And the ill counsel of a desert place, Hel. Your virtue is my privilege for that. 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. 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. Hel. Ay, in the temple, in the town, the field, To die upon the hand I love so well. [Exeunt DEM. and HEL. Obe. Fare thee well, nymph. Ere he do leave this grove, Thou shalt fly him, and he shall seek thy love. Re-enter PUCK. Hast thou the flower there? Welcome, wanderer. I pray thee, give it me. Obe. 1 The greater cowslip. Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine, And with the juice of this I'll streak her eyes, Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove. With a disdainful youth: anoint his eyes; [Exeunt SCENE III. Another Part of the Wood. Enter TITANIA, with her Train. Tita. Come, now a roundel,1 and a fairy song, Then, for the third part of a minute, hence; Some, to kill cankers in the musk-rose buds; Some, war with rear-mice for their leathern wings, To make my small elves coats; and some, keep back The clamorous owl, that nightly hoots, and wonders At our quaint spirits.3 Sing me now asleep; Then to your offices, and let me rest. SONG. 1 Fai. You spotted snakes, with double tongue, Thorny hedge-hogs, be not seen; 4 Newts, and blindworms,5 do no wrong ; 1 The roundel, or round, as its name implies, was a dance in a ring. 2 Bats. 3 Sports. 4 Efts. 5 Slow-worms. CHORUS. Philomel, with melody, Sing in our sweet lullaby ; Lulla, lulla, lullaby; lulla, lulla, lullaby; So, good night, with lullaby. II. 2 Fai. Weaving spiders, come not here; CHORUS. Philomel, with melody, &c. 1 Fai. Hence, away; now all is well. One, aloof, stand sentinel. [Exeunt Fairies. TITANIA sleeps. Enter OBERON. Obe. What thou seest when thou dost wake, [Squeezes the flower on TITANIA's eyelids. Do it for thy true love take. Love, and languish for his sake. Be it ounce, or cat, or bear, Wake, when some vile thing is near. Enter LYSANDER and HERMIA. [Exit. 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, And tarry for the comfort of the day. Her. Be it so, Lysander; find you out a bed, 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 farther off yet; do not lie so near. Lys. O, take the sense, sweet, of my innocence;1 Love takes the meaning, in love's conference. I mean, that my heart unto yours is knit. So that but one heart we can make of it. Two bosoms interchained with an oath; 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. 2 Her. Lysander riddles very prettily.Now much beshrew my manners and my pride, If Hermia meant to say, Lysander lied. But, gentle friend, for love and courtesy Lie farther off; in human modesty Such separation, as, may well be said, Becomes a virtuous bachelor and a maid. 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! Her. With half that wish the wisher's eyes be [They sleep. pressed! Enter PUCK. Puck. Through the forest have I gone, 1 i. e. "understand the meaning of my innocence, or my innocent mean Let no suspicion of ill enter thy mind." This word here means the same as if she had said, "Now ill befall my manners," &c. And here the maiden, sleeping sound, Near this lack-love, this kill-courtesy. Enter DEMETRIUS and HELENA, running. [Exit. Hel. Stay, though thou kill me, sweet Demetrius. Dem. I charge thee, hence, and do not haunt me thus. Hel. O, wilt thou darkling leave me? Do not so. Dem. Stay, on thy peril; I alone will go. [Exit DEMETRIus. Hel. O, I am out of breath in this fond chase! The more my prayer, the lesser is my grace. 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 washed than hers No, no, I am as ugly as a bear; For beasts that meet me, run away for fear. sake. Lys. And run through fire I will, for thy sweet [Waking. Transparent Helena! Nature shows her art, That through thy bosom makes me see thy heart. 1 Possess. 2 The quartos have only-" Nature shows art." ture her shows art." The second folio changes thought we should read, "Nature shows her art." The first folio-"Naher to here. Malone |