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George Colman [1763], A fairy tale. In two acts. Taken from Shakespeare. As it is Performed at the Theatre-Royal In Drury-Lane (Printed for J. and R. Tonson, London) [word count] [S34300].
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Scene 3 SCENE The Wood and Bower. Enter Queen of Fairies, Bottom; Fairies attending, and the King behind them.

Queen.
Come, sit thee down upon this flowery bed.
Say wilt thou hear some music sweet dove.

Bot.
I have a reasonable good ear in music.

DUET. By 1st and 2d Fairy.
Welcome, welcome to this place,
  Fav'rite of the Fairy Queen;
Zephyrs, play around his face,
  Wash, ye dews, his graceful mien.

Pluck the wings from butterflies,
To fan the moon-beams from his eyes;
Round him in eternal spring
Grashoppers and crickets sing.

By the spangled starlight sheen,
Nature's joy he walks the green;
Sweet voice, fine shape, and graceful mien,
Speak him thine, O Fairy Queen!

Queen.
Or say, sweet love, what thou desir'st to eat.
I have a ventrous Fairy that shall seek
The squirrels hoard, and fetch thee new nuts.

Bot.
I pray you, let none of your people stir me;
I have an exposition of sleep come upon me.

Queen.
Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my arms;
Fairies begone, and be always away.
So doth the woodbine the sweet honeysuckle
Gently entwist.

-- 23 --


O how I love thee! how I doat on thee! [They sleep. Enter Puck, at one door, Oberon and 1st Fairy at another.

Ob.
Welcome, good Robin! See'st thou this sweet sight?
Her dotage now I do begin to pity:
For meeting her of late behind the wood,
I then did ask of her her changeling child,
Which strait she gave me; wherefore I'll undo
This hateful imperfection of her eyes: [He strokes her eyes with the flower.
Now, Fairy, sing the charm.

AIR. 1st Fai.
Flower, of this purple dye,
Hit with cupid's archery,
Sink in apple of her eye!
When her lord she doth espy,
Let him shine as gloriously
As the Phœbus of the sky.
When thou wak'st, if he be by,
Beg of him for remedy. [Exit Fairy.


Now, my Titania, wake you, my sweet queen.

Queen.
My Oberon! What visions have I seen!
Methought I was enamour'd of a mortal.

Ob.
There lies your love.

Queen.
How came these things to pass?
O how mine eyes do loath this visage now!

Ob.
Silence awhile. Robin, remove the man,
And you mean while, Titania, music call,
And strike more dead than common sleep his senses.

Queen.
Musick, ho, musick! such as charmeth sleep.

-- 24 --


AIR. 2d Fai.
Orpheus, with his lute, made trees,
And the mountain tops that freeze,
  Bow themselves when he did sing;
To his musick, plants and flowers
Ever spring, as sun and showers
  There had made a lasting spring.
[During this song the body is removed.

Ob.
Come, my Queen, take hand with me,
Now thou and I are new in amity.

AIR. 2d Fai.
Sigh no more, lady, sigh no more,
  Be not inconstant ever,
One foot on sea, and one on shore,
  You can be happy never.
[Lark sings.

Puck.
Fairy king, attend and mark,
I do hear the morning lark.


Ob.
Then, my Queen, in silence sad,
Trip we after the night's shade;
We the globe can compass soon,
Swifter than the wand'ring moon.

Queen.
Come, my lord, and in our flight,
Tell me, how it came this night,
That I sleeping here was found,
With you mortal on the ground. A Dance of Fairies. FINIS.
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George Colman [1763], A fairy tale. In two acts. Taken from Shakespeare. As it is Performed at the Theatre-Royal In Drury-Lane (Printed for J. and R. Tonson, London) [word count] [S34300].
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