T

ACT III.

SCENE, before Profpero's Cell.

Enter Ferdinand, bearing a log.."

FERDINAND.

Here be fome fports are painful, but their labour
Delight in them fets off: fome kinds of baseness
Are nobly undergone, and moft poor matters
Point to rich ends. This my mean task wou'd be
As heavy to me, as 'tis odious: but

The mistress, which I ferve, quickens what's dead,
And makes my labours pleasures: Q, fhe is
Ten times more gentle, than her father's crabbed ;.
And he's compos'd of harfhnefs. I must move
Some thousands of thefe logs, and pile them up,
Upon a fore injun&ion. My fweet miftrefs.

Weeps, when the fees me work, and fays, fuch baseness
Had ne'er like executer; I forget ; ·

But thefe fweet thoughts do ev'n refresh my labour,. Moft bufy-lefs, when I do it. (20)

Enter Miranda; and Profpero, at, a distance unseen.

Mira Alas, now pray you,

Work not fo hard; I would the lightning had
Burn't up thofe logs, that thou'rt enjoin'd to pile:
Pray, fet it down and reft you; when this burns,
"Twill weep for having wearied you my father
Is hard at ftudy; pray now, reft yourself;
He's fafe for these three hours.

(20) Leaft busy when I do it.] This reading, prefume, to be Mr. Pope's; for I do not find it authoriz'd by the copies: The two first folio's read;

MA bufy leaft, when I do it.

'Tis true, this reading, is corrupt; but the corruption is fo very little remov'd from the truth of the text, that I can't afford to think well af my own fagacity for having discover'd it.

Fer

Fer. O most dear mistress,

The fun will fet, before I shall discharge

What I muft ftrive to do.

Mira. If you'll fit down,

I'll bear your logs the while. Pray give me that,
I'll carry't to the pile.

Fer. No, precious creature,

l'ad rather crack my finews, break my back, Than you should fuch difhonour undergo, While I fit lazy by.

Mira. It would become me,

As well as it does you; and I should do it
With much more eafe, for my good will is to it,
And yours it is again ft.

Pro. Poor worm! thou art infected;

This vifitation fhews it.

Mira. You look wearily.

Fer. No, noble miftrefs'; '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

What's deareft to the world! full many a Lady
I've ey'd with best regard, and many a time
Th' harmony of their tongues hath into bondage
Brought my too diligent ear; for feveral virtues.
Have I lik'd fev'ral women, never any

With fo full foul, but fome defect in her
Did qua rel with the nobleft grace the ow'd,
And put
it to the foil. But you, O you,

So perfect, and fo peerless, are created

Of

every creature's best.

Mira. I do not know

One of my fex

; no woman's face remember,

Save from my glafs mine own; nor have I seen More that I may call men, than you, good friend, dear father; how features are abroad,

And

my

I'm skillefs of; but, by my modefty,
(The jewel in my dower) I would not with
Any companion, in the world, but you;
Nor can imagination form a fhape,
Befides yourself, to like of. But I prattle-
Something too wildly, and my father's precepts.
I therein do forget.

Fer. I am, in my condition,

A Prince, Miranda; I do think, a King;
(I would, not fo!) and would no more endure
This wooden lavery, than I would fuffer

The flesh-fly blow my mouth. Hear my foul fpeak;
The very inftant that I faw you, did

My heart fly to your fervice, there refides

To make me flave to it, and for your fake
Am I this patient log-man.

Mira. Do you love me?

Fer. O heav'n, O earth, bear witness to this found,

And crown what I profefs with kind event,

If fpeak true; if hollowly, invert

What beft is boaded me, to mischief! I,
Beyond all limit of what elfe i' th' world,
Do love, prize, honour you.

Mira. I am a fool,

To weep at what I'm glad of.

Fro. Fair encounter

Of two moft rare affections

heav'ns rain grace,.

On that which breeds between 'em!

Fen. Wherefore weep you?

Mira. At mine unworthinefs, that dare not offer, What I defire to give; and much lefs take,

What I fhall die to want: but this is trifling;

And all the more it feeks to hide itself,

The bigger bulk it fhews. Hence, bafhful cunning.
And prompt me plain and holy innocence,

I am your wife, if you will ma ry me;
If not, I'll die your maid: to be your fellow
You may deny me; but I'll be your servant,
Whether you vill or no.

Fer. My miftrefs, deareft,
And I thus humble ever.

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.

Who are

Pro. So glad of this as they, I cannot be, furpriz'd withal; but my rejoicing At nothing can be more. I'll to my book; For yet, ere fupper-time muft L perform

Much bufinefs appertaining.

[Excunt.

[Exit.

SCENE changes to another part of the Island.

Enter Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo.

TEL

to me.

"ELL not me; when the butt is out, we will drink water, not a drop before; therefore up, and board 'em, fervant monster (21); drink

was not in nature.

(21) Servant monster.] The part of Caliban has been esteem'd a ignal inftance of the copioufnefs of Shakespeare's invention; and that he had fhewn an extent of genius, in creating a perfon which 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 Johnson, who, in the induction to his Bartiemew Fair, has endeavour'd to throw dirt, not only at this fingle character, but at this whole lay. If "there be never a fervant monster in the fair, who can help it, (he "fays,) nor a neft of anticks? He is loth to make nature afraid in his plays, like thofe that beget tales, tempefts, and fuch like drolle"leries, to mix his head with other mens heels." Shakespeare, ag the tradition runs, was the perfon who first brought Jubnfen upon the ftage; and this is the ftab we find given in requital for fuch a fervice, when his benefactor was retreated from the scene, A circumfiance, that ftrangely aggravates the ingratitude. But this furly faucinets 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 proffions," that if men would impartially look towards the offices and "functions of a Poet, they would eafily conclude to themselves the impoffibility of any man's being the good Poet, without first being a good man,

16

Trin, Servant monster! the folly of this iffand! thay 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 almoft fet in thy head.

Trin. Where should they be fet elfe? he were a brave monfter 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 standard.

Trin. Your lieutenant, if you lift; he's no standard 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, moft ignorant monfter, 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 fifh, and half a monster.

Cal. Lo, how he mocks me: wilt thou let him my Lord? Trin. Lord, quoth he! that a monfter fhould be fuch

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 hearken once again to the fuit I made to thee? Ste. Marry, will I kneel and repeat it; I will fand, and fo fhall Trincula

Enter Ariel invisible.

Cal. As I told thee before, I am fubject to a tyrant, a forcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me of the island.