If our holiday mechanic rules the roast among his
fellows, he is no less at home in his new character of an ass, 'with
amiable cheeks, and fair large ears'. He instinctively acquires a
most learned taste, and grows fastidious in the choice of dried peas
and bottled hay. He is quite familiar with his new attendants, and
assigns them their parts with all due gravity. 'Monsieur Cobweb,
good Monsieur, get your weapon in your hand, and kill me a red-hipt
humble-bee on the top of a thistle, and, good Monsieur, bring me the
honey-bag.' What an exact knowledge is here shown of natural
history!
Puck, or Robin Goodfellow, is the leader of the fairy band. He is
the Ariel of the MIDSUMMER'S NIGHT DREAM; and yet as unlike as can
be to the Ariel in THE TEMPEST. No other poet could have made two
such different characters out of the same fanciful materials and
situations. Ariel is a minister of retribution, who is touched with
a sense of pity at the woes he inflicts. Puck is a mad-cap sprite,
full of wantonness and mischief, who laughs at those whom he
misleads--'Lord, what fools these mortals be!' Ariel cleaves the
air, and executes his mission with the zeal of a winged messenger;
Puck is borne along on his fairy errand like the light and
glittering gossamer before the breeze. He is, indeed, a most
Epicurean little gentleman, dealing in quaint devices and faring in
dainty delights.
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