OBSERVATIONS

ON

THE FABLE AND COMPOSITION

OF

A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM.

THIS play was entered Oct. 8, 1600, at Stationers' Hall. It is probable that the hint for this play was received from Chaucer's Knight's Tale: thence it is, that our author speaks of Theseus as duke of Athens. The tale begins thus:

"Whylome as olde stories tellin us,
"There was a Duke that highte Theseus,
"Of Athens he was lord and governour," &c.

Lidgate too, the monk of Bury, in his Translation of the Tragedies of John Bochas, calls him the same. chap. xii. 1. 21.

"Duke Theseus had the victorye."

Creon, in the tragedy of Jocasta, translated from Euripides in 1566, is called Duke Creon.

So Skelton,

"Not lyke Duke Hamilcar,

"Nor lyke Duke Asdruball.”

And Stanyhurst, in his Translation of Virgil, calls Æneas, Duke

Æneas.

STEEVENS.

Of this play there are two editions in quarto; one printed for Thomas Fisher, the other for James Roberts, both in 1600. I have used the copy of Roberts, very carefully collated, as it seems, with that of Fisher. Neither of the editions approach to exactness. Fisher is sometimes preferable, but Roberts was followed,

VOL. II.

b

ii

though not without some variations, by Hemings and Condel, and they by all the folios that succeeded them.

Wild and fantastical as this play is, all the parts in their various modes are well written, and give the kind of pleasure which the author designed. Fairies in his time were much in fashion; common tradition had made them familiar, and Spenser's poem had made them great. JOHNSON.

The Midsummer-Night's Dream I suppose to have been written in 1592.-See An Attempt to ascertain the Order of Shakspeare's Plays, vol. ix. MALONE.

MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM.

ACT I.

SCENE I.

ATHENS. A ROOM IN THE PALACE OF THESEUS.

Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Philostrate, and Atten

dants.

The. Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour Draws on apace; four happy days bring in Another moon: but, oh, methinks, how slow This old moon wanes! she lingerз my desires, Like to a step-dame, or a dowager,

Long withering out a young man's revenue.

Hip. Four days will quickly steep themselves in nights;

Four nights will quickly dream away the time;
And then the moon, like to a silver bow

New bent in heaven, shall behold the night
Of our solemnities.

The.

Stir up

Go, Philostrate,

the Athenian youth to merriments; Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth; Turn melancholy forth to funerals:

The pale companion is not for our pomp.—

[Exit Philostrate. Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword,

B

And won thy love, doing thee injuries;
But I will wed thee in another key,

With pomp, with triumph, and with revelling.

Enter Egeus, Hermia, Lysander, and Demetrius. Ege. Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke! The. Thanks, good Egeus: What's the news with thee?

Ege. Full of vexation come I, with complaint
Against my child, my daughter Hermia.-
Stand forth, Demetrius;-My noble lord,
This man hath my consent to marry her:—
Stand forth, Lysander;-and, my gracious duke,
This hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child:
Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes,
And interchang'd love-tokens with my child:
Thou hast by moon-light at her window sung,
With feigning voice, verses of feigning love;
And stol'n the impression of her fantasy
With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits,
Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweet-meats; messengers
Of strong prevailment in unharden'd youth:
With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart;
Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me,
To stubborn harshness:-And, my gracious duke,
Be it so she will not here before your grace
Consent to marry with Demetrius,

I beg the ancient privilege of Athens;
As she is mine, I may dispose of her:
Which shall be either to this gentleman,
Or to her death; according to our law,
Immediately provided in that case.

The. What say you, Hermia? be advis'd, fair

maid:

Το you your father should be as a god;

One that compos'd your beauties; yea, and one
To whom you are but as a form in wax,
By him imprinted, and within his power
To leave the figure, or disfigure it.
Demetrius is a worthy gentleman.
Her. So is Lysander.

The.

In himself he is:

But, in this kind, wanting your father's voice,
The other must be held the worthier.

Her. I would, my father look'd but with my eyes.
The. Rather your eyes must with his judgment

look.

Her. I do entreat your grace to pardon me.
I know not by what power I am made bold;
may concern my modesty,
In such a presence here, to plead my thoughts:

Nor how it

But I beseech your grace, that I

may know The worst that may befal me in this case, If I refuse to wed Demetrius.

The. Either to die the death, or to abjure
For ever the society of men.

Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires,
Know of your youth, examine well your blood,
Whether, if you yield not to your father's choice,
You can endure the livery of a nun;
For aye to be in shady cloister mew'd,
To live a barren sister all your life,
Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon.
Thrice blessed they, that master so their blood,