prologue like a 123 child on a recorder; a sound, but not in government.

124 The. His speech was like a tangled chain; nothing impaired, 125 but all disordered. Who is next?

Enter Pyramus and Thisbe, Wall, Moonshine, and Lion.

Pro. Gentles, perchance you wonder at this show;

But wonder on, till truth make all things plain.

This man is Pyramus, if you would know;

This beauteous lady Thisby is certain.

130 This man, with lime and rough-cast, doth present

131 Wall, that vile Wall which did these lovers sunder;

And through Wall’s chink, poor souls, they are content

To whisper. At the which let no man wonder.

This man, with lanthorn, dog, and bush of thorn,

135 Presenteth Moonshine; for, if you will know,

By moonshine did these lovers think no scorn

To meet at Ninus’ tomb, there, there to woo.

138 This grisly beast, which Lion hight by name,

139 The trusty Thisby, coming first by night,

140 Did scare away, or rather did affright;

141 And, as she fled, her mantle she did fall,

Which Lion vile with bloody mouth did stain.

Anon comes Pyramus, sweet youth and tall,

144 And finds his trusty Thisby’s mantle slain:

145 Whereat, with blade, with bloody blameful blade,

He bravely broach’d his boiling bloody breast;

147 And Thisby, tarrying in mulberry shade,

His dagger drew, and died. For all the rest,

Let Lion, Moonshine, Wall, and lovers twain

150 At large discourse, while here they do remain. [Exeunt Prologue, Thisbe, Lion, and Moonshine.

The. I wonder if the lion be to speak.

Dem. No wonder, my lord: one lion may, when many

asses do.

Wall. In this same interlude it doth befall

155 That I, one Snout by name, present a wall;

And such a wall, as I would have you think,

That had in it a crannied hole or chink,

158 Through which the lovers, Pyramus and Thisby,

Did whisper often very secretly.

160 This loam, this rough-cast, and this stone, doth show

That I am that same wall; the truth is so:

And this the cranny is, right and sinister,

Through which the fearful lovers are to whisper.

The. Would you desire lime and hair to speak better?

165 Dem. It is the wittiest partition that ever I heard discourse, my lord.

The. Pyramus draws near the wall: silence!

Enter Pyramus.

Pyr. O grim-look’d night! O night with hue so black!

O night, which ever art when day is not!

170 O night, O night! alack, alack, alack,

I fear my Thisby’s promise is forgot!

172 And them, O wall, O sweet, O lovely wall,

173 That stand’st between her father’s ground and mine!

Thou wall, O wall, O sweet and lovely wall,

175 Show me thy chink, to blink through with mine eyne! [Wall holds up his fingers.

Thanks, courteous wall: Jove shield thee well for this!

But what see I? No Thisby do I see.

O wicked wall, through whom I see no bliss!

Cursed be thy stones for thus deceiving me!

The. The wall, methinks, being sensible, should curse 180 again.

Pyr. No, in truth, sir, he should not. ‘Deceiving me’ 183 is Thisby’s cue: she is to enter now, and I am to spy her 184 through the wall. You shall see, it will fall pat as I told 185 you. Yonder she comes.

Enter Thisbe.

This. O wall, full often hast thou heard my moans,

For parting my fair Pyramus and me!

My cherry lips have often kiss’d thy stones,

189 Thy stones with lime and hair knit up in thee.

190 Pyr. I see a voice: now will I to the chink,

191 To spy an I can hear my Thisby’s face.

Thisby!

193 This. My love thou art, my love I think.

Pyr. Think what thou wilt, I am thy lover’s grace;

195 And, like Limander, am I trusty still.

196 This. And I like Helen, till the Fates me kill.

Pyr. Not Shafalus to Procrus was so true.

This. As Shafalus to Procrus, I to you.

Pyr. O, kiss me through the hole of this vile wall!

200 This. I kiss the wall’s hole, not your lips at all.

Pyr. Wilt thou at Ninny’s tomb meet me straightway?

202 This. ‘Tide life, ’tide death, I come without delay. [Exeunt Pyramus and Thisbe.

Wall. Thus have I, wall, my part discharged so;

204 And, being done, thus wall away doth go. [Exit.

205 The. Now is the mural down between the two neighbours.

Dem. No remedy, my lord, when walls are so wilful to

208 hear without warning.

209 Hip. This is the silliest stuff that ever I heard.

210 The. The best in this kind are but shadows; and the

worst are no worse, if imagination amend them.

Hip. It must be your imagination then, and not theirs.

The. If we imagine no worse of them than they of

214 themselves, they may pass for excellent men. Here come

215 two noble beasts in a man and a lion.

Enter Lion and Moonshine.

Lion. You, ladies, you, whose gentle hearts do fear

The smallest monstrous mouse that creeps on floor,

May now perchance both quake and tremble here,

When lion rough in wildest rage doth roar.

220 Then know that I, one Snug the joiner, am

221 A lion-fell, nor else no lion’s dam;

For, if I should as lion come in strife

223 Into this place, ’twere pity on my life.

The. A very gentle beast, and of a good conscience.

225 Dem. The very best at a beast, my lord, that e’er I saw.

Lys. This lion is a very fox for his valour.

The. True; and a goose for his discretion.

Dem. Not so, my lord; for his valour cannot carry his discretion; and the fox carries the goose.

230 The. His discretion, I am sure, cannot carry his valour; for the goose carries not the fox. It is well: leave it to his 232 discretion, and let us listen to the moon.

Moon. This lanthorn doth the horned moon present;—

Dem. He should have worn the horns on his head.

235 The. He is no crescent, and his horns are invisible within the circumference.

Moon. This lanthorn doth the horned moon present;

238 Myself the man i’ the moon do seem to be.

The. This is the greatest error of all the rest: the man 240 should be put into the lantern. How is it else the man i’ the moon?

Dem. He dares not come there for the candle; for, you see, it is already in snuff.

244 Hip. I am aweary of this moon: would he would 245 change!

246 The. It appears, by his small light of discretion, that he is in the wane; but yet, in courtesy, in all reason, we must stay the time.

Lys. Proceed, Moon.

250 Moon. All that I have to say, is, to tell you that the lanthorn is the moon; I, the man in the moon; this thorn-bush, my thorn-bush; and this dog, my dog.

253 Dem. Why, all these should be in the lantern; for all these are in the moon. But, silence! here comes Thisbe.

Enter Thisbe.

255 This. This is old Ninny’s tomb. Where is my love?

256 Lion. [Roaring] Oh—— [Thisbe runs off.

Dem. Well roared, Lion.

The. Well run, Thisbe.

Hip. Well shone, Moon. Truly, the moon shines with 260 a good grace. [The Lion shakes Thisbe’s mantle, and exit.

261 The. Well moused, Lion.

262 Dem. And then came Pyramus.

Lys. And so the lion vanished.

Enter Pyramus.

Pyr. Sweet Moon, I thank thee for thy sunny beams;

265 I thank thee, Moon, for shining now so bright;

266 For, by thy gracious, golden, glittering gleams,

267 I trust to take of truest Thisby sight.

But stay, O spite!

But mark, poor knight,

270 What dreadful dole is here!

Eyes, do you see?

How can it be?

273 O dainty duck! O dear!

Thy mantle good,

275 What, stain’d with blood!

276 Approach, ye Furies fell!

O Fates, come, come,

Cut thread and thrum;

Quail, crush, conclude, and quell!

280 The. This passion, and the death of a dear friend, would go near to make a man look sad.

Hip. Beshrew my heart, but I pity the man.

Pyr. O wherefore, Nature, didst thou lions frame?

284 Since lion vile hath here deflower’d my dear:

285 Which is—no, no—which was the fairest dame

That lived, that loved, that liked, that look’d with cheer.

Come, tears, confound;

Out, sword, and wound

The pap of Pyramus;

290 Ay, that left pap,

291 Where heart doth hop: [Stabs himself.

Thus die I, thus, thus, thus.

Now am I dead,

Now am I fled;

295 My soul is in the sky:

296 Tongue, lose thy light;

297 Moon, take thy flight: [Exit Moonshine.

298 Now die, die, die, die, die. [Dies.

Dem. No die, but an ace, for him; for he is but one.

300 Lys. Less than an ace, man; for he is dead; he is nothing.

The. With the help of a surgeon he might yet recover, 303 and prove an ass.

304 Hip. How chance Moonshine is gone before Thisbe 305 comes back and finds her lover?

The. She will find him by starlight. Here she comes; and her passion ends the play.

Re-enter Thisbe.

Hip. Methinks she should not use a long one for such a Pyramus: I hope she will be brief.

310 Dem. A mote will turn the balance, which Pyramus, 311 which Thisbe, is the better; he for a man, God warrant us; she for a woman, God bless us.

Lys. She hath spied him already with those sweet eyes.

314 Dem. And thus she means, videlicet:—

This.

315 Asleep, my love?

What, dead, my dove?

O Pyramus, arise!

Speak, speak. Quite dumb?

Dead, dead? A tomb

320 Must cover thy sweet eyes.

321 These lily lips,

322 This cherry nose,

These yellow cowslip cheeks,

Are gone, are gone:

325 Lovers, make moan:

His eyes were green as leeks.

O Sisters Three,

Come, come to me,

With hands as pale as milk;

330 Lay them in gore,

Since you have shore

332 With shears his thread of silk.

Tongue, not a word:

Come, trusty sword;

335 Come, blade, my breast imbrue: [Stabs herself.

And, farewell, friends;

Thus Thisby ends:

Adieu, adieu, adieu. [Dies.

The. Moonshine and Lion are left to bury the dead.

340 Dem. Ay, and Wall too.

341 Bot. [Starting up] No, I assure you; the wall is down that parted their fathers. Will it please you to see the epilogue, or to hear a Bergomask dance between two of our company?

345 The. No epilogue, I pray you; for your play needs no excuse. Never excuse; for when the players are all dead, 347 there need none to be blamed. Marry, if he that writ it 348 had played Pyramus and hanged himself in Thisbe’s garter, it would have been a fine tragedy: and so it is, truly; and 350 very notably discharged. But, come, your Bergomask: let 351 your epilogue alone. [A dance.

The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve:

Lovers, to bed; ’tis almost fairy time.

I fear we shall out-sleep the coming morn,

355 As much as we this night have overwatch’d.

This palpable-gross play hath well beguiled

The heavy gait of night. Sweet friends, to bed.

A fortnight hold we this solemnity,

In nightly revels and new jollity. [Exeunt.

Enter Puck.

Puck.

360 Now the hungry lion roars,

361 And the wolf behowls the moon;

Whilst the heavy ploughman snores,

363 All with weary task fordone.

Now the wasted brands do glow,

365 Whilst the screech-owl, screeching loud,

Puts the wretch that lies in woe

In remembrance of a shroud.

Now it is the time of night,

That the graves, all gaping wide,

370 Every one lets forth his sprite,

371 In the church-way paths to glide:

And we fairies, that do run

By the triple Hecate’s team,

From the presence of the sun,

375 Following darkness like a dream,

Now are frolic: not a mouse

Shall disturb this hallow’d house:

I am sent with broom before,

379 To sweep the dust behind the door.

Enter Oberon and Titania with their train.

Obe.

380 Through the house give glimmering light,

By the dead and drowsy fire:

Every elf and fairy sprite

Hop as light as bird from brier;

And this ditty, after me,

385 Sing, and dance it trippingly.

Tita.

386 First, rehearse your song by rote,

To each word a warbling note:

Hand in hand, with fairy grace,

389 Will we sing, and bless this place. [Song and dance.

Obe.

390 Now, until the break of day,

Through this house each fairy stray.

To the best bride-bed will we,

Which by us shall blessed be;

And the issue there create

395 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;

400 Never mole, hare lip, nor scar,

Nor mark prodigious, such as are

Despised in nativity,

403 Shall upon their children be.

With this field-dew consecrate,

405 Every fairy take his gait;

And each several chamber bless,

Through this palace, with sweet peace,

408 Ever shall in safety rest,

And the owner of it blest.

410 Trip away; make no stay;

411 Meet me all by break of day. [Exeunt Oberon, Titania, and train.

Puck.

If we shadows have offended,

Think but this, and all is mended,

That you have but slumber’d here,

415 While these visions did appear.

And this weak and idle theme,

No more yielding but a dream,

Gentles, do not reprehend:

If you pardon, we will mend.

420 And, as I am an honest Puck,

If we have unearned luck

Now to scape the serpent’s tongue,

We will make amends ere long;

Else the Puck a liar call:

425 So, good night unto you all.

Give me your hands, if we be friends,

And Robin shall restore amends. [Exit.

i. 2. 45. It may be questioned whether the true reading is not ‘thisne, thisne;’ that is, ‘in this manner,’ a meaning which ‘thissen’ has in several dialects. See Halliwell’s Arch. Dict. ‘So-ne’ is used in the same way in Suffolk.

Note II.

iii. 1. 2. Capell appears to have considered the reading ‘marvailes’ of Q1 as representing the vulgar pronunciation of ‘marvellous,’ and he therefore printed it ‘marvels,’ as in iv. 1. 23.

Note III.

iii. 2. 257, 258. In this obscure passage we have thought it best to retain substantially the reading of the Quartos. The Folios, though they alter it, do not remove the difficulty, and we must conclude that some words, perhaps a whole line, have fallen out of the text.

Note IV.

iii 2. 337. We retain the reading of the old copies in preference to Theobald’s plausible conjecture. A similar construction occurs in The Tempest, ii. 1. 27, ‘which, of he or Adrian, for a good wager, first begins to crow?’

Note V.

iii. 2. 204. Although Pope’s reading of this line was followed by all editors down to Capell it is rendered extremely improbable by the occurrence of the word ‘Have’ at the beginning of the line in all the old copies, and could only have been suggested by what Pope considered the exigencies of the metre. ‘Needles’ may have been pronounced, as Steevens writes it, ‘neelds;’ but, if not, the line is harmonious enough.

Note VI.

iv. 1. 1. Johnson says, ‘I see no good reason why the fourth Act should begin here when there seems no interruption of the action;’ but he does not alter the arrangement of the Folios, which, in the absence of any good reason to the contrary, we also follow.

Note VII.

iv. 1. 8, &c. We have retained throughout this scene the spelling of the old copies ‘Mounsieur,’ as representing a pronunciation more appropriate to Bottom, like ‘Cavalery’ a few lines lower down. We are aware, however, that the word was generally so spelt.

Note VIII.

v. 1. In the Folios the stage direction is ‘Enter Theseus, Hippolita, Egeus and his Lords,’ and the speeches which properly belong to Philostrate as master of the revels are assigned to Egeus, with the exception of that beginning ‘No, my noble lord, &c.’ In line 38 the Quartos correctly read ‘Philostrate’ where the Folios have ‘Egeus.’ The confusion may have arisen, as Mr Grant White suggests, from the two parts having been originally played by the same actor.

Note IX.

v. 1. 44–60. We have followed the Quartos in assigning this speech to Theseus alone. In the Folios Lysander is represented as reading the ‘brief’ and Theseus as commenting upon it. Theobald first restored the arrangement of the Quartos.

Note X.

v. 1. 125. The stage direction of the Folios is ‘Tawyer with a trumpet before them,’ Tawyer being generally understood to be the name of the trumpeter; but Mr Collier, on the strength of a note in the corrected Folio ‘Enter Presenter,’ interprets ‘Tawyer’ as the name of the actor who filled the part of Presenter and introduced the characters of the play.

Note XI.

v. 1. 160. In the Variorum edition of 1821 ‘lime’ is given as the reading of the Folios, and ‘lome’ of the Quartos, the fact being that F1 F2 read ‘loame,’ and F3 F4 ‘loam.’

Note XII.

v. 1. 390–411. This speech, which in the Folios is made ‘The Song,’ was restored by Johnson to Oberon, following the Quartos. He adds, ‘But where then is the song?—I am afraid it is gone after many other things of greater value. The truth is that two songs are lost. The series of the scene is this: after the speech of Puck, Oberon enters, and calls his fairies to a song, which song is apparently wanting in all the copies. Next Titania leads another song which is indeed lost like the former, though the editors have endeavoured to find it. Then Oberon dismisses his fairies to the despatch of the ceremonies. The songs, I suppose, were lost, because they were not inserted in the players’ parts, from which the drama was printed.’

Note XIII.

v. 1. 408, 409. The difficulty in these two lines is at once removed by transposing them, as was suggested by C. R. W. a correspondent in the Illustrated London News. Mr Staunton was at one time inclined to think that ‘Ever shall’ was a corruption of ‘Every hall,’ but he now adheres to the solution above given. Malone incorrectly attributes to Pope the reading which he himself adopts, ‘E’er shall it in safety rest,’ Pope’s reading being ‘Ever shall in safety rest’ as in Rowe’s second edition.

Sc. i. Enter...] Enter Theseus, Hippolita, with others. Qq Ff.

4: wanes] waues Q1.

6: withering out] wintering on Warburton. lithering out Becket conj.

7: night] Q1. nights Q2 Ff.

8: nights] Q1 Ff. daies Q2.

10: New-bent] Rowe. Now bent Qq Ff.

15: [Exit Ph.] Theobald.

19: revelling] revelry Holt White conj.

24, 26: Stand forth, Demetrius...Stand forth, Lysander] Printed in Qq Ff as stage directions. Corrected by Rowe.

27: This man hath bewitch’d] Qq F1. This hath bewitch’d F2 F3 F4.

bewitch’d] witch’d Theobald.

38: harshness] hardness Collier MS.

51: leave] ’leve Warburton. lave Becket conj.

69: if you yield not] not yielding Pope.

76: earthlier happy] earlier happy Pope conj. earthly happier Capell.

81: whose unwished] Qq F1. to whose unwished F2 F3. to whose unwish’d F4.

87: your] you F2.

94: Hermia’s] Hermia Tyrwhitt conj.

98: unto] upon Hanmer.

101: fortunes] fortune’s Rowe.

102: Demetrius’] Pope. Demetrius Qq Ff.

107: Nedar’s] Nestor’s S. Walker conj.

125: nuptial] Qq F1. nuptialls F2 F3 F4.

127: [Exeunt...] Exeunt. Manet L. and M. Qq Ff.

128: Scene ii. Pope.

130: which I could] yet could I Becket conj.

131: my] Qq. mine Ff.

132: Ay me! for aught that I could ever] Eigh me; for ought that I could ever Qq. For ought that ever I could F1. Hermia for ought that ever I could F2 F3 F4. Ay me! for aught that ever I could Dyce.

136: low] Theobald. love Qq Ff.

too...low] to be enthrall’d! too high, too low Becket conj.

138: to young] too young F4.

139: friends] Qq. merit Ff. men Collier MS.

140: eyes] Qq. eie F1. eye F2 F3 F4.

143: momentany] Qq. momentary Ff.

146: spleen] shene Becket conj.

148: do] to F3 F4.

154: due] dewe Q1.

159: remote] Qq. remov’d Ff.

167: observance to a] Qq. observance for a Ff. observance to the Pope.

168–178: Her. My good......with thee] Her. My good Lysander! Lys. I swear...spoke. Her. In that...with thee Warburton.

172: loves] Q1. love Q2 Ff.

180: Scene iii. Pope.

182: your fair] Qq. you fair Ff. you, fair Rowe (ed. 2).

186: so] Qq Ff. so! Theobald.

187: Yours would I] Hanmer. Your words I Qq F1. Your words Ide F2 F3 F4.

191: I’d] Hanmer. ile Q1. Ile Q2 F1 F2. I’le F3 F4.

200: folly, Helena, is no fault] Q1. folly, Helena, is none Q2 Ff. fault, Oh Helena, is none Hanmer. fault, fair Helena, is none Collier MS.

205: as] Q1. like Q2 Ff.

206: do] must Collier MS.

207: unto a] Q1. into Q2 Ff.

213: gates] Qq F1 F2. gate F3 F4.

216: sweet] Theobald. sweld Qq Ff.

219: stranger companies] Theobald. strange companions Qq Ff.

225: dote] Qq. dotes Ff.

229: do] Qq. doth Ff.

237: haste] hast F4.

239: he is so oft] Q1 he is oft Q2. he is often F1. he often is F2 F3 F4.

240: in game themselves] themselves in game F3 F4.

244: this] Q1 Ff. his Q2.

245: So] Lo, Capell.

248: this] Qq. his Ff.

249: a dear expense] dear recompense Collier MS.

A Midsummer-Night’s Dream, I, 2.

Scene ii.] Scene iv. Pope.

Quince’s house.] Capell. Changes to a cottage. Theobald.

3: according to] Q1 Ff. according Q2.

6: the duchess] duchess Pope (ed. 2).

8, 9: grow to a point] Qq. grow on to a point F1 F2 F3. grow on to appoint F4. go on to a point Warburton. go on to appoint Collier MS.

19: gallant] Qq. gallantly Ff.

22: storms] stones Collier MS.

24: cat] cap Warburton.

in, to] in two ed. 1661.

25–32: Printed as prose in Qq Ff.

26: And] With Farmer conj.

37: Flute,] Q1. om. Q2 Ff.

45: See note (i).

56: and, I hope, here] Qq. and I hope there Ff. I hope there Rowe (ed. 2).

59: it be] be F1.

66: An] And Q1. If Q2 Ff.

70: friends] friend F4.

if] Qq. if that Ff.

73: roar you] Qq. roar Ff.

84: colour] Qq. colour’d Ff.

perfect] Ff. perfit Qq.

91: will we] Q1. we will Q2 Ff.

95: most] Q1. more Q2 Ff.

obscenely] obscurely Grey conj. (withdrawn).

96: Take...adieu] given by Singer to Quince.

pains] Qq F1. paine F2 F3 F4.

perfect] Ff. perfit Qq.

A Midsummer-Night’s Dream, II, 1.

[Scene i. Enter...] Enter a Fairie at one doore, and Robin goodfellow at another. Qq Ff.

3, 5: Thorough...thorough, Thorough...thorough] Q1. Through...through, Through...through Q2 Ff.

7: moon’s sphere] moony sphere Grant White (Steevens conj.).

9: orbs] herbs Grey conj.

10: tall] all Collier MS.

11: coats] cups Collier MS.

14: here] here and there Capell.

30: square] jar Peck conj. sparre Id. conj.

32: Either] Or Pope.

33: sprite] Q1. spirit Q2 Ff.

34: not you] Q1. you not Q2 Ff.

35: frights] fright F3 F4.

villagery] villageree Q1. villagree Q2 F1 F2 F3. vilagree F4.

36–39. Skim...labour...make...make...Mislead] Qq Ff. Skims...labours...makes...makes...Misleads Collier.

42: Thou] I am—thou Johnson. Fairy, thou Collier (Collier MS.).

speak’st] speakest Q1. speakest me Capell.

46: filly] Q1. silly Q2 Ff.

50: dewlap] Rowe (ed. 2). dewlop Qq Ff.

54: tailor] rails or Capell. tail-sore Anon. ap. Capell conj.

54, 55: cough...laugh] coffe...loffe Qq Ff.

56: waxen] yexen Singer (Farmer conj.).

58: room] make room Pope.

fairy] faËry Johnson conj.

room, fairy! here] fairy, room, for here Seymour conj.

59: he] Qq F1. we F2 F3 F4.

60: Scene ii. Pope.

Enter...] Enter the King of Fairies at one door with his traine, and the Queen at another with hers. Qq Ff.

61: Fairies, skip] Theobald. Fairy, skip Qq Ff. Fairies, keep Harness conj. Fairies, trip Dyce conj.

65: hast] Qq. wast Ff.

69: steppe] Q1. steepe Q2 Ff.

77: through the glimmering] glimmering through the Warburton.

78: Perigenia] Perigune Theobald. Perigyne Hanmer. Perigouna Grant White (North’s Plutarch).

79: Ægle] Rowe. Eagles Qq Ff.

80: Antiopa] Atiopa F1.

82: the] that Hanmer (Warburton).

85: in] on Pope.

pelting] Qq. petty Ff.

91: Have] Rowe (ed. 2). Hath Qq Ff.

95: his] its Pope.

97: murrion] murrain Warburton.

99: in] on Collier MS.

101: want...here;] want;...here, Knight (Anon. conj.). chant,—...here; Grant White conj.

winter here] F3 F4. winter heere Qq F1 F2. winter chear Theobald conj. (withdrawn). winters heryed Warburton. wonted year Johnson conj. winter gere Brae conj.

101–114: Johnson proposes to arrange in the following order: 101, 107–114, 102–104, 106, 105.

106: thorough] Q1 F2 F3. through Q2 F1 F4.

107: hoary] Q1 F3 F4. hoared Q2 F1 F2.

109: thin] Halliwell (Tyrwhitt conj.). chinne Qq F1 F2. chin F3 F4. chill Grey conj.

112: childing] chiding Pope.

113: mazed] amazed Rowe.

114: increase] inverse Hanmer. inchase Warburton.

115: evils comes] F2 F3. evils, Comes Qq F1. evil comes F4.

122: The fairy] Thy fairy Collier MS.

123: votaress] votresse Qq Ff.

127: on] Qq F1 F2. of F3 F4.

131: Following,—her...squire,—] Following (her womb...squire) Qq Ff. (Following...squire) Steevens (Kenrick conj.). Follying (her...squire) Theobald (Warburton). Her fellowing womb... Becket conj.

rich] ripe Collier MS.

136: do I] Q1. I do Q2 Ff.

144: fairy] om. Steevens (Farmer conj.).

Fairies] Elves Pope.

149: once] Qq F1. om. F2 F3 F4. that Rowe.

155: saw] Q1. say Q2 Ff.

157: all arm’d] alarm’d Theobald (Warburton).

158: the] Ff. om. Qq.

160: should] would F4.

162: Quench’d] Quench F3 F4.

163: votaress] votresse Qq Ff.

172: it sees] is seen Collier MS.

175: I’ll] I’d Collier MS.

round] Q1. om. Q2 Ff.

177: when] whence Q2.

179: then] Q1. when Q2 Ff. which Rowe.

181: on meddling] or meddling Rowe.

183: from off] from of Q1 off from Q2 Ff.

188: Scene iii. Pope.

190: slay......slayeth] Theobald (Thirlby conj.). stay...stayeth Qq Ff.

191: unto] Qq. into Ff.

192: wode...wood] Hanmer. wodde...wood Q1. wood...wood Q2 Ff.

197: you] om. F3 F4.

201: nor] Ff. not Qq. and Pope.

202: you] Q1. thee Q2 Ff.

206: lose] loathe Anon. ap. Halliwell conj.

208: can] can can F2.

210: use] Qq. do Ff. do use Reed.

220, 221: privilege: for that It is] Qq Ff. privilege for that. It is Malone (Tyrwhitt conj.).

235: questions] question Steevens conj.

238: the field] Q1. and field Q2 Ff.

242: [Exit Dem.] om. Qq Ff. Demetrius breaks from her and exit. Capell.

243: I’ll] Ile Qq. I Ff.

244: [Exit] Q2 Ff. om. Q1.

245: Scene iv. Pope.

246: Re-enter Puck] Enter Pucke. Qq Ff (after line 247).

247: Hast thou...wanderer] Welcome wanderer; hast thou the flower there] Jackson conj.

249: where] whereon Pope.

250: oxlips] Q1. oxslips Q2 Ff. the oxslips Rowe. oxslip Pope. oxlip Theobald.

oxlips...violets] violets...ox-lip Keightley conj.

251: Quite] om. Pope.

over-canopied] overcanopi’d Q1. overcanoped Q2. over-cannoped Ff. O’er cannopy’d Pope.

luscious] Ff. lushious Qq. lush Steevens (Theobald conj.).

253–256: Keightley proposes to arrange, 255, 256, 253, 254, and would insert a line after 254, e.g. ‘Upon her will I steal there as she lies’.

253: sometime] some time Rowe.

254: flowers] bowers Grant White (Collier MS.).

with] from Hanmer.

256: wrap] F2 F3 F4. wrappe Q1. rap Q2 F1.

257: And] There Hanmer.

266: fond on] fond of Rowe.

268: [Exeunt.] Qq. [Exit. Ff.

A Midsummer-Night’s Dream, II, 2.

Scene ii.] Capell. Scene v. Pope. Scene iii. Steevens.

2: for] ’fore Theobald. in Heath conj.

a minute] the midnight Warburton.

7: spirits] sports Hanmer (Warburton).

9: Fir. Fairy.] Capell. Fairies sing. Qq Ff.

13, 24: chorus.] Capell. om. Qq Ff.

14: in our] Qq. in your Ff. now your Collier MS.

20: Fir. Fairy.] 1. Fai. Q1. 1. Fairy. Q2. 2. Fairy Ff.

21: spinners] Q1 Ff. spinders Q2.

25: Sec. Fairy.] 2. Fai. Qq. 1. Fairy. Ff.

26: [Exeunt Fairies.] Rowe. om. Qq Ff.

Titania sleeps.] Shee sleepes. F1. om. Qq.

Enter...eyelids.] Capell. Enter Oberon. Qq Ff.

32: that] what Pope.

34: [Exit.] Rowe. om. Qq Ff.

35: Scene vi. Pope.

wood] Q1. woods Q2 Ff.

38: comfort] comfor Q1.

39: Be it] Q2 Ff Bet it Q1. Be ’t Pope.

45, 46: innocence!...conference] conference!...innocence Warburton.

46: takes] take Tyrwhitt conj.

conference] confidence Collier MS.

47: is] it Q1.

48: we can] Qq. can you Ff. can we Capell.

49: interchained] Qq. interchanged Ff.

57, 119: human] F4. humane Qq F1 F2 F3.

65: [They sleep.] Ff. om. Qq.

67: found] Q1. find Q2 Ff.

77: Near this lack-love, this kill-courtesy] Near to this lack-love, this kill-curtesie Pope. Near to this kill-courtesie Theobald. Near to this lack-love kill-curtesie Warburton. Near this lack-love, kill-courtesy Steevens. Nearer this lack-love, this kill-courtesy S. Walker conj.

84: Scene vii. Pope.

Stay] Qq F1. Say F2 F3 F4.

87: [Exit.] Exit Demetrius. Ff. om. Qq.

96: marvel] mavaile F2.

100: Lysander! Capell. Lysander Qq Ff.

104: Helena] Helen Pope.

Nature shows] Nature shewes Qq. Nature her shewes F1. Nature here shews F2 F3 F4. Nature shews her Singer (Malone conj.).

105: thy heart] my heart S. Walker conj.

106: is] Qq F1. om. F2 F3 F4.

113: I love] Q1. now I love Q2 Ff.

118: ripe not] not ripe Rowe (ed. 2).

122: Love’s stories] Love-stories S. Walker conj.

127: Demetrius’] Rowe (ed. 2). Demetrius Qq Ff. Demetrius’s Rowe (ed. 1).

138: the stomach] Qq F1. a stomach F2 F3 F4.

140: they] Qq. that Ff.

143: your] their Collier MS.

147: Ay me] Ah me Capell.

150: you] Qq. yet Ff.

154: swoon] swoune Q1. swound Q2 F2 F3 F4. sound F1.

156: Either] Or Pope.

Scene i. Titania lying asleep.] om. Qq Ff.

Enter...] Enter the Clowns. Qq Ff.

2: Pat, pat] Qq F1. Par, pat F2 F3 F4.

marvellous] marvailes Q1. marvels Capell. See note (ii).

12: By’r lakin] Berlakin Q1. Berlaken Q2 Ff.

15: device] devise Q1.

18: the more better] the better Rowe (ed. 2). more better Pope.

23, 24: eight and eight] eighty eight Anon. ap. Halliwell conj. MS.

25: afeard] afraid Rowe (ed. 2).

27: yourselves] Ff. your selfe Qq.

30: to ’t] toote Q1. to it Q2 Ff.

35: defect] deffect Q2.

41: them] Qq. him Ff.

45: Snout.] Sn. Qq F1. Snug. F2 F3 F4.

47: Enter Pucke. Ff.

49: Bot.] Cet. Q1.

49, 50: great chamber window] great-chamber Anon. conj.

58: Snout.] Sno. Q1. Sn. Q2 F1. Snu. F2. Snug. F3 F4.

61: loam] lime Collier MS.

62: and] Delius (Collier MS.). or Qq Ff.

68: Scene ii. Pope.

Enter Puck behind.] Enter Robin. Qq Ff.

71: too perhaps] to perhappes Q1.

73, 75, 93: Bot.] Pir. Qq Ff.

73: flowers] flower Pope.

of] have Collier (Collier MS.).

savours] savour’s Rowe.

74: Odours, odours] Ff. Odours, odorous Qq.

76: hath] that Rowe (ed. 1). doth Rowe (ed. 2).

Malone supposes two lines to be lost here.

77: awhile] a whit Theobald.

79: Puck.] Ff. Quin. Qq.

[Exit.] Capell.

80, 83, 92: Flu.] This. Qq Ff.

81, 88, 94: Quin.] Pet. Qq Ff.

85: juvenal] juvenile Rowe (ed. 2).

92: Re-enter...head.] Capell. om. Qq Ff.

93: were fair, Thisby] were, fair Thisby Collier (Malone conj.).

95: [Exeunt......] om. Qq. The Clownes all Exit. F1. The Clowns all Exeunt. F2 F3 F4.

96: about] ’bout S. Walker conj.

97: Through bog,] Through bog, through mire Johnson conj. Through bog, through burn Ritson conj.

99: headless] heedless Delius conj.

101: Enter Piramus with the Asse head. Ff. om. Qq.

104, 105: see on thee?] see on thee? an ass’s head? Johnson conj.

113: I will] will F3 F4.

114: ousel] woosel Qq Ff.

117: with little] Qq. and little Ff.

127–129: As in Q1. In Q2 Ff line 129, On the first view, &c. precedes 127, So is mine eye...

130: mistress] mistresse Qq F1. maistresse F2 F3. maistress F4.

145: dost] doth F3 F4.

148: Peaseblossom...Mustardseed!] Qq. Enter Pease-blossom...Mustardseede and foure fairies. Ff (as a stage direction).

Moth] Mote Grant White.

149: Scene iii. Pope.

Enter...] Enter foure Fairyes. Q1 (Fairies) Q2.

First Fai. Ready... All. Where shall we go?] Capell. Fairies. Ready; and I, and I, and I. Where shall we go? Qq Ff. 1. Fai. Ready. 2. Fai. And I. 3. Fai. And I. 4. Fai. Where shall we go? Steevens (Farmer conj.).

154: The honey-bags] Their honey-bags Collier MS.

161–164: First Fai. Hail, mortal... Fourth Fai. Hail!] Capell. 1. Fai. Haile, mortall, haile. 2. Fai. Haile. 3: Fai. Haile Qq Ff.

168: you of] Qq Ff. of you Rowe.

174: you of] Qq. of you Ff.

176: After this line F1 inserts Peas. Pease-blossome (in italics): omitted in F2 F3 F4.

177: your patience] your parentage Hanmer. your passions Farmer conj. you passing Mason conj.

180: hath] have Capell conj.

181: your more] F3 F4. you more Qq F1 F2. more of your Rowe. you, more Capell. you of more Collier MS.

184: weeps, weeps] Q1. weepes, weepe Q2 Ff.

186: love’s] Pope. lovers Qq Ff.

love’s tongue,] lover’s tongue and Collier MS.

A Midsummer-Night’s Dream, III, 2.

Scene ii.] Scene iv. Pope.

Enter Oberon.] Enter King of Fairies and Robin Goodfellow. Qq. Enter King of Fairies (Pharies F1), solus Ff.

3: Enter Puck.] Ff. om. Qq.

4: spirit] sprite Pope.

5: haunted] gaunted F1.

6, 7: love. Near...bower,] Rowe. love, Neare...bower. Q1 love, Neere...bower, Q2 Ff.

13: thick-skin] thick-skull Hanmer.

17: nole] nowl Johnson.

19: mimic] Mimmick F1 F2 F3. Mimick F4. Minnick Q1. Minnock Q2. mammock Ritson conj.

21: russet-pated] Q1 F4. russed-pated Q2 F1 F2 F3.

25: our stamp] a stump Johnson (Theobald conj.).

30: yielders] F3 F4. yeelders Qq F1 F2.

36: latch’d] latcht Q1 F3 F4. lacht Q2 F1 F2. lech’d Hanmer. laced Anon. conj.

40: waked] wak’t Qq Ff. wakes Pope.

41: Scene v. Pope.

48, 49: Being...too] Printed as one line in Qq Ff. Corrected by Rowe (ed. 2).

48: the deep] knee deep Phelps (Coleridge conj.).

52: From] Frow Q1.

54: displease] disease Hanmer.

55: with the] i’ th’ Warburton.

57: dead] dread Pope.

58: murder’d] murthered Q1. murdered Q2. murderer Ff.

60: look] looke Qq. looks Ff.

64: I had] Q1. Ide Q2. I’de Ff. I’d Rowe. I’ad Pope.

65: bounds] bonds Q2.

68: tell true, tell true] Q1. tell true Q2 F1. tell true, and F2 F3 F4.

69: have] Qq. a Ff.

70: touch] tutch Qq Ff.

72: An] And F2.

74: on] in Steevens conj.

on a misprised mood] in a misprised flood Collier MS.

80, 81: part I so: See me no more, whether] Pope. part I: see me no more; Whether Qq Ff.

85: sleep] Rowe. slippe Q1. slip Q2 Ff.

87: [Lies down and sleeps.] Collier. [Ly doune. Q1. [Lie downe. Q2 Ff.

88: Scene vi. Pope.

94: Obe.] Ob. Qq F1 F3 F4. Rob. F2.

97: costs] Qq Ff. cost Hanmer.

99: do] Qq. doth Ff.

100: look] look, master, Hanmer.

101: [Exit] Q2 Ff. om. Q1.

109: her] her, Q1.

122: Scene vii. Pope.

123: come] Qq. comes Ff.

137: [Awaking.] om. Qq. Awa. Ff (at the end of line 136).

143, 144: O...white, this] This...white—O Becket conj.

144: princess] pureness Hanmer. impress Collier MS.

145: all are] Qq. are all Ff.

150: you must join in souls] you must join in flouts Hanmer. must join insolents Warburton. you must join in soul Mason conj. you must join, ill souls, Tyrwhitt conj.

151: were] Qq. are Ff.

164: here] heare Q1.

166: of] in Collier (Collier MS.).

167: will do] will love Edd. conj.

till] Q1. to Q2 Ff.

171: to her] with her Johnson.

172: is it] Q1. it is Q2 Ff.

173: There] There ever Pope.

Helen,] Q1. om. Q2 Ff.

175: aby] Q1. abide Q2 Ff.

dear] here S. Walker conj.

177: Scene viii. Pope.

182: thy] Qq. that Ff.

188: oes] orbs Grey conj.

190: bear] F4. bare Qq F1 F2 F3.

199: sisters’] sisters Qq Ff. sister Capell.

201: O, is all] Qq F1. O, and is all F2 F3 F4. O, is all now Malone. O, now is all Reed. O, is it all Spedding conj.

202: school-days’] school-day Capell.

childhood] childhoods F3 F4.

204: Have...created both] Created with our needles both Pope. See note (v).

needles] neelds Steevens.

210: yet] om. F3 F4.

an] Qq F4. a F1 F2 F3.

211: lovely] loving Collier MS.

213: first, like] Theobald (Folkes conj.). first life Qq Ff.

213, 214: Omitted in Collier MS.

215: rent] rend Rowe.

218: for it] for’t S. Walker conj.

220: I am amazed at your passionate words] Ff. I am amazed at your words Qq. Helen, I am amazed at your words Pope.

237: Ay, do, persever] I do, persever Q2 Ff. I doe. Persever Q1. Ay, do, persevere Rowe.

238: Make mouths] Make mows Steevens.

241: have] had Collier (Collier MS.).

243: my] Q1. mine Q2 Ff.

246: my life] Qq F1. omitted in F2 F3 F4.

250: prayers] Theobald. praise Qq Ff. prays Capell (Theobald conj.).

257: Ethiope] Ethiope you Heath conj.

257, 258: No, no; He’ll...Seem to break loose] Edd. No, no; heele Seeme to breake loose Q1. No, no, hee’l seeme to breake loose (as one line) Q2. No, no, sir, seem to break loose (as one line) Ff. No, no he’ll seem To break away Pope. No, no; he’ll not come.—Seem to break loose Capell. No, no; he’ll—sir, Seem to break loose Malone. No, no; sir:—he will Seem to break loose Steevens. No, no, he’ll not stir: Seem to break loose Jackson conj. See note (iii).

258: you] he Pope.

260: burr] bur Qq F1. but F2 F3 F4.

264: hated] Pope. O hated Qq Ff.

potion] Q1. poison Q2 Ff.

271: hate] harm F4.

272: news] means Singer (Collier MS.)

279: of doubt] doubt Pope. om. Anon conj.

282: juggler! you] jugler, you! you Capell.

289: why so?] Qq Ff. why, so: Theobald.

way goes] ways go Rowe.

292: tall personage] tall parsonage Q2.

299: gentlemen] gentleman Q1.

304: she is] Qq F1 F2 F3. she’s F4.

320: Hel.] Her. F1 F2.

321: shall] will F4.

Helena] Helen Anon. conj.

323: she’s] Q2 Ff. she is Q1.

329: You minimus] You minim, you Theobald conj.

335: aby] Q1. abie Q2. abide Ff.

337: Of] Or Theobald. See note (iv).

Of...mine] Of mine or thine Malone conj.

340: you, I] you Rowe (ed. 1).

344: I...say] omitted in Ff.

[Exit.] Exit pursuing Helena. Malone.

345: Scene ix. Pope.

Enter Oberon and Puck. Ff.

346: wilfully] Qq. willingly Ff.

349: had] Q1. hath Q2 Ff.

351: ’nointed] nointed Qq Ff.

352: so did] did so Rowe.

357: fog] fogs Warburton.

368: his] its Rowe.

374: employ] imploy Q1 F4. apply Q2. imply F1 F2 F3.

379: night’s swift] Q1. night swift Q2. night-swift F1. nights-swift F2 F3 F4.

386: exile] exil’d Theobald conj., making Oberon’s speech begin with this line.

389: morning’s love] Qq F1. morning love F2 F3 F4. morning-love Rowe (ed. 1). morning-light Id. (ed. 2).

392: fair blessed] far-blessing Hanmer (Warburton).

393: salt green] sea-green Grey conj.

394: notwithstanding,] Q1. not-withstanding Q2 Ff.

396, 437, 448: Puck.] Puck [sings]. Anon. conj.

406: Speak! In some bush?] Capell. Speak in some bush. Qq. Speak in some bush: Ff.

413: Re-enter...] om. Qq Ff.

414: calls, then he is] Q1. call’s then he’s Q2 F1. calls me, then he’s F2 F3 F4.

416: [Shifting places. Ff.

418: [Lies down.] Lie down. Ff. om. Qq.

420: [Sleeps.] Capell.

421: Ho, ho, ho!] Ho, ho; ho, ho! Capell.

425: now] Q1. om. Q2 Ff.

426: buy] Qq Ff. ’by Collier (Johnson conj.).

430: [Lies...] Capell.

431: Scene x. Pope.

432: Shine comforts] Q2 Ff. Shine comforts, Q1. Shine, comforts, Theobald.

435: sometimes] Qq F3 F4. sometime F1 F2.

436: [Lies...] Sleep. Qq Ff.

437: three?] three here? Hanmer.

438: makes] Qq F1 F2 F4. make F3.

439: comes] cometh Hanmer.

442: Re-enter...] Enter H. after line 440. F1 F2.

447: Heavens] Heaven Anon. conj.

[Lies...] om. Qq Ff.

449: Sleep] Sleep thou Capell. Sleep you Seymour conj.

451: To your eye] Rowe. your eye Qq Ff.

452: [Squeezing...] Rowe.

454: Thou] Then thou Seymour conj. See thou Tyrwhitt conj.

takest] Qq F1 F4. rak’st F2 F3.

463: well] still Steevens conj.

[They sleep all the Act. Ff.

A Midsummer-Night’s Dream, IV, 1.

Act iv.] See note (vi).

Enter...] Enter Queen of Fairies, and Clown, and Fairies, and the King behind them. Qq Ff.

7: Mounsieur] Qq Ff. Monsieur Rowe. See note (vii).

10: get you] Q1. get Q2 Ff.

18: your] thy Pope.

neaf] neafe Qq F1. newfe F2. newse F3. news F4.

Mustardseed] Qq F1 F2. Mustard F3 F4.

21: Cavalery] Qq F1. Cavalero F2 F3 F4.

22: Cobweb] Peas-blossom Grey conj.

23: marvellous] marvailes Q1 marvels Capell. See note (ii).

24: do] doth Rowe (ed. 2).

25: some] some some Q2.

26: Let’s] Q1. Let us Q2 Ff.

27: tongs] tongues F2.

Musick Tongs, Rural Musick. Ff. om. Q1.

32, 33: Printed in Q2 Ff as three lines ending fairy...hoard...nuts.

33: hoard] Q2 Ff. om. Q1.

thee] thee thence Hanmer. thee the S. Walker conj.

38: all ways] Theobald. alwaies Qq F1. alwayes F2 F3. always F4. a while Hanmer.

all ways away] away—away Upton conj. always i’ th’ way Heath conj.

39: Qq and Ff punctuate woodbine,...honisuckle,...entwist;

woodbine] woodrine Upton conj. weedbind Steevens conj.

40: entwist; the female] entwist the maple; Warburton conj.

40, 41: entwist;......Enrings] entwist,...Enring, Capell.

46: favours] Q1 F4. savours Q2 F1 F2 F3.

52: flowerets’] flouriets Qq Ff.

57: fairy] Qq Ff. fairies Dyce.

62: this] the Johnson.

63: other] others Rowe.

68: Be] Qq. Be thou Ff.

70: o’er] Theobald (Thirlby conj.). or Qq Ff.

76: do] Q1 F2 F3 F4. doth Q2 F1.

his] Q1. this Q2 Ff.

77: this] Qq. his Ff.

79: sleep of all these five] Theobald (Thirlby conj.). sleepe: of all these, fine Qq F1 F2. sleep; of all these find F3 F4. sleep. Of all these fine Rowe (ed. 2).

80: ho!] howe Q1.

81: Now, when thou wakest] Q1. When thou wak’st Q2 F1. When thou awak’st F2 F3 F4.

87: fair prosperity] Q1. fair posterity Q2 Ff. far posterity Hanmer.

88: the] Qq F1. these F2 F3 F4.

90: Fairy] Qq. Faire F1 F2. Fair F3 F4.

92: sad] fade Theobald.

93: the night’s] Rowe. the nights Q2 Ff. nights Q1.

98: After this line Ff give the stage direction [Sleepers lye still.

99: [Horns......within.] [Winde horne. Q1. [Winde hornes. Q2 Ff.

100. Scene ii. Pope.

104: let them] om. Pope.

110: bear] Qq Ff. boar Hanmer.

113: fountains] mountains Anon. ap. Theobald conj.

114: Seem’d] F2 F3 F4. Seeme Qq F1.

119: Thessalian] Thessalonian F4.

125: is] om. Q1.

127: Nedar’s] Nestor’s S. Walker conj.

128: of their] Q1. of this Q2 Ff. at their Pope.

130: rite] Pope. right Qq Ff.

136: [He and the rest kneel to Theseus. Capell.

141: is] is is F1.

149, 150: might,...law.] might...lawe, Q1. might be...law. Q2 Ff. might,...law,— Dyce. might Be without peril...law. Hanmer.

160: following] Q1. followed Q2 Ff.

162–164: Qq and Ff end the lines at love...snow...gaud.

163: Melted as] Is melted as Pope. Melted as doth Capell. All melted as Anon. conj.

169: saw Hermia] Steevens. see Hermia Qq Ff. did see Hermia Rowe (ed. 1). Hermia saw Rowe (ed. 2).

170: in sickness] Steevens (Farmer conj.). a sickness Qq Ff.

172: I do] Q1. do I Q2 Ff.

175: more will hear] Q1. will hear more Q2. shall hear more Ff.

183: Come, Hippolyta] Come, my Hippolita Capell.

184: Dem.] Lys. Capell conj.

[Exeunt...] Exit Duke and Lords. Ff.

188: like] om. Hanmer.

jewel] gemell Theobald (Warburton).

189, 190: Are you sure That we are awake?] Qq. omitted in Ff. But are you sure That we are well awake Capell. But are you sure That we are now awake Steevens conj. Are you sure That we are now awake Malone conj. Are you sure That we are yet awake Anon. conj.

194: did bid] Q1. bid Q2 Ff.

195, 196: Printed as prose in Qq Ff, as verse in Rowe (ed. 2).

196: let us] Q2 Ff. lets Q1.

197: Scene iii. Pope.

[Awaking] Bottom wakes. Ff. om. Qq.

201: I have had a dream] Qq. I had a dream Ff.

203: to] om. Q1.

205: a patched] Ff. patcht a Qq. {Transcriber's Note: this linenote has been copied to this location from the original book's ADDENDA.}

212: a play] the play Hanmer. our play S. Walker conj.

213: at her] after Theobald. at Thisby’s Collier MS.

Scene ii.] Scene iv. Pope.

1: Enter...] Enter Quince, Flute, Thisby, and the rabble. Qq. Enter Quince, Flute, Thisby, Snout, and Starveling. Ff.

3: Star.] Ff. Flute. Qq.

5, 6: goes not] Qq F1 F2. goes F3 F4.

11: Quin.] Snout. Halliwell conj.

13: Flu.] Quin. Anon. conj.

14: naught] F2 F3 F4. nought Qq F1.

19: scaped] scraped Grey conj.

27: no] Ff. not Qq.

28: right] Qq. om. Ff.

30: All that] all Rowe.

34: preferred] proffered Theobald conj.

38, 39: doubt but] Qq F1 F2. doubt F3 F4.

40: go, away!] go away Qq Ff.

A Midsummer-Night’s Dream, V, 1.

Enter...] see note (viii).

5, 6: apprehend More than] Theobald. apprehend more Than Qq Ff.

5–8: Printed in Q1 as three lines, ending more...lunatic...compact.

6: cool] cooler Pope.

10: That is, the madman:] The madman. While Pope.

12, 13: Q1 ends these lines with glance...and as, Q2 F1 with glance...heaven.

14–18: These five lines printed as four in Qq Ff, ending things...shapes...habitation...imagination.

16: shapes] shape Pope.

airy] Q2. ayery Q1. aire F1 F3. ayre F2. air F4.

19: if it would] if he would Rowe (ed. 2).

21: Or] So Hanmer.

21, 22: Or...bear!] Grant White conjectures that these lines are interpolated.

29: days of love] F2 F3 F4. days Of love Qq F1.

30, 31: More......bed!] Printed as prose in Qq F1, as verse first in Q2.

31: Wait in] Wait on Rowe.

33, 34: The lines end between...manager in Q1. Corrected in Q2.

34: our] Ff. or Qq.

38: Philostrate] Qq. Egeus Ff.

38, 42, 61: Phil.] Qq. Ege. Ff.

42: There] Here Anon. ap. Halliwell conj.

ripe] Q1. rife Q2 Ff.

43: [Giving a paper.] Theobald.

44: The. [reads] The. Qq. Lys. Ff. See note (ix).

Centaurs] centaur F4.

58–60: Printed as prose in Qq Ff.

59: That is...snow] omitted by Pope.

ice] Ise Q1.

and wondrous strange snow] and wond’rous scorching snow Hanmer. a wondrous strange shew Warburton. and wondrous strange black snow Capell (Upton conj.). and wonderous strong snow Mason conj. and wondrous seething snow Collier (Collier MS.). and wondrous swarthy snow Staunton conj. and wondrous staining snow Nicholson conj.

61: there is] it is Hanmer. this is Collier (Collier MS.).

66–70: Qq F1 end the lines Pyramus,...saw...water...laughter...shed. Corrected in F2.

75: nuptial] Qq F1. nuptials F2 F3 F4.

76, 77: Qq Ff end these lines hear it...heard. Corrected by Rowe (ed. 2).

79: Johnson supposes a line to be lost after intents.

80: conn’d] penn’d Kenrick conj.

81, 82: I...thing] As one line in Qq Ff. Corrected by Rowe (ed. 2).

91: poor duty] poor willing duty Theobald. poor duty meaning Spedding conj.

do] do aright Seymour conj. do, yet would Coleridge conj.

91, 92: noble respect Takes] Noble respect takes Theobald.

92: it in might, not] not in might, but Johnson conj. it in mind, not Spedding conj.

105: Re-enter...] Enter... Theobald. Enter Philomon. Pope.

106: Phil.] Qq. Egeus. Ff.

107: Flourish of trumpets.] Flor. Trum. Ff. om. Qq.

108: Scene ii. Pope.

Enter Quince for the Prologue] Rowe. Enter the Prologue. Qq. Enter the Prologue. Quince. F1 F2. Enter Prologue. Quince. F3 F4.

114–117: Pope alters the punctuation here.

118: points] his points Collier (Collier MS.).

120: A good] Dem. A good Edd. conj.

122: his] Ff. this Qq.

123: a recorder] Qq F1. the recorder F2 F3 F4.

124: chain] skein Anon. conj.

125: next] Qq F1. the next F2 F3 F4.

125: [Tawyer with a trumpet before them. Ff. See note (x).

Enter...] Enter... as in dumb show. Capell.

130: lime] loam Capell conj. MS.

131: that] Qq F1. the F2 F3 F4.

138: grisly] grizy F1.

Lion hight by name] by name Lion hight Theobald.

139: Malone conjectures that a line has been lost after night.

141: did fall] let fall Pope.

144: trusty] Qq. om. F1. gentle F2 F3 F4.

147: And Thisby, tarrying] Qq Ff. And, Thisby tarrying Malone.

in] in the F3 F4.

150: [Exeunt...] Exit Lyon, Thisby, and Moonshine. Qq (after line 153). Exit all but Wall. Ff (which repeat the stage direction of Qq).

155: Snout] Ff. Flute Qq.

158: Pyramus] Pyr’mus Theobald.

Thisby] This-be Theobald.

160: loam] F3 F4. lome Qq. loame F1 F2. lime Reed. See note (xi).

172: O sweet, O] Qq. thou sweet and Ff. O sweet and Pope.

173: stand’st] Q1. stands Q2 Ff.

175: [Wall...fingers.] Capell.

183: now] Qq. om. Ff.

184: it will fall pat...comes Enter Thisbe.] Qq. it will fall. [Enter Thisbie.] Pat...comes Ff.

189: hair] hayire Q1.

up in thee] Ff. now againe Qq.

190: see] Qq F1. heare F2 F3 F4.

191: hear] Qq F1. see F2 F3 F4.

193: love thou art, my love] Qq Ff. love! thou art, my love, Theobald.

195: Limander] Limandea Pope.

196: I] Qq F2. om. F1 F3 F4.

202: [Exeunt P. and T.] Dyce.

204: [Exit.] Exit Clow. Ff. om. Qq. [Exeunt Wall, P. and T. Capell.

205: The.] Duk. Qq Ff.

mural down] Pope (ed. 2). Moon used Qq. morall downe Ff. mure all down Hanmer. wall down Collier MS.

208: hear] rear Hanmer (Warburton). disappear Heath conj.

209: Hip.] Dutch. Qq Ff.

ever] Q1. ere Q2 Ff.

214: come] Qq. com F1. comes F2 F3 F4.

215: beasts in, a man] Rowe (ed. 2). beasts, in a man Qq Ff. beasts—in a moon Theobald conj. beasts in, a moon-calf Farmer conj. beasts in, a man in a lion Jackson conj.

220: one] Ff. as Qq.

221: A lion-fell] Singer. A lion fell Qq Ff. No lion fell Rowe. A lion’s fell Dyce (Barron Field conj.).

223: on] Qq. of Ff. o’ Capell conj. MS.

my] your Collier MS.

232: listen] Q1. hearken Q2 Ff.

moon] man Anon. conj.

235: no] not Collier (Collier MS.).

238: do] Qq. doth Ff.

244: aweary] Q1. weary Q2 Ff.

246: his] this Pope.

253, 254: for all these] Q1. for they Q2 Ff.

255: old...tomb] ould...tumbe Q1.

Where is] wher’s Q2.

256: [The Lion roares, Thisby runs off. Ff. om. Qq.

260: a] om. Rowe (ed. 1).

[The Lion......exit.] Capell. om. Ff Qq.

261: moused] mouz’d Qq Ff. mouth’d Rowe.

262, 263: And then...vanished] and so...And then the moon vanishes Steevens (Farmer conj.). Mr Spedding conjectures that these lines should be transposed.

266: gleams] Staunton (Knight conj.). streams F2 F3 F4. beames Qq F1.

267: take] Qq. taste Ff.

Thisby] Qq. Thisbies Ff.

273: dear] deare Qq. Deere F1 F2. Deer F3 F4.

276: ye] Qq. you Ff.

280, 281: Printed as verse in Ff, ending friend...sad.

280: and] on Collier MS.

284: dear] deare Qq. deere F1 F2. Deer F3 F4.

291: [Stabs himself.] om. Qq Ff.

296: Tongue] Sun Halliwell conj.

lose] Q2 Ff. loose Q1.

297: [Exit M.] Capell. om. Qq Ff.

298: [Dies.] Capell. om. Qq Ff.

303: and prove] Q2 Ff. and yet prove Q1.

304: Moonshine] the Moon-shine F3 F4.

before Thisbe] Rowe. before? Thisby Qq Ff.

310: mote] Steevens (Heath conj.). moth Qq Ff.

311, 312: he for a man...God bless us] Qq. omitted in Ff.

311: warrant] warnd Qq.

314: means] Qq Ff. moans Theobald.

320: thy] my F3 F4.

321, 322: These...nose] These lips lily, This nose cherry Farmer conj. This lily lip, This cherry tip Collier (Collier MS.).

321: lips] brows Theobald.

322: nose] nip Grant White conj.

330: Lay] Love Theobald.

332: his] this F3 F4.

335: [Stabs herself.] om. Qq Ff.

341: Bot.] Ff. Lyon. Qq.

[Starting up] Capell.

347: need] be Capell conj.

Marry] Mary Q1.

348: hanged] Qq. hung Ff.

351: [A dance.] A dance and exeunt clowns. Capell. om. Qq Ff. Here a dance of clowns. Rowe.

360: Scene ii. Capell. Scene iii. Pope.

lion] Rowe. lions Qq Ff.

361: behowls] Theobald (Warburton). beholds Qq Ff.

363: fordone] foredoone Q1. foredone Q2 Ff.

365: screech-owl] scriech-owle Q1. scritch-owle Q2 Ff.

371: church-way] churchyard Poole’s Eng. Parnassus.

379: Enter...] Enter King and Queene of Fairies with all their traine. Q1. Enter... with their traine. Q2 Ff.

380: Through] Though Grant White.

the] this Warburton.

the house give] this house in Johnson conj.

386: your] Q1. this Q2 Ff.

389: [Song and dance.] Capell.

390–411: Given to Oberon in Qq. Called The Song in Ff and printed in italics. Restored to Oberon by Johnson. See note (xii).

403, 404: be. With...consecrate,] Qq Ff. be, With...consecrate. Collier MS.

408: Ever shall in safety] Qq Ff. Ever shall it safely Rowe (ed. 2). E’er shall it in safety Malone. See note (xiii).

408, 409: These lines are transposed by Staunton.

410: away;] away, then Hanmer.

411: Exeunt...] Capell. om. Qq Ff.

415: these] this Q2.

420: I am] I’m Capell.

an] om. F3 F4.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Clyx.com


Top of Page
Top of Page