I know a bank whereon the wild thyme blows, And with the juice of this I'll ftreak her eyes, Take thou fome of it, and seek through this grove j With a difdainful youth; anoint his eyes; Queen Come, now a roundel, and a Fairy song: Then, 'fore the third part of a minute, hence; (11) Some to kill cankers in the musk-rose buds, Some war with rear-mice for their leathern wings, Then to your Offices, and let me reft. Fairies fing. You fpotted fnakes with double tongue, Come not near our fairy Queen. (11) Then for the third part of a Minute hence,] But the Queen fets them Work, that is to keep them employ'd for the Remainder of the Night: The Poet, undoubtedly, intended her to fay, Dance your Kound, and fing your Song, and then inftantly (before the third part of a Minute) begone to your refpective Duties. Hz Philo Philomel, with melody, Sing in your fweet lullaby; Lulla, lulla, lullaby; lulla, lulla, lullaby: So good night, with lullaby.. Hence, away; now all is well: One, aloof, ftand Centinel. [Exeunt Fairies. The Queen fleeps. Enter Oberon. Ob. What thou feeft, when thou doft wake, Do it for thy true love take; Enter Lyfander and Hermia. [Exit Oberon. Lyf. Fair love, you faint with wandring in the wood And, to fpeak troth, I have forgot our way: We'll reft us, Hermia, if you think it good, And tarry for the comfort of the day. Her. Be't fo, Lyfander; find you out a bed, For I upon this bank will reft my head. Lyf. One turf fhall ferve as pillow for us both, One heart, one bed, two bofoms, and one troth. Her. Her. Nay, good Lyfander; for my fake, my dear, Lye further off yet, do not lye.fo near. Lyf. O take the fenfe, fweet, of my conference; (12) Her. Lyfander riddles very prettily; Her. With half that wish, the wisher's eyes be preft! [They fleep. Enter Puck. Puck. Through the foreft have I gone, But Athenian found I none, (12) O take the Senfe, Sweet, of my Innocence; Love takes the Meaning in Love's conference.] 'Tis plain here, that the Players, for the fake of the jingle between Senfe and Innocence, tranfpos'd the two laft Words in the two Lines, and fo made unintelligible Nonfenfe of them. Let us adjust them, and This will be the Meaning. When the interpreted his Words to an evil Meaning, he fays, O, take the Senfe of my Conference; i. e. judge of my Meaning by the Drift of the other part of my Difcourfe; and let That interpret This. A very proper Rule to be always obferv'd, when we would judge of any one's Meaning: The Want of which is the most common Caufe of Mifinterpretation. He goes on and fays, Love takes the Meaning, in Love's Innocence. i. e. The Innocence of your Love may teach you to discover mine. Another very fine Sentiment. So that these two most beautiful Lines were perfectly disfigur'd in the aukward Tranfpofition. Mr. Warburton. On whofe eyes I might approve Enter Demetrius and Helena running. [Exit. Hel. Stay, tho' thou kill me, fweet Demetrius! [Exit Demetrius. For beafts, that meet me, run away for fear. Do (as a monster) fly my presence thus. (13) Near to this lack-love, this kill-curtefie.] Thus, in all the printed Editions. But this Verfe, as Ben. Jonfon fays, is broke loose from his Fellows, and wants to be tyed up. I believe, the Poet wrote; Near to this kill-courtefie. And fo the Line is reduced to the Measure of the other. But this Term being fomewhat quaint and uncommon, the Players, in my Opinion, officioufly clap'd in the other, as a Comment; and fo it has ever fince held Poffeffion. . What What wicked, and diffembling, glafs of mine Lys. And run thro' fire I will, for thy fweet fake. Transparent Helen, nature here fhews art, Who will not change a raven for a dove? And leads me to your eyes; where I o'erlook Hel. Wherefore was I to this keen mock'ry born? M Good troth, you do me wrong; good footh, you do; But fare you well. Perforce I must confefs, Should of another therefore be abus'd! [Exit. Lyf. She fees not Hermia; Hermia, fleep thou there; And never may'ft thou come Lyfander near; H 4 For |