Title page A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, A COMEDY, by SHAKESPEARE. AN INTRODUCTION, AND NOTES CRITICAL and ILLUSTRATIVE, ARE ADDED, BY THE AUTHORS of the DRAMATIC CENSOR. LONDON: Printed for JOHN BELL, near Exeter-Exchange, in the Strand; and C. Etherington, at York. MDCCLXXIV.

INTRODUCTION.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. In the piece before us Shakespeare had evidently two great and very material points in view; Novelty and Originality, the sure road, if attained, to permanency and fame: to these favourite objects, he paid such attention as sometimes to forget probability, though he always preserved character. The following piece has great poetical and dramatic merit, considered in general; but a puerile plot, an odd mixture of incidents, and a forced connexion of various stiles, throw a kind of shade over that blaze of merit many passages would otherwise have possessed. There is no character strongly marked, yet the whole shews a very great master dallying with his own genius and imagination in a wonderful and delightful manner.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. Theseus, Duke of Athens. Lysander, in love with Hermia. Demetrius, beloved of Helena. Egeus, Father to Hermia. Philostrate, Master of the Sports to Theseus. Quince, the Carpenter; Clown. Bottom, the Weaver; Clown. Flute, the Bellows-mender; Clown. Snout, the Tinker; Clown. Snug, the Joiner; Clown and Starveling, the Taylor; Clown Clowns: Performers too in the Interlude; presenting in it,— the Prologue; Pyramus, and Thisbe [Thisby]; Wall, Lion, and Moon shine [Moonshine]. Hippolita [Hippolyta], Queen of the Amazons. Hermia. Helena. Oberon, King of the Fairies: Titania, his Queen. Puck [Puck], or, Robin Good-fellow. Pease-blossom [Peaseblossom], Cobweb, Moth. Mustard-seed [Mustardseed], and three other Fairies [Fairy], [Fairy 1], [Fairy 2], [Fairy 3], [Fairy 4], attending the Queen. Other Fairies, attending the King and Queen. Attendants upon Theseus and Hippolita. Scene, Athens; and a Wood not far from it.

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