Imatges de pàgina
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Lyf. Demetrius loves her, and he loves nor you.'

Dem. [Awaking.] O Helen, Goddess, Nymph, perfect, divine,

To what, my Love, fhall I compare thine Eyne?
Crystal is muddy; O how ripe in show,

Thy Lips, thofe kiffing Cherries, tempting grow!
That pure congealed white, high Taurus Snow,
Fann'd with the Eaftern Wind, turns to a Crow,
When thou hold'st up thy hand. O let me kifs
This Princefs of pure white, this feal of Bliss.
Hel. O Spight, O Hell, I see you are all bent
To fet against me, for your Merriment:
If you were civil, and knew Courtefie,
You would not do me thus much Injury.
Can you not hate me, as I know you do,
But you must join in Souls to mock me too?
If you are Men, as Men you are in show,
You would not ufe a gentle Lady fo:

To vow, and fwear, and fuperpraise my Parts,
When I am fure you hate me with your Hearts.
You both are Rivals, and love Hermia,
And now both Rivals to mock Helena.
A trim Exploit, a manly Enterprize,
To conjure Tears up in a poor Maid's Eyes,
With your Derifion: None of Nobler fort
Would fo offend a Virgin, and extort
A poor Soul's Patience, all to make you sport.
Lyf. You are unkind, Demetrius; be not fo,
For you love Hermia; this you know I know.
And here with all good will, with all my heart,
In Hermia's Love I yield you up my part;
And your's of Helena to me bequeath,
Whom I do love, and will do to my Death.

Hel. Never did Mockers wafte more idle Breath.
Dem. Lyfander, keep thy Hermia, I will none;

If e'er I lov'd her, all that Love is gone.
My Heart to her, but as Gueft-wise sojourn'd,
And now to Helen it is home return'd,

There to remain.

Lys. It is not fo.

Dem. Difparage not the Faith thou doft not know,

Left

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Left to thy peril thou abide it dear.

Look where thy Love comes, yonder is thy Dear.
Enter Hermia.

Her. Dark Night, that from the Eye his Function takes, The Ear more quick of Apprehenfion makes. Wherein it doth impair the feeing Senfe, It pays the Hearing double recompence. Thou art not by mine Eye, Lyfander, found, Mine Ear, I thank it, brought me to that Sound. But why unkindly didft thou leave me fo?

Lys. Why should he ftay, whom Love doth prefs to go? Her. What Love could prefs Lyfander from my fide? Lyf. Lyfander's Love, that would not let him bide; Fair Helena, who more engilds the Night, Than all yon fiery O's and Eyes of Light.

Why feek'st thou me? Could not this make thee know

The Hate I bear thee, made me leave thee fo?

Her. You fpeak not as you think: It cannot be.
Hel. Lo, fhe is one of this Confederacy;
Now I perceive they have conjoin'd all three,
To fashion this falfe Sport in fpight of me.
Injurious Hermia, moft ungrateful Maid,
Have you confpir'd, have you with these contriv'd
To bait me, with this foul Derifion?

Is all the Counfel that we two have fhar'd,
The Sifters Vows, the Hours that we have spent,
When we have chid the hafty footed Time,
For parting us: O! and is all forgot?

All School-days Friendship, Childhoods Innocence?
We, Hermia, like two Artificial gods,

Have with our Needles, created both one Flower,
Both on one Sampler, fitting on one Cushion;
Both warbling of one Song, both in one Key;
As if our Hands, our Sides, Voices, and Minds
Had been incorporate. So we grew together,
Like to a double Cherry, feeming parted,
But yet an Union in partition;

Two lovely Berries molded on one Stem,
So with two feeming Bodies, but one Heart,
Two of the first Life, Coats of Heraldry,
Due but to one, and crowned with one Creft.
VOL. II.

D

And

And will you rend our ancient Love asunder,
To join with Men in fcorning your poor Friend?
It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly;
Our Sex as well as I may chide you
Though I alone do feel the Injury.

for it,

Her. I am amazed at your paffionate words:
I fcorn you not; it feems that you fcorn me.
Hel. Have you not fet Lyfander, as in fcorn,
To follow me, and praife my Eyes and Face?
And made your other Love, Demetrius,
Who even but now did fpurn me with his Foot,
To call me Goddefs, Nymph, Divine, and Rare,
Precious, Celestial? Wherefore fpeaks he this
To her he hates? And wherefore doth Lysander
Deny your Love, fo rich within his Soul,
And tender me, forfooth, Affection,
But by your fetting on, by your Confent?
What though I be not fo in grace as you,
So hung upon with Love, fo fortunate?
But miferable moft, to love unlov'd,
This you should pity rather than defpife.

Her. I understand not what you mean by this.
Hel. Ay, do, perfevere, counterfeit fad Looks,
Make Mouths upon me when I turn my Back,
Wink each at other, hold the sweet Jeft up:
This fport well carried, thall be chronicled.
If you have any Pity, Grace, or Manners,
You would not make me fuch an Argument:
But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine own fault,
Which Death or Abfence foon fhall remedy.
Lyf. Stay, gentle Helena, hear my Excufe;
My Love, my Soul, fair Helena,

Hel. O Excellent!

Her. Sweet, do not fcorn her fo.

Dem. If the cannot entreat, I can compel. Lyf. Thou canst compel no more than the entreat. Thy Threats have no more ftrength than her weak Praise. Helen, I love thee, by my Life I do;

I fwear by that which I will lofe for thee,

To prove him falfe that fays I love thee not.
Dem. I fay, I love thee more than he can do.

Lyf.

Lys. If thou fay fo, withdraw and prove it too.

Dem. Quick, come.

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Her. Lyfander, whereto tends all this?

Lyf. Away, you Ethiope.

Dem. No, no, Sir, feem to break loose; Take on as you would follow,

But yet come not; you are a tame Man, go.

Lyf. Hang off thou Cat, thou Burre; vile thing let loofes Or I will thake thee from me like a Serpent.

Her. Why are you grown fo rude

What change is this, fweet Love?

Lyf. Thy Love? Out tawny Tartar, out; Out loathed Medicine; O hated Poifon, hence. Her. Do you not jeft?

Hel. Yes footh, and fo do

you.

Lyf. Demetrius, I will keep my Word with thee. Dem. I would I had your Bond; for I perceive A weak Bond holds you; I'll not truft

your Word. Lys. What, fhould I hurt her, ftrike her, kill her dead? Although I hate her, I'll not harm her fo.

Her. What, can you do me greater harm than hate? Hate me! wherefore? O me! what News, my Love? Am not I Hermia? Are not you Lyfander?

I am as fair now, as I was ere-while.

Since Night you lov'd me; yet fince Night you left me: Why then you left me, O the gods forbid!

In earnest, shall I fay?

Lyf. Ay, by my Life,

And never did defire to fee thee more.

Therefore be out of hope, of queftion, of doubt,

Be certain, nothing truer; 'tis no jest,

That I do hate thee, and love Helena.

Her. O me, you Jugler, you Canker-bloffom,

You Thief of Love; what have you come by Night,
And ftollen my Love's Heart from him?

Hel. Fine, i'faith!

Have you no Modefty, no maiden Shame,
No touch of Bafhfulness? What will you tear
Impatient Answers from my gentle Tongue?
ie, fie, you Counterfeit, you Puppet, you.

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Her. Puppet! why fo? Ay, that ways go the Game.
Now I perceive that the hath made compare
Between our Statures; fhe hath urg'd her height,
And with her perfonage, her tall perfonage,
Her height, forfooth, the hath prevail'd with him.
And are you grown fo high in his Efteem,
Because I am fo dwarfifh, and fo low?
How low am I, thou painted Maypole? Speak,
How low am I? I am not yet fo low,
But that my Nails can reach unto thine Eyes.
Hel. I pray you, though you mock me, Gentlemen,
Let her not hurt me, I was never curft:

I have no gift at all in Shrewithness;

I am a right Maid for my Cowardize:
Let her not strike me.

You perhaps may think,

Because she's fomething lower than my felf,
That I can match her.

1

Her. Lower! Hark again.

Hel. Good Hermia, do not be fo bitter with me,'
I evermore did love you, Hermia,

Did ever keep your Counfels, never wrong'd you,
Save that in Love unto Demetrius,

I told him of your ftealth into this Wood:
He follow'd you, for Love I follow'd him,
But he hath chid me hence, and threatned me
To ftrike me, fpurn me, nay to kill me too;
And now, fo you will let me quiet go,
To Athens will I bear my Folly back,
And follow you no further. Let me go,
You fe how fimple, and how fond I am.

Her. Why get you gone; who is't that hinders you?
Hel. A foolish Heart, that I leave here behind.
Her. What with Lyfander?

Hel. With Demetrius.

Lyf. Be not afraid, fhe will not harm thee, Helena.
Dem. No, Sir, fhe fhall not, though you take her part.
Hel. She was a Vixen when the went to School;

And though he be but little fhe is fierce.

Her. Little again? Nothing but low and little?
Why will you fuffer her to flout me thus?
Let me come to her.

Lyf

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