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David Garrick [1755], The fairies. An opera. Taken from A Midsummer Night's Dream, Written by Shakespear. As it is Perform'd at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane. The Songs from Shakespear, Milton, Waller, Dryden, Lansdown, Hammond &c. The Music composed by Mr. Smith (Printed for J. and R. Tonson and S. Draper [etc.], London) [word count] [S31800].
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SCENE VII. Enter Oberon and his Train at one door. Queen and her Train at another.

OBERON.
Ill met by moon-light, proud Titania.

QUEEN.
What, jealous Oberon? Fairies, skip hence,
I have forsworn his bed and company.

OBERON.
Why should Titania cross her Oberon?
I do but beg a little changeling boy.

QUEEN.
The Fairy-land buys not the child of me;
His mother was a votress of my order,
And in the spiced Indian air by night

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Full often she hath gossipt by my side;
But she being mortal, of that boy did die,
And for her sake I do rear up her child,
And for her sake I will not part with him.

OBERON.
How long within this wood intend you stay?

QUEEN.
Perchance, 'till after Theseus' wedding-day.
If you will patiently dance in our round,
And see our moon-light revels, go with us:
If not, shun me, and I will spare your haunts.

OBERON.
Give me that boy, and I will go with thee.

QUEEN.
Not for thy Fairy kingdom. Elves away.
AIR.
O'er the smooth enamell'd green,
Where no print of step hath been,
  Follow me as I sing,
  And touch the warbled string. [Exeunt Queen and train.

OBERON.
Well, go thy way; thou shalt not from this grove,
Till I torment thee for this injury—

-- 20 --


My gentle Puck, come hither; thou remember'st
I shew'd thee once a flow'r, fetch me that herb.
The juice of it on sleeping eye-lids laid,
Will make a man or woman madly doat
Upon the next live creature that it sees.

PUCK.
I'll put a girdle round about the earth
In forty minutes. [Exit Puck.

OBERON.
Having once this juice,
I'll watch Titania when she is asleep,
And drop the liquor of it in her eyes:
The next thing which she waking looks upon,
She shall pursue it with the soul of love;
And ere I take this charm from off her sight
(As I can take it with another herb)
I'll make her render up her page to me.
AIR.
Come, follow, follow me,
Ye fairy elves that be,
O'er tops of dewy grass,
So nimbly do we pass,
The young and tender stalk
Ne'er bends where we do walk.
[Exit.

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David Garrick [1755], The fairies. An opera. Taken from A Midsummer Night's Dream, Written by Shakespear. As it is Perform'd at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane. The Songs from Shakespear, Milton, Waller, Dryden, Lansdown, Hammond &c. The Music composed by Mr. Smith (Printed for J. and R. Tonson and S. Draper [etc.], London) [word count] [S31800].
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