There fhalt thou find the mariners asleep And presently, I pr'ythee. Ari. I drink the air before me, and return Or e'er your pulfe twice beat. [Exit. Gon. All torment, trouble, wonder, and amaze, ment Inhabits here; Some heavenly power guide us Pro. Behold, fir King, The wronged duke of Milan, Profpero: Alon, Whe'r thou be'ft he, or no, Or fome inchanted trifle to abuse me, As late I have been, I not know thy pulfe Thou pardon me my wrongs :-But how should Profpero Be living, and be here? Pro. Firft, noble friend, Let me embrace thine age; whofe honour cannot Be meafur'd, or confin'd. Gon. Whether this be, Or be not, I'll not fwear, 4 To drink the air is an expreffion of fwiftness of the fame kind as to devour the way in Henry IV. JOHNSON. 5 Thy dukedom I refign,] The duchy of Milan being through the treachery of Anthonio made feudatory to the crown of Naples, Alonfo promises to refign his claim of fovereignty for the future. STEEVENS, Pro. Pro. You do vet tafte Some fubtiltice o' the ifle, that will not let you Believe things certain :-Welcome, my friends all :But you, my brace of lords, were I fo minded, [Afide to Seb. and Ant. I here could pluck his highnefs' frown upon you, And juftify you traitors; at this time I'll tell no tales. Seb. The devil fpeaks in him. Pro. No: [Afide. For you, moft wicked fir, whom to call brother Alon. If thou be'ft Profpero, Give us particulars of thy prefervation : How thou haft met us here, who three hours fince 6 Pro. I am woe for't, fir. Alon. bo three hours fince] The unity of time is most rigidly obferved in this piece. The fable fcarcely takes up a greater number of hours than are employed in the representation; and from the very particular care which our author takes to point out this circumftance in fo many other paffages, as well as here, it fhould feem as if it were not accidental, but purposely defigned to fhew the admirers of Ben Jonfon's art, and the cavillers of the time, that he too could write a play within all the ftricteft laws of regularity, when he chofe to load himself with the critick's fetters. The Boatswain marks the progrefs of the day again—which but three glaffes fince, &c. and at the beginning of this act the duration of the time employed on the ftage is particularly afcertained; and it refers to a paffage in the first act, of the fame tendency. The ftorm was raised at least two glaffes after mid-day, and Ariel was promifed that the work fhould ceafe at the fixth hour. STEEVENS. 7 I am woe for't, fir.] i. e. I am forry for it. To be soe, is often used by old writers to fignify, to be forry. So Chaucer: See The Court of Love, p. 36. 66 -I wolds Alon. Irreparable is the lofs; and patience Says, it is paft her cure. Pro. I rather think, You have not fought her help; of whofe foft grace, Alon. You the like lofs? 8 Pro. As great to me, as late; and, fupportable To make the dear loss, have I means much weaker Than you may call to comfort you; for I Have loft my daughter. Alon. A daughter? O heavens! that they were living both in Naples, The king and queen there! that they were, I wish, Myfelf were mudded in that oozy bed, Where my fon lies. daughter? When did you lofe your Pro. In this laft tempeft. I perceive, these lords At this encounter do so much admire, That they devour their reafon; and scarce think, Which was thrust forth of Milan; who moft strangely For 'tis a chronicle of day by day, Not a relation for a breakfaft, nor Befitting this first meeting. Welcome, fir; "That I prefume to her to writin fo." So in the play of The Four Ps, 1569: "But be ye fure I would be woe That you should chance to begyle me fo." STEEVENS. As great to me, as late ;] My lofs is as great as yours, and has as lately happened to me. JOHNSON. And And fubjects none abroad: pray you, look in; The entrance of the cell opens, and difcovers Ferdinand and Miranda playing at chefs. Mira. Sweet lord, you play me falfe. Fer. No, my dearest love, I would not for the world. Mira. Yes, for a fcore of kingdoms, you should wrangle, And I would call it fair play. Alon. If this prove A vifion of the island, one dear fon Shall I twice lofe. Seb. A moft high miracle! Fer. Though the feas threaten, they are merciful: I have curs'd them without cause. Alon. Now all the bleffings Of a glad father compass thee about! Arife, and fay how thou cam'ft here. Mira. O! wonder! [Ferd. kneels, How many goodly creatures are there here! Pro. 'Tis new to thee. 9 Yes, for a score of kingdoms,] I take the fenfe to be only this: Ferdinand would not, he fays, play her falfe for the world; yes, answers fhe, I would allow you to do it for fomething lefs than the world, for twenty kingdoms, and I wish you well enough. to allow you, after a little wrangle, that your play was fair. So likewife Dr. Gray. JOHNSON. I would recommend another punctuation, and then the sense would be as follows: Yes, for a fcore of kingdoms you should wrangle, And I would call it fair play; because such a contest would be worthy of you. STEEVENS. Alon. Alon. What is this maid, with whom thou waft at play? Your eld'ft acquaintance cannot be three hours: Fer. Sir, fhe's mortal; But, by immortal Providence, fhe's mine: Alon. I am hers: But, oh, how oddly will it found, that I Pro. There, fir, stop; Let us not burden our remembrance with An heaviness that's gone. Gon. I have inly wept, Or fhould have spoke ere this. Look down, you gods, And on this couple drop a bleffed crown; For it is you, that have chalk'd forth the way Which brought us hither! Alon. I fay, Amen, Gonzalo ! Gon. Was Milan thruft from Milan, that his iffue Should become kings of Naples? o, rejoice Beyond a common joy; and fet it down When no man was his own. Alon When no man was bis own.] For when perhaps fhould be read where. JOHNSON. When |