Chapter XX: Act II: SCENE I. A wood near Athens

_Enter, from opposite sides, a_ Fairy, _and_ PUCK.

_Puck._ How now, spirit! whither wander you?

_Fai._ Over hill, over dale, Thorough bush, thorough brier, Over park, over pale, Thorough flood, thorough fire, 5 I do wander every where, Swifter than the moon’s sphere; And I serve the fairy queen, To dew her orbs upon the green.

The cowslips tall her pensioners be: 10
In their gold coats spots you see;
Those be rubies, fairy favours,
In those freckles live their savours:
I must go seek some dewdrops here,
And hang a pearl in every cowslip’s ear. 15
Farewell, thou lob of spirits; I’ll be gone:
Our queen and all her elves come here anon.

_Puck._ The king doth keep his revels here to-night: Take heed the queen come not within his sight; For Oberon is passing fell and wrath, 20 Because that she as her attendant hath A lovely boy, stolen from an Indian king; She never had so sweet a changeling: And jealous Oberon would have the child Knight of his train, to trace the forests wild; 25 But she perforce withholds the loved boy, Crowns him with flowers, and makes him all her joy: And now they never meet in grove or green, By fountain clear, or spangled starlight sheen, But they do square, that all their elves for fear 30 Creep into acorn-cups and hide them there.

_Fai._ Either I mistake your shape and making quite, Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite Call’d Robin Goodfellow: are not you he That frights the maidens of the villagery; 35 Skim milk, and sometimes labour in the quern, And bootless make the breathless housewife churn; And sometime make the drink to bear no barm; Mislead night-wanderers, laughing at their harm? Those that Hobgoblin call you, and sweet Puck, 40 You do their work, and they shall have good luck: Are not you he?

_Puck._ Thou speak’st aright; I am that merry wanderer of the night. I jest to Oberon, and make him smile, When I a fat and bean-fed horse beguile, 45 Neighing in likeness of a filly foal: And sometime lurk I in a gossip’s bowl, In very likeness of a roasted crab; And when she drinks, against her lips I bob And on her wither’d dewlap pour the ale. 50 The wisest aunt, telling the saddest tale, Sometime for three-foot stool mistaketh me; Then slip I from her bum, down topples she, And ‘tailor’ cries, and falls into a cough; And then the whole quire hold their hips and laugh; 55 And waxen in their mirth, and neeze, and swear A merrier hour was never wasted there. But, room, fairy! here comes Oberon.

_Fai._ And here my mistress. Would that he were gone!

_Enter, from one side_, OBERON, _with his train; from the other_, TITANIA, _with hers_.

_Obe._ Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania. 60

_Tita._ What, jealous Oberon! Fairies, skip hence: I have forsworn his bed and company.

_Obe._ Tarry, rash wanton: am not I thy lord?

_Tita._ Then I must be thy lady: but I know When thou hast stolen away from fairy land, 65 And in the shape of Corin sat all day, Playing on pipes of corn, and versing love To amorous Phillida. Why art thou here, Come from the farthest steppe of India? But that, forsooth, the bouncing Amazon, 70 Your buskin’d mistress and your warrior love, To Theseus must be wedded, and you come To give their bed joy and prosperity.

_Obe._ How canst thou thus for shame, Titania, Glance at my credit with Hippolyta, 75 Knowing I know thy love to Theseus? Didst thou not lead him through the glimmering night From Perigenia, whom he ravished? And make him with fair Ægle break his faith, With Ariadne and Antiopa? 80

_Tita._ These are the forgeries of jealousy: And never, since the middle summer’s spring, Met we on hill, in dale, forest, or mead, By paved fountain or by rushy brook, Or in the beached margent of the sea, 85 To dance our ringlets to the whistling wind, But with thy brawls thou hast disturb’d our sport. Therefore the winds, piping to us in vain, As in revenge, have suck’d up from the sea Contagious fogs; which falling in the land, 90 Have every pelting river made so proud, That they have overborne their continents: The ox hath therefore stretch’d his yoke in vain, The ploughman lost his sweat; and the green corn Hath rotted ere his youth attain’d a beard: 95 The fold stands empty in the drowned field, And crows are fatted with the murrion flock; The nine men’s morris is fill’d up with mud; And the quaint mazes in the wanton green, For lack of tread, are undistinguishable: 100 The human mortals want their winter here; No night is now with hymn or carol blest: Therefore the moon, the governess of floods, Pale in her anger, washes all the air, That rheumatic diseases do abound: 105 And thorough this distemperature we see The seasons alter: hoary-headed frosts Fall in the fresh lap of the crimson rose; And on old Hiems’ thin and icy crown An odorous chaplet of sweet summer buds 110 Is, as in mockery, set: the spring, the summer, The childing autumn, angry winter, change Their wonted liveries; and the mazed world, By their increase, now knows not which is which: And this same progeny of evils comes 115 From our debate, from our dissension; We are their parents and original.

_Obe._ Do you amend it, then; it lies in you: Why should Titania cross her Oberon? I do but beg a little changeling boy, 120 To be my henchman.

_Tita._ Set your heart at rest: The fairy land buys not the child of me. His mother was a votaress of my order: And, in the spiced Indian air, by night, Full often hath she gossip’d by my side; 125 And sat with me on Neptune’s yellow sands, Marking the embarked traders on the flood; When we have laugh’d to see the sails conceive And grow big-bellied with the wanton wind; Which she, with pretty and with swimming gait 130 Following,—her womb then rich with my young squire,— Would imitate, and sail upon the land, To fetch me trifles, and return again, As from a voyage, rich with merchandise. But she, being mortal, of that boy did die; 135 And for her sake do I rear up her boy; 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, 140 And see our moonlight revels, go with us; If not, shun me, and I will spare your haunts.

_Obe._ Give me that boy, and I will go with thee.

_Tita._ Not for thy fairy kingdom. Fairies, away! We shall chide downright, if I longer stay. 145

[_Exit Titania with 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 rememberest Since once I sat upon a promontory, And heard a mermaid, on a dolphin’s back, 150 Uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath, That the rude sea grew civil at her song, And certain stars shot madly from their spheres, To hear the sea-maid’s music.

_Puck._ I remember.

_Obe._ That very time I saw, but thou couldst not, 155 Flying between the cold moon and the earth, Cupid all arm’d: a certain aim he took At a fair vestal throned by the west, And loosed his love-shaft smartly from his bow, As it should pierce a hundred thousand hearts: 160 But I might see young Cupid’s fiery shaft Quench’d in the chaste beams of the watery moon, And the imperial votaress passed on, In maiden meditation, fancy-free. Yet mark’d I where the bolt of Cupid fell: 165 It fell upon a little western flower, Before milk-white, now purple with love’s wound, And maidens call it love-in-idleness. Fetch me that flower; the herb I shew’d thee once: The juice of it on sleeping eye-lids laid 170 Will make or man or woman madly dote Upon the next live creature that it sees. Fetch me this herb; and be thou here again Ere the leviathan can swim a league.

_Puck._ I’ll put a girdle round about the earth 175 In forty minutes. [_Exit._

_Obe._ Having once this juice, I’ll watch Titania when she is asleep, And drop the liquor of it in her eyes. The next thing then she waking looks upon, Be it on lion, bear, or wolf, or bull, 180 On meddling monkey, or on busy ape, She shall pursue it with the soul of love: And ere I take this charm from off her sight, As I can take it with another herb, I’ll make her render up her page to me. 185 But who comes here? I am invisible; And I will overhear their conference.

_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. 190 Thou told’st me they were stolen unto this wood; And here am I, and wode within this wood, Because I cannot meet my Hermia. Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more.

_Hel._ You draw me, you hard-hearted adamant; 195 But yet you draw not iron, for my heart Is true as steel: leave you your power to draw, And I shall have no power to follow you.

_Dem._ Do I entice you? do I speak you fair? Or, rather, do I not in plainest truth 200 Tell you, I do not nor I cannot love you?

_Hel._ And even for that do I love you the more. I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius, The more you beat me, I will fawn on you: Use me but as your spaniel, spurn me, strike me, 205 Neglect me, lose me; only give me leave, Unworthy as I am, to follow you. What worser place can I beg in your love,— And yet a place of high respect with me,— Than to be used as you use your dog? 210

_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.

_Dem._ You do impeach your modesty too much, To leave the city, and commit yourself 215 Into the hands of one that loves you not; To trust the opportunity of night And the ill counsel of a desert place With the rich worth of your virginity.

_Hel._ Your virtue is my privilege: for that 220 It is not night when I do see your face, Therefore I think I am not in the night; Nor doth this wood lack worlds of company, For you in my respect are all the world: Then how can it be said I am alone, 225 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. Run when you will, the story shall be changed: 230 Apollo flies, and Daphne holds the chase; The dove pursues the griffin; the mild hind Makes speed to catch the tiger; bootless speed, When cowardice pursues, and valour flies.

_Dem._ I will not stay thy questions; let me go: 235 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, You do me mischief. Fie, Demetrius! Your wrongs do set a scandal on my sex: 240 We cannot fight for love, as men may do; We should be woo’d, and were not made to woo. [_Exit Dem._ I’ll follow thee, and make a heaven of hell, To die upon the hand I love so well. [_Exit._

_Obe._ Fare thee well, nymph: ere he do leave this grove, 245 Thou shalt fly him, and he shall seek thy love.

_Re-enter_ PUCK.

Hast thou the flower there? Welcome, wanderer.

_Puck._ Ay, there it is.

_Obe._ I pray thee, give it me. I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows; 250 Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine, With sweet musk-roses, and with eglantine: There sleeps Titania sometime of the night, Lull’d in these flowers with dances and delight; And there the snake throws her enamell’d skin, 255 Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in: And with the juice of this I’ll streak her eyes, And make her full of hateful fantasies. Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove: A sweet Athenian lady is in love 260 With a disdainful youth: anoint his eyes; But do it when the next thing he espies May be the lady: thou shalt know the man By the Athenian garments he hath on. Effect it with some care that he may prove 265 More fond on her than she upon her love: And look thou meet me ere the first cock crow.

_Puck._ Fear not, my lord, your servant shall do so.

[_Exeunt._

~~~~~ Linenotes: _A Midsummer-Night’s Dream_, II, 1.

[_Scene i._ Enter...] Enter a Fairie at one doore, and Robin goodfellow at another. Qq Ff.

3, 5: _Thorough...thorough, Thorough...thorough_] Q1. _Through...through, Through...through_ Q2 Ff.

7: _moon’s sphere_] _moony sphere_ Grant White (Steevens conj.).

9: _orbs_] _herbs_ Grey conj.

10: _tall_] _all_ Collier MS.

11: _coats_] _cups_ Collier MS.

14: _here_] _here and there_ Capell.

30: _square_] _jar_ Peck conj. _sparre_ Id. conj.

32: _Either_] _Or_ Pope.

33: _sprite_] Q1. _spirit_ Q2 Ff.

34: _not you_] Q1. _you not_ Q2 Ff.

35: _frights_] _fright_ F3 F4.

_villagery_] _villageree_ Q1. _villagree_ Q2 F1 F2 F3.
_vilagree_ F4.

36–39. _Skim...labour...make...make...Mislead_] Qq Ff. _Skims...labours...makes...makes...Misleads_ Collier.

42: _Thou_] _I am—thou_ Johnson. _Fairy, thou_ Collier (Collier MS.).

_speak’st_] _speakest_ Q1. _speakest me_ Capell.

46: _filly_] Q1. _silly_ Q2 Ff.

50: _dewlap_] Rowe (ed. 2). _dewlop_ Qq Ff.

54: _tailor_] _rails or_ Capell. _tail-sore_ Anon. ap. Capell conj.

54, 55: _cough...laugh_] _coffe...loffe_ Qq Ff.

56: _waxen_] _yexen_ Singer (Farmer conj.).

58: _room_] _make room_ Pope.

_fairy_] _faëry_ Johnson conj.

_room, fairy! here_] _fairy, room, for here_ Seymour conj.

59: _he_] Qq F1. _we_ F2 F3 F4.

60: SCENE II. Pope.

Enter...] Enter the King of Fairies at one door with his
traine, and the Queen at another with hers. Qq Ff.

61: _Fairies, skip_] Theobald. _Fairy, skip_ Qq Ff. _Fairies, keep_ Harness conj. _Fairies, trip_ Dyce conj.

65: _hast_] Qq. _wast_ Ff.

69: _steppe_] Q1. _steepe_ Q2 Ff.

77: _through the glimmering_] _glimmering through the_ Warburton.

78: _Perigenia_] _Perigune_ Theobald. _Perigyne_ Hanmer. _Perigouna_ Grant White (North’s Plutarch).

79: _Ægle_] Rowe. _Eagles_ Qq Ff.

80: _Antiopa_] _Atiopa_ F1.

82: _the_] _that_ Hanmer (Warburton).

85: _in_] _on_ Pope.

_pelting_] Qq. _petty_ Ff.

91: _Have_] Rowe (ed. 2). _Hath_ Qq Ff.

95: _his_] _its_ Pope.

97: _murrion_] _murrain_ Warburton.

99: _in_] _on_ Collier MS.

101: _want...here;_] _want;...here,_ Knight (Anon. conj.). _chant,—...here;_ Grant White conj.

_winter here_] F3 F4. _winter heere_ Qq F1 F2. _winter
chear_ Theobald conj. (withdrawn). _winters heryed_ Warburton.
_wonted year_ Johnson conj. _winter gere Brae_ conj.

101–114: Johnson proposes to arrange in the following order: 101, 107–114, 102–104, 106, 105.

106: _thorough_] Q1 F2 F3. _through_ Q2 F1 F4.

107: _hoary_] Q1 F3 F4. _hoared_ Q2 F1 F2.

109: _thin_] Halliwell (Tyrwhitt conj.). _chinne_ Qq F1 F2. _chin_ F3 F4. _chill_ Grey conj.

112: _childing_] _chiding_ Pope.

113: _mazed_] _amazed_ Rowe.

114: _increase_] _inverse_ Hanmer. _inchase_ Warburton.

115: _evils comes_] F2 F3. _evils, Comes_ Qq F1. _evil comes_ F4.

122: _The fairy_] _Thy fairy_ Collier MS.

123: _votaress_] _votresse_ Qq Ff.

127: _on_] Qq F1 F2. _of_ F3 F4.

131: _Following,—her...squire,—_] _Following (her womb...squire)_ Qq Ff. (_Following...squire_) Steevens (Kenrick conj.). _Follying (her...squire)_ Theobald (Warburton). _Her fellowing womb..._ Becket conj.

_rich_] _ripe_ Collier MS.

136: _do I_] Q1. _I do_ Q2 Ff.

144: _fairy_] om. Steevens (Farmer conj.).

_Fairies_] _Elves_ Pope.

149: _once_] Qq F1. om. F2 F3 F4. _that_ Rowe.

155: _saw_] Q1. _say_ Q2 Ff.

157: _all arm’d_] _alarm’d_ Theobald (Warburton).

158: _the_] Ff. om. Qq.

160: _should_] _would_ F4.

162: _Quench’d_] _Quench_ F3 F4.

163: _votaress_] _votresse_ Qq Ff.

172: _it sees_] _is seen_ Collier MS.

175: _I’ll_] _I’d_ Collier MS.

_round_] Q1. om. Q2 Ff.

177: _when_] _whence_ Q2.

179: _then_] Q1. _when_ Q2 Ff. _which_ Rowe.

181: _on meddling_] _or meddling_ Rowe.

183: _from off_] _from of_ Q1 _off from_ Q2 Ff.

188: SCENE III. Pope.

190: _slay......slayeth_] Theobald (Thirlby conj.). _stay...stayeth_ Qq Ff.

191: _unto_] Qq. _into_ Ff.

192: _wode...wood_] Hanmer. _wodde...wood_ Q1. _wood...wood_ Q2 Ff.

197: _you_] om. F3 F4.

201: _nor_] Ff. _not_ Qq. _and_ Pope.

202: _you_] Q1. _thee_ Q2 Ff.

206: _lose_] _loathe_ Anon. ap. Halliwell conj.

208: _can_] _can can_ F2.

210: _use_] Qq. _do_ Ff. _do use_ Reed.

220, 221: _privilege: for that It is_] Qq Ff. _privilege for that. It is_ Malone (Tyrwhitt conj.).

235: _questions_] _question_ Steevens conj.

238: _the field_] Q1. _and field_ Q2 Ff.

242: [Exit Dem.] om. Qq Ff. Demetrius breaks from her and exit. Capell.

243: _I’ll_] _Ile_ Qq. _I_ Ff.

244: [Exit] Q2 Ff. om. Q1.

245: SCENE IV. Pope.

246: Re-enter Puck] Enter Pucke. Qq Ff (after line 247).

247: _Hast thou...wanderer_] _Welcome wanderer; hast thou the flower there_] Jackson conj.

249: _where_] _whereon_ Pope.

250: _oxlips_] Q1. _oxslips_ Q2 Ff. _the oxslips_ Rowe. _oxslip_ Pope. _oxlip_ Theobald.

_oxlips...violets_] _violets...ox-lip_ Keightley conj.

251: _Quite_] om. Pope.

_over-canopied_] _overcanopi’d_ Q1. _overcanoped_ Q2.
_over-cannoped_ Ff. _O’er cannopy’d_ Pope.

_luscious_] Ff. _lushious_ Qq. _lush_ Steevens (Theobald conj.).

253–256: Keightley proposes to arrange, 255, 256, 253, 254, and would insert a line after 254, e.g. ‘_Upon her will I steal there as she lies_’.

253: _sometime_] _some time_ Rowe.

254: _flowers_] _bowers_ Grant White (Collier MS.).

_with_] _from_ Hanmer.

256: _wrap_] F2 F3 F4. _wrappe_ Q1. _rap_ Q2 F1.

257: _And_] _There_ Hanmer.

266: _fond on_] _fond of_ Rowe.

268: [Exeunt.] Qq. [Exit. Ff. ~~~~~

SCENE II. _Another part of the wood._

_Enter_ TITANIA, _with her train_.

_Tita._ Come, now a roundel and a fairy song; Then, for the third part of a minute, hence; Some to kill cankers in the musk-rose buds; Some war with rere-mice for their leathern wings, To make my small elves coats; and some keep back 5 The clamorous owl, that nightly hoots and wonders At our quaint spirits. Sing me now asleep; Then to your offices, and let me rest.

SONG.

_Fir. Fairy._ You spotted snakes with double tongue.
Thorny hedgehogs, be not seen; 10
Newts and blind-worms, do no wrong,
Come not near our fairy queen.

CHORUS.

Philomel, with melody
Sing in our sweet lullaby;
Lulla, lulla, lullaby, lulla, lulla, lullaby: 15
Never harm,
Nor spell, nor charm,
Come our lovely lady nigh;
So, good night, with lullaby.

_Fir. Fairy._ Weaving spiders, come not here; 20
Hence, you long-legg’d spinners, hence!
Beetles black, approach not near;
Worm nor snail, do no offence.

CHORUS.

Philomel, with melody, &c.

_Sec. Fairy._ Hence, away! now all is well: 25 One aloof stand sentinel.

[_Exeunt Fairies. Titania sleeps._

_Enter_ OBERON, _and squeezes the flower on Titania’s eyelids_.

_Obe._ What thou seest when thou dost wake, Do it for thy true-love take; Love and languish for his sake: Be it ounce, or cat, or bear, 30 Pard, or boar with bristled hair, In thy eye that shall appear When thou wakest, it is thy dear: Wake when some vile thing is near. [_Exit._

_Enter_ LYSANDER _and_ HERMIA.

_Lys._ Fair love, you faint with wandering in the wood; 35
And to speak troth, I have forgot our way:
We’ll rest us, Hermia, if you think it good,
And tarry for the comfort of the day.

_Her._ Be it so, Lysander: find you out a bed; For I upon this bank will rest my head. 40

_Lys._ One turf shall serve as pillow for us both; One heart, one bed, two bosoms, and one troth.

_Her._ Nay, good Lysander; for my sake, my dear, Lie further off yet, do not lie so near.

_Lys._ O, take the sense, sweet, of my innocence! 45 Love takes the meaning in love’s conference. I mean, that my heart unto yours is knit, So that but one heart we can make of it: Two bosoms interchained with an oath; So then two bosoms and a single troth. 50 Then by your side no bed-room me deny; For lying so, Hermia, I do not lie.

_Her._ Lysander riddles very prettily: Now much beshrew my manners and my pride, If Hermia meant to say Lysander lied. 55 But, gentle friend, for love and courtesy Lie further off; in human modesty, Such separation as may well be said Becomes a virtuous bachelor and a maid, So far be distant; and, good night, sweet friend: 60 Thy love ne’er alter till thy sweet life end!

_Lys._ Amen, amen, to that fair prayer, say I; And then end life when I end loyalty! Here is my bed: sleep give thee all his rest!

_Her._ With half that wish the wisher’s eyes be press’d! 65

[_They sleep._

_Enter_ PUCK.

_Puck._ Through the forest have I gone, But Athenian found I none, On whose eyes I might approve This flower’s force in stirring love. Night and silence.—Who is here? 70 Weeds of Athens he doth wear: This is he, my master said, Despised the Athenian maid; And here the maiden, sleeping sound, On the dank and dirty ground. 75 Pretty soul! she durst not lie Near this lack-love, this kill-courtesy. Churl, upon thy eyes I throw All the power this charm doth owe. When thou wakest, let love forbid 80 Sleep his seat on thy eyelid: So awake when I am gone; For I must now to Oberon. [_Exit._

_Enter_ DEMETRIUS _and_ HELENA, _running_.

_Hel._ Stay, though thou kill me, sweet Demetrius.

_Dem._ I charge thee, hence, and do not haunt me thus. 85

_Hel._ O, wilt thou darkling leave me? do not so.

_Dem._ Stay, on thy peril: I alone will go. [_Exit._

_Hel._ O, I am out of breath in this fond chase! The more my prayer, the lesser is my grace. Happy is Hermia, wheresoe’er she lies; 90 For she hath blessed and attractive eyes. How came her eyes so bright? Not with salt tears: If so, my eyes are oftener wash’d than hers. No, no, I am as ugly as a bear; For beasts that meet me run away for fear: 95 Therefore no marvel though Demetrius Do, as a monster, fly my presence thus. What wicked and dissembling glass of mine Made me compare with Hermia’s sphery eyne? But who is here? Lysander! on the ground! 100 Dead? or asleep? I see no blood, no wound. Lysander, if you live, good sir, awake.

_Lys._ [_Awaking_] And run through fire I will for thy sweet sake. Transparent Helena! Nature shows art, That through thy bosom makes me see thy heart. 105 Where is Demetrius? O, how fit a word Is that vile name to perish on my sword!

_Hel._ Do not say so, Lysander; say not so. What though he love your Hermia? Lord, what though? Yet Hermia still loves you: then be content. 110

_Lys._ Content with Hermia! No; I do repent The tedious minutes I with her have spent. Not Hermia but Helena I love: Who will not change a raven for a dove? The will of man is by his reason sway’d; 115 And reason says you are the worthier maid. Things growing are not ripe until their season: So I, being young, till now ripe not to reason; And touching now the point of human skill, Reason becomes the marshal to my will, 120 And leads me to your eyes; where I o’erlook Love’s stories, written in love’s richest book.

_Hel._ Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born? When at your hands did I deserve this scorn? Is’t not enough, is’t not enough, young man, 125 That I did never, no, nor never can, Deserve a sweet look from Demetrius’ eye, But you must flout my insufficiency? Good troth, you do me wrong, good sooth, you do, In such disdainful manner me to woo. 130 But fare you well: perforce I must confess I thought you lord of more true gentleness. O, that a lady, of one man refused, Should of another therefore be abused! [_Exit._

_Lys._ She sees not Hermia. Hermia, sleep thou there: 135 And never mayst thou come Lysander near! For as a surfeit of the sweetest things The deepest loathing to the stomach brings, Or as the heresies that men do leave Are hated most of those they did deceive, 140 So thou, my surfeit and my heresy, Of all be hated, but the most of me! And, all my powers, address your love and might To honour Helen and to be her knight! [_Exit._

_Her._ [_Awaking_] Help me, Lysander, help me! do thy best 145 To pluck this crawling serpent from my breast! Ay me, for pity! what a dream was here! Lysander, look how I do quake with fear: Methought a serpent eat my heart away, And you sat smiling at his cruel prey. 150 Lysander! what, removed? Lysander! lord! What, out of hearing? gone? no sound, no word? Alack, where are you? speak, an if you hear; Speak, of all loves! I swoon almost with fear. No? then I well perceive you are not nigh: 155 Either death or you I’ll find immediately. [_Exit._

~~~~~ Linenotes: _A Midsummer-Night’s Dream_, II, 2.

SCENE II.] Capell. SCENE V. Pope. SCENE III. Steevens.

2: _for_] _’fore_ Theobald. _in_ Heath conj.

_a minute_] _the midnight_ Warburton.

7: _spirits_] _sports_ Hanmer (Warburton).

9: Fir. Fairy.] Capell. Fairies sing. Qq Ff.

13, 24: CHORUS.] Capell. om. Qq Ff.

14: _in our_] Qq. _in your_ Ff. _now your_ Collier MS.

20: Fir. Fairy.] 1. Fai. Q1. 1. Fairy. Q2. _2. Fairy_ Ff.

21: _spinners_] Q1 Ff. _spinders_ Q2.

25: Sec. Fairy.] 2. Fai. Qq. 1. Fairy. Ff.

26: [Exeunt Fairies.] Rowe. om. Qq Ff.

Titania sleeps.] Shee sleepes. F1. om. Qq.

Enter...eyelids.] Capell. Enter Oberon. Qq Ff.

32: _that_] _what_ Pope.

34: [Exit.] Rowe. om. Qq Ff.

35: SCENE VI. Pope.

_wood_] Q1. _woods_ Q2 Ff.

38: _comfort_] _comfor_ Q1.

39: _Be it_] Q2 Ff _Bet it_ Q1. _Be ’t_ Pope.

45, 46: _innocence!...conference_] _conference!...innocence_ Warburton.

46: _takes_] _take_ Tyrwhitt conj.

_conference_] _confidence_ Collier MS.

47: _is_] _it_ Q1.

48: _we can_] Qq. _can you_ Ff. _can we_ Capell.

49: _interchained_] Qq. _interchanged_ Ff.

57, 119: _human_] F4. _humane_ Qq F1 F2 F3.

65: [They sleep.] Ff. om. Qq.

67: _found_] Q1. _find_ Q2 Ff.

77: _Near this lack-love, this kill-courtesy_] _Near to this lack-love, this kill-curtesie_ Pope. _Near to this kill-courtesie_ Theobald. _Near to this lack-love kill-curtesie_ Warburton. _Near this lack-love, kill-courtesy_ Steevens. _Nearer this lack-love, this kill-courtesy_ S. Walker conj.

84: SCENE VII. Pope.

_Stay_] Qq F1. _Say_ F2 F3 F4.

87: [Exit.] Exit Demetrius. Ff. om. Qq.

96: _marvel_] _mavaile_ F2.

100: _Lysander!_ Capell. _Lysander_ Qq Ff.

104: _Helena_] _Helen_ Pope.

_Nature shows_] _Nature shewes_ Qq. _Nature her shewes_ F1.
_Nature here shews_ F2 F3 F4. _Nature shews her_ Singer
(Malone conj.).

105: _thy heart_] _my heart_ S. Walker conj.

106: _is_] Qq F1. om. F2 F3 F4.

113: _I love_] Q1. _now I love_ Q2 Ff.

118: _ripe not_] _not ripe_ Rowe (ed. 2).

122: _Love’s stories_] _Love-stories_ S. Walker conj.

127: _Demetrius’_] Rowe (ed. 2). _Demetrius_ Qq Ff. _Demetrius’s_ Rowe (ed. 1).

138: _the stomach_] Qq F1. _a stomach_ F2 F3 F4.

140: _they_] Qq. _that_ Ff.

143: _your_] _their_ Collier MS.

147: _Ay me_] _Ah me_ Capell.

150: _you_] Qq. _yet_ Ff.

154: _swoon_] _swoune_ Q1. _swound_ Q2 F2 F3 F4. _sound_ F1.

156: _Either_] _Or_ Pope. ~~~~~