Then how can it be said, 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 beasts.

Hel. The wildest hath not such a heart as you.. Run when you will, the story shall be chang'd; Apollo flies, and Daphne holds the chase; The dove pursues the griffin; the mild hind Makes speed to catch the tiger: Bootless speed! When cowardice pursues, and valour flies.

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, You do me mischief.. Fye, Demetrius !

Your wrongs

do set a scandal on my sex:

We cannot fight for love, as men may do;

We should be woo'd, and were not made to woo..

I'll follow thee, and make a heaven of hell,

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. Puck. Ay, there it is.

Obe.

I

pray thee, give it me.

I know a bank whereon the wild thyme blows,
Where ox-lips and the nodding violet grows ;

Quite over-canopied. with lush 6 woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses,, and with eglantine:
There sleeps Titania, some time of the night,
Lull'd in these flowers with dances and delight;:
And there the snake throws her enamell'd skin,.
Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in:

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

Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove::
A sweet Athenian lady is in love

With a disdainful youth: anoint his eyes;
But do it, when the next thing he espies
May be the lady: Thou shalt know the man
By the Athenian garments he hath on.
Effect it with some care; that he may prove
More fond on her, than she upon her love:
And look thou meet me ere the first cock crow..

Puck. Fear not, my lord, your servant shall do so..
[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

Another part of the Wood.

Enter TITANIA, with her train.

Tita. Come, now a roundel, 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
8 Bats.

• Vigorous..

7 A kind of dance:

At our quaint spirits :9 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;

2

Newts, and blind-worms, do no wrong;

CHORUS.

Come not near our fairy queen:

Philomel, with melody,

Sing in our sweet lullaby;

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

Never harm, nor spell nor charm,

Come our lovely lady nigh;

So, good night, with lullaby.

II.

2 Fai. Wearing spiders, come not here ;

Hence, you long-legg'd spinners hence:
Beetles black, approach not near;
Worm, nor snail, do no offence.

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 eye-lids.

Do it for thy true love take;

Love, and languish for his sake:

Sports.

* Efts.

2 Slow-worms.

Be it ounce, or cat, or bear,
Pard, or boar with bristled hair,
In thy eye that shall appear

When thou wak'st, it is thy dear;

Wake, when some vile thing is near.

Enter LYSANDER and HERMIA.

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 further off yet, do not lie so near.

I

Lys. O, take the sense, sweet, of my innocence;
Love takes the meaning, in love's conference.
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.

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 further off; in human modesty

3 The small tiger.

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..

press'd!

Enter PUCK..

Puck. Through the forest have I gone,
But Athenian found I none,

On whose eyes I might approve
This flower's force in stirring love.
Night and silence! who is here?
Weeds of Athens he doth wear :.
This is he, my master said,.
Despised the Athenian maid;

And here the maiden, sleeping sound,
On the dank and dirty ground.

Pretty soul! she durst not lie
Near this lack-love, kill-courtesy.

Churl, upon thy eyes I throw

All the power this charm doth owe :4
When thou wak'st, let love forbid
Sleep his seat on thy eye-lid.
So awake, when I am gone;
For I must now to Oberon.

• 4 Possess.

[Exit.