The Midsummer-Night's Dream is the first play which exhibits the imagination of Shakespeare in all its fervid and creative power; for though ... it may be pronounced the offspring of youth and inexperience, it will ever in point of fancy be considered as equal to any subsequent drama of the poet.
Drake.
To the King's Theatre, where we saw Midsummer's Night's dream, which I had never seen before, nor shall ever again, for it is the most insipid ridiculous play that ever I saw in my life.
Pepys' Diary.
Some people feel sure that it is a mistake to interfere with the play of a child's imagination by giving him illustrated editions of great works. This opinion would be shaken by seeing these wonderful pictures, by means of which we are indeed wafted to dreamland. There are forty plates in color, and other illustrations.
Fine Arts
Then marble, soften'd into life, grew warm.
Pope.
Hurll, E.M.