EXPLANATORY

Text.

First Folio, 1623. Line Numbering.

At top of page, Globe Edition, every poetical line of which is numbered; at side of page, First Folio, every typograpbical line of which is numbered. Lines put between brackets in text are

not numbered, because they are not in First Folio. Brackets

Indicate stage directions, etc., in Globe, or parts of text in Globe but not in First Folio, these parts being given here as they ap

pear in the earliest or the earliest complete Quarto. Italic Words

In margins, thus, 1 blunt, refer to and explain obscure words. Foot-notes

Cite in italics First Folio words emended; in bold-face, emendations adopted in Globe; in small capitals, earliest editions or

first editor printing that emendation. Abbreviations.

IQ. equals First Quarto, 20. Second Quarto, and so on;
1, 3-52. equals First, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Quartos, all sub-
stantially agreeing; Qg. equals all early Quartos.
2F. equals Second Folio, 3F. Third Folio, and so on; 2-4F.
equals Second, Third, and Fourth Folios, all substantially agree-
ing.
1. equals line, II. equals lines.

A MIDSOMMER NIGHTS DREAME

M.N.D.I.

[DRAMATIS PERSONÆ

THESEUS, Duke of Athens.

EGEUS, father to Hermia.

LYSANDER, in love with Hermia.
DEMETRIUS,

PHILOSTRATE, master of the revels to Theseus.

QUINCE, a carpenter.

SNUG, a joiner.

BOTTOM, a weaver.
FLUTE, a bellows-mender.

SNOUT, a tinker.

STARVELING, a tailor.

HIPPOLYTA, queen of the Amazons, betrothed to
Theseus.

HERMIA, daughter to Egeus, in love with Lysander.
HELENA, in love with Demetrius.

Other fairies attending their King and Queen. Attendants on Theseus and Hippolyta.

SCENE: Athens, and a wood near it.]

A
MIDSOMMER
NIGHTS DREAME

Actus primus. [Scene i. Athens. The palace of Theseus.] Enter Theseus, Hippolita, [Philostrate,] with others.

Theseus.
W faire Hippolita, our nuptiall houre

Drawes on apace: foure happy daies bring in
Another Moon: but oh, me thinkes, how slow
This old Moon wanes; She lingers my desires
Like to a Step-dame, or a Dowager,
Long withering out a yong mans revennew.

9
Hip. Foure daies wil quickly steep themselves in nights
Foure nights wil quickly dreame away the time:
And then the Moone, like to a silver bow,
Now bent in heaven, shal behold the night
Of our solemnities.

T'be. Go Philostrate,
Stirre up the Athenian youth to merriments,

10. nigbts: night-il.

13. now bent: new-bent-RowL.

Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth,
Turne melancholy forth to Funerals:
The pale companion is not for our pompe,

Exit Pbilostrate. Hippolita, I woo'd thee with my sword,

20 And wonne thy love, doing thee injuries: But I will wed thee in another key, With pompe, with triumph, and with revelling.

30

Enter Egeus and bis daugbter Hermia, Lysander,

and Demetrius. Ege. Happy be Theseus, our renowned Duke. Tbe. Thanks good Egeus: what's the news with thee!

Ege. Full of vexation, come I, with complaint
Against my childe, my daughter Hermia.

Stand forth Dometrius.
My Noble Lord,
This man hath my consent to marrie her.

Stand

forth Lysander. And my gracious Duke, This man hath bewitch'd the bosome of my childe: Thou, thou Lysander, thou hast given her rimes, And interchang'd love-tokens with my childe: Thou hast by Moone-light at her window sung, With faining voice, verses of faining love, And stolne the impression of her fantasie,

40 With bracelets of thy haire, rings, gawdes, conceits, Knackes, trifles, Nose-gaies, sweet meats (messengers 30. Stand forth Dometrius: in text, next line-Rowe. 33. Stand forth Lysander: in text, next line-Rowe. 39. faining .. fairing: feigning .. feigning-Rowe.