Enter Oberon and Titania, with their Train.

Obe. Through this house give glimmering light, By the dead and drowsy fire:

Every elf, and fairy sprite,

Hop as light as bird from brier; And this ditty, after me,

Sing and dance it trippingly.

Tita. First rehearse this song by rote:
To each word a warbling note,
Hand in hand, with fairy grace.
Will we sing, and bless this place.

SONG, AND DANCE.

Obe. Now, until the break of day,
Through this house each fairy stray.
To the best bride-bed will we,
Which by us shall blessed be;
And the issue, there create,
Ever shall be fortunate.
So shall all the couples three
Ever true in loving be:

And the blots of nature's hand
Shall not in their issue stand;

Never mole, hare-lip, nor scar,
Nor mark prodigious, such as are
Despised in nativity,

Shall upon

their children be.-

With this field-dew consecrate,

Every fairy take his gait;2

And each several chamber bless,

Through this palace with sweet peace :
E'er shall it in safety rest,

And the owner of it blest.

Trip away;
Make no stay;

Meet me all by break of day.

[Exeunt Oberon, Titania, and Tr

Puck. If we shadows have offended,
Think but this (and all is mended,)
That you have but slumber'd here,
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend;
If you pardon, we will mend.
And, as I'm an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck

Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,
We will make amends, ere long:
Else the Puck a liar call.

So, good night unto you all.

Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.

[E

Wild and fantastical as this play is, all the pa in their various modes are well written, and g the kind of pleasure which the author design Fairies in his time were much in fashion; comm tradition had made them familiar, and Spenc poem had made them great.

JOHNSO

LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

Ferdinand, king of Navarre.

Biron,

Longaville, lords, attending on the king.
Dumain,

Boyet, lords, attending on the princess
Mercade,

France.

Don Adriano de Armado, a fantastical Spania
Sir Nathaniel, a curate.

Holofernes, a schoolmaster.
Dull, a constable.

Costard, a clown.

Moth, page to Armado.

A Forester.

Princess of France.

Rosaline,

Maria,

Katharine,

ladies, attending on the princess.

Jaquenetta, a country wench.

Officers and others, attendants on the king a

princess.

Scene, Navarre.

LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST.

ACT I.

SCENE I-Navarre. A park, with a palace Enter the King, Biron, Longaville, and

in it. Dumain.

LET

King.

fame, that all hunt after in their lives, Live register'd upon our brazen tombs, And then grace us in the disgrace of death; When, spite of cormorant devouring time, The endeavour of this present breath may buy That honour, which shall bate his scythe's keen edge,

And make us heirs of all eternity.

Therefore, brave conquerors!-for so you are,
That war against your own affections,
And the huge army of the world's desires,-
Our late edict shall strongly stand in force:
Navarre shall be the wonder of the world;
Our court shall be a little académe,
Still and contemplative in living art.
You three, Birón, Dumain, and Longaville,
Have sworn for three years' term to live with me,
My fellow-scholars, and to keep those statutes,
That are recorded in this schedule here:

Your oaths are past, and now subscribe your names;
That his own hand may strike his honour down,
That violates the smallest branch herein :

If

you are arm'd to do, as sworn to do, Subscribe to your deep oath, and keep it too.