General Editor, C. H. HERFORD, LITT.D., University of Manchester A MIDSUMMER EDITED BY E. K. CHAMBERS, B. A. SOMETIME SCHOLAR OF CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE, OXFORD GENERAL PREFACE In this edition of SHAKESPEARE an attempt is made to present the greater plays of the dramatist in their literary aspect, and not merely as material for the study of philology or grammar. Criticism purely verbal and textual has only been included to such an extent as may serve to help the student in the appreciation of the essential poetry. Questions of date and literary history have been fully dealt with in the Introductions, but the larger space has been devoted to the interpretative rather than the matter-of-fact order of scholarship. Esthetic judgments are never final, but the Editors have attempted to suggest points of view from which the analysis of dramatic motive and dramatic character may be profitably undertaken. In the Notes likewise, while it is hoped that all unfamiliar expressions and allusions have been adequately explained, yet it has been thought even more important to consider the dramatic value of each scene, and the part which it plays in relation to the whole. These general principles are common to the whole series; in detail each Editor is alone responsible for the play or plays that have been intrusted to him. Every volume of the series has been provided with a Glossary, an Essay upon Metre, and an Index; and Appendices have been added upon points of special interest which could not conveniently be treated in the Introduction or the Notes. The text is based by the several Editors on that of the Globe edition. APPENDIX A-Shakespeare's Fairyland APPENDIX C-The Life of Theseus APPENDIX D-On the Legend of Pyramus and Thisbe APPENDIX E-On the Play of "Narcissus " XX 1 81 APPENDIX F-On the Allegory in ii. 1. 148-168 158 APPENDIX G-On W. Bettie's Titana and INTRODUCTION 1. LITERARY HISTORY OF THE PLAY The Registers of the Company of Stationers for the year 1600 contain, among other entries of books licensed, the following: 8. Octobris Thomas ffysher Entred for his copie vnder the handes of master Rodes and the Wardens. A booke called A mydsommer nightes Dreame vja. Two editions of the play in Quarto form bear the date 1600. One of these, known as the First Quarto (Q 1), has the following title-page: “[Ornament] | A | Midsommer nights | dreame. | As it hath beene sundry times pub- | lickely acted, by the Right honoura|ble, the Lord Chamberlaine his | seruants. | Written by William Shakespeare. [Fisher's device: a kingfisher] | ¶ Imprinted at London, for Thomas Fisher, and are to be soulde at his shoppe, at the Signe of the White Hart, | in Fleetestreete. 1600." This is often called Fisher's Quarto. The Second Quarto (Q 2) or Roberts's Quarto, as it is called, is a reprint, page for page, of Q 1. The typographical details are better arranged, the spelling is less archaic, a few misprints are corrected, and more errors have been allowed to creep in. The title-page runs as follows: "[Ornament] | A | Midsommer nights | dreame. | As it hath beene sundry times pub- | likely acted, by the Right Honoura|ble, the Lord Chamberlaine his | seruants. | Written by William Shakespeare. [Roberts's device: the Geneva Arms: a HalfEagle and a Key.] | Printed by Iames Roberts, 1600.” The old view that Roberts's edition was pirated has been shown to be correct; but it was not printed in 1600. Mr. A. W. Pollard has proved that a group of editions of plays, nine in all, of which |