Page:Midsummer Night's Dream (1918) Yale.djvu/30

18  And thorough this distemperature we see The seasons alter: hoary-headed frosts Fall in the fresh lap of the crimson rose, And on old Hiems' thin and icy crown An odorous chaplet of sweet summer buds Is, as in mockery, set. The spring, the summer, The childing autumn, angry winter, change Their wonted liveries, and the mazed world, By their increase, now knows not which is which. And this same progeny of evil comes From our debate, from our dissension: We are their parents and original.

Obe. Do you amend it then; it lies in you. Why should Titania cross her Oberon? I do but beg a little changeling boy, To be my henchman.

Tita.Set your heart at rest; The fairy land buys not the child of me. His mother was a votaress of my order: And, in the spiced Indian air, by night, Full often hath she gossip'd by my side, And sat with me on Neptune's yellow sands, Marking the embarked traders on the flood; When we have laugh'd to see the sails conceive And grow big-bellied with the wanton wind; Which she, with pretty and with swimming gait Following,—her womb then rich with my young squire,— Would imitate, and sail upon the land, To fetch me trifles, and return again, As from a voyage, rich with merchandise.  106 distemperature: disorder of the winds and moon (?), ill humor (?) 109 Hiems': winter's 112 childing: fruitful 113 mazed: bewildered 114 increase: produce 121 henchman: page of honor 123 votaress: woman under vows 