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Thefe vows are Hermia's: will you give her o'er?
Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing weigh:
Your vows to her and me, put in two fcales,
Will even weigh, and both as light as tales.
Ly. I had no judgment when to her I swore.
Hel. Nor none in my mind, now you give her o'er.
Lyf. Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you.
Dem. [awaking.] O Helen, goddefs, nymph, per-
fect, 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 'fnow, 9
Fann'd with the eastern wind, turns to a crow
When thou hold'ft up thy hand. O let me kifs
This Princess of pure white, this feal of bliss. '
Hel. O fpight, O hell! I fee you all are bent
To fet against me, for your merriment :
If you were civil, and knew courtesy,
You would not do me thus much injury.
Can you not hate me, as I know you do,
But you must join in fouls 2 to mock me too?
If you are men, as men you are in fhow,
You would not ufe a gentle lady fo:

To vow and fwear, and fuper-praise 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.

eyes

A trim exploit, a manly enterprize,
To conjure tears up in a poor
in a poor maid's
With your derifion! none of nobler fort
Would fo offend a virgin, and extort 3
poor foul's patience, all to make you fport.
9-Taurus' now.] Taurus is
the name of a range of moun-
tains in Afia.

A

1-feal of bliss.] He has elsewhere the fame image, But my kiffes bring again Seals of love, but feal'd in vain.

2 join in fouls.] This is furely wrong. We may read, Join in fcorns, or join in fcoffs. 3 Extort a poor foul's patience.] Harrafs, torment.

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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 yours 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.

4 My heart with her but, as gueft-wife, fojourn'd; And now to Helen it is home return'd,

There ever to remain.

Ly. It is not fo.

}

Dem. Difparage not the faith, thou doft not know, Left to thy peril thou abide it dear.

Look, where thy love comes, yonder is thy dear.

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Her. Dark night, that from the eye his function takes, The ear more quick of apprehenfion makes : Wherein it doth impair the feeing fenfe, It pays the hearing double recompence. Thou art not by mine eye, Lyfander, found; Mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy found. But why unkindly did'ft thou leave me fo?

Lyf. Why fhould 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,

4 My heart to her.] We should read,

My heart with her but, as guestwife, fojourn' d.

So Prior,

No matter what beauties I faw

in my way, They were but my vifits, but then not my home.

Fair

Fair Helena; who more engilds the night,
Than all yon fiery O's 5 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 confed'racy;
Now, I perceive, they have conjoin'd all three,
To fashion this falfe fport in fpight to me. 6
Injurious Hermia, moft ungrateful maid,
Have you confpir'd, have you with thefe contriv'd
To bait me with this foul derifion?

Is all the counfel that we two have fhar'd,
The fifters 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, childhood innocence?
We, Hermia, like two artificial gods,
Created with our needles both one flower,
Both on one fampler, fitting on one cushion;
Both warbling of one fong, both in one key;
As if our hands, our fides, voices, and minds
Had been incorp'rate. 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 seeming bodies, but one heart;
7 Two of the first, like coats in heraldry,
Due but to one, and crowned with one crest.
And will you rend our ancient love asunder,

5 all yon fiery O's.] I would willingly believe that the poet wrote fiery orbs.

6 in spite of me.] I read, in fpite to me.

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7 Two of the firft Life, coats in Heraldry, Due but to One, and crowned with one Creft.] The true

Correction of this Paffage I owe to the Friendship and Communication of the ingenious Martin Folks, Efq;-Two of the firft, fecond, &c. are Terms peculiar in Heraldry to diftinguish the different Quarterings of Coats.

THEOBALD.

Το

To join with men in fcorning your poor friend?
It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly;
Our fex, as well as I, may chide you for it;
Though I alone do feel the injury.

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 praise my eyes and face?
And made your other love, Demetrius,
(Who even but now, did fpurn me with his foot)
To call me goddess, nymph, divine, and rare,
Precious, celeftial? wherefore fpeaks he this
To her he hates? and wherefore doth Lyfander
Deny your love, fo rich within his foul,
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 fweet jest up :
This fport, well carried, fhall 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 life, my foul, fair Helena !
Hel. O excellent!

Her. Sweet, do not fcorn her fo.

Dem. If the cannot intreat, I can compel.

8

Lyf. Thou canft compel no more than fhe entreat : Thy threats have no more ftrength, than her weak

Prayers.

-fuch an argument.] Such a fubje& of light merriment.

Helen,

Helen, I love thee; by my life, I do ;

I swear, 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.
Lys. If thou fay 'fo, withdraw and prove it too.
Dem. Quick, come-

Her. Lyfander, whereto tends all this?
Lyf. Away, you Ethiope!

Dem. No, no, he'll feem

To break away; take on as he would follow,
But yet come not you are a tame man, go.
Lyf. Hang off, thou cat, thou burr; vile thing, let

loofe;

.

Or I will shake thee from me, like a ferpent.

Her. Why are you grown fo rude? What change is Sweet love!

Lyf. Thy love? out, tawny Tartar, out; Out, loathed medicine: hated poifon, hence. Her. Do you not jest?

Hel. Yes, footh, and fo do you.

[this?

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. Lyf. 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? Ome! what news, my love? Am not I Hermia? are not you Lyfander?

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

[me;

Since night, you lov'd me; yet, fince night, you left
Why then you left me-(Ỏ the gods forbid it!)
In earnest, fhall I fay?

Lyf. Ay, by my life;

And never did defire to fee thee more.

Therefore be out of hope, of question, doubt
Be certain, nothing truer ; 'tis no jest;

That I do hate thee, and love Helena.

Her.

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