e not kept possession of the stage, were
very little known at St. Ronan's, save among those people who are
emphatically called readers.

The adjustment of the parts was the first subject of consideration, so
soon as those who intended to assume characters had refreshed their
recollection on the subject of the piece. Theseus was unanimously
assigned to Mowbray, the giver of the entertainment, and therefore
justly entitled to represent the Duke of Athens. The costume of an
Amazonian crest and plume, a tucked-up vest, and a tight buskin of
sky-blue silk, buckled with diamonds, reconciled Lady Binks to the part
of Hippolyta. The superior stature of Miss Mowbray to Lady Penelope,
made it necessary that the former should perform the part of Helena, and
her ladyship rest contented with the shrewish character of Hermia. It
was resolved to compliment the young Earl of Etherington with the part
of Lysander, which, however, his lordship declined, and, preferring
comedy to tragedy, refused to appear in any other character than that of
the magnanimous Bottom; and he gave them such a humorous specimen of his
quality in that part, that all were delighted at once with his
condescension in assuming, and his skill in performing, the presenter of
Pyramus.

The part of Egeus was voted to Captain MacTurk, whose obstinacy in
refusing to appear in any other than the full Highland garb, had nearly
disconcerted the whole affair. At length this obstacle was got over, on
the authority of Childe Harold, who remarks the similarity betwixt the
Highland and Grecian costume,[II-3] and the company, dispensing with the
difference of colour, voted the Captain's variegated kilt, of the
MacTurk tartan, to be the kirtle of a Grecian mountaineer,--Egeus to be
an Arnout, and the Captain to be Egeus. Chatterly and the painter,
walking gentlemen by profession, agreed to walk through the parts of
Demetrius and Lysander, the two Athenian lovers; and Mr. Winterblossom,
loath and lazy, after many excuses, was bribed by Lady Penelope with an
antique, or supposed antique cameo, to play the part of Philostratus,
master of the revels, provided his gout would permit him to remain so
long upon the turf, which was to be their stage.

Muslin trowsers, adorned with spangles, a voluminous turban of silver
gauze, and wings of the same, together with an embroidered slipper,
converted at once Miss Digges into Oberon, the King of Shadows, whose
sovereign gravity, however, was