And drop the liquor of it in her
eyes:
The next thing which the waking looks upon,
(Be it on lyon, bear, or wolf, or bull,
On medling monkey, or on bufie ape)
She fhall purfue it with the foul of love:
And ere I take this charm from off her fight,
(As I can take it with another herb)
I'll make her render up her page to me.
But who comes here? I am invifible, (8)
And I will over-hear their conference.

Enter Demetrius, Helena following him.
Dem. I love thee not, therefore purfue me not.
Where is Lyfander, and fair Hermia?

The one I'll flay; the other flayeth me. (9)
Thou told'st me, they were ftoll'n into this wood;
And here am I, and wood within this wood;
Because I cannot meet my Hermia.

Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more.
Hel. You draw me, you hard-hearted adamant,
But yet you draw not iron; for my heart
Is true as fteel. Leave you your pow'r to draw,
And I fhall have no pow'r to follow you.

Dem. Do I entice you? do I fpeak you fair?
Or rather do I not in plainest truth

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

Hel. And ev'n for that do I love thee the more;

I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius,

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

(8) I am invisible.] I thought proper here to obferve, that, as Oberon and Puck his Attendant, may be fre quently observed to speak, when there is no mention of their Entering; they are defign'd by the Poet to be fuppos'd on the Stage during the greatest Part of the Remainder of the Play; and to mix, as they please, as Spirits, with the other Actors; and embroil the Plot, by their Interpofition, without being feen, or heard, but when to their own Purpose.

(9) The one I'll stay, the other ftayeth me.] Thus it has been in all the Editions hitherto: but Dr. Thirlby ingeniously saw, it muft be, as I have corrected in the Text.

Ufe

Ufe me but as your spaniel, spurn me, strike me,
Neglect me, lofe me; only give me leave,
Unworthy as I am, to follow you.

What worfer place can I beg in your love,
(And yet a place of high respect with me)
Than to be used, as you use your dog?

Dem. Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit;
For I am fick, when I do look on thee.

Hel. And I am fick, when I look not on you.
Dem. You do impeach your modesty too much,
To leave the city, and commit your felf
Into the hands of one that loves you not;
To truft the opportunity of night,
And the ill counfel of a defart place,
With the rich worth of your virginity.
Hel. Your virtue is my privilege; for that
It is not night when I do fee 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.

Then how can it be faid, 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 Beafts.

Hel. The wildeft hath not such a heart as you;
Run when you will, the ftory fhall be chang'd:
Apollo flies, and Daphne holds the chase;
The dove pursues the griffin; the mild hind
Makes fpeed to catch the tyger. Bootless speed!
When cowardife purfues, and valour flies.

Dem. I will not ftay thy queftions; let me go:
Or if thou follow me, do not believe,

But I fhall do thee mifchief in the wood.

Hel. Ay, in the temple, in the town, the field,
You do me mifchief. Fie, Demetrius,
Your wrongs do fet a scandal on my fex:
We cannot fight for love, as men may do ;
We fhou'd be woo'd, and were not made to woo.
I follow thee, and make a heav'n of hell;
To die upon the hand, I love fo well.

[Exeunt. Ob.

Ob. Fare thee well, nymph; ere he doth leave this

grove,

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

Haft thou the flow'r there? welcome, wanderer.
Enter Puck.

Puck. Ay, there it is.

Ob. I pray thee, give it me;

I know a bank whereon the wild thyme blows,
Where ox-lip and the nodding violet grows,
O'er-canopy'd with luscious woodbine,

With fweet musk-rofes, and with eglantine.
There fleeps Titania, fome time of the night,
Lull'd in these flow'rs with dances and delight;
And there the fnake throws her enammel'd skin,
Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in:

And with the juice of this I'll ftreak her eyes,
And make her full of hateful fantafies.

Take thou fome of it, and feek through this grove}

A fweet Athenian lady is in love

With a difdainful youth; anoint his eyes;
But do it, when the next thing he efpies

May be the lady. Thou shalt know the man,
By the Athenian garments he hath on.
Effect it with fome care, that he may prove
More fond of her, than she upon her love;

And, look, you meet me ere the firft cock crow.

Puck. Fear not, my lord, your fervant fhall do fo. [Exe.

Enter Queen of fairies, with her train.

Queen. Come, now a roundel, and a Fairy fong: Then, 'fore the third part of a minute, hence; (10) Some to kill cankers in the musk-rose buds,

(10) 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 Round, and fing your Song, and then inftantly (before the third part of a Minute) begone to your respective Duties.

Some

Some war with rear-mice for their leathern wing,
To make my fmall elves coats; and fome keep back
The clamorous owl, that nightly hoots, and wonders
At our queint fpirits. Sing me now afleep:
Then to your Offices, and let me rest.

Fairies fing.

You fpotted fnakes with double tongue,
Thorny hedgehogs, be not feen;
Newts and blind worms, do no wrong i
Come not near our fairy Queen.
Philomel, with melody,

Sing in your feet lullaby;

Lulla, lulla, lullaby; lulla, lulla, lullaby:

Never harm, nor spell, nor charm,
Come our lovely lady nigh;

So good night with lullaby.

2 Fairy.

Weaving Spiders come not here;
Hence, you long-leg'd fpinners, hence:
Beetles black, approach not near,
Worm, nor fnail, do no offence.
Philomel with melody, &c.

1 Fairy.

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;

Love and languifh for his fake;

Be it ounce, or cat, or bear,

Pard, or boar with bristled hair,

In thy eye that shall appear,

When thou wak'ft, it is thy dear;

Wake, when fome vile thing is near. [Exis Oberon.

Enter

Enter Lyfander and Hermia.

Ly. Fair love, you faint with wandring in the wood; And, to speak troth, I have forgot our way: We'll reft us, Hermia, if thou 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.

Lys. One turf fhall ferve as pillow for us both,
One heart, one bed, two bofoms, and one troth.
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 innocence;
Love takes the meaning, in love's conference;
I mean, that my heart unto yours is knit;
So that but one heart can you make of it:
Two bofoms, interchained with an oath ;
So then two bofoms, and a fingle troth:
Then, by your fide no bed-room me deny ;
For lying fo, Hermia, I do not lye.

Her. Lyfander riddles very prettily;
Now much befhrew my manners, and my pride,
If Hermia meant to fay, Lyfander ly'd.
But, gentle friend, for love and curtefie
Lye further off; in human modesty,
Such feparation, as, may well be faid,
Becomes a virtuous batchelor and a maid,
So far be diftant; and good night, fweet friend;
Thy love ne'er alter, till thy fweet life end!
Lyf. Amen, amen, to that fair prayer, say I;
And then end life, when I end loyalty!

Here is my bed; fleep give thee all his rest!

Her. With half that wish the wisher's eyes be preft!

Enter Puck.

Puck. Through the foreft have I gone,

But Athenian found I none,

}

[They fleep.

On whofe eyes I might approve

This flower's force in stirring love: