OBSERVATIONS ON THE FABLE AND COMPOSITION OF A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM. THIS play was entered Oct. 8, 1600, at Stationers' Hall. It is probable that the hint for this play was received from Chaucer's Knight's Tale: thence it is, that our author speaks of Theseus as duke of Athens. The tale begins thus: "Whylome as olde stories tellin us, Lidgate too, the monk of Bury, in his Translation of the Tragedies of John Bochas, calls him the same. chap. xii. 1. 21. "Duke Theseus had the victorye." Creon, in the tragedy of Jocasta, translated from Euripides in 1566, is called Duke Creon. So Skelton, "Not lyke Duke Hamilcar, "Nor lyke Duke Asdruball.” And Stanyhurst, in his Translation of Virgil, calls Æneas, Duke Æneas. STEEVENS. Of this play there are two editions in quarto; one printed for Thomas Fisher, the other for James Roberts, both in 1600. I have used the copy of Roberts, very carefully collated, as it seems, with that of Fisher. Neither of the editions approach to exactness. Fisher is sometimes preferable, but Roberts was followed, VOL. II. b ii though not without some variations, by Hemings and Condel, and they by all the folios that succeeded them. Wild and fantastical as this play is, all the parts in their various modes are well written, and give the kind of pleasure which the author designed. Fairies in his time were much in fashion; common tradition had made them familiar, and Spenser's poem had made them great. JOHNSON. The Midsummer-Night's Dream I suppose to have been written in 1592.-See An Attempt to ascertain the Order of Shakspeare's Plays, vol. ix. MALONE. MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM. ACT I. SCENE I. ATHENS. A ROOM IN THE PALACE OF THESEUS. Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Philostrate, and Atten dants. The. Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour Draws on apace; four happy days bring in Another moon: but, oh, methinks, how slow This old moon wanes! she lingerз my desires, Like to a step-dame, or a dowager, Long withering out a young man's revenue. Hip. Four days will quickly steep themselves in nights; Four nights will quickly dream away the time; New bent in heaven, shall behold the night The. Stir up Go, Philostrate, the Athenian youth to merriments; Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth; Turn melancholy forth to funerals: The pale companion is not for our pomp.— [Exit Philostrate. Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword, B And won thy love, doing thee injuries; With pomp, with triumph, and with revelling. Enter Egeus, Hermia, Lysander, and Demetrius. Ege. Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke! The. Thanks, good Egeus: What's the news with thee? Ege. Full of vexation come I, with complaint I beg the ancient privilege of Athens; The. What say you, Hermia? be advis'd, fair maid: Το you your father should be as a god; One that compos'd your beauties; yea, and one The. In himself he is: But, in this kind, wanting your father's voice, Her. I would, my father look'd but with my eyes. look. Her. I do entreat your grace to pardon me. Nor how it But I beseech your grace, that I may know The worst that may befal me in this case, If I refuse to wed Demetrius. The. Either to die the death, or to abjure Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires, |