ACT III. SCENE, before Profpero's Cell. FERDINAND. Here be fome fports are painful, but their labour Are nobly undergone, and most poor matters The mistress, which I ferve, quickens what's dead, Weeps, when the fees me work, and fays, fuch bafeness. 'Had ne'er like executer ; I forget; But these sweet thoughts do ev'n refresh my labour, Enter Miranda; and Profpero, at a distance, unseen. Mira. Alas, now pray you, Work not fo hard; I would the lightning had He's fafe for these three hours. (20) Least bufy when I do it.] This reading, I prefume, to be Mr. Pope's; for I do not find it authoriz'd by the copies: The two first folio's read; Moft bufy leaf, when I do it.. "Tis true, this reading is corrupt; but the corruption is fo very little removed from the truth of the text, that I can't afford to think well of my own fagacity for having difcover'd it.. Fer Fer. O moft dear mistress, The fun will fet, before I fhall discharge Mira. If you'll fit down, I'll bear your logs the while. Pray give me that, Fer. No, precious creature, I'ad rather crack my finews, break my back, Mira. It would become me, As well as it does you; and I should do it Pro. Poor worm! thou art infected; This vifitation fhews it. Mira. You look wearily. Fer. No, noble mistress; 'tis fresh morning with me, When you are by at night. I do befeech you, (Chiefly that I might fet it in my prayers) What is your Name? Mira. Miranda. O my father, I've broke your heft to fay fo. Fer. Admir'd Miranda! Indeed, the top of admiration; worth With fo full foul, but fome defect in her Mira. I do not know One of my fex; no womans face remember, I'm killefs of; but, by my modefty, Fer. I am, in my condition, A Prince, Miranda; I do think, a King; My heart fly to your fervice, there refides Mira. Do you love me? Fer. O heav'n, O earth, bear witnefs to this found, And crown what I profefs with kind event, If I fpeak true; if hollowly invert What beft is boaded me, to mischief! I Beyond all limit of what else i' th' world, Mira. I am a fool, To weep at what I'm `glad of. Pro. Fair encounter Of two moft rare affections! heav'ns rain grace, Fer. Wherefore weep you? Mira. At mine unworthinefs, that dare not offer, What I defire to give; and much less take, What I fhall die to want: but this is trifling; And all the more it seeks to hide itself, The bigger bulk it fhews. Hence, bashful cunning, I am your wife, if you will marry me ; Fer. My miftrefs, deareft, " Mira Mira. My husband then? Fer. Ay, with a heart as willing As bondage e'er of freedom; here's my hand. Mira. And mine, with my heart in't; and now farewel, Till half an hour hence. Fer. A thousand, thousand. Pro. So glad of this as they, I cannot be, Who are furpriz'd withal; but my rejoicing At nothing can be more. I'll to my book; For yet, ere fupper-time muft I perform Much bufinefs appertaining. [Exeunt. Exit. SCENE changes to another part of the Island. Ste. Enter Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo. TE ELL not me; when the butt is out, we will drink water, not a drop before; therefore bear up, and board 'em, fervant monster (21); drink to me. (21) Servant-monfler.] The part of Caliban has been esteem'd a fignal inftance of the copioufhefs of Shakespeare's invention; and that he had fhewn an extent of genius, in creating a perfon which was not in nature. And for this, as well as his other magical and ideal characters, a juft admiration has been paid him. I can't help taking notice, on this occafion, of the virulence of Ben Jobrfon, who, in the induction to his Bartlemer Fair, has endeavour'd to throw dirt, not only at this fingle character, but at this whole play. "If "there be never a fervant monfier in the fair, who can help it, (he "fays,) ner a net of anticks? He is loth to make nature afraid in "his plays, like thefe that beget tales, tempefts, and fuch like drolle"ries, to mix his head with other men's heels." Shakespeare, as the tradition uns, was the perfon who first brought Johnson upon the tage; and this is the ftab we find given in requital for fuch a fervice, when his benefactor was retreated from the scene. A circumftance, that firangely aggravates the ingratitude. But this furly faucine's was familiar with Ben; when the publick were ever out of humour at his performances, he would revenge it on them, by being out of humour with thofe pieces which had beft pleas'd them. - I'll only add, that his conduct in this was very contradictory to his cooler profions, that if men would impartially look towards the offices and functions of a Poet, they would eafily conclude to themfelves the "impoffiblity of any man's being the good Poet, without first being a good man." 66 Trin. Servant monfter! the folly of this ifland! they fay, there's but five upon this ifle; we are three of them, if the other two be brain'd like us, the ftate totters. Ste. Drink, fervant-monfter, when I bid thee; thy eyes are almost fet in thy head. Trin. Where fhould they be fet elfe? he were a brave monster indeed, if they were fet in his tail. Ste. My man-monster hath drown'd his tongue in fack: for my part, the fea cannot drown me. I fwam, ere I could recover the fhore, five and thirty leagues, off and on; by this light, thou shalt be my lieutenant, monster, or my ftandard. Trin. Your lieutenant, if you lift; he's no ftandard. Ste. We'll not run, monfieur monster. Trin. Nor go neither: but you'll lye like dogs, and yet fay nothing neither. Ste. Moon-calf, fpeak once in thy life, if thou beeft a good moon-calf. Cal. How does thy honour? let me lick thy fhoe; I'll not ferve him, he is not valiant. Trin. Thou lieft, most ignorant monster, I am in cafe to juftle a conftable; why, thou debofh'd fifh thou, was there ever a man a coward that hath drunk fo much fack as I to-day? wilt thou tell a monftrous lye, being but half a fish, and half a monster. Cal. Lo, how he mocks me : wilt thou let him my Lord? a natural! Cal. Lo, lo, again; bite him to death, I pr'ythee. Ste. Trinculo, keep a good tongue in your head; if you prove a mutineer, the next tree-the poor monfter's my fubject, and he shall not fuffer indignity. Cal. I thank my noble Lord. Wilt thou be pleas'd to harken once again to the fuit I made to thee? Ste. Marry, will I; kneel and repeat it; I will ftand, and fo fhall Trinculo. Enter Ariel invifible. Cal. As I told thee before, I am fubject to a tyrant, a forcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me of the island. |