From off the head of this Athenian swain ;
That she awaking when the other do,
May all to Athens back again repair,
And think no more of this night's accidents,
But as the fierce vexation of a dream.*
But first, I will release the fairy queen.

Be as thou wert wont to be;

(Touching her eyes with a herb.)

See, as thou wert wont to see;
Dian's bud o'er Cupid's flower

Hath such force and blessed power.

Now, my Titania; wake you, my sweet queen.
Tit. My Oberon! what visions have I seen!
Methought I was enamoured of an ass.

Ober. There lies your love.

Tit.

How came these things to pass?

O, how mine eyes do loath his visage now!

Ober. Silence awhile. Robin, takes off this head.—

Titania, musick call; and strike more dead

Than common sleep, of all these five the sense.

Tit. Musick! ho! musick! such as charmeth sleep.

Puck. Now, when thou wak'st, with thine own fool's eyes peep.
Ober. Sound musick! [still musick.] Come, my queen, take

hand with me,

And rock the ground whereon these sleepers be.

Now thou and I are new in amity,

And will to-morrow midnight, solemnly

Dance in Duke Theseus' house triumphantly,

And bless it to all fair posterity:

There shall the pairs of faithful lovers be

Wedded, with Theseus, all in jollity.

Puck. Fairy king, attend and mark ;

I do hear the morning lark.

* But as the fierce vexation of a dream.―This fine stray verse comes looking in among the rest like a stern face through flowers.

Ober. Then, my queen, in silence sad,*
Trip we after the night's shade.
We the globe can compass soon,

Swifter than the wandering moon.

Tit. Come, my lord, and in our flight

Tell me how it came this night,

That I sleeping here was found

With these mortals on the ground.

[Exeunt.

[Horns sound within.

5 Come from the farthest steep of India.

Shakspeare understood the charm of remoteness in poetry, as he did everything else. Oberon has been dancing on the sunny steeps looking towards Cathay, where the

Chineses drive

Their cany waggons light.

THE BRIDAL HOUSE BLESSED BY THE FAIRIES.

Enter PUCK.

Puck. Now the hungry lion roars,

And the wolf behowls the moon,
While the heavy ploughman snores,
All with weary task fordone.

Now the wasted brands do glow,
Whilst the scritch-owl scritching loud,

Sad.-Grave, serious (not melancholy).

Puts the wretch that lies in woe,

In remembrance of a shroud.
Now it is the time of night

That the graves all gaping wide,
Every one lets forth his sprite,

In the church-way paths to glide:
And we fairies, that do run

By the triple Hecate's team,
From the presence of the sun,
Following darkness like a dream,
Now are frolick; not a mouse
Shall disturb this hallow'd house :
I am sent, with broom before,
To sweep the dust behind the door.

Enter OBERON and TITANIA, with their train.

Ober. Through this house give glimmering light, By the dead and drowsy fire:

Every elf and fairy sprite,

Hop as light as bird from brier;

And this ditty after me

Sing and dance it trippingly.

Tita. First rehearse this song by rote:

To each word a warbling note,

Hand in hand, with fairy grace,

Will we sing and bless the place.

SONG AND DANCE.

Ober. Now, until the break of day,
Through the house each fairy stray,
To the best bride-bed will we,
Which by us shall blessed be;
And the issue there create
Ever shall be fortunate.

K

So shall all the couples three
Ever true in loving be;

And the blots of Nature's hand
Shall not in their issue stand;
Never mole, hare-lip, or scar,
Nor mark prodigious, such as are
Despised in nativity,

Shall upon their children be.

With this field-dew, consecrate,

Every fairy take his gait;

And each several chamber bless

Through this palace with sweet peace;

E'er shall it in safety rest,

And the owner of it blest.

Trip away:

Make no stay;

Meet me all by break of day.

6" Now the hungry lion roars.”—Upon the songs of Puck and Oberon, Coleridge exclaims, "Very Anacreon in perfectness, proportion, and spontaneity! So far it is Greek; but then add, O! what wealth, what wild ranging, and yet what compression and condensation of English fancy! In truth, there is nothing in Anacreon more perfect than these thirty lines, or half so rich and imaginative. They form a speckless diamond."-Literary Remains, vol. ii. p. 114.

LOVERS AND MUSIC.

LORENZO and JESSICA, awaiting the return home of PORTIA and NERISSA, discourse of music, and then welcome with it the bride and her attendant.

Lor. The moon shines bright. In such a night as this,

When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees,
And they did make no noise,-in such a night
Troilus, methinks, mounted the Trojan walls,
And sighed his soul towards the Grecian tents,8
Where Cressid lay that night.

Stood Dido with a willow in her hand 10

Upon the wild sea-banks, and wav'd her love

To come again to Carthage.

Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew;

And with an unthrift love did run from Venice,

As far as Belmont.

Jes.

And in such a night

Did young Lorenzo swear he lov'd her well;

Stealing her soul with many vows of faith,
And ne'er a true one.