R 2827 
 I 37 
 
 Notes on Sriakespeare's ?! 
 of 
 A Midsummer Night's Dream* 
 
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 NOTES 
 ON 
 
 SHAKESPEARE'S PLAY 
 
 OP 
 
 A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. 
 
 BY 
 
 T. DUFF BARNETT, B.A., (Lond.), 
 
 SECOND MASTER IN THE BRIGHTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL. 
 AUTHOR OF "NOTES ON JULIUS CiESAR." 
 
 " The best in this kind are but shadows ; 
 and the worst are no worse, if imagination 
 amend them."— V. 1. 208. 
 
 LONDON : GEORGE BELL AND SONS, YORK STREET, 
 
 COVENT GARDEN. 
 
 1887. 
 
57 
 
 THE TANNENBAUM 
 
 SHAKESPEARE 
 
 COLLECTION 
 
 ACQUIRED THROUGH 
 
 NEW YORK ALUMNI AND OTHER 
 
 FRIENDS OF THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF NORTH CAROUNA LIBRARY 
 
 Established ia Honor of 
 
 DR. SAMUEL A. TANNENBAUM 
 
 Collector aad Bibliographer 
 
NOTES - Jlo) ( 
 
 ON 
 
 SHAKESPEARE'S P\^ ' 
 
 A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. 
 
 BY 
 
 T. DUFF BARNETT, B.A., (Lond.), 
 
 SECOND MASTER IN THE BRIGHTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL. 
 AUTHOR OF "NOTES ON JULIUS C^SAR." 
 
 " The best in this kind are but shadows ; 
 and the worst are no worse, if imagination 
 amend them."— V. 1. 208. 
 
 LONDOX: GEORGE BELL AND SONS, YORK STREET, ^ 
 
 J 
 COVEN T GARDEN. j 
 
 1887. ! 
 
CHISWICK PRESS : — C. WHITTINGHAM AND CO., TOOKS COURT, 
 CHANCERY LANE, 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Preface ............ 5 
 
 Miscellanea ........... 7 
 
 1. Plays with Prologues and Epilogues. 2. The Tempest 
 and As You Like It. 3. Julius Caesar and Merchant of 
 Venice. 4. Comedy of Errors and Love's Labour Lost. 5. 
 Inconsistencies. 6. Nationality of the Play. 7. Private 
 Reading and Public Representation. 8. What it has done 
 for children. 9. The "Table." 10. Characters. U. The 
 '• Motif." 12. Universality of the " Motif." 
 
 SODKCE OF THE PlAT 9 
 
 Date 9 
 
 NcTE(<, Etymological and Exi-lanatorv . . . . 11 
 
 Appendices ........... 26 
 
 I. Prosody. 2. Various Readings. 3. Puns. 4. Alli- 
 teration. 5. Doublets. 
 Grammatical Peculiarities ........ 
 
 1. Adjectives. 2. Double Comparatives. 3. Omission of 
 Article. 4. Other and Some. .5. Flat-Adverbs. 6. Along 
 and So. 7. Conjunctions. 8. Prepositions. 9. Pronouns. 
 10. Verbs. 11. Confusion of Constructions. 12. Nouns — 
 Possessive Case. 13. But, Save, Only, As. 14. His. its. 
 Proper Names 
 Familiar Quotations 
 
 Explanation by Pai'aphi'ase 
 
 Anachronisms 
 
 Index .... 
 
 1. Words Annotated. 2. Proper Names. 
 
 32 
 
 \ 
 
 ^ 
 
 CA 
 
 HahAj 
 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 I HAVE prepared these notes to meet the requirements of 
 the Cambridge Local Examinations, but they will be found 
 sufficient for any examination in which The Midsummer Night's 
 Dream is a set subject. They are published without a text, 
 because in that form they will be found most convenient both 
 for Preparation and for Class Teaching. 
 
 The Etymological part of these Xotes is the most important ; 
 no word of real value has been overlooked, and I have verified 
 every derivation by a reference to Skeat. But there are other 
 special features which will be sought for in vain in any other 
 single work. I would call particular attention to the appendices 
 on Scansion, Grammatical Peculiarities, and Paraphrasing, and to 
 the Critical Remarks given under the head of Miscellanea. 
 
 The Notes as a whole will be found to contain all the outside 
 information a student requires for the proper understanding of 
 the play. I have tried to remember that the time and the power 
 of our pupils are limited — that the first requisite is to know and 
 thoroughly understand the text, studying the play as an illus- 
 trious extract from our great Library of English Literature — 
 that then come questions of grammar, derivation, and literary 
 environment, — and lastly I have not lost sight of how the whole 
 subject is likely to be looked at from an Examiner's point of 
 view. 
 
 Without Professor Skeat's Dictionary, Dr. Abbot's Shake- 
 spearian Grammar, and Dr. Morris's Outlines of English Acci- 
 dence, these Notes would have lost much of whatever value thev 
 may be found to possess. I must also again express my cordial 
 thanks to my colleague, Mr. E. H. Stevens, for several valuable 
 
 Thos. Duff Barnett. 
 
MISCELLANEA. 
 
 1. This is the first Play with an Epilogue. Romeo and Juliet has a 
 Prologue, but no Epilogue. All's Well that Ends Well has an Epilogue. 
 King Hen. IV., Part II., has an Introduction and Epilogue. In King 
 Henry V. the Chorus acts the part of Pr. and Ep. As You Like It has 
 an Epilogue. The Tempest has an Epilogue. King Hen. VIII. has a 
 Prologue and Epilogue. 
 
 2. With this Play we may well compare the Tempest for the intro- 
 duction of fairies, and As You Like It for woodland scenes. Here the 
 mortals are the sport of the Fairies, but in the Tempest the Fairies are 
 subject to a mortal. The next happiest attempt in English literature to 
 introduce a fairy agency into the aifairs of mortals is Pope's Rape of the 
 Lock. Remember Milton's lines : — 
 
 " Or sweetest Shakespeare, fancy's child, 
 Warble his native wood-notes wild." 
 
 3. In the Merchant of Venice three months are crowded into a week. 
 Inthe M. X. D. "four happy days"' and "four nights "are to pass "before 
 the night of our solemnities," but the action is compressed into three 
 days and two nights. Theseus gives judgment on Hermia's case on 
 A]i. 29. On the evening of Ap. 30 the lovers meet and sleep in the 
 forest. On .May 1 they are found there by Theseus. They return to 
 Athens on that day, are married, and go to bed at midnight. At day- 
 break the fairies depart. Now Theseus' opening words point to the 
 \il of April, four days before the new moon. In Julius Caesar a 
 1 eriod of two and a half years is compressed into a period of a few 
 months. 
 
 4. Mr. Furnivall, in the Introduction to the Leopold Shakespeare, 
 notes — 
 
 (1) That in the M. X. D. we have a Comedy of Errors in the wood 
 scenes with ihnc sets of people, as in the Comedy of Errors ; in 
 Love's Labour Lost there Bxefour sets of people. 
 
 (2) In Love's Labour Lost, "Jack hath not Jill;" in M. N. D., 
 " Jack shall have Jill," iii. 2, 461. 
 
 (3) In the Errors we have the father ^geon, with the sentence of 
 death or fine pronounced by Duke Solinus, to set against Egeus 
 and Theseus respective!}'. 
 
 5. (_1) The father and mother of Thisbe and the father of Pyramus 
 do not appear in tlie Interlude as played before the Uuke. 
 
 (2) Wall and Moonshine are an after-thought introduced in iii. 1. 
 
 (3) No part of what is rehearsed is repeated in the final represen- 
 tation. 
 
 6. Though the names of the chief characters are Grecian, and Athens 
 is the scene, yet the whole play is intensely English. Shakespeare's 
 
native Warwickshire has given him his hunting experience ; Bottom 
 and his " lads " are Warwickshire clowns. His fairy loi-e was all learnt 
 in childhood at Stratford-on-Avon, and only English woodland scenery 
 could have given him his " cowslips tall,"' his ■' red-hipped humble-bee," 
 his " pansy love-in-idleness," and Oberon's ''bank where the wild thyme 
 blows."' Duke Theseus is a good old English gentleman ; note the ring > if 
 the fine gentleman in his words about the poor rustics' jtlay, especially — 
 
 " I will hear that play ; 
 For never anything can be amiss, 
 When simpleness and duty tender it." 
 
 7. It has been remarked that this is a play for the closet and not for 
 the stage. This was truer in Shakespeare's time than now, when the 
 scenic effects of the stage have been brought to such a pitch of perfec- 
 tion. As Puck hints in the Epilogue, if imagination assists, the poet 
 and the actor may go hand in hand. However, old Pepys' opinion was 
 otherwise. He says in his Diary, Sept. 29, 1662 : — " To the King's 
 Theatre, where we saw Midsummer Night's Dream, which I had never 
 seen before, nor shall ever again, for it is the most insipid, ridiculous 
 play that ever I saw in my life." But then we never suspected Pepys 
 of having imagination. 
 
 8. It is to this play that our children mainly owe their belief in a 
 faii'y world, peopled by kindl}' ideal forms, to be loved and not hated. 
 Terror has been banished, ugliness and malignity have given place to 
 
 j fascinating beauty and sportive kindliness, and darkness and night are 
 
 V robbed of half their terrors. 
 
 g. In this play we have poetry of the highest order, combined with 
 perfect dramatic construction. All the incidents and characters are in 
 ci^mplete subordination to the poet's will. The fable contains four dis- 
 tinct actions, fused by the poet'.'s genius into one harmonious whole, 
 without effort, and without confusion. The most incongruous ingre- 
 dients have been mingled together with most exquisite felicity. 
 The introrluction of the fairies is une of the happiest inspirations that 
 ever tilled a poet's mind. At first sight we seem to see a fairy palace, 
 • in structure as frail as gossamer, with all its beautiful and variegated 
 colours, and might imagine a breath could blow the whole away, and 
 leave '" not a wrack behind." But a closer examination shows us that 
 the foundations are laid of the most solid materials. The poetry is 
 clotlied in a wealth of rhythm, which shows both Shakespeare's un- 
 rivalled mastery of his mother tongue, and the wealth of the English 
 language for poetry of all kinds. This work introduced a revolution 
 into the domain of English poetry, and has had an immeasurable influence 
 on all our poets fr(vin Fletcher down to Shelley. 
 
 10. The points to be noticed witli regard to the characters are that 
 Lysander and Demetrius are impatient and revengeful, whilst their love 
 is ijeing crossed ; Hermia is vain, shrewish, and spiteful ; and Helena full 
 of affection and dignity, with just a spice of female malice in her disposi- 
 tion ; Theseus is always the courteous gentleman ; Bottom is never 
 more the ass than when he has doffed the ass's nole ; and the fairies, 
 though delicate and aerial, have just enough uf vulgarity to harmonise 
 their presence with the more prosaic mortals. 
 
11. The " motif" of the Comedy is " The course of true love never 
 did run smooth.'" Theseus had won Hippolyta at the point of the sword, 
 and had " won her love, doing her injuries." Lysander and Hermia are 
 '' crossed,'' first by the refusal of Herniia's father, Egeus, to sanction 
 their love, and then by the intervention of the fairies. Demetrius, in 
 luve with Hermia, finds Helena in love with him; and even into the 
 realm of fairyland has this "edict in destiny " extended, and Oberon aiid 
 Titania feel its influence. But under the skilful guidance of the poet, 
 tlie "course of true love " at last pursues the e\en tonour of its way. 
 
 12. "The course of true love never did run smooth'' has been a 
 favourite theme of the poets in all ages, but it has never lieen so beauti- 
 fully or so tersely expressed as b}' Shakespeare in this very line. The 
 majority of works of fiction are simply variations of this poetic, yet 
 truthful sentiment, and that it has woven itself into the fabric of our 
 common beliefs is proved by a cursory examination of our lighter lite- 
 rature, from the ancient tale of Hero and Leander down to the latest 
 issue of the ^Minerva Press. 
 
 SOURCE OF THE PLAY. 
 
 The plot of the M. N. J), is entirely Shakespeare's own invention, and 
 he has borrowed only some of his names. He had probably read North's 
 translation of Plutarch's Lives, '■ englishf" from the French of Amyot, 
 Bishop of Auxerre. In Plutarch's "Life of Theseus," occur the names 
 of Ariadnes, ^gles, Perigouna, Antiopa, Egeus, Lysander, Demetrius, 
 and Philostrate. The name Hippolyta occurs in Chaucer's •' Knight's 
 Tale," which is the story of Palamon and Arcite. Here, also, the name 
 of "' duk Theseus "' is found. In composing the Interlude of Pyramus and 
 Tliisbe, Shakespeare may have had an eye to Golding's •' Translation if 
 Ovid's Metamorphoses. " Titania is a name given to Diana by ()\id. and 
 Shakespeare bestows it on the Fairy Queen. Uberon is the king of 
 "Fairy '' land in Spenser's " Fairy Queen.'' (The whole Literature of 
 the sprites and fairies is given in great fulness in Mr. Halliweil-Phillipps' 
 Introduction to this play.) 
 
 Some of the lines in Pyramus and Thisbo, show that Shakespeare had 
 read the Damon and Pythias of Kichard Edwards, published in 158:2. 
 
 DATE OF THE PLAY. 
 
 The evidence for the date of any of Shakespeare's plays may be thus 
 classified : — 
 I. Extrinsic. 
 
 1. Entry in the Registers of the Stationers' Company. 
 
 2. The Publication, in quartos, or folios, or both. 
 
 3. Allusions in contemporary literature. 
 
10 
 
 II. Intrinsic. 
 
 1. Allusions in the plaj'^ itself to past or to contemporary events. 
 
 2. A critical examination of the style and temper of the play under 
 consideration. 
 
 In the case of M. N. D. we have evidence under all these heads, and 
 it may be said at once that the only certain conclusion we can come to 
 is, (1) that the play was in existence in 1598, (2) but it may have been 
 written in 1594, or even (3) in 1592. 
 
 The proof is as follows. It was entered in 1600. We find in the 
 Register of the Stationers' Company — " 8 Oct. 1600. Tho. Fysher. 
 A booke called a Mydsommer nightes Dreame."' This was tlie First 
 Quarto published b}^ T. Fisher. In the same year a Second Quarto was 
 published by James Koberts. It was merely a reprint of the First 
 Quarto, with numerous misprints, and was most probably a pirated 
 edition for the use of the players. In 1623 was published the First 
 Folio, and in 1632 the Second Folio. 
 
 This, then, settles that the work was written at any rate in 1600. But 
 it does nut settle the question hoxi^ long before. We have an allusion to 
 it in the "Palladis Tamia"' of Francis ]Meres, published in 1598. This 
 carries us back certainly to that 3'ear. But how long it was written before 
 1598 is mere matter of conjecture. 
 
 According to some writers v. 1. 52, 53, refers to Spencer's Poem, 
 " The Tears of the Muses," published in 1591. According to others it 
 refers to the death of Robert Greene, in 1592 
 
 Again, ii. 1. 88-114, is said to refer to the bad seasons of 1593 and 
 1594. But these are only suppositions. Thus far, then, we have the 
 certain fact that this play was at any rate in e.vistence in 1598. 
 
 A critical examination of the play, and a comparison with others 
 proves that M. N. I), is amongst Shakespeare's earlier plays, and was 
 most probably written between 1591 and 1593. The early rhyming 
 plays are L. L. L. : Com. of Err. : T. Gent, of Ver. ; M. N. D. ; Rom. 
 and Jul. ; Rich. II. ; and Rich. III. As to whether T. Gent, of Ver. 
 or M. N. D. should be placed first is a difficult (juestion to decide. The 
 Verse tests are four, and are as follows : — 
 
 1. Early Plays contain a large proportion o^ rhyming lines. 
 
 2. Early Plays generally have the pause at the end. 
 
 3. Early Plays have very few weak and unemphatic monosyllabic 
 endings. 
 
 4. Early Plays have very few double or feminine endings ; that is, an 
 extra end-syllable. 
 
 M. N. D. contains only one weak ending. Macbeth, the Tempest, 
 and Cymbt'line are examples of late j)]ays. 
 
 I may add here that Mr. Massey conjectures that the play was written 
 to celebrate the marriage of Lord Southampton with Elizabeth Vernon 
 in 1598. Another conjecture is that it was written to celebrate the 
 marriage of the Earl of Essex in 1590. These are only conjectures. 
 
 Mr. Wright states, on the authority of Professor Adams, that there 
 was a nciu moon on 1st May, 1592. 
 
11 
 
 NOTES, ETYMOLOGICAL AND EXPLANATORY. 
 
 I. 
 
 1. Nuptial. Shakespeare uses niipfials in only two instances ; on 
 the other hand, he generally uses fiuurals as in .J. C. v. 3. 105 : " His 
 funerals shall not be in our camp." Niq^tial is from Lat. nuptialls, from 
 root oi nuhere. It occui's i. 1. 125, and v. 1. 75. 
 
 2. Apace, fit a great pace. Marlowe in Ed. II. has " gallop apace."' 
 Chaucer writes it a pas.^ meaning slowly. 
 
 4. Wanes, decreases. A. S. wanian, to grow less. Hence Waii- 
 hopc, for despair. 
 
 lb- Lingers, puts off. A. S. lengan, to put off, formed from lang ^ 
 long. 
 
 5. Dowager, a uddow u'ith a Jointure. Coined from dowagc, an 
 endowment, whii-h comes through Fr. doner from Lat. dotare. Dotare 
 is formed from dot the stem of dos, which is allied to do. 
 
 6. Revenue, an income. Sometimes accented revenue as in line 
 158, and in Temp. i. 2. 98 ; from Lat. Revenire. 
 
 10. New, sometimes written now. All's Well that Ends Well, ii. 
 3, where we have now-horn or new-horn. Neiu and Now are etymologi- 
 cally connnected. 
 
 13. Pert, lively, alert, as in Milton's Comus : " Trip the pert 
 fairies and the dapper elves."' The ordinar}' meaning is saucy. Tlie 
 M.Yj.. pert, has two .«o«)rt'S which have become confused. When used 
 as short for apert, it comes fi'om Lat., apertus ; \)\xX.pert, saucy, is from 
 \^.,perf, another form oi perk, meaning trim, smart. 
 
 28. Rhymes, ought to be spelt rimes. From A. S., rim. The 
 mis-spelling arises from a fancied connection with Greek, rhythm. Eime, 
 hoarfrost, is from A. S., (hrim). 
 
 33. Gauds, ornaments. Chaucer uses gaude in the sense of a 
 specious trick. Lat., gaudium, a joy. Joy is a doublet. 
 
 34. Knacks, a trifle, a toy. It is another form of knock, and 
 comes from Celt., cnac. It meant (1) a S7iap, (2) a stiap on the tooth 
 with the fingernail, (3) a, jester'' s trick, (4) a toy. 
 
 36. Pilcll'd, *^o/e?i. From Icel.j/eZa, to hide something. 
 
 45. Immediately, directly, purposely, Lat., ot, and medius. The 
 word displays Sh. legal knowledge. 
 
12 
 
 54. Voice, approval, approving word. From Lat., vocem, through 
 the 0. F., vois. M. E. was vois. 
 
 71. Cloister, a place enclosed, or shut in, sometimes called a Close. 
 From Lat., ciaustrw/n, derived from dander e. 
 
 Il>- Mew'd, shut up. A mevj was a cage for hawks, where they 
 moulted or mewed. Both words come from Lat., inutnre, to change. 
 The plural, mews, now means a range of stables. In Stow's Survey of 
 London, we are told that the Mewse at Charing Cross, where the king's 
 falcons had been kept, were rebuilt and prepared for stabling Edward VI. "s 
 horses. 
 
 "5. Pilgrimage, O- V.,pelerinage, from Lidit., peregrinus.one who 
 passes through a land, and therefore a foreigner. Compounded of per, 
 ager, and adj. suff. aticum. Acre and ager are cognate. 
 
 81. Lordship, authority or dominion. 
 
 82. Sovereignty. To is understood. Some editors have sup- 
 plied it bef(;re whose. -I'he ellipsis of a pi'eposition is very common in 
 Shakespeare. 
 
 89. To protest, to declare solemnly and puhlicly. From Lat. 
 pro, publicly, and testare, to swear solemnly. 
 
 96. Render, a nasalized form from reddere. 
 
 98. Estate, devise. From Lat., statuni, through O. F. estat. 
 
 102. Vantage, short form oi advantage. From Lat. , a6, awi'e, and 
 aticum. The </r represents ab. The d was inserted about a.u. 1500. 
 
 106. Avouch, declare. Through the French, from Lat., advocarc. 
 
 109. Idolatry, Lit., the service of idols. Dotcs in idolatry 
 
 really means worsiiips as a god. From the Greek, through Low. Lat., 
 idololatria. 
 
 110. Spotted, tbe opposite of spotless. A spiot is a mar/i made hy 
 wet, a thing spit out. Spit and spatter are from the same root. 
 
 113. Self-affairs, ^.f-, my own business. 
 
 122. Cheer, from Low Lat., cara, the/ace, Gr. icdpa, the head. 
 
 124. Business. Busy, in A. S. was bysig, and there were two 
 forms for inisiness — viz., bisi-hedc, and bisi-schipe. There is no con- 
 nection with Fr. , besoin ; but the O.F. law-term, busoignes (trisyllabic), 
 may have suggested the form business, which really means the state of 
 being busy. 
 
 131. "BeteeiXl, flood. .Se, as usual, is intensive. 
 
 136. Enthrall'd, enslaved. From Lat., in, and Icel., thrael, a 
 serf. The root-meaning is to run, a slave being one who runs errands. 
 
 137. Misgraff'd, badly grafted. Graff'd is from Lat., graphium, a 
 style to write with, Gr. ypcKpio, I write. ^lis in E. words has two origins : 
 (1) from O. E. mes, meaning icrong, and (2) from Ijat., minus, meaning /)«(/. 
 
 143. Momentany is the same as momentary. The derivation is 
 Lat., momentaneum. 
 
13 
 
 145. Collied, smutted, black. Still used in Staffoi'dsUire. 
 
 147. Spleen, '^^M of passion. 
 
 153. Cross is probably connected with curse. 
 
 155. Fancy's followers, love's attenda^Us. 
 
 1 60. Respects, looks upon, regards. 
 
 186. Favour, beauty. Hamlet says, " Let her paint an inch thick- 
 to \.\i.\s favour sije must come." In J. C. Shakespeare nsQs favour for out- 
 ward appearance. In this sense we only use ill-, or well-favoured. Wt>- 
 still use the word metaphorically in to favour — i.e. to comiteiumce. 
 
 190. Bated, eaxcpted. Formed from abate. 
 
 200. Fault, a cause of bla??ie. From O. Y.,faute. Connected with 
 hat., faltare, the frequentative of /a??ere. In J. C., ii. 1. 4, Brutus says^. 
 " I would it were my faidt to sleep so soundly." 
 
 211. Pearl is derived either from Lat., pirula, a little pear, or 
 pilnla, a little ball. 
 
 231. Admiring of, for in the admiring of. Admiring is a verbal 
 noun. 
 
 251. His Sight, the sight of him. 
 
 I. 2. 
 
 3. Scrip, the schedule, from Lat., scriptum, 
 
 4. Scroll, a strip of parchment, or, a roll of paper. A diminutive- 
 of scroive, a Tuetonic word. 
 
 16. Answer, from the A.S., and against, in reply; and swerian,. 
 to swear. And is cognate with anti. 
 
 23. Condole. Bottom doubtless means that he will move to tears. 
 Condole is from Lat., cum, and dolere. 
 
 28. To tear a cat in, to rant. 
 
 42. Mask, a visor. An entertainment is usually spelt masque. 
 There is no reason for the distinction. The word comes from the 
 Arabic. There were uo female actors until after the Restoration. 
 
 44. An, if: often written and. From the Scand. use of the word. 
 And, the conj., is from the same root. An if = if if. But and if — bid 
 ifif, occur in Matt, xxiv., 48, '■^ But and if that evil servant shall say." 
 J. C. i. 2. 265, "And I had been a man." It occurs i, 2. 69 and 75. 
 An i/ occurs ii. 2. 153. 
 
 46. Thisne, probably means in this way, 
 
 73. Discretion, here means option. 
 
 74. Aggravate. Bottom means accommodate, or diminish. 
 
 75. Sucking-dove. Bottom mixes up sucking-lamb, and turtle- 
 dove, 
 
 76. Nightingale, lit. , the singer by night. A.S., nightegale, where- 
 
14 
 
 gale means singer, and nighte is the gen. of night. The « is excrescent, 
 as in messenger and passenger. 
 
 78. Proper. -A- proper man is a man skcZ' «5 /<e should be. Also 
 a handsome man. Temp., li. 2, " As proper a man as ever went on four 
 legs." J. C. i. 1, 25, " As proper a man as ever trod on neat's leather. 
 
 84. Discharge, perform. 
 
 85. Purple-in-grain, a colour obtained from the ovarium of in- 
 sects found on the kermcs oak. These looked like grains or seeds. 
 From kermes we have the words carmine, and crimson. Grain is from 
 Lat. granum. In grain came finally to mean a. fait orf.ved colour. 
 
 " No Sir, 'tis in grain. Noah's Hood could not undo it." 
 
 Com. of Er. iii. 2. 
 
 86. French-CrOWn-COlour, of the colour of a French crown- 
 piece ; of a golden yellow colour. 
 
 89. Con, '''"i/ ^0 lear?!,. A desiderative verb, from A.S., cunnan. 
 to knoic. J. C. iv. 3. 98 : '"' Learn'd and conn'd by rote." 
 
 97. Obscenely, for obscurely. 
 
 lb- Adieu, tor rt dieu, from Lat., ad deiim. 
 
 98. Cut bow strings. Capell says this was a proverbial ex- 
 pression. '■ When a party was made at butts, assurance of meeting w;us 
 given in the words of that phrase." 
 
 11. 1. 
 1- Wander, from A.S., wa7idrian. the frequentative of wend. 
 
 8. Queen, from A.S., cw^n, a woman. Quean has a contemptuous 
 meaning, and is a doublet. Cogn. with Gr. yiu'//, a woman. 
 
 9. Dew her orbs, bedew her circles, fairy circles. 
 
 10. Pensioners. Thepensioners, the handsomest men of the first 
 families, were Queen Elizabeth's favourite attendants. They wore 
 spotted, gold coats. 
 
 16. Lob. Wright says lob is equivalent to lubber or lout, and is 
 used contemptuously. But from the context it rather seems to be used 
 as a term of endearment. May it not be from lobe, the Hap of the ear ? 
 
 17. Elves, the plural of elf , a little sprite. A.S., aelf. 
 
 lb. Anon, immediately. A.S., on an, lit., i7i one moment, on — in, 
 and an == one. It generall}' meant, in A.S., once for all. 
 
 18. Revels, noisy banquets. From Lat., rebellare, through theFr., 
 reveler. 
 
 29. Sheen, splendour. A.^., scene, show j. Cf. Byron's: "The 
 sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea." Connected with show, 
 not with shine. 
 
 30. Sciuare, ivrangle. It is still used in this sense ; but we also 
 use it in the sense of to make agree. 
 
16 
 
 3"^- Shrewd, kicked, curM. From'A.S., scr^awa, a shrew-mouse 
 All old fable g\y(:sji<ld-niice the power of poisoning cattle by their bite. 
 Originally the word was applied to both men and women. In old writers 
 it meant eumf. Bacon says : " An ant is a wise creature for itself, i)ut 
 it is a shreud thing for an orchard or garden."' In this plaj . iii. 2. 300, 
 Helena says of Hermia : *" I was never curst, I have no gift at all in 
 shrcirishness.'' 
 
 36. Quern, a handnnll for grinding grain. A.S., cweorii, meaning 
 that whicli (jrinds. 
 
 37. Churn, Ice!., kirna ; cognate with quern. 
 
 4". Gossip, SI cro)iy ; formerly a sponsor m baptism. In M. E. , 
 God-sib and Gossih. Sib is from O. Northumb. sibbo, relations, and the 
 word really means related, through God. 
 
 48. Crab, a kind of apple, perhaps allied to the word crab, a shell- 
 fish, because its taste iapiiichine/, sharp, sour. 
 
 50. Dewlap, the loose skin which hangs down from the throats of 
 cattle, and laps the dew, iv. 1. 21. 
 
 63. Lord, master. Lit., loaf-keeper, as Lady means loaf-kneader. 
 A.S., hldford. where ord is probably equal to ward. Lady is from A. S. 
 hldfdige. Lammas is hldf-macssc = loaf-mass. 
 
 75. Glancing. M. of v. iv. l : " Glancing an eye of pity on his 
 losses." 
 
 81. Forgeries, \\t., fabrics. The root of forge is L,ViX..fabrica, a 
 workshop. It comes through the Fr., the changes being fabrica, faurca, 
 faurga,forga, forge. 
 
 84. Paved fountain, a fountain or stream running over pebbles ; 
 not an artificicdly-parcd fountain. Drayton h?is, pearl-pavedford. Mar- 
 low hdiS pebble-paved-cha7inel, and Milton has coral -jMven- bed. 
 
 85. Margent, a doublet of margin, with excrescent t. 
 92. Continents, '"'"'^■•?; that which contains. 
 
 98. The nine men's morris, an allusion to an old English 
 game, played with nine counters or merrils on each side. 
 
 99. QyXdiiTXt, well-known, hat., cognitus. Through 0. F. fO!w^. 
 
 !b. Mazes, labyrinths, tracks on the grass. The allusion is to a 
 boyish game. Ma::c is of Scand. origin, and the root meaning is to bask 
 in the SU71, to dream, to be lost in thought, and hence to be in perjjlexity. 
 
 100. Tread, from A.S., tredan. Trade is fi*om the same root. 
 
 102. Carol, (I kind of song ; originally, a da7ice. Through the Fr. 
 Carole, of Celtic origin. 
 
 110. Chaplet, « garland, from O.F. chapelet, a wreath. O.F. 
 chapel, is reall}' a hat. Cap is from same root, viz., Low Lai., cappa. 
 
 112. Childing 2i,Vit\XVIllll, fmit-produdng autumn. 
 
 113. Liveries, dresses. Lit., things delivered, as a scrinmfs dress. 
 From Lat., deliberare. 
 
16 
 
 121. Henchman, page, servant. Fr. , A.S., hengest, a horse, and 
 man. The root -meaning is a, groom. 
 
 158. At a fair vestal, &c. The generally received opinion is 
 that this is a piece of flattery addressed to Elizabeth. The mermaid on 
 the dolphin's back, is supposed to refer to Mary Queen of Scots, who 
 iTian-ied the Dauphin. The little loest em flower, has been referred to Amy 
 Bo/tsart, and also to Lettice. Countess of Essex. The whole passage is 
 probably onl}' a. fine fren-y of the poet's. 
 
 1 64. Fancy-free, .h^e from love. 
 
 171. Madly-dote, love to foolishness. 
 
 175. A prophecy of the electric telegraph ? 
 
 183. Charm, « spell, an incantation. Lat., carmen. 
 
 -04. Fawn, i c, as a dog. Ice]., fayna, to rejoice. 
 
 208. Worser, a hidden double comparative. A.S., xvyrs, comp. of 
 fiad. 
 
 220. 'Px'VfiYQ^e, peculiar advantage, Lat., privilegium, a private 
 law in line's favour. 
 
 lb. For that — became. 
 
 237. Mischief, ^ «»■''• ^voval^SiX,., minus andi caput. M/s in English 
 words has two origins. It is (1) O.E., mes, meaning icrong ; (2) a con- 
 traction of minus, bad. 
 
 240. Scandal, an occA.'iiow of evil speaking. From'La.t,, scandedu///, 
 a snare. Urig., the spring of a trap, on which the bait was placed. 
 
 251. Over-canopied, U'ith a canopy over. In French there was 
 Vioth vanopt and conopec. The Lat. word conopeum is from the Greek, 
 meaning an Egyptian bed with mosqtiito curta ins. The Greek word means 
 cone faced, like a gnut. 
 
 256. Weed, a garment. A.S,, waed. Weed, a noxious plant, is from 
 A.S., w^od. 
 
 11. 2. 
 
 1- Roundel, a >tirto? o/ 6a ^^«fZ. From O.F.,/(3»(feZ, modified from 
 rondeau, a diminutive oi round. Cotgrave explains it as "a sonnet that 
 ends as it begins." 
 
 3. Cankers, something that corrodes. From Lat., cancer, a crab. 
 
 4. Rere-mice, or rf^r-mice, bats. A.S., hrtremus. 
 
 11 • Newts, The O.E. word was cwt. The n of the article has stuck 
 to it. The same process is visible in nick-name, for an eke-narne. The 
 opposite process is seen in adder, for vaedre. 
 
 27. Ounce, a kind of lyn.v. Fr., once. The Ital. is lo7iza, wliere 
 the I is a remnant of the article. 
 
 3"- Tarry to delay. From A.S., tergan, to ve.r, which has become 
 
17 
 
 confused with O. F. fargcr, to delay, from Lat., tardus, from which comes 
 
 tardy. 
 
 54. QoxX.TCtBSy.flood manners. O.F., conrtoisic. Ti\t. court-mauners. 
 
 59. Bachelor, f« unmarried man. Derivation uncertain. Some 
 say from Lat., baccalarius, the holder of a small estate. Bacca, a Low 
 Lat. form of vacca, a coiv. Others say it is from Welsh, bach, little. 
 
 68. Approve, ma^'C trial of. Lat., ad pr chare. 
 75. Dank, damj), met. In Swed. a dank, is a moist place in a field. 
 It seems connected with dagg, dew. 
 
 78. Churl, a cmmtryman, a clown. A. S., chiorl, a «;««. 
 
 79. Owe, /'('''•^■f ••'*■, used for o?ow. It occurs Temp., i. 2. 407: "This 
 IS no mortal business, nor no sound that the earth owes." A.S., agan. 
 Own, to confess, is from A.S., utmaii. 
 
 96. Darkling, «« ^^^ ffor^\ From dark and ^i'w^, same as long in 
 headlong. Parad. Lost : — 
 
 "As the wakeful bird 
 Sings darkling, and in shadiest cover hid." 
 Helena may use it for looking black, 
 
 97. "PqxM, l^<!>'il of life. From Lat., jjer«c?<te»i, through Fr., peril, 
 connected with Gr., Trtipcuu, to ^xiss through, and A.S.,faran, to travel. 
 A peril is a trial one passes through. Fear is from the same root. 
 
 99. Eyne, eyes. A.S., edga, plur., eagan. 
 128. Flout, mock; and in iii. 2. 327. Cor. ii. 3. 168 :— 
 " Third Cit. Certainly, 
 
 He flouted us downright. 
 First Cit. No ; 'tis his kind of speech, he did not mock us." 
 From O, T>\\.,fluyt, borrowed from Fr., flaute, which came from Latin 
 flare. Flute has the same origin. 
 
 137. Surfeit, an excess in eating or drinking. From Lat., sur, a 
 contraction i>{ super and factum. 
 
 139. Heresies, chosen beliefs. A heresy really means a choice. It 
 Xiumes from Gr. through Lat., haeresis, a choice. 
 
 154. Swoon, ./«««'^. A.S., swogan, to sigh. Sough, is the sighing 
 of the wind through trees. 
 
 in. 1. 
 
 !• "PSit, Quite to the purpose. V. 188: " It will fall (haip^en) pat." 
 Ham. iii. 3. 73 : " Now willl do it pat." The word is due to a peculiar 
 use ofjMf, from A.S.,plaetau, to strike lightly, andjthe Dn., pas, fit, from 
 Fr. se passer, to he contented. 
 
 •i- Our tiring-house, our dressiiig-room. Tire is a contraction 
 o^ attire. From Lat., ad, and A. S., tir, glory. The Fr. tirer is quite a 
 (liiferent word. 
 
 7. Bully, is used in M. W, W. i. 3. 6, for a brisk, dashing fellow. 
 No doubt a slang word of the period. 
 
 B 
 
18 
 
 12. By'r Isikin, ^y our little lady. Lakin is a contraction of 
 Lady kin. 
 
 lb. Parlous, perilous. As You Like It, iii. 2. 45 : " Thou ai't in a 
 parlous state, shepherd." 
 
 13. When all is done, after all. Macbeth, iii. 4. 67 :— 
 
 " When all's done 
 You look but on a stool." 
 
 15. Not a whit. IVJiit meant originally anything that exists. 
 a creature. Another form is wight. Naught, nought, and not, are eon- 
 tractions of ne, wit. Therefore not a whit is pleonastic ; naughty, 
 meaning worthless, is from the same root, the A.S., wiht, a person. 
 
 22. Eight and. six. That is alternate lines of eight and si.r 
 syllables. Eight and eight would be like the greater part of Scott's Lady 
 of the Lake. This is supposing the accents on the even syllables. But 
 in this play the accents are on the odd syllables in such verses. 
 
 35. Defect, for effect. 
 
 39. It were pity of my life, of my life seems a .sort of oath, 
 
 53. Lanthorn. The spelling is owing to the popular etymology, 
 because harn was used for the sides instead of glass. Fr. Lat., lanterna, 
 borrowed from Greek, from which we get our word larnp. 
 
 55 Chamber, from Lat., camera, through Fr. chambre. 
 
 56. Cluxnk, froni A.S.,«HW, a crack. Wyclif 's Song of Sol. : '-In 
 the chyne of a stone wall." The k is dir?ii7iutivc. 
 
 60. "Present, cct, re2yresfnt. Temp. iv. 1. 167 : '' When 1 preseiUcd 
 Ceres." Disfigure for to figure forth . 
 
 63. Cranny, from Lat., crena, a notch. 
 
 65. Rehearse, to say over again; from re and herce, a harrow. 
 See my Julius C;esar, iii. 2. 163. 
 
 67. Cue, tlie tail-end of the speech of the preceding speaker. 
 M. W. W. iii. 1. 39. From Lat., cauda, through Fr., queue. 
 
 68. Hempen, the en signifies made of. A.S., henep, cogn. with 
 Lat., connahis. 
 
 70. Toward, getting ready. As You Like It, v. 4. 35. 
 73. Odious, for odorous. The opposite blunder in Much Ado 
 About Nothing, iii. 5. 18, "Comparisons are odorous." 
 
 84. Juvenal, jocularly used, as in L. L. L. i. 2, 8 : '* How canst 
 thou part sadness and melancholy, my ieuAerjuvenall" 
 
 109. Translated, transformed. 
 
 114. The ousel-cock, the male blackbird. A.S., osle. The 
 original form of the word is amsala. 
 
 116. The throstle, the song-thrush. The word is from the A.S., 
 throstle, a diminutive of thrush. 
 
 119. Lark, from A.S., Idwerce, worker of guile; pointing to some 
 superstition regarding the bird as of ill omen. Burns has lavrock. The 
 word lark, to play, ought to be spelt laak, and is from a different root. 
 
19 
 
 134. Gleek, scoff, jest. 1 Hen. VI. Act iii. 2. 123 : 
 
 " Where are the Bastard's braves, and Charles his gleeks 1 " 
 The same as Low 'fie, glaik, a, glance. From leel., leikr, a game, and 
 ge a prefix. In A.S. there was gelaca?i, to delude. We have in Scotch 
 a glaikit-loon = a careless boy. 
 
 141. Still, constantly, always. 
 
 148. Moth, or mote. 
 
 152. Apricocks. This is the more correct spelling of our aprkot, 
 and comes directly from the Portuguese, a/6r?co^«c. The Port, is from 
 the Arabic, al-braquq, (al = the) taken from Gr., praikokia, borrowed 
 from theLat.,^rrtft'oj«a, formed from Lat.,p'«e, and coquere. It really 
 means an earJy persica or peach. The word has travelled in a circle. 
 
 161. Hail, fi'om Icel., heill, as ai'e also hale, whole, heal, and holy. 
 Hale, to drag, is from M.E., halien. Hail, frozen rain, is from A. S. , 
 hagal. 
 
 1 72. Squash, an unripe peascod. It is the verb used as a noun, and 
 comes through the French from Lat. , co-actare, to press. T. N. i. 5. 166: 
 " Not yet old enough for a man, nor young enough for a boy ; as a squash 
 is before 'tis a peascod." 
 
 III. 2. 
 
 2. In extremity, to the uf?nost. Lat., extremltatem. 
 
 5. Night-rule, revelry. Rule from Lat., regula. 
 
 7. Close, retired, secret. Lat., clausus. A cathedral close comes 
 from the same root. 
 
 9- "PaXcYies,. foolish fellows, clownish people. M. of V. ii. 5. 46 : 
 '■ The 2)atc/i is kind enough, but a huge feeder." The word generally 
 means a d.omesiic fool, from the parti-coloured or patch-like dress which 
 they wore. The Ital., pazzo, has a much stronger meaning. 
 
 lb- Mechanicals, mere machines, because of using machines. 
 J. C. : " Know you not, being mechanical, you ought not walk," &c. 
 
 17. Nole or Nowle, head. Probably the same as the A.S., knoll, 
 the top of a hill. 
 
 19. Mimic, an actor. Sam. Agon., 1325. Through Lat. from 
 Gr., fUfiog, an actor. 
 
 21. Russet, is a reddish-brown colour. From Lat., russus, red. 
 Mr. Wright says that in Shakespeare's time it meant grey or ash- 
 coloured, and exactly described the appearance of the chough or jackdaw's 
 head. 
 
 36. Latch'd, ,/'«*''*'*^<^ dowji. From A.S., IcBCcan, to lay hold of. 
 Probably connected with Lat. laqueus, a snare. Hanmer says it means 
 licked o'er, from Fr. lecher. 
 
 64. Cb-YCSlSS or ca,rcSiSe, 3. dead body. From Ital. , carcassa, a. 
 shell, from Low Lat., tarcasius, a quiver. The body is the shell, the 
 quiver of the soul. J. C. ii. 1, 174 : ' Not hew him as a carcase fit for 
 hounds.' 
 
20 
 
 ti4. Hounds, cognate with Lat., canis, a dog. 
 
 65. Cur, a small (log. From Swed., kurre, a dog, so named from 
 the growling sound. B is the dog's letter. R. and J. ii. 4. 223, in the 
 scene between Romeo and the Nurse. 
 
 71. Worm, serpent. A. and CI. v. 2. 243 : — 
 
 " Hast thou that pretty worm of Nilus there 
 That kills and pains not ? "' 
 
 Jf>- Adder lias resulted from a nadd<:r, like umpire from a numpire. 
 A.S., naedre. 
 
 72. Doubler-tongUe, i-^--, ^'^^^ more forked tongue, ii. 2. 9 : 
 
 " You spotted snakes with double tongue." 
 
 78. Andif=j/i/: 
 87. Tender, offer. 
 
 90. Misprision, mis-take. 
 
 96. Cheer, countenance. Low Lat., cara, the face ; Gr., Kopa, the 
 head. 
 
 101. Tartar, ^ native of Tartary. This wrong spelling of Tatar 
 has arisen from the popular etymology of Tartars from Tartaric. 
 
 114. Fond pageant, foolish spectacle. Former)}' the movable 
 scaffold, on which the olil "mysteries" were acted. Formed with eavrcs- 
 cent t after n from Low Lat., ^j>rty2Hrt, a plank of wood. In M. of V. 
 i. 1. 11, it is applied to a ship. 
 
 112. Sport alone, incomparable sport. 
 
 121. Befal preposterously, happin in an absurd manner. 
 
 127. Badge of faith, servants wore their masters' badges to 
 distinguish them. Fi'om Low Lat., baga, n golden ring, also a. fetter. 
 
 146. To set against me, to attack me; to set on me. 
 
 148. Injury, insult. 
 
 150. Join in souls, .yoi?; heartily, iom heart and soul. 
 
 157. A trim exploit, & pretty achievement. Trim is from A.S., 
 try man, to make firm, to put in order. Hence, to trim a boat — "Fare- 
 well my trim built wherry." Exploit is frum Lat., caylicittim. 
 
 160 and 161. Extort a poor soul's patience, take her 
 patience away ; i.e., to make her impatient. 
 
 171. My heart, &C., my heart dwelt with her only for a time. 
 
 175. Aby, is another form of abide. In Shakespeare the word is a 
 corruption of M. E. abyen, to redeem, from A.S., abirgan, to pay for. 
 A = off, and bicga7i = to buy. J. C. iii. 1. 95 : " Let no man abide this 
 deed." Abide, to wait for, comes from A.S., abidan. 
 
 188. Oes ciVc if s, a circular disc of metal. 
 
 194. In spite of me —from spite against me. 
 
21 
 
 196. Contrived, from con = cuma.ndturhare, to disturb, through 
 O. F., froi'fr. 
 
 203. Two artificial gods, i-^^-, two gods exercising artificial skill. 
 
 204. Needles, monosyllabic. Sometimes spelt weeWc. From A. S., 
 ■naedl. 
 
 205. Sampler, a doublet of fa-fwjjj/ar. O.F., cxamplaire. 
 
 Ih. Cushion from c/flcitinu?n, a derivative of Lat., rvlciia. a 
 cushion. Quilt is a doublet. 
 
 213. Two of the first, &C. We had two bodies, but one heart, 
 
 like the double coats in heraldry oi husband and wife, with one crest be- 
 tween them. 
 
 237. Ay, do pers^ver. In Shakespeare's time ay was printed /. 
 Therefore the reading may be — {1)1 do. Persever, i.e., I understand. Go 
 on, or (2) Ay, do jycrstver, i.e.. Yes, do go on. 
 
 239. Hold the sweet jest up, keep the merry je?.t going. 
 
 242. Argument, «" olijcct, a butt for your jokes. 
 
 257. Ethiope, Hermia was a brunette. 
 
 279. 'H.O'OB, <'-i'P''<-'tation. Yrom A.?>. , Hopa. Hope, \n forlorn hope 
 is from the Du., verloren hoop, an utterly lost troop. Heap, in a heap of 
 people, is from this hoop. 
 
 282. Juggler, from \j'aX.,joculari. Canker-blossom is formed like 
 kill-joy. 
 
 289. Puppet, a doll. From Fi:, poupef, from Lat.,^;«^;«, a doll. 
 
 300 and 301. Curst, shrewishness. Curst is = shrewd. That was 
 the meaning in Shakespeare's time. See note on ii. 1. 33, and my Notes 
 on Julius Cfesar. 
 
 302. A right maid, « ^''uc maid. Right is A.S., and cognate 
 with Lat., rectum. Maid is from A.S., maegden, a virgin. 
 
 324. Vixen, is the fern, of ]'ox ; another M.E. form of fox. By 
 vowel modification, on adding the fem. suf. en, we get fox, fixen, and 
 vox, vixen. So also from god, we had gyden, a guddess. 
 
 329. Hindering knot-grass, so called because it was super- 
 stitiously believed to have the power of stopping children's growth. 
 
 338. Cheek by jole, <^l'^se together, as the cheek to the jaw. 
 Cheek is from A.S., ctace. It is nearly related Xa jaw, once spelt chaw. 
 Jole is from A.S., ccafl, thejatv. 
 
 339- Oo\\^ disturbance. Temp. i. 2. 207 : — 
 
 " Who was so firm .... that this coil 
 Would not infect his reason ? " 
 From Gael.,^o;7, battle, rage. 
 
 352. Sort, ''"'*" out. Both verb and noun are from Lat., sortem. 
 
 353. As = siyice. See Gram. Notes. 
 
 356. Welkin, sky. A. S., wolcnu, clouds. 
 
22 
 
 372. Wend, gO' From A. S., wendan, to go. The p.p. wende, be- 
 came ivente, and finally went. Wendan is a causal of uindan, to wind, 
 from which come our wind, air in motion, 
 
 380. Aurora's harbinger, the herald of the morning, the 
 morning star. Macb. i. 4. 45. Harbinger means ?l forerunner ; the old 
 form was harhergeour. Bacon, Apophthegm 54, says: "There was a 
 harbinger who lodged a gentleman in a very ill room." Chauc. C. T. 
 5417, says : — 
 
 " The fame anon through all the town is borne 
 By harbergeours that wenten him beforne." 
 
 From Icel., herr, an army, bjarga, to shelter, and suf. our, Cf. Fr.. 
 auherge, 
 
 389. The morning's love, Cephalus. 
 
 395. Business, see note, i. 1. 124, and my Notes on Julius Csesar. 
 
 399. Goblin, a wicked sprite. Spencer, F. Q. ii. 10. 73, speaks of 
 "the wicked gobelines." Through Fr., gobelin , from L,at., gobtiitius. 
 Cobalt is from same root, so called by the miners, from its troublesome- 
 ness. Hob was a popular corruption of Robin, like Hodge for Roger. 
 
 402. Villain. O. Fr. vilein ,- Lat., viUanus, a land steward, then a 
 farm servant, a serf, and so by degradation of meaning to its present use. 
 "j. C. iv. 1. 20: 
 
 " What villain touched his body that did stab, 
 And not for justice." 
 
 lb. Drawn, with swords drawn. A.S., dragan. 
 
 405. Coward, formed by the suf. ard, 0. G., hart, and 0. F., coe, 
 a tail, from Lat, cauda. It means, one who turns tail, 
 
 409. "RecXQBXlt, (ipostate, coward. O, F., recreant, faint-hearted; 
 from Lat., rc-crederc, to recant, to give i7i. 
 
 420. Revenge. From Lat., revindicare. 
 
 461. Jack shall have Jill, The old song says :" Every Jack 
 shall have his Jill ; " i.e., everyone shall have his own sweetheart. Jill 
 is a contraction of Juliana, See a very valuable note in Clarendon Press. 
 
 IV. L 
 
 2. Amiable, lovely, not lovable. Paradise Lost, iv. 250 :~ 
 " Others whose fruit, burnished with golden rind 
 Hung ayniable." 
 
 lb. Coy, caress. O. F. coit, from Lat., quietus. 
 
 13. Fret, to vex ; from A.S. ,freta7i, a compound of for, an intensive, 
 and etan, to eat. 
 
 15. Loath to have you overflown, reluctant to have you 
 flooded. Loath is from A. S., lHati, to travel, to cvptrience, to suffer. 
 The original meaning of the A. S. word laiS was painful. What was 
 painful was loathed. Lead is from the same root. 
 
23 
 
 J 8. Neaf, the closed hand, t\ie fi^t. The word is still used in Scot- 
 land under the form neivc, from Swed., tidfve; Dan. naeve. 
 
 19. Leave your courtesy, i^ut on your hat. 
 
 -!■ Cavalery, for cftDrt^^T. From Lat., cfl6aZ^;<7», a horse. 
 
 30. Provender, dry food for beasts, as hay and corn. The final 
 r is excrescent, as in lavender. In Cor. ii. 1. we find provand. In J. C. 
 iv. 1. 30, we have : " I do appoint him store of provender.''' M. E. was 
 prouende, from Lat., praehcnda, a paynient. There is some confusion 
 between this word and M. E. proucndre, a, preheiidary. 
 
 I^- Munch, chew. From M. E., monchen, an imitative word like 
 ii'umblc. Not from Fr. manger, from Lat. mandiirare. 
 
 31. Bottle, bundle. O. F., hotel, a diminutive of htUte, a bundle. 
 <>. H. G.,po;o ov boco, a bundle of flax, connected with pozan, to beat 
 flax. 
 
 37. Exposition of, disposition for. 
 
 53. Orient pearls, pearls from the East, not simply bright, 
 shining pearls. 
 
 65. Other is plural. It is often written others. M. of V. i. I. 56 : 
 " And other of such sour and vinegar aspect."' The root is Sans., an-tara. 
 An is from ana, this, and tara is a comparative suf. 
 
 104. Vaward, vanguard. The M. E. was vant-xvarde, from 0. F., 
 avant'Warde, later, avant-garde. Hen. V. iv. 3. 130: — 
 
 " My lord, most humbly on my knees I beg 
 The leading of the vauvrd.'' 
 1 1^- Chiding, »oisc simply. 
 
 119. So flew'd, SO sanded. The/«osof a hound are the large 
 overhanging Haps of the mouth. Sanded means of a sandy colour. 
 
 122. Match'd in mouth, &C., mouth is for bark. The idea 
 is that the dogs have barks of different tones, and thus are match'd, like 
 a peal of bells. 
 
 160, Purpose. The noun purpose is from 'Lat.,propositum, O.F., 
 2'ourpos. The verb, to purpose, is from Low Lat., pausare, to cause to 
 rest, which in Fr. usurped the place of ponere, with which it has no 
 connection. Propose is a doublet. The Ft., po?idre, from hiit. , ponere, 
 means to lay eggs. 
 
 19. I have found Demetrius, I have picked up Demetrius, 
 as I might have picked up a jewel, but I feel uneasiness about the 
 pos.session. 
 
 209. The eye of man, Sec. Bottom unconsciously paraphrases 
 
 1 Cor. ii. 9. 
 
 IV. 2. 
 
 '^- Transported, transformed. Kemember they had seen him 
 with the ass's head. 
 
24 
 
 9. Handicraft, from A. S., handcraft, a trade. The i was inserted 
 in imitation oi handiwork, from A. S., hand-gewore. Handicap, is a con- 
 traction of hmid in the cap, hand i' cap, 
 
 13, Paragon, a model of excellence. It comes through the Span., 
 and is formed of the three Lat. prepositions, pro, ad. cum, lit. meaning = 
 compared with. Temp. ii. 1. 75 : " Tunis was never graced before wi:!i 
 such a paragon to their queen." Hamlet calls man '• the paragon < 'f 
 animals." In Othello, ii. 1. 62, it is a verb : 
 
 ' ' He hath achieved a maid 
 That ^arfl(;oHs description.'' 
 
 14. A thing of naught, a worthless thing, a compound of nc, 
 not, and whit, a creature. 
 
 32. Preferred, 'iovprofered. J. C. iii. 1. 28 : — 
 
 " Dec. Where is Metellus Cimber ? Let him go, 
 And presently ^rf/'cT his suit to Caesar.'' 
 
 Y. T. 
 
 7. Lunatic, really a wiOOTJStruck person. From Lat., lunaticus, 
 formed from luna, the moon. 
 
 8- Compact, lit.) fastened together. From Lat., cumpactus, the 
 p.p. of compingcre. 
 
 11- A brow of "Sj^Ypt, i^ dark, su-arthg brow, like a. gipsy's. 
 26. Constancy, consistency, reality. 
 
 34. Our after-supper, our rear-supper, a slight repast after 
 supper, 7iot the time after supper. 
 
 39. Abridgement, an entertainment to abridge the time. From 
 Lat., abbreviare, througli Fr. abreger. 
 42. "Qrief, ^ '^^'ort 2)rogra?n?ne. 
 74. Unbreathed, unskilful, untrained. 
 "5- Nuptial. See Note on i. 1,1. 
 101. Fearful duty, timidly afraid of giving offence 
 
 106. The Prologue is addreSS'd, the prologue is ready. 
 J. C. iii. 1. 29 : " He is address'd." 
 
 123. A recorder, a kind ofjlute. Hamlet, iii. 2, calls the recorder 
 a pipe. 
 
 136. Think no scorn, i-c-, did not disdain. L. L. L. i. 2. 66 : 
 
 " I thi7ik scorU' to sigh." 
 
 138. Hight, U'as nayned. A.S., hatan, to be named. The only in- 
 stance in English of a passive verb formed without an auxiliary. 
 
 141. Did fall, let fall. In Jul. Ca;s. we have, '"They fall their 
 crests." 
 
25 
 
 204. Mural. Theseus doubtless said wall, as Demetrius does in 
 the next line. 
 
 258. Well moused lion, ■•^ficAm and torn, as a cat does a mouse. 
 There may be a slight play on moutked, ranted. 
 
 275. Thrum, ^ftc tufted e>id of a tveaver's thread. Icel., thromr, tlie 
 edge of a thing. 
 
 276. Quell, to kill. A causal of quail, from A.S., cwellan, to kill, 
 to choke. Not connected with kill. 
 
 298. Surgeon, lit., a hand-worker. A corruption of chirurgevii, 
 through the Fr.. fr(jm the Greek, x^^P^ ^^e hand, and tpynv, to work. 
 
 306. Balance, from Lat. , bilancem ; bi for bis, twice, and la7ix, a 
 dish. 
 
 351. This palpable gross play, a play the grossness of which 
 is evident. 
 
 353. SoleYXlTiity, Oi (i<^f of religious worship. Shakespeare often 
 uses it of marriage. We still speak of solemnisitig a marriage. Chaucer 
 writes solempnely for solemnly. It really means an annual religious 
 rite. From solltts, e^itire ; and annus, a year. 
 
 358. Fordone, utterly done, exhausted. For is intensive, as in 
 forlorii. 
 
 371. Frolic, sportive, gay. Du., vrolijk, merry. The word was 
 imported in time of Elizabeth. The original sense \& springing, jumping 
 
 for joy. 
 
 379. Ditty, ^ sort of song. From Lat., dictatum, a thing dictated 
 to be written. 
 
 381. Rote, by repetition; the exact use of the word. O. F. rote, 
 a road : originally a way broken through a forest. The word is most 
 likely from Lat., rupta. 
 
 400. Take his gait, go his ov:n way. Cf. Scotch phrase, gang 
 your ain gait. Ivel. , gata, a 2vay, a street. The root oi gait is the root 
 oi get, and not o^ go. 
 
 421. Give me your hands, dap your hands, by way of 
 applause. 
 
26 
 
 APPENDIX I. 
 PKOSODY. 
 
 Mr. Fleay in his "Shakespeare ^lamiai '" says that this play contains 
 2.251 lines, of which 441 are prose. 878 blank verse, 731 five measure 
 rinifs, 138 short line ri?nes, and 63 lines of sotiffs. We have also the 
 lines sometimes broken up into quatrains and sextains. 
 
 Blank verse, or wirimed heroics, was first used by the Earl of Surrey, 
 who was executed in 1547. He employed it in an English translatinn 
 of the Fourth Book of Virgil's jEneid. Milton's Paradise Lost is written 
 in this measure, as is also Tennyson's Idylls of the King. The five 
 measure rimes is the same kind of lines, the difference being in the fact 
 that every two lines rime. Chaucer wrote his Canterbury Tales in this 
 kind of verse, and Pope was the first to bring it to mechanical per- 
 fection. 
 
 A correct blank verse consists oi five feet, each of two syllables, with 
 an accent or stress falling on the even syllables ; thus, — 
 
 And rock | the ground | whereon | these sleep | ers be. iv. 1. 85. 
 Doth glance | from heaven | to earth, | from earth | to hei'iven. v. 1. 13. 
 I read | as much | as from | the ratt | ling tongue, v. 1. 102. 
 In maid | en med | ita | tion fan | cy free. ii. 1. 164. 
 
 A very little consideration will show that a long speech, and move 
 especially a whole play written with this unvarying I'egularity would be 
 monotonous and wearisome. Therefore we have several modifications, 
 as enumerated below, and these, with a judicious distribution of the 
 pauses and cadences, are to our heroic verse what the mixture of spondees 
 and dactyls are to Greek and Latin Hexameters. They are perfectly 
 legitimate, and in fact necessary to real artistic work. Prose is generally 
 used by Shakespeare for letters, dialogues between servants, light con- 
 versation, and jests. The most remarkable exception occurs in the 
 speech of Brutus at Caesars funeral in the play of Julius Cfesar. 
 
 N.B. — The characteristic of the heroic verse is its being poised on the 
 f(7ith syllable. It may have twelve syllables and yet be a heroic verse. 
 If there are twelve syllables and the siress falls on the sixth and twelfth, 
 with a pause after the sixtlf, the verse is an Alexandrine, like the last 
 line of each stanza of Childe Harold. But twelve syllables do not uf 
 themselves make an Alexandrine nor do ten make an heroic verse. 
 
 Shakespeare also obtains a relief from monotony by the use of half- 
 lines or hemistichs. They give variety to long speeches. Many diffi- 
 culties occur in scanning the verse of short dialogues ; but I do not 
 believe Shakespeare troubled to see that all his verses were regular, and 
 it is better to confess that certain lines cannot be scanned than to com- 
 pose rules to suit irregularities. 
 
27 
 
 The following are the legitimate variations in blank verse. — 
 
 1. After the tenth syllable an unaccented syllable, or even two, may 
 be added (especially if the verse ends with a proper name) ; the rhythm 
 being completed with the tenth syllable, what follows is only a slight 
 echo, or as it were ' ' a replication of the sound." 
 
 The kind | er w6 | to give | them thanks | for noth | ing. v. 1. 
 
 To her | be hates ? | and where | fore doth | Lysand | er. iii. 2. 228. 
 
 They would | have stolen | away | they woiild | Deme | trius. iv. 1. 155. 
 
 N.B. — In Italian heroic verse an extra syllable is the rule. 
 
 2. Some of the stresses may be slight, especially the last. 
 
 We'll. hold I a feast | in great | solem | nity | iv. 1. 184 
 (,)f lear | ning late | deceased | in begg | ary v. 1. 53 
 
 3. In any of the feet the stress may be thrown on to the odd syllable, 
 provided this is not done in two adjoining feet. This rarely happens in 
 the fifth foot, seldom in the second, and generally when it does happen 
 it is after a pause. 
 
 Wishes I and tears | poor fan | cy's fol | lowers, i. 1. 155. 
 
 Cupid I all armed | a cer | tain Aim | he took. ii. 1. 157. 
 
 Slow in I pursuit | but matched | in mouth | like bells, iv. 1. 122. 
 
 Judgewhen | you hear. | But soft, | what nymphs | areth^se? iv. 1.126. 
 
 4. The syllables alternating with the accented ones may or may 
 not be accented also. 
 
 Ho ho I ho Cow I ard why | comest | thou not? iii. 2. 421. 
 
 5. In any one of the places occupied by an unaccented syllable, two 
 ir even more unaccented syllables may be introduced. 
 
 Her. Yea, | and my fath j er and | Hippol | yta. iv. 1. 195. ii. 1. 24.5. 
 Hcl. Happy I is Her | mia whe're | so'er | she lies. ii. 2. 90. ii. 2. 141. 
 
 N.B. When the number of stresses is less than five, it is useless to try 
 and make out the line to be heroic. 
 
 '■'Fairy. Are not | you he? 
 Puek. Thou speak'st I aright." 
 
 Coleridge says in cases of this kind we may imagine the pause filled 
 up by some kind of action. Coleridge himself has not dared to follow 
 the example in any of his own works. Variety is also obtained by 
 breaking up lines between two or more speakers. In these cases we can 
 often scan the lines by (1) observing that they overlap; (2) the last 
 speaker completes the verse of the former speaker ; (3) an interruption 
 is disregarded ; (4) but very often the lines will not form an heroic verse. 
 
 The rimed heroics, though subject to the same laws as unrimed heroics, 
 are almost of necessit}' more regular. 
 
 N.B. In some plays Shakespeare is supposed to have used rimed 
 couplets to indicate a change of scene, but it would be difficult to prove 
 that statement from this play. 
 
 As examples of different kinds of verse used in this play, we give 
 
 1. a Quatrain, ii. 2. 35-38. 
 
 Fair love, | you faint | with wand | ering in | the wood, 
 Arid I to speak truth | I have | forgot | our way, 
 
28 
 
 We'll rest | us, Herm | ia, if | you think | it good, 
 And tar | ry for | the c6m | fort of | the day, ii. 2. 35. 
 2. A Sextain, iii. 2, 431-436. 
 
 O wea I ry night, | O long | and te | dious night, 
 Abate | thy hours ! j Shine com | forts from | the east, 
 That r I may back | to A'th | ens by | daylight. 
 From those | that my | poor com | pany | detest : 
 And sleep | that some | times shuts | up sor | row's ^ye 
 Steal me | awhile | from mine | own com | pany. iii. 2. 431. 
 N.B. The rimes in a sextain are like the last six lines of Shakes- 
 peare's sonnets ; and each line is a verse of five feet. 
 
 The eight and six verse spoken of in iii. 1. 21 would be the old 
 ballad measure like Chevy Chase, if the accent wei'e on the eveji syl- 
 lables ; and the eight and eight\\\o\x\A resemble the verse in Scott's Lady 
 of the Lake, if under the same conditions. Bottom's Song, iii. 1. 114, 
 is eight and */.r ballad measure. 
 
 The 6us I el cock | so black | of hue 
 With o I range tawn ] y bill. 
 The thros | tie with | his note | so true, 
 The wren | with lit | tie quill. 
 N.B. These verses are English Iambics. 
 
 The interlude of Pyramus and Thisbe is written for the most part in 
 rimed heroics, the rimes being in Quatrains, generally ttvo together, fol- 
 lowed by a couplet. The speech of Wall is in couplets. Sometimes 
 three Quatrains are together. The short lines contain three feet and two 
 feet. Appended are a few lines of special difficulty. 
 
 How now, I Spirit whither | wander | y6u ? ii. i. 1. 
 Spirit and ichither are monosyllabic. 
 
 Abbot says verses of four accents are rare, except when fairies or 
 witches are introduced as speaking. 
 
 I' do I Wander | every | where 
 Swifter | than the | moon's | sphere, ii. 1. 6 & 7. 
 Abbot seems to take moons as m6-on"s. I prefer Mo6n-es. See 
 Gram. Notes. 
 
 N.B. These verses are English Trochaics. 
 This is I he', my | master | said, 
 (De)spised j the Ath | ^nian | maid, 
 (And) here the | maiden | sleeping | sound 
 O'n the I dank and | dirty | ground, ii. 2. 72-5. 
 Instead of making all these four lines trochaic. Abbot scans 74 as an 
 iambic, thus : 
 
 And here | the maid | en sleep — ing sound. 
 By dropping a syllable in v. 1 . 397-8 we get — 
 (De)spised | in na | tivi I ty 
 Shall up I on their | children | be. 
 Again — 
 
 Pretty I soul she 1 durst not | lie 
 
 Near this | lack-love | this kill | courte | sy. ii. 2. 76. 
 
29 
 
 Or this— 
 
 Near this | lack love ; this kill | court'sy. 
 
 Abbot scans line 77, thus — 
 
 (Near this) hick-love | this kill | courte | sy. 
 
 Dropping the second this we have — 
 
 Near this | lack-love | kill court' 1 sy. 
 
 And with | her person | age her | tall per | sonage. iii. 2. 292 
 
 Abbot scans the line thus, but 1 question if the line is a heroic virm. 
 At any rate mi/ car can feel no rhythm in this scansion of it. By dro])- 
 ping the o in the second personage, or pronouncing it quickly, we get a 
 heroic line. Or it may be scanned like (4), page 33 of my Notes on 
 Julius Cpesar. Tall is evidently to be accented. 
 
 Be not I afi'aid: | she shall | not harm | thee, Hel | ena. iii. 2. 321. 
 Yet but I three ? | come one | more. 
 Two of I both kinds | make up | four. 
 Here she | comes, I ciirst and | sad. iii. 2. 439. 
 The sqiiir | rels ho | ard and | fetch thee | new nuts | ; 
 Or- 
 
 The squir | els hoard | and fetch | thee n^w | (e) niits. 
 In v. I. 91 and 92, Abbot would supply the words (but would) thus : — 
 
 And what | poor dii | ty can | not do | but woiild. 
 Noble I respect | takes not | in might | but mer j it. 
 
 N.B. Egeus, courtesy, juggler, changeling, are trisyllabic. 
 
 Are, every, where, room, fire, three, comes, hoard, dissyllabic. 
 AVhether, whither, either, ever, spirit, needles, monosyllabic. 
 Dissension, quadrisyllahic. 
 
 Either I' j mistake | your shape | and mean | ing quite, ii. 1. 32. 
 Anon I his This | be must | be an | swer-ed. iii. 2. 18. 
 
 me I you jugg | (e)le'r, | you can | ker bids | som. iii. 2. 282. 
 While I' I thy am | la | ble cheeks | do coy. iv. 1. 2. 
 
 1 know I a bank | where | the wild | thyme blows, ii. 1. 249. 
 But ro I om, fai | ry, here | comes O'b | eron. ii. 1. 58. 
 
 Hel. Mine own | and not | mine own. | iv. 1. 191. 
 Bern. Ari \ you sure ? 
 
 Melt I ed as I the snuw | seems to | me now. iv. 1. 165. 
 
 The trimeter couplet is an apparent Alexandrine : — 
 
 Most rad | iant Pyr | amus || most lil | y white ( of hue. | iii. 1. 82, and 
 
 also 83, 84, and 85. 
 Therefore | be out | of hope || of ques | tion | of doiibt. | iii. 2. 279. 
 
 Accent the following words thus : — 
 
 Edict, sinister, sojoiirned, persever, rheumatic. Hermia is printed 
 Hermy, and is to be so pronounced on several occasions. 
 
30 
 
 APPENDIX II. 
 
 ACT I. 
 
 Sc. 1. 10. Rowe supplied the reading ncw-hent. Ttie two quartos of 
 1600 and t\iG folio of 1623 read now-hcnt. See Note. 
 
 lb. 76. For earthlier happy (happy in a more earthly sense) we have 
 earthly happier ; Pope and Johnson give earlier happy, and Stevens 
 earthly happy ; the folio has earthlier happie. 
 
 lb. 136. For, to low, the quartos and folio read, to lowe (love). TheTi- 
 bald made the alteration, which the antithesis insudeA. 
 
 lb. 143. The quartos have momentany, the folios, moraeutary. The 
 meaning is the same. 
 
 lb. 159. The quartos have remote ; xhe folios, removed. Ham. i. 4. 46 
 has, " It wafts you to a more removed ground." In As You Like It, we 
 have, " So I'emoved a dwelling." 
 
 lb. 187. The quartos and first folio have, " Your words I catch." 
 Yours would I catch is Hanmer's reading, and gives the better meaning. 
 
 lb. 200. Fisher, who printed the first quarto, has no fault. The quarto 
 printed by Roberts and the folios have none for no fault. 
 
 lb. 216. Theobald altered swell'd to sweet : and in 
 
 lb. 219. Strange companions to stranger companies. We find com- 
 panies in Hen. V. i. 1. .t5 for companions. 
 
 Ih. 232. The modern editors have vile. Shakespeare and Spenser 
 have most commonly vild. In Jul. Cces., '• How vildly doth this cynic 
 rime." 
 
 ACT II. 
 
 Sc. 1. 35. Villagery, sometimes written Vilagree. It means the 
 population of the villages. 
 
 Ih. 59. Knight gives Se. 2 as beginning here. 
 lb. 101 and 102. Knight's reading is: — 
 
 " The human mortals want ; their winter here, 
 No night is now with hymn or carol blest " 
 
 The original reading of 101 is : — 
 
 " The humane mortals want their winter heere." 
 
 Johnson says winter means winter evening sports. Theobald proposed, 
 their tuinter cheer. 
 
 lb. 190. The quartos and folios have, stay .... stayeth, for slay .... 
 slayeth. In iii. 2. 76, Hermia asks Demetrius if he has slain Lysander. 
 
 Ih. 220. Malone's reading is, " Your virtue is my privilege for that." 
 
 Ih. 249. Steevens and Pope read whereon for where. 
 
 lb. 254. Bowers has been suggested iov flowers. 
 
 Sc. 2. Knight calls this Sc. 3. 
 
 lb. 49. Tha folio has interchanged. 
 
 Ih. 104. For shows, the quartos read shewes. The folio has, Nature 
 here shews art. Shewes suits the Prosody. 
 
31 
 
 ACT III. 
 
 Sc. 1. 127-129. In the quarto printed by Roberts lines 127 and 128 
 lire transposed. 
 
 lb. 180. The quartos and first folio have you for your. Dyce printed 
 you of. This makes Bottom's phrase the same as in lines 168 and 174. 
 
 Sc. 2. 48. For the deep Coleridge suggested knee-deep. 
 
 U). 250. The quartos a,nd folios \ia.ye praise for prayers. 
 
 lb. 344. This line is omitted in the folio of 1623. 
 
 //). 346. The folios have willingly ; the quartos, wilfully. 
 
 ACT. IV. 
 
 Sc. 1. 10. In the quartos and the folio, mou7isieur. Knight reads 
 monsieur. 
 
 lb. 28. The folio has here a stage direction. " Music, Tongs : Rural 
 Music." 
 
 lb. 89, Another reading is Posterity. See v. 1. 410. 
 
 ACT V. 
 
 Sc. 1. 42. The folio has rife for ripe. 
 
 lb. 44 to 60. In the folio Lysander reads the list and Theseus makes 
 the remarks. 
 
 lb. 59. Pope omitted this line. None of the readings ai-e satisfactory. 
 Hanmer suggests wondroiis scorching snow. 
 
 lb. 263. The former readings were beams and streams. Mr. Knight 
 says he suggested gleams because of the alliteration. 
 
 Ih. 404 and 405. In the quartos and folios these lines are transposed. 
 Rowe suggests it for in. Mr. Knight begins the Second Scene at 355. 
 
 APPENDIX III. 
 
 PUNS. 
 
 '• And here am I, and wood (mad) within the wood." ii. 1. 192. 
 " Some of your French crowns have no hair at all." i. 2. 87. 
 " For lying so, Hermia; I do nut lie." ii. 2. 51. 
 '• This fellow doth not stand u^on points." v. 1. 118. 
 " Indeed he hath played upon his pi'ologue, like a child uj)oii a re- 
 corder." V. 1. 122. 
 
 " I am aweary of this moon — would he would change."" v. 1. 242. 
 
 " No die but an ace for him ; for he is but one." v. 1. 296. 
 
 " You have her father's love, Demetrius." 
 
 " Let me have Hermia's : do you marry him." i. 1. 94 
 
82 
 
 APPENDIX IV. 
 
 ALLITERATION. 
 
 Alliteration often adds an additional charm to the music of verse. It 
 was the distinguishing mark of A. S. poetry. The following are a few 
 examples from this play of" Apt Alliteration's Artful Aid ": — 
 
 ■Toy'it your /ancles to your/ather's will." i. 1. 118. 
 " Wishes and tears — poor/«?R'y"s /bllowers." i. 1. 158. 
 " And w/*en this ^ail some ^eat from /fermia felt." i. 1. 244. 
 " In /rtaiden meditation, y'ancy-A'ee-"' ii- 1. 164. 
 ■ Some to ^-ill cankers in the musd'-rose buds." 
 " VVhat /iempen Aome-spuns ^ave we swaggering /«erc." iii. 1. 68. 
 "I am_/eared in /'leld and town. ' iii. 2. 398. 
 " The poet's e^'e in a/ine/renzy rolling." v. 1. 12. 
 Alliteration is ridiculed in, — 
 
 " Whereat with 61ade, with iloody, Mameful Jlaile, 
 He bravely iroach'd his foiling, Woody ireast ; 
 And Thisby ^'arrying in mulberry shade, 
 His f/agger rfrew, and fZied." v. I. 145. 
 
 And so also in Pyramus' speech, v. 1. 261 to 270. 
 
 APPENDIX V. 
 
 Estimate / 
 Esteem \ 
 
 Aim. 
 
 Corona | 
 Coronet ( 
 
 Crown. 
 
 Cleric 
 
 Clerk. 
 
 Camera 
 
 Chamber 
 
 Copula 
 
 Conception 
 
 Debit 
 
 Couple. 
 Conceit. 
 Debt. 
 
 Exemplar 
 Faction 
 
 Sampler. 
 Fashion. 
 
 DOUBLETS. 
 
 
 Gaud 
 
 Joy. 
 
 Licjuor 
 
 Liqueur. 
 
 Ration 
 
 Reason. 
 
 Recuperate 
 
 Recover. 
 
 Regulate 
 
 Rule. 
 
 Secure 
 
 Sure. 
 
 Senior 
 
 Sir. 
 
 Separate 
 
 Sever. 
 
 Strict 
 
 Strait. 
 
 Tradition 
 
 Treason. 
 
 GRAMMATICAL PECULIARITIES. 
 
 1. Adjectives in ful, less, ble, and ice have both an active and 
 pctssive meaning. Hence 
 
 Admirable \s, passive in v. 1. 27. 
 Fearfdl isactivem v. 1. iul and v. 1. 16o. 
 
33 
 
 Blameful is passive in v. 1 1. 14 5. 
 Artificial is active in iii. 2. 203. 
 
 2. Double Comparatives. — More better assurmice, iii. 1. 17 ; worser, 
 ii. 1. 208 ; and lesser, are hidden double comparatives. 
 
 3. Omission of the Article. 
 
 "More tuneable than lark to shepherd'.s ear." i. 1. 184. 
 "And Thisbe tarrying in mulberry shade." v. 1. 47. 
 '■ For if I should as lion come in strife.'' v. i. 220. 
 
 4. The adjective other is used as plural pronoun in " That he waking 
 when the other do.'' iv. 1. 65. Some is u.sed ^or certain in other some, 
 i. 1. 226. 
 
 (5) Flat Adverbs. 
 
 " So yM^(?A: bright things come to confusion." i. 1. 149. 
 
 " Hop as light as bird from briar." v. 1. 370. 
 
 " It is not enough to speak, but lo speak true." v. 1. 120. 
 Flat adverbs are not adjs. used as adverb.s. Many of our adverbs are 
 remains of inflections of nouns and adjs. In this play we have needs 
 a noun genitive, sometime a noun accusative, else an adj. genitive, and 
 seldom an adj. dative. The dative of many adjs. ending in e, a separate 
 syllable, was used for an adverb ; this c ceased to be (1) pronounced, (2) 
 written, but (3) the usage has survived. This is the origin of our 
 Flat Adverbs, such as speak loud, run fast. &c. 
 
 We have many coinpound words, chiefly adjective. This can be ex- 
 plained on the principle of the Flat Adverbs- Childhood-imwcenee, 
 fancy-frrc, after-supper, new-bent, thrice -blessed, sealing-day, over-fill, 
 self-affair, primrose-beds, homespuns, big-bellied, over-canopied, crook- 
 kneed, dew-lapped, field-dew, lack-love, kill-courtesy, giant-like, russet- 
 pated, guest-wise, grim-looked. 
 
 6. Along is used for along with me in i. 1. Never so weary, never so 
 in woe, iii. 2. 442, seem to be used adverbially, like our phrase ever so 
 high. 
 
 So is used for then in i. 1 245, 
 
 " And when this hail some heat from Hermia felt. 
 So he dissolved, and showers of oaths did melt." 
 
 7. Conjunctions. — A7i't were for as if it were in ' I will roar you an't 
 were any nightingale,' i. 2. 86. Si7ice is used for whe7i in " Thou re- 
 momberest since once I sat upon a promontory," ii. 1. 149. In be it 
 so. she will not, i. 1. 39 = If it be so that she will not. 
 
 8. Prepositions. — Against is used to express time in " I'll charm 
 his eyes against she do appear," iii. 2. 99. 
 
 By originally meant 7iear, and is so used in " At a fair vestal throned 
 by the west." ii. 1. 58. 
 
 Of = for the sake of in " Speak of all loves," ii. 2. 154. 
 
 Of = at or concerning in " I wonder of," iv. 1. 130. 
 
 Of = as regards or concerning in " I shall desire you of more acquain- 
 tance," ii. 1. 183. 
 
 Of = during in " There sleeps T. sometime of the night." 
 
 Of is redundant in *' Make choice of which your highness will see 
 first," V. 1. 43. 
 
 On = o/" in " Fond on her," ii. 1. 266. 
 
 So is omitted in i, 1, 81. 
 
 c 
 
34 
 
 9. — Pronouns. — PIe is used like hie, as opposed to ille, in iii. '2. 25, 
 
 " And at our stamp, here o'er and o'er one falls, 
 He murder cries, and help from Athens calls." 
 
 He is used for moM in ii. 1. 34, 
 
 " Are nut you he 
 That frights the maidens ?" 
 
 Following the example of E. E,. we find my and mine often used 
 without distinction. But we have it for the sake of antithesis before a 
 vowel in ii. 1. 88, " My ear should catch your voice, my eye your eye," 
 and for emphasis in " To follow me, and praise my eyes and face." 
 
 Who is omitted in ii. 1. 260, "A sweet Athenian lady (who) is in 
 love," and in ii, 2. 72, 
 
 " This is he my master said 
 (Who) Despised the Athenian maid." 
 
 Which may, perhaps, be used for its kindred whether in v. 1. 305, 
 
 " A mote will turn the balance 
 Which Pyramus which Thisbe is the better." 
 
 So AS is equivalent to so that, and is followed by the subjunc- 
 tive in — 
 
 " And lead these testy rivals so astray 
 As one come not within another's way." iii. 2. 
 
 That = at which time, when (quum) in — 
 
 " Now it is the time of night 
 That the graves all gaping wide." v. 1. 363. 
 and in — 
 
 " Is not this the day 
 That Hermia should give answer of her choice?"" iv. 1. 134. 
 
 That for when after now is omitted in " And now I have the boy, 
 I will undo." iv. 1. 67, and in "For tiow our observation is per- 
 formed." iv, 1. 103. 
 
 For that = because in — 
 
 " For that 
 It fs not night when I do see your face." ii. 1. 220. 
 
 N.B. That with a preposition often has a conjunctival force. 
 
 " You xcere best to call them generally man by man." Shakespeare 
 doubtless took you here for nominative, but this is the remains of an old 
 idiom — older than Chaucer, in which yoic was dative. Remember that 
 in the early stages of the language you was accusative and nominative, 
 but ye always nominative. This distinction is very carefully observed 
 in the Bible, but the Elizabethan dramatists often take ye as accusative, 
 a thing which was nevei- done in (). E. I think the rhythm of the verse 
 accounts for this poetic license — ye takes a much lighter stress than yoi(. 
 Shakespeare uses my, mine indiscriminately. 'Em, in Shakespeare, is 
 a contraction for "hem." the O. E. form of the?n. 
 
 Thou and You. — Thou in Shakespeare's time was very much like 
 " du " now among the Germans, the pronoun (1) of affection towards 
 
35 
 
 friends, (2) good-humoured superiority to servants, (3) contempt nr 
 anger to strangers. It had become, however, somewhat archaic, and 
 was naturally adopted (4) in the higher style, and in the language of 
 prayer. Abbot, Sh., Gr., 231. We find, therefore, Shakespeare often 
 using you as we do now, and changing to thou owing to some change of 
 feeling, or to some heightening of the importance or gravity of the 
 occasion. Note these remarks each time yoto or thou, appears in the 
 play. 
 
 10. Verbs. — Shall is used for n-ill with a slight touch of its 
 original meaning of obligation, in '' Fear not, my lord, your servant 
 shall do so." ii. 1. 268. 
 
 Should seems to imply a dtnial of a slander in " Why should you 
 think that I should love in scorn, iii. 2. 122. 
 
 Might originally meant could, as in '' But I might see young Cupid's 
 tiery shaft," ii. 1 161, and may meant ia?i. 
 
 Must in Shakespeare often has a future meaning, as " To Theseus 
 must be wedded."' ii. 1. 72. 
 
 Waxen, in ii. 1. 56, is a remnant of the Midland plural. 
 
 In " Two of both kinds makes up four,'' the subject may be looked 
 upon as singular in thought. 
 
 To is omitted in "How long within this wood intend you stay." 
 ii. 1. 138. As regards the omi.ssion of the " to," it is also omitted after 
 shall, will, can, may, do, must, let, and generally after bid, dare, hear, 
 inake, and see. Originally the to was prefixed to the gerund, and never 
 to the present infinitive ; but as the infinitive came gradually to be used 
 instead of the gerund, the to came more and more to be prefixed to the 
 infinitive, and finally to be considered the necessary appendage of it. 
 In the " Mirror for Magistrates." 1574, \vc find 
 
 " And though we owe the fall of Troy requite. 
 Yet let revenge thereof from Gods to light.'' 
 
 Imagining in v. 1. 21 = if one imagines. 
 
 In ''I AM TO DISCOURSE wondcTS," iv. 1. 29, Abbot says ready is 
 understood after am. But we have the idiom oftentimes in Shakespeare; 
 as "' I am to learn " in the M. of V. It means / have to, or I must. 
 
 In ii. I. 35-39 the verbs skim, labour, and make are in the second per- 
 son, and ought to be in the third. There seems to be a confusion between 
 Are not you the ■person who, and Bo not you 1 
 
 In " And vows so born," iii. 2. 124, we have a Nom. Abs. 
 We have two very great irregularities in — 
 
 11. " This is the greatest error of all the rest," v. 1. 239, 
 
 and " He hath simply the best wit of any handicraftman in Athens," 
 iv. 2. 9. 
 
 This is owing to a common confusion of two constructions in the 
 superlative. Compare Milton's famous line •' The fairest of her daugh- 
 ters Eve." 
 
 The two constructions in v. i. 239 are " This is the greatest error of 
 all,'' and " This error is greater than all the rest." 
 
 12. i^ouns. — Nouns of more than one syllable do not take the possessive 
 inflection in speaking or writing, thus : — "Did not great Julius bleed 
 
36 
 
 for justice sake ?" J. C. iv. 3. 19. In fact, in Shakespeare the use of 
 the sign of the possessive in such phrases is uniformly omitted. Thus 
 we find " ccmscience sake," " safety sake" "praise sake" "fashio?i sake." 
 
 The " apostrophe " did not come into general use until nearly the 
 end of the seventeenth century. It arose in two ways. 
 
 (1.) " Is ■" or " cs " marking the genitive was a sepai-ate syllable, and 
 we find " is " often written apart from its noun. When it ceased to be 
 pronounced as a separate syllable the loss of the vowel was shown by the 
 apostrophe. In Shakespeare we find— 
 
 " Larger than the moones sphere." M. N. D. 
 " His teeth as white as whales bone." L. L. L. 
 
 (2.) Ben Jonson, finding this is a separate syllable, started the absurd 
 idea that the 0. E. genitive inflection was the pronoun " his." This 
 theory prevailed up to the time of Addison, and doubtless had some 
 effect on the use of the apostrophe. 
 
 13. Uses of BUT, SAVE, ONLY, and AS. 
 
 But is a compound of " be " (by) and " out," and O. E. "butav." Thus 
 it signified originally be, out, out-take, or except. It may be 
 (I). A Conjunc ion. 
 (2). A Preposition. 
 (3). An Adverb. 
 In modern English it may be translated by nisi, praeter, quin, sed, and 
 verum, and in Scotland and the North of England by extra and sine. 
 
 In all the examples in which but occurs, it is possible, by supplying 
 words, to make but a conjunction. Examples in this play are : — 
 
 1. Conj. :— 
 
 '' Not Hermia htt Helena I love." ii. 2. 113. 
 
 '• Do not believe but I shall do thee mischief." ii. 1. 236. 
 
 " I do not doubt but to hear them say it is a sweet comedy." iv, 2. 35. 
 
 2. A Preposition in : — 
 
 " You have no man in all Athens able to discharge Pyramus but he." 
 
 " No more yielding but a dream." v. 1. 
 
 '' He will not know what all hit he do know." i. 1. 229. 
 
 3. Adverb in : — 
 
 " To whom you are but as a form in wax." i. 1. 49. 
 " I would my father looked but with my eyes." ii. 1. 56. 
 " My heart to her hut as guest-wise sojourned." iii. 2. 171. 
 " Begin these wood-birds hut to couple now? " iv. 1. 138. 
 
 Save, as a preposition, is derived from French sauf. It is probably 
 the remains of an absolute case. It is used only once in M. N. I). ; in 
 " Save that, in love unto Demetrius." iii. 2. 309. One thing, or this 
 seems to be understood. But most likely the full sense is, this one thing 
 being saved or excepted. 
 
 Only is an adverb and an adjective. It comes from A. S. an, one, and 
 lie, like: — "He hail'd down oaths that he was only mine." i. 1. 243. 
 
37 
 
 As, when a conjunction ov an adverb, comes from al awa. But as, the 
 relative pronoun, comes from e^, meaning which. The general idea is, 
 tliat it is simply the same word used as different parts of speech. In 
 " As I can take it with another herb." ii. 1. 184. As is most likely a 
 nl.-pro. with it redundant. In " Such separations as may well be said." 
 ii. 2. 58, as is a rel. pro., as it nearly always is after such. 
 
 14. His is a true </miii'i'c of the root A«. In O. E. it had a plural Awe. 
 His was once the genitive of it. The form its only began to appear about 
 the end of the sixteenth century. Its is not found in the Bible of 
 1611, or in Spenser, and rarely in Shakespeare. " To take from thence 
 all error with his might."' iii. 2. 368. His here is for its. So also 
 V. i. 365. 
 
 INTERCHANGE OF PARTS OF SPEECH. 
 
 Noun used as a verb: — I do estate unto Demetrius. Childing 
 autumn. Versing love. 
 
 Noun used as an adjective : — The Carthage Queen. Handicraft man. 
 
 Adjective used as a noun : — In least, speak most. v. i. 105. 
 
 Intransitive verb used transitively : — Lingers my desires. 
 Her mantle she did fall. 
 
 PROPER NAMES. 
 
 Ariadne was the daughter of Minos, king of Crete, who extricated 
 Theseus from the labyrinth. In the classical story she accompanied 
 liim to Greece, but was deserted at Naxos, where Bacchus married her, 
 and placed her crown as a constellation in the heavens. North's 
 I'lutarch says that the priest of Bacchus married her, and gives an 
 alternative story of her having hanged herself, when Theseus cast 
 her oif. 
 
 Cadmus, was the founder of Thebes, in Bceotia. He introduced the 
 alphabet into Greece. 
 
 Cephalus, was " The Morning's Love." He was grandson of Cecrops, 
 king of Attica, and was beloved by Aurora, or Eos, the goddess of dawn. 
 
 CoRiN, for Corydon, is the name of a shepherd in Virgil's Second 
 Eclogue. 
 
 CupiD, the god of Love, was the son of Venus. He was supposed to 
 have two kinds of arrows ; one tipped with gold, to cause love, and the 
 other with lead to repel love. The blindness of Cupid has no classical 
 authority. 
 
 Egeus. In Plutarch, Egeus is father of Theseus. 
 
 Egle, a nymph, daughter of Panopeus. According to North's Plu- 
 tarch Theseus deserted Ariadne for Egle. 
 
 Ercles or Hercules, the son of Zeus and Alcmena, famous for his 
 great strength and his twelve labours. 
 
 C2 
 
38 
 
 Hecate, was Selene or Luna, the moon, in Heaven, Artemis or Diana 
 on earth, and Persephone or Proserpina in Hades. In As You Like 
 It, she is called thrice-crowned Queen of Night. 
 
 HippoLTTA. Hippolyte was daughter of Ares and sister of Antiope, 
 the Queen of the Amazones. There are three stories about her. 
 
 (1) She was married to Theseus. 
 
 (2) She was slain by Hercules, who carried off her girdle, her father's 
 gift. 
 
 (3.) She invaded Attica, to avenge herself on Theseus, who had 
 carried off and married Antiope. 
 
 LiMANDER is for Leander, the lover who swam the Hellespont to visit 
 Hero. 
 
 Ninny was Ninus. king of Babylon, and husband of Semlramis. 
 
 Phillida, the accusative form of Phillis, a girl mentioned in Virgil's 
 Third Eclogue. 
 
 Philostrate, is the name taken by Arcite in Chaucer's " Knight's 
 Tale." 
 
 Robin Goodfellow, or Puck, was a son of Oberon. Puck is not a 
 proper name, it is an appellative meaning, a wicked mischievous sprite. 
 Compare Irish puca "«?» elf," and Gaelic bocan, a spectre. Our words, 
 Bogy, and btig in bug-hear, are kindi'ed forms. 
 
 Shafalus, is Cephalus, and Procrus is for Procris, his wife, whom he 
 shot in a wood, mistaking her for a wild beast. 
 
 Taurus, a mountain range in Asia Minor. 
 
 TiTAMA. This name is Shakespeare's own. The popular belief iden- 
 tified the queen of the fairies with Diana, and her attendant fairies as 
 the classic nymphs of the latter goddess. In this play the king of fairy- 
 land is Oberon, Titania is queen, they have a court like earthly mon- 
 archs, an order of chivalry, and a jester. " the shrewd and knavish sprite, 
 Robin Goodfellow." 
 
 FAMILIAR QUOTATIONS. 
 
 Turn melancholy forth to funerals ; 
 The pale companion is not for our pomp. 
 
 To you your father should be as a god. 
 
 But earthlier happy is the rose distill'd. 
 
 Than that which withering on the virgin thorn 
 
 Grows, lives and dies in single blessedness. 
 
 The course df true love never did run smooth. 
 
 So quick bright things come to confusion. 
 
 Then let us teach our trial patience, 
 Because it is a customary ci'oss. 
 
 More tuneable than lark to shepherd's ear, 
 
 When wheat is green, when hawthorn buds appear. 
 
39 
 
 Things base and vile, holding no quantity, 
 Love can transpose to form and dignity. 
 
 A very good piece of work, I can assure you, and a merry. 
 
 And this same progeny of evils comes 
 From our debate, from our dissension. 
 
 ril put a girdle round about the earth 
 In forty minutes. 
 
 I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, 
 Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows. 
 Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine. 
 With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine. 
 
 One turf shall serve as pillow for us both ; 
 One heart, one bed, two bosoms and one troth. 
 
 0, take the sense, sweet, of my innocence I 
 
 And then end life when I end loyalty ! 
 
 The will of man is by his reason sway'd. 
 
 Things growing, are not ripe until their season. 
 
 And yet, to say the truth, reason and love keep little company 
 now-a-days. 
 
 Lord ! what fools these mortals be. 
 
 Dark night, that from the eye his function takes 
 The ear more quick of apprehension makes. 
 
 Is all the counsel that we two have shared. 
 The sisters' vows, the hours that we have spent, 
 When we have chid the hasty-footed time 
 For parting us, — O, is all forgot ? 
 All schooldays' friendship, childhood innocence? 
 
 I have a reasonable good ear in music. Let's have the tongs'and the 
 bones. 
 
 My hounds are bred out of the Spartan kind. 
 Si) flew'd, so sanded, and their heads are hung 
 With ears that sweep away the morning dew ; 
 Crook-kneed and dew-lapp'd like Thessalian bulls; 
 Slow in pursuit, but match'd in mouth like bells, 
 Each under each. A cry more tunable 
 Was never holla'd to, nor cheer'd with horn. 
 
 The lunatic, the lover, and the poet 
 Are of imagination all compact. 
 
 The poet's eye, in a fine frenzy rolling. 
 
 Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven'; 
 
 And as imagination bodies forth 
 
 The forms of things unknown, the poet's pen 
 
 Turns them to shapes, and gives to any nothings 
 
 A local habitation and a name. 
 
40 
 
 For never anything can be amiss ' 
 When simpleness and duty tender it. 
 
 And what poor duty cannot do, noble respect 
 Takes it in might, not merit. 
 
 Love therefore, and tongue-tied simplicity 
 In least speak most to my capacity. 
 
 EXPLAXATIOX BY PARAPHRASE. 
 
 I. 1. 79-82. My lord duke, I will grow up, and live, and die, like the 
 ri)se on the virgin thorn, rather than yield up my right to remain a 
 virgin into the power of him to whose bated b<indage love does not 
 willingly cause me to give power over me. 
 
 I. 1. l."50-131. Perhaps it is for want of rain, which I could easilypour 
 forth upon them from the Hoods in my eyes. 
 
 I. 1. 232-233. Love can transform the lowest things, which bear no 
 proportion to love's estimate of them, into things of the highest importance. 
 
 II. 1. 220-224. Your virtuous disposition grants me an immunity from 
 the ordinary laws of society ; because your face lights up the night and 
 makes it day, and so I forget that it is the night. And in this wood 
 there are multitudes of people, for in my opinion you are everybody'. 
 
 II. 2. 45. My sweet one, place an innocent interpretation on my words. 
 " Love thinketh no evil," but puis a loving meaning on the words of the 
 loved one. 
 
 III. 2. 30. The briers and thorns catch at the sleeves and the hats of 
 them yielding them up (in flight). 
 
 III. 2. 74. You are in a passion of anger arising from a mistaken 
 fancy. 
 
 II. 1. 82. And never, since the beginning of summer. 
 
 II. I. 9L Have made every paltry little stream to overflow its banks. 
 
 ANACHRONISMS. 
 
 An anachronism is an error in computing time, by which events are 
 misplaced. As applied to the errors of a dramatist, it can best be illus- 
 ti-ated by an example. Thus if a dramatist wrote a play in which the 
 scene was laid in the time of the early Britons, and represented them as 
 playing croijuet or lawn tennis, or tiring at one another with Colt"s 
 revolvers, he would be guilty of a glaring anachronism. The following 
 are anachronisms from this play in the order in whi(;h they occur. 
 
 II. 1. 98. The nine men's morris and the qtiaint mazes wevQ not known 
 in the time of Theseus. They were English games. 
 
 I. 2. 85. French-crown-coloured beards could not have been known 
 in the time of Theseus. 
 
 IV. 1. 209. Bottom's parody of 1 Cor. ii. 9 could not have been 
 possible in the time of Theseus. 
 
 See also remarks 6 on page 7. 
 
INDEX I. 
 
 Abridgement, 24. 
 Abide, 20. 
 Aby, 20. 
 Adder, 20. 
 Address 'd, 24. 
 Adieu, 14. 
 Admirable, 32. 
 Admiring, 13. 
 Adverbs, 33. 
 After-supper, 24. 
 Aggravate, 13. 
 Alexandrine, 26, 29. 
 Amiable, 22. 
 Anachronisms, 40. 
 An, 13. 
 And, 13. 
 And if, 20. 
 Anon, 14. 
 Answer, 13. 
 Apace, 11. 
 Approve, 17. 
 Apricocks, 19. 
 Argument, 21. 
 Artificial, 21, 33. 
 As, 21, 36. 
 Aurora, 22. 
 Avouch, 12. 
 Ay, 21. 
 
 Bachelor, 17. 
 Badge, 20. 
 Balance, 25. 
 Bated, 13. 
 Befal, 20. 
 Beteem, 12. 
 Blameful, 33. 
 Blank verse, 26. 
 Bottle, 23. 
 Bow, 14. 
 Brief, 24. 
 Brow, 24. 
 Bully, 17. 
 
 Business, 12, 22. 
 But, 36. 
 
 Cankers, 16. 
 Carcase', 19. 
 Carol, 15. 
 Cavalery, 23. 
 Chamber, 18. 
 Chaplet, 15. 
 Charm, 16. 
 Cheek, 21. 
 Cheer, 12-20. 
 Chiding, 23. 
 Childing, 15, 37. 
 Chunk, 18. 
 Churl, 17. 
 Churn, 15. 
 Cloister, 12. 
 Close, 12, 19. 
 Cobalt, 22. 
 Coil, 21. 
 CoUied, 13. 
 
 Ci'mpact, 24. 
 
 Companies, 30. 
 
 Companions, 30. 
 
 Con, 14. 
 
 Condole, 13. 
 
 Conjunctions, 33. 
 
 Constancy, 24. 
 
 Continents, 15. 
 
 Contrive, 21. 
 
 Courtesy, 17-23. 
 
 Coward, 22. 
 
 Coy, 22. 
 
 Crab, 15. 
 
 Cranny, 18. 
 
 Cross, 13. 
 
 Crown-colour, 14. 
 
 Cue, 18. 
 
 Cur, 20. 
 
 Curst, 21. 
 
 Cushion, 21. 
 
 Cut, 14. 
 
 Dank, 17. 
 Dapper, 11. 
 Darkling, 17. 
 Defect, 18. 
 Dew, 14. 
 Dewlap, 15. 
 Discharge, 14. 
 Discretion, 13. 
 Ditty, 25. 
 Done, 18. 
 Dote, 16. 
 
 Doubler-tongue, 20. 
 Dowager, 11. 
 Drawn, 22. 
 
 Eight and Six, 18. 
 Elves, 14. 
 Enthrall'd, 12. 
 Epilogue, 7. 
 Estate, 12. 
 Ethiope, 21. 
 Exploit, 20. 
 Exposition, 23. 
 Extort, 20. 
 Extremity, 19. 
 Eyne, 17. 
 
 Fable, 8. 
 Fall, 24. 
 
 Fancy's followers, 13. 
 Fancy-free, 16. 
 Fault, 13. 
 Favour, 13. 
 Fawn, 16. 
 Fearful, 24, 32. 
 Filched, 11. 
 Flewed, 23. 
 Flout, 17. 
 Flowers, 30. 
 Folios, 30. 
 Fond, 20. 
 Fordone, 25. 
 Forgeries, 15. 
 
42 
 
 For that, 16. 
 Fountain, 15. 
 Fret, 22. 
 Frolic, 25. 
 
 Gait, 25. 
 Gauds, 11. 
 Give, 25. 
 Glancing, 15. 
 Gleek, 19. 
 Goblin, 22. 
 Gossip, 15. 
 Grain, 14. 
 
 Hail, 19. 
 Handicraft, 24. 
 Harbinger, 22. 
 Heart, 20. 
 Hempen, 18. 
 Henchman, 16. 
 Heresies, 17. 
 Hight, 1:4. 
 Hindering, 21. 
 His, 13, 37. 
 Hold, 21. 
 Hope, 21. 
 Hounds, 20. 
 
 Iambics, 28. 
 Idolatry, 12. 
 Imagining, 35. 
 Immediately, 11. 
 Injury, 20. 
 
 .lack, 22. 
 .lest, 21. 
 Jill, 22. 
 Jole, 21. 
 Joy, 11. 
 Juggler, 21. 
 Juvenal, 18. 
 
 Knacks, 11. 
 Knot-grass, 21. 
 
 Lakin, 18. 
 Lanthorn, 18. 
 Lark, 18. 
 Latch 'd, 19. 
 Leave, 22. 
 Lesser, 33. 
 Life, 18. 
 Lingers, 11, 37. 
 Lion, 25. 
 Liveries, 15. 
 
 Loath, 22. 
 Lob, 14. 
 Lord, 15. 
 Lordship, 12. 
 Lunatic, 24. 
 
 Madly-dote, 16. 
 Maid, 21. 
 Man, 23. 
 Margent, 15. 
 Mask, 13. 
 Match'd, 23. 
 Mazes, 15. 
 Mechanical, 19. 
 Mew'd, 12. 
 Mimic, 19. 
 Mischief, 16. 
 Misgrafi'd, 12. 
 Misprision, 20. 
 Momentany, 12. 
 Morning's, 22. 
 ^lorris, 15. 
 Moth, 19. 
 Motif, 9. 
 Moused, 25. 
 Munch, 23. 
 Mural, 25. 
 
 Naught, 24. 
 Neaf, 23. 
 Needles, 21. 
 New, 11. 
 Newts, 16. 
 Nightingale, 13. 
 Nightrule, 19. 
 Nine, 15. 
 Nole, 19. 
 Nuptial, 11. 
 
 Obscenely, 14. 
 Odious, 18. 
 Odours, 18. 
 Oes, 20. 
 Only, 36. 
 Orient, ^3. 
 Other, 23, 33. 
 Ounce, 16. 
 Ousel-cock, 18. 
 Over-canopied, 16. 
 Owe, 17. 
 
 Pageant, 20. 
 Palpable, 25. 
 Paragon, 24. 
 
 Parlous, 18. 
 Pat, 17. 
 Patches, 19. 
 Paved, 15. 
 Pearl, 13-23. 
 Pensioners, 14. 
 Peril, 17. 
 Persever, 21. 
 Pert, 11. 
 Pilgrimage, 12. 
 Possessive, 35. 
 Posterity, .'il. 
 Preferred, 24. 
 Prepositions, 33. 
 Present, 18. 
 Privilege, 16. 
 Prologue, 7, 24. 
 Pronouns, 34. 
 Proper, 14. 
 Protest, 12. 
 Provender, 23. 
 Puppet, 21. 
 Purpose, 23. 
 
 Quaint, 15. 
 Quartos, 30. 
 Quatrains, 28. 
 Queen, 14. 
 Quell, 25. 
 Quern, 15. 
 
 Recorder, 24. 
 Recreant, 22. 
 Rehearse, 18. 
 Render, 12. 
 Reremice, 16. 
 Respects, 13. 
 Revels, 14. 
 Revenge, 22. 
 Revenue, 11. 
 Rhymes, 11. 
 Right, 21. 
 Rimed Heroics, 27. 
 Rote, 25. 
 Roundel, 16. 
 Russet, 19. 
 
 Sampler, 21. 
 Sanded, 23. 
 Save, 36. 
 Scandal, 16. 
 Scorn, 24. 
 Scrip, 13. 
 Scroll, 13. 
 
43 
 
 Self-affairs, 12. 
 Set, 20. 
 Sextains, 28. 
 Sheen, 14. 
 Shrewd, 15. 
 Solemnity, 25. 
 Sort, 21.' 
 Sovereignty, 12. 
 Spite, 20. 
 Spleen, 13. 
 Sport, 20. 
 Spotted, 12. 
 Square, 14. 
 Squash, 19. 
 Still, 19. 
 
 Sucking-dove, 13. 
 Surfeit, 17. 
 Surgeon, 25, 
 Swoon, 17. 
 
 Take, 25. 
 Tarry, 1(3. 
 Tartar, 20. 
 Tear, 13. 
 Tender, 20. 
 Thisne, 13. 
 Throstle, 18. 
 Thrum, 25. 
 Tiring-house, 17. 
 Toward, 18. 
 Translated, 18 
 Transported, 23. 
 Tread, 15. 
 Trim, 2 ). 
 Trocliaics, 28. 
 Two, 21. 
 
 Unbreathed, 24. 
 
 Vantage, 12. 
 
 Vaward, 2 5. 
 Verb.s, 35. 
 Versing, 37. 
 Vestal, 16. 
 Vile, 30. 
 Villain, ti. 
 Villager V, 30. 
 Vixen, 21. 
 Voice, 12. 
 
 Wander, 14. 
 Wanes, 11. 
 Weed, 16. 
 Welkin, 21. 
 Wend, 22. 
 Whit, 18. 
 Wood, 31. 
 Worm, 20. 
 Worser, 16, 33. 
 
 INDEX II. 
 
 Abbot, 5, 29, 34. 
 Adams, lO. 
 Arayot, 9. 
 Amy Robsart, 16. 
 Ariadne, 37. 
 
 Bj'ron, 14. 
 
 Cadmus, 37. 
 Cephalus, 37. 
 Chaucer, 8, 26. 
 Chevy Chase, 28. 
 Colerido:e, 27,31. 
 Co;in, 37. 
 
 Demetrius, 23. 
 
 Egeus, 37. 
 Egle, 37. 
 Elizabeth, 14, 16. 
 Ercles, .37. 
 
 Fletcber, 8. 
 Furnival, 7. 
 
 Greene, 10. 
 
 Hecate, 37. 
 Hercules, 38. 
 Hippolyta, 38. 
 
 Jonson, 36. 
 
 Knie;ht, 31. 
 
 Lemander, 38. 
 Lysander, 31. 
 
 Marlowe, 11. 
 Mary, 16. 
 Meres, Fr., 10. 
 Milton, 7. 
 Morris, 5. 
 
 Ninny, 38. 
 Ninus, 38. 
 North, 9. 
 
 Oberon, 8. 
 
 Pepys, 8. 
 Phillida, 38. 
 Phillis, 38. 
 Pliillipp.s, 9. 
 Philostrate, 38. 
 Plutarch, 9. 
 Pope, 7. 
 Puck, 38. 
 
 Shafalus, .38. 
 Shelley, 8. 
 Skeat, 5. 
 Spencer, 10. 
 Surrey, 26. 
 
 Taurus, 38. 
 Tennyson, 26. 
 Theseus, 7. 
 Titania, 38. 
 
 Vernon, E., 10. 
 Warwickshire, ! 
 Wright, 10. 
 
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 LONDON : GEORGE BELL AND SONS, York Street, 
 CovENT Garden.