For lack of tread, are undistinguishable : Obe. Do you amend it then it lies in you: Tita. The human mortals—] Men, as distinguished from fairies; who, though not human were subject to mortality.-The death of fairies was questioned by Mr. Ritson; but Spenser has established the fact beyond a doubt, by giving the pedigree of Oberon himself, who succeeded Elferon, and, after his death, was succeeded by Tanaquil, or Gloriana.-See Spenser's Fairy Queen, b. 2 c. x. from the seventieth stanza to the end. g distemperature-] i. e. The discord of the king and queen.-MALONE. Or, the perturbation of the elements.-STEEVENS. The childing autumn,]-is the pregnant autumn, frugifer autumnus.— STEEVENS. k By their increase,] i. e. By their produce. henchman.] Page of honour. This office was abolished at court by Queen Elizabeth.-GREY. And grow big-bellied, with the wanton wind: To fetch me trifles, and return again, And, for her sake, I will not part with him. Obe. How long within this wood intend you stay? Tita. Perchance, till after Theseus, wedding-day. If you will patiently dance in our round, And see our moonlight revels, go with us; [Exeunt TITANIA, and her train. Obe. Well, go thy way: thou shalt not from this grove, Till I torment thee for this injury. My gentle Puck, come hither: Thou remember'st Since once I sat upon a promontory, And heard a mermaid, on a dolphin's back, That the rude sea grew civil at her song; And certain stars shot madly from their spheres, Puck. I remember. Obe. That very time 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, In maiden meditation, fancy-free :' 1 -fancy-free:] i. e. Exempt from the power of love.-The whole of this beautiful passage is designed as a compliment to Queen Elizabeth.-Dr. War Yet mark'd I where the bolt of Cupid fell: Before, milk-white; now purple with love's wound,— Fetch me that flower; the herb I show'd thee once ; Puck. I'll put a girdle round about the earth Obe. Having once this juice, And drop the liquor of it in her eyes; And ere I take this charm off from her sight, I'll make her render up her page to me. [Exit PUCK. Enter DEMETRIUS, HELENA following him. Dem. I love thee not, therefore pursue me not. Where is Lysander, and fair Hermia? The one I'll slay, the other slayeth me. Thou told'st me, they were stol'n into this wood, 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 burton has attempted to shew that the mermaid meant Mary Queen of Scots : but this was a task which it exceeded even his ingenuity to accomplish. m love-in-idleness.] The flower commonly called pansies, or heart's-ease, is named love-in-idleness in Warwickshire, and in Lyte's Herbal. There is a reason why Shakspeare says it is "now purple with love's wound," because one or two of its petals are of a purple colour.-TOLLET. n wood-] i. e. Mad. Is true as steel: Leave you your power to draw, Dem. Do I entice you? Do I speak you fair? The more you beat me, I will fawn on you: Use me but as your spaniel, spurn me, strike me, Dem. Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit; For I am sick, when I do look on thee. Hel. And I am sick, when I look not on you. To leave the city, and commit yourself Into the hands of one that loves you not; And the ill counsel of a desert place, Hel. Your virtue is my privilege for that. 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. Dem. I will not stay thy questions; let me go: impeach-] i. e. Bring into question. 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, Your wrongs do set a scandal on my sex : We should be woo'd, and were not made to woo. 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. Welcome, wanderer.. Hast thou the flower there? Obe. I pray thee, give it me. And with the juice of this I'll streak her eyes, Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove: With a disdainful youth: anoint his eyes; [Exeunt. To die upon the hand, &c.] To die upon, &c. in our author's language, I believe, means-"to die by."-STEEVENS. ox-lips-] i. e. The greater cowslip. |