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  • Title: A Midsummer Night's Dream (Quarto 1, 1600)
  • Editor: Suzanne Westfall

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-465-3

    Copyright Suzanne Westfall. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Suzanne Westfall
    Not Peer Reviewed

    A Midsummer Night's Dream (Quarto 1, 1600)

    A Midsommer nightes dreame.
    Bo. A Calender, a Calender: looke in the Almanack: finde
    out Moone-shine, finde out Moone-shine.
    Quin. Yes: it doth shine that night.
    Cet. Why then, may you leaue a casement of the great
    chamber window (where we play) open; and the Moone
    may shine in at the casement.
    870Quin. I: or els, one must come in, with a bush of thorns,
    & a lātern, and say he comes to disfigure, or to present the
    person of Moone-shine. Then, there is another thing; we
    must haue a wal in the great chāber: for Pyramus & This-
    by (saies the story) did talke through the chinke of a wall.
    Sno. You can neuer bring in a wal. What say you Bottom?
    Bot. Some man or other must present wall: and let him
    haue some plaster, or som lome, or some rough cast, about
    880him, to signifie wall; or let him holde his fingers thus: and
    through that crany, shall Pyramus and Thisby whis-
    per.
    Quin. If that may be, then all is well. Come, sit downe e-
    uery mothers sonne, and reherse your parts. Pyramus, you
    885beginne: when you haue spoken your speech, enter into
    that Brake, and so euery one according to his cue.
    Enter Robin.
    Ro. What hempen homespunnes haue we swaggring here,
    So neere the Cradle of the Fairy Queene?
    What, a play toward? Ile be an Auditor,
    An Actor to perhappes, If I see cause.
    Quin. Speake Pyramus: Thysby stand forth.
    895Pyra. Thisby the flowers of odious sauours sweete.
    Quin. Odours, odorous.
    Py. Odours sauours sweete.
    So hath thy breath, my dearest Thisby deare.
    But harke, a voice: stay thou but heere a while,
    900And by and by I will to thee appeare. Exit.
    Quin. A stranger Pyramus, then ere played heere.
    Thys. Must I speake now?
    I
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