For lack of tread, are undistinguishable: From our debate, from our dissension; Obe. Do you amend it then: it lies in you: I do but beg a little changeling boy, To be my henchman. a sport still followed by boys: i. e. what is now called running the figure of eight. STEEVENS. The human mortals -] Shakspeare might have employed this epithet, which, at first sight, appears redundant, to mark the difference between men and fairies. Fairies were not human, but they were yet subject to mortality. 2 That rheumatick diseases do abound:] Rheumatick diseases signified in Shakspeare's time, not what we now call rheumatism, but distillations from the head, catarrhs, &c. 3 this distemperature ] Is either this perturbation of the elements, or the perturbed state in which the king and queen had lived for some time past. + The childing autumn,] Is the pregnant autumn, which unseasonably produces flowers on those of summer. 5 By their increase,] That is, by their produce. 6 henchman.] Page of honour. This office was abolished at court by Queen Elizabeth, but probably remained in the city. Tita. Set your heart at rest, To fetch me trifles, and return again, If you will patiently dance in our round, And see our moonlight revels, go with us; [Exeunt TITANIA, and 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 remember'st Since once I sat upon a promontory, And heard a mermaid, on a dolphin's back, Henchmen were a certain number of youths, the sons of gentlemen, who stood or walked near the person of the monarch on all public occasions. "Not for thy fairy kingdom." MALONE. Uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath, And certain stars shot madly from their spheres, Puck. I remember. Obe. That very time I saw, (but thou could'st not,) Flying between the cold moon and the earth, Cupid all arm'd: a certain aim he took At a fair vestal, throned by the west'; And loos'd his love-shaft smartly from his bow, In maiden meditation, fancy-free': 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,— Fetch me that flower; the herb I show'd thee once ; Will make or man or woman madly dote Upon the next live creature that it sees. Fetch me this herb: and be thou here again, Puck. I'll put a girdle round about the earth Obe. And drop the liquor of it in her eyes; [Exit PUCK. 7 At a fair vestal, throned by the west;] A compliment to Queen Elizabeth. 8 - fancy-free :] i. e. exempt from the power of love. And ere I take this charm off from her sight, (As I can take it, with another herb,) to me. I'll make her render up her page Enter DEMETRIUS, HELENA following him. Dem. I love thee not, therefore pursue me not Where is Lysander, and fair Hermia? The one I'll slay, the other slayeth me. Thou told'st me, they were stol'n into this wood, Hel. You draw me, you hard-hearted adamant; Is true as steel: Leave you your power to draw, Dem. Do I entice you? Do I speak you fair? Tell you I do not, nor I cannot love you? Hel. And even for that do I love you the more. I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius, Dem. Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit ; For I am sick, when I do look on thee. 9 1 Hel. And I am sick, when I look not on you. Dem. You do impeach your modesty1 too much, and wood within this wood,] Wood, or mad, wild. "do use "-MALONE. impeach your modesty ] i. e. bringing it into question. To leave the city, and commit yourself 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: But I shall do thee mischief in the wood. Hel. Ay, in the temple, in the town, the field †, We should be woo'd, and were not made to woo. 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. 2 for that.] i. e. for leaving the city, &c. TYRWHITT. "and field,"-MALONE. 3 To die upon the hand, &c.] To die upon, &c. in our author's language, perhaps means—“to die by the hand." |