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Part 17

A Midsummer Night's Dream · William Shakespeare — chapter 17 of 19 · ~462 words · public domain

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Pir. Not Shafalus to Procrus was so true

This. As Shafalus to Procrus, I to you

Pir. O kisse me through the hole of this vile wall

This. I kisse the wals hole, not your lips at all

Pir. Wilt thou at Ninnies tombe meete me straight way? This. Tide life, tide death, I come without delay

Wall. Thus haue I Wall, my part discharged so; And being done, thus Wall away doth go.

Exit Clow.

Du. Now is the morall downe between the two Neighbours

Dem. No remedie my Lord, when Wals are so wilfull, to heare without warning

Dut. This is the silliest stuffe that ere I heard

Du. The best in this kind are but shadowes, and the worst are no worse, if imagination amend them

Dut. It must be your imagination then, & not theirs

Duk. If wee imagine no worse of them then they of themselues, they may passe for excellent men. Here com two noble beasts, in a man and a Lion. Enter Lyon and Moone-shine

Lyon. You Ladies, you (whose gentle harts do feare The smallest monstrous mouse that creepes on floore) May now perchance, both quake and tremble heere, When Lion rough in wildest rage doth roare. Then know that I, one Snug the Ioyner am A Lion fell, nor else no Lions dam: For if I should as Lion come in strife Into this place, 'twere pittie of my life

Du. A verie gentle beast, and of good conscience

Dem. The verie best at a beast, my Lord, y ere I saw

Lis. This Lion is a verie Fox for his valor

Du. True, and a Goose for his discretion

Dem. Not so my Lord: for his valor cannot carrie his discretion, and the fox carries the Goose

Du. His discretion I am sure cannot carrie his valor: for the Goose carries not the Fox. It is well; leaue it to his discretion, and let vs hearken to the Moone

Moone. This Lanthorne doth the horned Moone present

De. He should haue worne the hornes on his head

Du. Hee is no crescent, and his hornes are inuisible, within the circumference

Moon. This lanthorne doth the horned Moone present: My selfe, the man i'th Moone doth seeme to be

Du. This is the greatest error of all the rest; the man Should be put into the Lanthorne. How is it els the man i'th Moone? Dem. He dares not come there for the candle. For you see, it is already in snuffe

Dut. I am wearie of this Moone; would he would change

Du. It appeares by his smal light of discretion, that he is in the wane: but yet in courtesie, in all reason, we must stay the time

Lys. Proceed Moone

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