THESEUS.

Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, PHILOSTRATE, and

Attendants.

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 lingers my desires, Like to a step-dame, or a dowager,

1. The first known printed copies of this play are two quarto editions, both published in 1600; the one by Thomas Fisher, the other by James Roberts. The text of this latter was taken for the Folio of 1623; although Fisher's quarto is the more accurate of the two. From some analogy between the description by Titania of the exceptional condition of seasons in Act ii., sc. 2, and certain seasonal occurrences in England during the years 1593 and 1594, the latter date has been conjectured to have been that of the present play's first production; but however that may be, the internal evidence of the composition itself gives unmistakable token of its having been written when the poet was in his flush of youthful manhood. The classicality of the principal personages, Theseus and Hippolyta; the Grecian-named characters; the prevalence of rhyme; the grace and whimsicality of the fairy-folk; the rich warmth of colouring that pervades the poetic diction; the abundance of description, rather than of plot, action, and character-development, all mark the young dramatist. With a manifest advance in beauty beyond those which we conceive to be his earliest-written productions-"The Two Gentlemen of Verona," "Comedy of Errors," and "Love's Labour's Lost "--we believe the "Midsummer Night's Dream" to be one of his very first-written dramas after those three plays. We feel it to have been, with "Romeo and Juliet," the work of his happy hours, when he wrote from inspiration, and out of the fulness of his luxuriant imagination, between the intervals of his business-work-the adaptation of such immediately needed stage plays as the three parts of "Henry VI." Those we think he touched up for current production, for the use of the theatre at which he was employed and had a share in; but his overBlowing poet-heart was put into productions like the southernstoried "Romeo and Juliet,” and the fairy-favoured "Midsummer Night's Dream," where every page is a forest glade flooded with golden light amid the green glooms. For the origin of the plot, those who cannot imagine Shakespeare ever to have drawn from the spring of his own brain, fancy he was indebted to

Hip. Four days will quickly steep themselves in

nights;

Four nights will quickly dream away the time;
And then the moon, like to a silver bow
New bent in heaven,2 shall behold the night
Of our solemnities
The.
Go, Philostrate,
Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments;
Awake the pert3 and nimble spirit of mirth :

Chaucer's "Knight's Tale" (the story of Palamon and Arcite), and to Plutarch's "Life of Theseus." But in neither of these sources is there trace of similar story. The mention of Hippolyta in Plutarch is most meagre ; and in Chaucer, the main narrative is occupied with the loves of the cousin-knight heroes for Emily, sister to the Amazon queen. At the same time it is probable that both were known to Shakespeare; as in both there are names that he has taken-Egeus in Plutarch, and Philostrate in Chaucer. Moreover, he seems to have adopted from Chaucer the idea of making Theseus's nuptials with Hippolyta the gorgeous circlet wherein to set his gem-like story.

The sticklers for consistency-those who make a point of creating discrepancies in Shakespeare where they can find none -have objected to what they call his mixing up Greek classicalities with Gothic fairy-mythology; just as pickthankers in architecture remind admirers of Milan Cathedral that the Greek pediments introduced among the ornaments of the Gothic façade spoil the unity of the building. But the Northern fairies had their origin in the East; and the British fairy can trace back ancestry to the Oriental Peri. Also, while giving his Robin Goodfellow strong touches of rural English attribute, he has not failed to associate his Titania with Perigenia, Æglé, Ariadne, and Antiopa, "the farthest steep of India," "an Indian king," and "the spiced Indian air,” and his Oberon with "the Morning's love," Cephalus, the Thessalian hunter-prince; thus giving with his own witchery of power the needful harmony in blending the whole together.

2. New bent in heaven. The old copies all print 'now' for "new" (Rowe's correction); and though 'now' might be forced into elliptically meaning 'but now,' 'just now' (that is, immediately upon the "then" time), yet it seems more likely that in such a passage as the present one, Shakespeare would not have used a word so liable to misinterpretation; therefore, that “new' was the word he wrote.

3. Pert. Brisk, alert, lively. See Note 9, Act iv., "Tempest."

4 I woo'd thee with my sword. Theseus made war with the Amazons, and vanquished them.

5. Triumph. Stately pageant; processional show.

6. Duke. The title given to a military commander; from the Latin dux, a leader. Also used for a king. See Note 5, Act ii., "Love's Labour's Lost."

7. Gawds. Baubles, toys, finery, gaudy ornaments.

8. Know of your youth. "Know" is here used in the sense of 'make sure,' 'ascertain,' 'acquaint yourself with the condition.'

9. Livery of a nun. "Livery" here means more than garb, or professional attire; it has the force of 'state,' 'condition,' 'life to be led.'

10. Mew'd. Shut up, imprisoned, confined; from the French mue, a cage or mew.

11. Earthlier happy. This has been changed to 'earthly happier,' which is said to be "a more correct expression; " but, to our thinking, the original phrase, though unusual, precisely conveys the poet's meaning—' more mundanely happy,' 'more materially or terrestrially happy.'

r2. Lordship. Used here in the sense of 'dominion.' 'To'

Her. I do entreat your grace to pardon me. I know not by what power I am made bold, Nor how it may concern my modesty, In such a presence here to plead my thoughts; But I beseech your grace that I may know The worst that may befall me in this case, If I refuse to wed Demetrius.

The. Either to die the death, or to abjure
For ever the society of men.

Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires;
Know of your youth, examine well your blood,
Whether, if you yield not to your father's choice,
You can endure the livery of a nun;"
For aye to be in shady cloister mew'd,1o
To live a barren sister all your life,
Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon.
Thrice-blessed they that master so their blood,
To undergo such maiden pilgrimage;
But earthlier happy " is the rose distill'd,
Than that which, withering on the virgin thorn,
Grows, lives, and dies in single blessedness,

Her. So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord,
Ere I will yield my virgin patent up
Unto his lordship,12 whose unwished yoke

is understood before "whose" immediately after, by an ellipsis that preserves the poetry of the lines from being injured by too many repetitions of the word 'to.' It is worth observing, how Shakespeare makes his women express themselves at difficult junctures with combined firmness and gentleness. They are modest, even timid; but when called upon by stress of circumstance for the vindication of a principle, they speak with wonderrul effect. In this, and Hermia's preceding speech, there is just that composure of utterance and calm self-possession in the announcement of a strong inward conviction, which comes to women in the midst of perturbation from external causes, when they are both noble-minded and gentle-natured. The fine way in which the poet manifests this is well worthy the study of those who sneer at 'strong-mindedness;' ignorantly confounding it with unfeminine boldness. It is noteworthy also-as a study of Shakespeare's perfect mode of delineating a womanly character-the way in which he makes Hermia begin by a few diffidently uttered words; then warm into two energetically assertive speeches; and lastly subside into resolutely maintained silence, having said her say and meaning to abide by it.