PERSONS REPRESENTED.

THESEUS, Duke of Athens.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act IV. sc. 1. Act V. sc. 1.

EGEUS, father to Hermia.
Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act IV. sc. 1.

LYSANDER, in love with Hermia.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act II. sc. 3. Act III. sc. 2. Act IV. sc. 1. Act V. sc. 1.

DEMETRIUS, in love with Hermia.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act II. sc. 2; sc. 3. Act III. sc. 2.
Act IV. sc. 1. Act V. sc. 1.

PHILOSTRATE, master of the revels to Theseus.
Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act V. sc. 1.

QUINCE, the carpenter.

Appears, Act I. sc. 2. Act III. sc. 1. Act IV. sc. 2.
SNUG, the joiner.

Appears, Act I. sc. 2. Act III. sc. 1. Act IV. sc. -2.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1.

Act IV. sc. 1. Act V. sc. 1.

HERMIA, daughter to Egeus, in love with Lysander.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act II. sc. 3. Act III. sc. 2. Act IV. sc. 1. Act V. sc. 1.

HELENA, in love with Demetrius.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act II. sc. 2; sc. 3. Act III. sc. 2.
Act IV. sc. 1. Act V. sc. 1.

OBERON, king of the fairies.

Appears, Act II. sc. 2; sc. 3. Act III. sc. 2.

Act V. sc. 2.

TITANIA, queen of the fairies.

Appears, Act II. sc. 2; sc. 3. Act III. sc. 1.

Act V. sc. 2.

PUCK, or Robin Goodfellow, a fairy.

Act IV. sc. 1

Act IV. sc. 1.

Appears, Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3. Act III. sc. 1; sc. 2.
Act IV. sc. 1. Act V. sc. 2.

PEAS-BLOSSOM, COBWEB, MOTH, MUSTARD-SEED, fairies.
Appear, Act III. sc. 1. Act IV. sc. 1.

Pyramus, Thisbe, Wall, Moonshine, Lion, characters in the Interlude
performed by the Clowns.
Appear, Act V. sc. 1.

Other Fairies attending their King and Queen.

Attendants on Theseus and Hippolyta.

SCENE, ATHENS, AND A WOOD near.

A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM' was first printed in 1600. In that year there appeared two editions of the play;-the one published by Thomas Fisher, a bookseller; the other by James Roberts, a printer. The differences between these two editions are very slight. The play was not reprinted after 1600, till it was collected into the folio of 1623; and the text in that edition differs in few instances from that of the quartos.

A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM.

ACT I.

SCENE I-Athens. A Room in the Palace of 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,

Long withering out a young man's revenue.

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, shall behold the night
Of our solemnities.

Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments;
Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth;
Turn melancholy forth to funerals,
The pale companion is not for our pomp.

[Exit PHILOSTRATE.

Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword,
And won thy love, doing thee injuries;
But I will wed thee in another key,
With pomp, with triumph, and with revelling.

Enter EGEUS, HERMIA, LYSANDER, and DEMETRIUS.
EGE. Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke!
THE. Thanks, good Egeus: What's the news with thee?