amuse their prince are merely comical when taken alone The characters thus constructed, by passing into the serious portions of the play, infect it with the element of humour; for the simple earnestness of all their clownishness fraternizes in no offensive way with the more poetical moods of high society, and we feel the charm that equalizes all mankind.

The pomp of a court is concentrated at a fustian play that is poorly propertied with bush, lantern, and a fellow daubed with lime. Simpleness and duty tender this contrast, and it comes not amiss. Their crude parody of the fate of Pyramus and Thisbe, done in perfect good faith, is a claim that humble love may have its fortunes too, as well as that of the proud and overconscious dames who have been roaming through the woods, sick with fancies. What a delightful raillery it is! Yes, we take the point: "The best in this kind are but shadows; and the worst are no worse, if imagination amend them."

It is also a suggestion of the subtlest humour when Titania summons her fairies to wait upon Bottom; for the fact is that the soul's airy and nimble fancies are constantly detailed to serve the donkeyism of this world. "Be kind and courteous to this gentleman.” Divine gifts stick musk-roses in his sleek, smooth head. The world is a peg that keeps all spiritual being tethered. Watt agonizes to teach this vis inertia to drag itself by the car-load; Palissy starves for twenty years to enamel its platter; Franklin charms its house against thunder; Raphael contributes halos to glorify its ignorance of divinity; all the poets gather for its beguilement, hop in its walk and gambol before it, scratch its head, bring honey-bags, and light its farthing dip at glow-worms' eyes. Bottom's want of insight is circled round by fulness of insight, his clumsiness by dexterity. In matter of eating,

ented with the blossoms and the sweets, giving it the aracteristic counsel not to fret itself too much in the ac

■n. . . .

The humour in this play meddles even with love; for that, o, must be the sport of circumstance and superior power, et always continue to be the deepest motive of mankind. he juice of love's flower dropped on the eyelids of these stempered lovers makes the caprices of passion show and hift; love in idleness becomes love in earnest, as Puck disIs the drops of marriage or of mischief. Titania herself is ossessed with that common illusion which marries gracious ualities to absurd companionship. Says Puck,

"Those things do best please me

That befall preposterously."

But this is fleeting. Shakspeare soon breaks the spell in which some of his most delicate and sprightly verses have evelled. The whole play expresses humour on a revel, and orings into one human feeling the supernature, the caprice and gross mischance, the serious drift of life.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

-PHILOSTRATE, master of the revels to The-OBERON, king of the fairies.