Quin. Yes, it doth fhine that night. Bot. Why then may you leave a cafement of the great chamber window, where we play, open; and the moon may fhine in at the casement. Quin. Ay, or elfe one must come in with a bath of thorns and a lanthorn, and fay, he comes to disfigure, or to prefent, the perfon of moon-fhine. Then there is another thing; we must have a wall in the great chamber, for Pyra nus and Thilby (fays the ftory) did talk through the chink of a wall. Snug. You can never bring in a wall. What fay you. Bottom? Bot. Some man or other muft prefent wall; and let him have fome plafter, or fome lome, or fome roughcaft about him, to fignify wall: Or let him hold his fingers thus; and through the cranny shall Pyramus and Thisby whisper. Quin. If that may be, then all is well. Come, fit down every mother's fon, and rehearse your parts. Pyramus, you begin; when you have spoken your fpeech, enter into that brake; and fo every one according to his cue. Enter Puck, behind. Puck. What hempen home-fpuns have we fwagger- So near the cradle of the fairy Queen? Pyr. Odours, favours sweet. So doth thy breath, my deareft Thisby, dear; But hark, a voice! ftay thou but here a whit! [15) And, by and by, I will to thee appear. [Exit Pyr. Puck. (15) Stay thou but bere a while;] The verfes here, 'tis plain, fhould be alternately in rhyme; but feet in the clofe of the firft line, and while in the third, will not do for this purpose. The Author, doubtless, gave it; ftay thou but here a whit; Puck. Aftranger Pyramus than e'er play'd here! [Afide. This. Muft I fpeak now? Quin. Ay, marry, muft you; for you must under-. ftand, he goes but to fee a noise that he heard, and is to come again. Thif. Moft radiant Pyramus, moft lilly-white of hue, Of colour like the red rofe on triumphant briar,, Moft brifky Juvenile,, and eke most lovely Jew, As true as trueft 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 anfwer to Pyramus; you speak all your part at once, cues and all. Pyramus, enter; your cue is paft; it is, never tire. Re-enter Bottom, with an Afs-head: Thif. O, as true as trueft horfe, that yet would never tire.. Pyr. If I were fair, Thisby, I were only thine.. Quin. O monftrous! O ftrange! we are haunted; pray, mafters; fly, mafters; help! [The Clowns exeunt.. Puck. I'll follow you, I'll lead you about a round, Through bog, through bufh, through brake, through: briar, Sometimes a horfe I'll be, fometimes a hound,. A hog, a headlefs bear, fometimes a fire, And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar and burn, Like horfe, hound, hog, bear, fire at every turn. [Exit. Bot. Why do they run away? this is a knavery of them to make me afeard.. Enter Snowt: Snowt: O Bottom, thou art chang'd; what do I fee on thee? i. e. a little while: for fo it fignifies, as alfo any thing of no price, or confideration; a trifle: in which fenfe it is very frequent with our Author. Bottom before in this Scene fays; Not a whit; I have a device to make all well;, And, in Hamlet; No, not a whit; we defy augury. And in King Richard III. Woe, woe, for England! not a whit, for me, Bot.. Bot. What do you fee? you see an ass-head of your own, do you? Enter Quince. Quin. Blefs thee, Bottom, blefs thee; thou art tranflated. Exit. Bot. I fee their knavery, this is to make an ass of me, to fright me if they could; but I will not ftir from this place, do what they can; I will walk up and down here, and I will fing, that they fhall hear I am not afraid. The oufel cock, fo black of hue, With orange-tawny bill, The throftle with his note fo true, [Sings. Queen. What angel wakes me from my flow'ry bed?" [waking. Bot. The finch, the fparrow, and the lark, [Sings. The plain-fong cuckow gray, Whofe note full many a man doth mark, And dares not answer, nay. For, indeed, who would fet his wit to fo foolish a bird? who would give a bird the lye, tho' he cry cuckow never for Queen. I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again; Mine ear is much enamour'd of thy note, (16) So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape; And thy fair virtue's force (perforce) doth move me, On the first view to fay, to fwear, I love thee. Bot. Methinks, mistress, you should have little reafon for that: and yet, to fay the truth, reafon and love keep little company together now-a-days. The (16) Mine ear is much enamour'd of thy note, On the firft view to fay, to fwear, I love thee; So is mine eye enthralled to thy fhape, And thy fair virtue's force (perforce) doth move me.] Thus the generality of the impreffions have 'fhuffled, and confused thefe verfes, to the utmost degree of obfcurity and nonfenfe: but I have from one of the old Quarto's reduced 'em to clearness and order: and as, without knowing fuch an authority for it, Dr. Thirlby inge iously hinted to me, they should be placed, more more the pity, that fome honeft neighbours will not make them friends. Nay, I can gleek upon occafion. Queen. Thou art as wife, as thou art beautiful. Bot. Not fo neither: but if I had wit enough to get. Out of this wood, I have enough to ferve mine own turn. Queen. Out of this wood do not defire to go, I Thou fhalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no am a fpirit of no common rate; The fummer ftill doth tend upon my state, And I do love thee; therefore, go with me, And they fhall fetch thee jewels from the deep, That thou shalt like an airy spirit go. Peafebloffom! Cobweb! Moth! and Mustardfeed! (17) Enter four Fairies 1 Fair. Ready. 2 Fair. And I. 3 Fair. And I. 4 Fair. And I, where fhall we go? Queen. Be kind, and courteous to this gentleman; Hop in his walks, and gambole in his eyes; Feed him with apricocks and dewberries, With purple grapes, green figs and mulberries, The honey-bags fteal from the humble bees, 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 arife: And pluck the wings from painted butterflies, To fan the moon beams from his fleeping eyes; Nod to him, elves, and do him courtefies. 1 Fair. Hail, mortal, hail! (17) Enter Peafebloffom, Cobweb, Moth, Muftard feed, and four Fairies. Here the common editions have been fo extravagant as to fplit four Fairies into eight: but the old Quarto impreffions both cime in to my affiftance to reduce 'em to their right number. The Queen calls them by their respective names, and immediately the four Fairies enter upon call. 2 Fair. Bot. I cry your worship's mercy heartily; I befeech, your worship's name. Cob. Cobweb. Bot. I fhall defire of you more acquaintance, good mafter Cobweb; if I cut my finger, I fhall make bold. with you. Your name, honeft gentleman? Peafe. Peafebloom. Bot. I pray you, commend me to mistress Squash your mother, and to mafter Peafcod your father. Good mafter Peafebloom, I fhall defire of you more acquaintance too. Your name, I beseech you, Sir? Muf. Muftardfeed. Bot. Good mafter Mustardfeed, I know your patience well: that fame cowardly giant-like ox-beef hath devour'd many a gentleman of your house. I promise you, your kindred hath made my eyes water ere now.. I defire more of your acquaintance, good mafter Muf tardfeed. Queen. Come, wait upon him, lead him to my bower.. The moon, methinks, looks with a watry eye, And when the weeps, weep ev'ry little flower, Lamenting fome enforced chastity! Tie up my love's tongue, bring him filently. [Exeunti. Enter King of Fairies. Ob. I wonder, if Titania be awak'd: Then what it was that next came in her eye, Which the muft doat on in extremity.. Enter Puck. Here comes my meffenger! how now, mad fprite,. Were |