There, my Lyfander and my self shall meet; t
And thence from Athens turn away our eyes,
To feek new friends and ftranger Companies.
Farewel, fweet play-fellow; pray thou for us,
And good luck grant thee thy Demetrius LO
Keep word, Lyfander; we muft ftarve our fight
From Lovers' food, 'till morrow deep midnight.
[Exit Hermia.
Lyf. I will, my Hermia. Helena, adieu i
As you on him, Demetrius doat on you! [Exit Lyfand.
Hel. How happy fome, o'er otherfome, can be!
Through Athens I am thought as fair as the.
But what of that? Demetrius thinks not fo:
He will not know; what all, but he, do know,
And as he errs, doating on Hermia's

So I, admiring of his qualities.

eyes,

Things bafe and vile, holding no quantity,
Love can tranfpofe to form and dignity:

Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind;
And therefore is wing'd Cupid painted blind;
Nor hath love's mind of any judgment tafte;
Wings and no eyes figure unheedy hafte.
And therefore is love faid to be a child,
Because in choice he is fo oft beguil'd.

thefis to Emptying: and frange Companions our Editors thought was plain English; bur ftranger Companies, a little quaint and unintelligible. It may be neceffary, in Proof of my Emendation, to fhew, that our Author elfewhere ufes the Subftantive Stranger adjectively; and Companies, to fignify Companions,

King John. Act. 5. de

Wherein we step after a ftranger March go
Upon her gentle Bofom.

Rich. 2. Act. 1.

But tread the ftranger Paths of Banishment.

Beaumont and Fletcher have used it in the like manner; Spanife Cu

rate, A&t. 3.

To bring into my Family, to fucceed me,

The ftranger fue of another's Bed.

2 Hen. V. A&t. 1.

Since his Addiction was to Courfes vain,
His Companies unletter'd, rude, and fhallow.

And fo, in a parallel Word, Merry Wives of Windfer, Alt. 3.

My Riots paft, my wild Societies.

As

As waggish boys themselves in game forfwear,
So the boy Love is perjur'd every where.
For ere Demetrius look'd on Hermia's eyne,
He hail'd down oaths, that he was only mine;
And when this hail fome heat from Hermia felt,
So he diffolv'd, and showers of oaths did melt.
I will go tell him of fair Hermia's flight:
Then to the wood will he, to morrow night,
Purfue her; and for this intelligence
If I have thanks, it is a dear expence.
But herein mean I to enrich my pain,
To have his fight thither, and back again.

SCENE changes to a Cottage.

[Exit.

Enter Quince, Saug, Bottom, Flute, Snowt, and
Starveling.

S all our company here?

Quin. Is Bot. You were beft to call them generally man by man, according to the fcrip.

Quin. Here is the fcrowl of every man's name, which is thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our interlude before the Duke and Dutchefs, on his weddingday at night.

Bot. Firft, good Peter Quince, fay what the play treats on; then read the names of the actors; and fo grow on to a point.

Quin. Marry, our play is the moft lamentable comedy, and moft cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby.

Bot. A very good piece of work, I affure you, and a merry. Now, good Peter Quince, call forth your actors by the fcrowl. Mafters, fpread your felves.

Quin. Anfwer, as I call you. Nick Bottom, the weaver.
Bot. Ready: name what part I am for, and proceed.
Quin. You, Nick Bottom, are fet down for Pyramus.
Bot. What is Pyramus, a lover, or a tyrant?
Quin. A lover, that kills himself most gallantly for
love.

Bot. That will ask fome tears in the true perform-
G 4.

ing

ing of it; if I do it, let the audience look to their eyes; I will move ftorms; I will condole in fome measure. To the reft; yet, my chief humour is for a tyrant; I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in: To make all fplit(3)" the raging ❝ rocks, and fhivering fhocks fhall break the locks of "prifon-gates-and Phibbus carr fhall fhine from far, and make and mar the foolish fates"— This lofty. Now name the reft of the players. This is Ercles vein, a tyrant's vein; a lover is more condoling. Quin. Francis Flute, the bellows-mender.

Flu. Here, Peter Quince.

Quin. You must take Thisby on you.

This

Flu. What is Thisby, a wand'ring Knight?
Quin. It is the lady, that Pyramus must love.

was

Flu. Nay, faith, let not me play a woman; I have a beard coming.

Quin. That's all one, you fhall play it in a masque; and you may fpeak as fmall, as you will.

Bot. An I may hide my face, let me play Thisby too; I'll fpeak in a monftrous little voice, Thifne, Thifne ah, Pyramus, my lover dear, thy Thisby dear, and lady dear.

Quin. No, no, you must play Pyramus; and Flute, you, Thisby.

Bot. Well, proceed.

Quin. Robin Starveling, the taylor.

Star. Here, Peter Quince.

Quin. Robin Starveling, you must play Thisby's mother. (4)

(3) The raging Rocks

And Shivering Shocks, &c.] I prefume This to be either a Quotation from fome fuftian old Play, which I have not been able to traces or if not a direct Quotation, a Ridicule on fome bombaft Rants, very near refembling it.

(4) you must play Thisby's Mother.] There feems a double Forgetfulness of our Poet, in relation to the Characters of this Interlude. The Father and Mother of Thisbe, and the Father of Pyramus, are here mention'd, who do not appear at all in the Interlude: but Wall and Moonshine are Both employ'd in it, of whom there is not the leaft Nopice taken here.