Does now speak to thee, I embrace thy body; | That they devour their reason; and scarce think And to thee, and thy company, I bid A hearty welcome. The affliction of my mind amends, with which, Be living, and be here? First, noble friend, Let me embrace thine age; whose honour Be measur'd or confin'd. Gon. Or be not, I'll not swear. Pro. [cannot Whether this be, You do yet taste Some subtleties o' the isle, that will not let you Believe things certain :-Welcome, my friends all: But you, my brace of lords, were I so minded, [Aside to SEB. and ANT. I here could pluck his highness' frown upon And justify you traitors; at this time [you, I'll tell no tales. Seb. The devil speaks in him. [Aside. Pro. No:For you, most wicked sir, whom to call brother Would even infect my mouth, I do forgive Thy rankest fault; all of them; and require My dukedom of thee, which, perforce, I know, Thou must restore. Alon. If thou beest Prospero, Give us particulars of thy preservation: How thou hast met us here, who three hours since [lost, Were wreck'd upon this shore; where I have How sharp the point of this remembrance is! My dear son Ferdinand. Pro. I am woet for't, sir. Alon. Irreparable is the loss; and Patience Says, it is past her cure. Pro. I rather think, You have not sought her help; of whose soft grace, For the like loss, I have her sovereign aid, You the like loss? Pro. As great to me, as late; and, portabler To make the dear loss, have I means much weaker Their eyes do offices of truth, their words The entrance of the cell opens, and discovers FERDINAND and MIRANDA playing at chess. I Mira. Sweet lord, you play me false. Mira. Yes, for a score of kingdoms you should wrangle, And I would call it fair play. Alon. If this prove A vision of the island, one dear son Shall I twice lose. Seb. A most high miracle! Fer.Tho'the seas threaten,they are merciful: I have curs'd them without cause. [FERD. kneels to ALON. Alon. O! wonder! How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new That has such people in't! [world, Pro. 'Tis new to thee. Alon. What is this maid, with whom thou wast at play? Your eld'st acquaintance cannot be three hours: Fer. Than you may call to comfort you; for I Alon. I am her's: But O, how oddly will it sound, that I Must ask my child forgiveness! Pro. There, sir, stop: Let us not burden our remembrances With a heaviness that's gone. I have inly wept, Or should have spoken ere this. Look down, you gods, • Whether. + Sorry ↑ Bearable. And on this couple drop a blessed crown; Should become kings of Naples? O, rejoice In a poor isle; and all of us, ourselves, Alon. Gon. Q look, sir, look, sir; here are more of us! Bouts. The best news is, that we have safely Our king and company: the next, our ship,Which, but three glasses since, we gave out split, Is tight and yaret, and bravely rigg'd, as when [Aside Ari. Was't well done?" Pro. Bravely, my diligence. Thou [Aside. shalt be free. The strangeness of this business; at pick'd leisure, Which shall be shortly, single l'll resolve you (Which to you shall seem probable,) of every These happen'd accidents: till when, be cheerful, And think of each thing well.-Come hither, spirit; [Aside. Set Caliban and his companions free: There are yet missing of your company Ste. Every man shift for all the rest, and let no man take care for himself; for all is but fortune :-Coragio, bully-monster, Coragio! Trin. If these be true spies which I wear in my head, here's a goodly sight. Cul. O Setebos,these be brave spirits indeed! Seb. Very like; one of them Is a plain fish, and, no doubt, marketable. Pro. Mark but the badges of these men, my lords, [knave, Then say, if they be true:-This mis-shapen His mother was a witch; and one so strong That could controul the moon, make flows and ebbs, And deal in her command, without her power: These three have robb'd me; and this demidevil (For he's a bastard one,) had plotted with them Seb. He is drunk now: Where had he wine? should they Find this grand liquor that hath gilded them?How cam'st thou in this pickle? Trin. I have been in such a pickle, since I saw you last, that, I fear me, will never out of my bones: I shall not fear fly-blowing. Seb. Why, how now, Stephano? Ste. O, touch me not; I am not Stephano, but a cramp. Pro. You'd be king of the isle, sirrah? look'd on. [Pointing to CALIBAN. Pro. He is as disproportion'd in his manners As in his shape :-Go, sirrah, to my cell; Take with you your companions; as you look To have my pardon, trim it handsomely. § Conductor. Honest. ¿ Clever, adroit, Cal. Ay, that I will; and I'll be wise here- | And the particular accidents, gone by, after, Since I came to this isle: And in the morn, To hear the story of your life, which must EPILOGUE. SPOKEN BY PROSPERO. Now my charms are all o'erthrown, Gentle breath of yours my sails Unless I be reliev'd by prayer; As you from crimes would pardon'd be, * Applause: noise was supposed to dissolve a spell. It is observed of THE TEMPEST, that its plan is regular: this the author of THE REVISAL thinks, what I think too, an accidental effect of the story, not intended or regarded by our author. But, whatever might be Shakspeare's intention in forming or adopting the plot, he has made it instrumental to the production of many characters, diversified with boundless invention, and preserved with profound skill in nature, extensive knowledge of opinions, and accurate observation of life. In a single drama are here exhibited princes, courtiers, and sailors, all speaking in their real characters. There is the agency of airy spirits, and of an earthly goblin. The operations of magic, the tumults of a storm, the adventures of a desert island, the native effusion of untanght affection, the punishment of guilt, and the final happiness of the pair for whom our passions and reason are equally interested. JOHNSON. Scene,-sometimes in Verona; sometimes in Milan; and on the frontiers of Mantua. ACT I. SCENE I. An open place in Verona. Enter VALENTINE and PROTEUS. Even as I would, when I to love begin. adieu! Think on thy Proteus, when thou, haply, seest Fal. That's on some shallow story of deep boots *. Val. No, I'll not, for it boots thee not. Pro. If lost, why then a grievous labour won; Pro. So, by your circumstance, you call me Val. So, by your circumstance, I fear, you'll prove. Pro. Tis love you cavil at; I am not Love. Val. And writers say, As the most forward our leave, At Milan let me hear from thee by letters, • A humorous punishment at harvest-home feasts, &c. Speed. Why then my horns are his horns, whether I wake or sleep. Pro. A silly answer, and fitting well a sheep. Speed. This proves me still a sheep. Pro. True; and thy master a shepherd. Sp. Nay, that I can deny by a circumstance. Pro. It shall go hard, but I'll prove it by another. Speed. The shepherd seeks the sheep, and not the sheep the shepherd; but I seek my master, and my master seeks not me: therefore, I am no sheep. Pro. The sheep for fodder follow the shepherd, the shepherd for food follows not the sheep; thou for wages followest thy master, thy master for wages follows not thee: therefore, thou art a sheep. Sp.Such another proof will make me cry baa. Pro. But dost thou hear? gav'st thou my letter to Julia? Speed. Ay, sir: I, a lost mutton, gave your letter to her, a laced mutton*; and she, a laced mutton, gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labour. Pro. Here's too small a pasture for such a store of muttons. Speed. If the ground be overcharged, you were best stick her. Pro. Nay, in that you are astray; 'twere best pound you. Speed. Nay, sir, less than a pound shall serve me for carrying your letter. Pro. You mistake; I mean the pound, a pinfold. Speed. From a pound to a pin? fold it over and over, [your lover. 'Tis threefold too little for carrying a letter to Pro. But what said she? did she nod? [SPEED nods. Speed. I. Pro. Nod, I? why, that's noddy t. Speed. You mistook, sir; I say, she did nod: and you ask me, if she did nod; and I say, I. Pro. And that set together, is-noddy. Speed. Now you have taken the pains to set it together, take it for your pains. Pro. No, no, you shall have it for bearing the letter. Speed. Well, I perceive, I must be fain to bear with you. Pro.. Why, sir, how do you bear with me? Speed. Marry, sir, the letter very orderly; having nothing but the word, noddy, for my pains. A term for a courtezan. Pr. Beshrew me, but you have a quick wit. Speed. And yet it cannot overtake your slow purse. Pro. Come, come, open the matter in brief:. What said she? Speed. Open your purse, that the money, and the matter, niay be both at once delivered. Pro. Well, sir, here is for your pains: What said she? Sp. Truly, sir, I think you'll hardly win her. Pro. Why? Could'st thou perceive so much from her? Speed. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her; no, not so much as a ducat for delivering your letter: And being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear, she'll prove as hard to you in telling her mind. Give her no token but stones; for she's as hard as steel. Pro. What, said she nothing? Speed. No, not so much as-take this for thy pains. To testify your bounty, I thank you, you have testern'd me; in requital whereof, henceforth carry your letters yourself: and so, sir, I'll commend you to my master. Pro. Go, go, be gone, to save your ship from wreck; Which cannot perish., having thee aboard, heedfully, Jul. Of all the fair resort of gentlemen, That every day with parle encounter me, In thy opinion, which is worthiest love? Luc. Please you, repeat their names, I'll shew my mind According to my shallow simple skill. Luc. As of a knight well-spoken, neat and But, were I you, he never should be mine. Jul. What think'st thou of the rich Mercatio? Luc.Well of his wealth; but of himself, so, so. Jul.Whatthink'st thou of the gentle Proteus? Luc. Lord, lord! to see what folly reigns in ns! Jub. How now! what means this passion at his name? Luc. Pardon, dear madam; 'tis a passing That 1, unworthy body as I am, [shame, Should censure thus on lovely gentlemen. Jul. Why not on Proteus, as of all the rest? Luc. Then thus,-of many good I think Jul. Your reason? [him best. Luc. I have no other but a woman's reason; I think him so, because I think him so. A game at cards. Talk. Ill betide. Pass sentence. |