If you will patiently dance in our round, If not, shun me, and I will spare your haunts. [Exeunt TITANIA and her train. Thou remember'st Since once I sat upon a promontory, And heard a mermaid on a dolphin's back, And certain stars shot madly from their spheres, To hear the sea-maid's musick. Ober. That very night I saw (but thou could'st not), At a fair vestal, throned by the west ;* And loos'd his love-shaft smartly from his bow, But I might seen young Cupid's fiery shaft 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, *At a fair vestal throned by the west.-An allusion to Queen Elizabeth. See in the Rev. Mr. Halpin's remarks on this passage, published by the Shakspeare Society, a most ingenious speculation on the hidden meaning of it, as a bit of secret court history. And maidens call it Love-in-idleness.* Fetch me that flower: the herb I show'd thee once: The juice of it on sleeping eyelids laid, 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 Ober. Having once this juice, I'll watch Titania when she is asleep, [Exit PUCK. And drop the liquor of it in her eyes : The next thing then she waking looks upon, (Be it on lion, bear, or wolf, or bull, Or meddling monkey, or on busy ape,) She shall pursue it with the soul of love, And ere I take this charm off from her sight, (As I can take it with another herb,) I'll make her render up her page to me. Another part of the Wood. Enter TITANIA and her train. [Exit OBERON. Tit. Come, now a roundel, and a fairy song: *Love-in-idleness.-The heart's-ease. SONG. 1st Fai. You spotted snakes with double tongue, Newts and blind worms, do no wrong; Chorus. Philomel with melody Sing in our sweet lullaby, Lulla, lulla, lullaby : lulla, lulla, lullaby ; So, good night-with lullaby. 2nd Fai. Weaving spiders, come not here; Hence you long-legged spinners, hence: Worm nor snail, do no offence. Chorus. Philomel with melody, &c. 1st Fai. Hence, away; now all is well : One, aloof, stand sentinel. [Exeunt FAIRIES. TITANIA sleeps. Enter OBEron. Ober.-What thou seest when thou dost awake [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, [Exit. Enter BOTTOM, singing; РUCK having clapt on him an ass's head. SONG. Bot. The ousel-cock, so black of hue, With orange-tawny bill, The throstle with his note so true, The wren with little quill Tit.—What angel wakes me from my flowery bed? I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again; Mine ear is much enamour'd of thy note; So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape; And thy fair virtue's force perforce doth move me, On the first view, to say, to swear, I love thee. [Wakes. Bot. Methinks, mistress, you should have little reason for that, and yet to say the truth, reason and love keep little company together now-a-days. The more the pity that some honest neighbours will not make them friends. Nay, I can gleek* upon occasion. Tit.-Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful. Bot.-Not so, neither; but if I had wit enough to get out of this wood, I have enough to serve mine own turn. Tit.-Out of this wood do not desire to go; Thou shalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no. I am a spirit of no common rate; The summer still doth tend upon my state, And I do love thee; therefore go with me; I'll give thee fairies to attend on thee; And they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep, And sing, while thou on pressèd flowers dost sleep : * Gleek.-Banter. That thou shalt like an airy spirit go. Peas-blossom! Cobweb! Moth! and Mustard-seed! Tit. Be kind and courteous to this gentleman; And pluck the wings from painted butterflies, 1st. Fai. Hail, mortal! 2nd Fai. Hail! 3rd Fai. Hail! 4th Fai. Hail! Bot. I cry your worship's mercy, heartily. I beseech your worship's name. Cob. Cobweb. Bot. I shall desire you of more acquaintance, good Master Cobweb. If I cut my finger I shall make bold with you. honest gentleman? Peas. Peas-blossom. Your name, Bot. I pray you commend me to Mistress Squash, your mother, and to Master Peascod, your father. Good Master Peas-blossom, I shall desire you of more acquaintance too. Your name, I beseech you, sir? Mus. Mustard-seed. |