The same wood is also chosen by «a crew of patches, rude mechanicals», for the purpose of rehearsing, by moonlight, near the great Oak, << The most lamentable comedy, and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby », which they intend to represent before the Duke and Dutchess, on their wedding night. The parts, as it may well be supposed, are most comically distributed amongst Masters Snug, Nick Bottom, Robin Starveling, etc.: but their sport is suddenly interrupted by the mischievous Puck, who comes behind them during the

rehearsal.

PL. III.

Most brisky Juvenal, and eke most lovely Jew, As true as truest horse, that yet would never tire, I'll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny's tomb. QUINCE. Ninus' tomb, man: Why you must not speak that yet; that you answer to Pyramus: you speak all your part at once, cues and all. - Pyramus, enter; your cue is past; it is, never tire.

Re-enter Puck, and Boттом with an ass's head. THISBY. O,As true as truest horse, that yet would never tire. PYRAMUS. If I were fair, Thisby, I were only thine.

QUINCE. O monstrous! O strange! we are haunted.
Pray, masters! fly, masters! help! (Exeunt Clowns.)
PUCK. I'll follow you, I'll lead you about a round,
Through bog, through bush, through brake, through
brier;

Sometime a horse I'll be, sometime a hound,

A hog, a headless bear, sometime a fire;

And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar, and burn, Like horse, hound, hog, bear, fire, at every turn. (Exit.) BOTTOM. Why do they run away? this is a knavery of them, to make me afeard.

Re-enter SNOUT.

SNOUT. O Bottom, thou art changed! what do I see on thee?

BOTTOM. What do you see? you see an ass's head of your own; Do you?

Re-enter QUINCE.

QUINCE. Bless thee, Bottom! bless thee! thou art translated.

(Exit.) BOTTOM. I see their knavery! this is to make an ass of me; to fright me, if they could. But I will not stir from this place, do what they can: I will walk up and down here,

Here comes my messenger.- How now, mad spirit? What night-rule now about this haunted grove? PUCK. My mistress with a monster is in love. Near to her close and consecrated bower, While she was in her dull and sleeping hour, A crew of patches, rude mechanicals That work for bread upon Athenian stalls, Were met together to rehearse a play, Intended for great Theseus' nuptial day, The shallowest thick-skin of that barren sort, Who Pyramus presented, in their sport Forsook his scene, and entered in a brake: When I did him at this advantage take, An ass's now I fixed on his head;

Anon,

his Thisbe must be answered,

And forth my mimick comes: When they him spy,

As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye,
Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort,
Rising and cawing at the gun's report,
Sever themselves, and madly sweep the sky,
So, at his sight, away his fellows fly :

And, at our stamp, here o'er and o'er one falls;
He murder cries, and help from Athens calls.

Their sense, thus weak, lost with their fears, thus strong, Made senseless things begin to do them wrong:

For briars and thorns at their apparel snatch;

Some, sleeves; some, hats; from yielders all things catch.
I led them on this distracted fear,

And left sweet Pyramus translated there:
When in that moment (so it came to pass),
Titania wak'd, and straightway lov'd an ass.
OBERON. This falls out better than I could devise.
But hast thou yet latch'd the Athenian's eyes
With the love-juice, as I did bid thee do?
PUCK. I took him sleeping,- that is finish'd too,-
And the Athenian woman by his side;
That, when he wak'd, of force she must be ey❜d.
Enter DEMETRIUS and HERMIA.

OBERON. Stand close; this is the same Athenian.
PUCK. This is the woman, but not this the man.

Thus Puck's mistake is made known to Oberon, who commands him to find out Helena, and, by some illusion, to bring her immediatly to that spot; whilst, in the mean time, he charms Demetrius' eyes, so that all his former love for Helena returns with renewed ardour, whilst he resigns with the coldest indifference his affection for Hermia.