2

Under my burden groan'd; which rais'd in me
An undergoing stomach,’ to bear up
Against what should ensue.
MIRA.

How came we ashore?
Pro. By Providence divine.
Some food we had, and some fresh water, that
A noble Neapolitan, Gonzalo,
Out of his charity, (who being then appointed
Master of this design,) did give us;’ with

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necessary to moisten them before they can be ironed, which is always done by sprinkling; this operation the maidens universally call degging. Reed.

2 An undergoing stomach.] Stomach is pubborn resolution. So Horace, “ -gravem Pelida ftomachum." STEVENS. 3 Some food we had, and some fresh water, that

A noble Neapolitan, Gonzalo,
Out of his charity, (who being then appointed

Master of this design,) did give us;] Mr. Steevens has suggested, that we might better readhe being then appointed; and so we fhould certainly now write: but the reading of the old copy is the true one, that mode of phraseology being the idiom of Shakipeare's time. So, in the Winter's Tale:

This your son-in-law,
" And fon unto the king, (whom heavens directing,)

“ Is troth-plight to your daughter." Again, in Coriolanus:

waving thy hand, “ Which often, thus, correlling thy ftout heart, “ Now humble as the ripest mulberry, “ That will not hold the handling; or, say to them,” &c.

MALONE. I have left the passage in question, as I found it, though with flender reliance on its integrity.

What Mr. Malone has styled “ the idiom of Shakspeare's time," can scarce deserve so creditable a distinction. It should be remembered that the instances adduced by him in support of his position, are not from the early quartos which he prefers on the score of accuracy, but from the folio 1623, the inaccuracy of which, with equal judgment he has censured.

The genuine idiom of our language, at its different periods, can only be ascertained by reference to contemporary writers whose

Rich garments, linens, stuffs, and necessaries,
Which since have steaded much: so, of his gentle-

ness,
Knowing I lov'd my books, he furnish'd me,
From my own library, with volumes that
I prize above my dukedom.
MIRA.

Would I might
But ever see that man!
PRO.

Now I arise:

works were skilfully revised as they passed through the press, and are therefore unsuspected of corruption. A sufficient number of such books are before us. If they supply examples of phraseology resembling that which Mr. Malone would establish, there is an end of controversy between us: Let, however, the disputed phrases be brought to their test before they are admitted; for I utterly refuse to accept the jargon of theatres and the mistakes of printers, as the idiom or grammar of the age in which Shakspeare wrote. Every grofs departure from literary rules may be countenanced, if we are permitted to draw examples from vitiated pages; and our readers, as often as they meet with restorations founded on such authorities, may juftly exclaim, with Othello,-“Chaos is come again.” Steevens.

4 Now I arise :] Why does Profpero arise? Or, if he does it to ease himself by change of posture, why need he interrupt his narrative to tell his daughter of it? Perhaps these words belong to Miranda, and we should read: Mir. Would I might But ever see that man!

-Now I arise. Pro. Sit still, and hear the last of our sea-sorrow: Prospero, in p. 13. had directed his daughter to sit down, and learn the whole of this history; having previously by fome magical charm disposed her to fall asleep. He is watching the progress of this charm; and in the mean time tells her a long story, often asking her whether her attention be still awake. The story being ended (as Miranda fupposes) with their coming on shore, and partaking of the conveniences provided for them by the loyal humanity of Gonzalo, The therefore first expresses a wish to see the good old man, and then observes that she may now arise, as the fory is done. Prospero, surprised that his charm does not yet work, bids her fit ftill; and then enters on freih matter to amuse the time, telling her (what she knew before) that he had been her

Sit still, and hear the last of our sea-sorrow.
Here in this isand we arriv'd; and here
Have I, thy school-master, made thee more profit
Than other princes' can, that have more time
For vainer hours, and tutors not so careful.
Mira. Heavens thank you fort! And now, I

pray you, sir,
(For ftill 'tis beating in my mind) your reason
For raising this sea-storm?
PRO.

Know thus far forth. By accident most strange, bountiful fortune, Now my dear lady,“ hath mine enemies Brought to this shore: and by my prescience I find my zenith doth depend upon A most auspicious star; whose influence If now I court not, but omit,' my fortunes Will ever after droop.--Here cease more questions; Thou art inclin'd to Neep; 'tis a good dulness,

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tutor, &c. But soon perceiving her drowsiness coming on, he breaks off abruptly, and leaves her fill fitting to her Numbers. BLACKSTONE. As the words " now I arise”-may signify,

now I rise in my narration,” “now my story heightens in its consequence," I have left the passage in question, undisturbed. We still say, that the interest of a drama rises or declines. STEEVENS.

princes—] The first folio reads,-princesse. HENLEY. Corrected by Mr. Rowe. MALONE. 6 Now my dear lady,] i. e. now my auspicious mistress. STEEVENS. 7-I find my zenith doth depend upon

A most auspicious flar; whose influence
If now I court not, but omit, &c.] So, in Julius Cæfar:

" There is a tide in the affairs of man,
" Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune ;

Omitted, all the voyage of their life

" Is bound in shallows and in miseries.” MALONE. : -'tis a good dulness,] Dr. Warburton rightly observes, that this sleepiness, which Prospero by his art had brought upon Miranda, and of which he knew not' how soon the effect would begin, makes him question her so often whether she is attentive to his story. JOHNSON.

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And give it way; - I know thou can'st not choose.

[MIRANDA sleeps. Come away, servant, come: I am ready now; Approach, my Ariel; come.

Enter ARIEL. Ari. All hail, great master! grave fir, hail! f

come To answer thy best pleasure; be’t to Ay,' To swim, to dive into the fire, to ride On the curl'd clouds; ? to thy strong bidding, task Ariel, and all his quality.' Pro.

Hast thou, spirit, Perform'd to point* the tempest that I bade thee?

Ari. To every article.

9 All hail, great master! grave fir, hail! I come

To answer thy beft pleasure; be't to fly, &c.] Imitated by Fletcher in The Faithful Shepherdess:

tell me sweetest,
“ What new service now is meetest
• For the satyre; shall I ftray
“ In the middle ayre, and stay
“ The failing racke, or nimbly take
“ Hold by the moone, and gently make
“ Suit to the pale queene of night,
“ For a beame to give me light?
“ Shall I dive into the sea,
“ And bring thee coral, making way

“ Through the rising waves,” &c. 'Henley. * On the curl'd clouds;] So, in Timon-Crisp heaven. STEEVENS. ! - and all his quality.] i. e. all his confederates, all who are of the same profession. So, in Hamlet:

" Come, give us a taste of your quality.” See notes on this paffage. STEEVENS.

* Performd 10 point-] i. e. to the minutest article.
So, in the Chances, by Beaumont and Fletcher :

are you all fit?
“ To point, fir." STEEVENS.

I boarded the king's ship; now on the beak,
Now in the waist, the deck, in every cabin,
I fam'd amazement: Sometimes, I'd divide,
And burn in many places ;? on the top-mast,
The yards and bowsprit, would I flame distinctly,
Then meet, and join: Jove's lightnings, the pre-

cursors O'the dreadful thunder-claps, & more momentary And fight-out-running were not: The fire, and

cracks Of sulphurous roaring, the most mighty Neptune Seem'd to besiege, and make his bold waves tremble, Yea, his dread trident shake." Pro.

My brave spirit!

- now on the beak,] The beak was a strong pointed body at the head of the ancient gallies; it is used here for the forecastle, or the boltsprit. JOHNSON,

6 Now in the waist,] The part between the quarter-deck and the forecastle. · JOHNSON. 7 Sometimes, I'd divide,

And burn in many places;] Perhaps our author, when he wrote these lines, remembered the following passage in Hackluyt’s Voyages, 1598: " I do remember that in the great and boyfterous or storme of this foule weather, in the night there came upon “ the toppe of our maine yard and maine-mast a certaine little

light, much like unto the light of a little candle, which the

Spaniards call the Cuerpo Santo. This light continued aboord our “ ship about three houres, flying from mafte to maste, and from top to top; and sometimes it would be in two or three places at once."

MALONE, Burton says, that the Spirits of fire, in form of fire-drakes and blazing stars, “ oftentimes fit on thip-mafts," &c. Melanch. P. I. $ 2. P. 30. edit. 1632. T. WARTON.

- precurfors
O'the dreadful thunder-claps,] So, in King Lear:

“ 'Vant couriers of oak-cleaving thunderbolts.” STEEVENS. , Yea, his dread trident shake.] Left the metre should appear defective, it is necessary to apprize the reader, that in Warwickshire and other midland counties, Jhake is still pronounced by the common people as if it was written-haake, a disfyllable. FARMER.

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