But thefe fweet thoughts do even refresh my labours; * Most busy-lefs, when I do it.

Enter Miranda, and Profpero at a diftance.

Mira. Alas, now! pray you,

Work not fo hard: I would, the lightning had
Burnt up thofe logs, that you are enjoin'd to pile!
Pray, fet it down, and rest you: when this burns,
'Twill weep for having weary'd you: My father
Is hard at ftudy; pray now, reft yourself;
He's fafe for thefe three hours.

Fer. O most dear mistress,

The fun will fet before I fhall 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;

I had 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 fhould do it
With much more eafe; for my good will is to it,
And yours it is against 5.

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 beseech you,

The two first folios read:

Moft bufy left, 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 cannot afford to think well of my own fagacity for having discovered it.

THEOBALD.

And yours it is againft.] Perhaps we fhould read, And yours

is it againft. STELVENS.

VOL. I.

(Chiefly that I might fet it in my prayers) What is your name?

6

Mira. Miranda :-O my father, I have broke your heft to say fo! Fer. Admir'd Miranda !

Indeed, the top of admiration; worth

What's dearest to the world! Full many a lady
I have ey'd with beft regard; and many a time
The harmony of their tongues hath into bondage
Brought my too diligent ear: for several virtues
Have I lik'd feveral women; never any
With fo full foul, but fome defect in her
Did quarrel with the nobleft grace fhe ow❜d,
And put it to the foil: But you, o you,
So perfect, and fo peerlefs, are created
7 Of every creature's best.

Mira. I do not know

One of my fex; no woman's face remember,
Save, from my glass, mine own; nor have I seen
More that I may call men, than you, good friend,
And my dear father: how features are abroad,
I am skillefs of; but, by my modefty,
(The jewel in my dower) I would not wifh
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 flavery, than I would fuffer

8

The flesh-fly blow my mouth :-Hear my foul fpeak;

6

-heft-] For beheft; i. e. command. STEEVENS.

Of every creature's beft.] Alluding to the picture of Venus by Apelles. JOHNSON.

8

-than I would fuffer, &c.] The old copy reads-Than to fuffer. The emendation is Mr. Pope's. STEEVENS,

The

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 heaven, o earth, bear witnefs to this found, And crown what I profefs with kind event,

If I fpeak true; if hollowly, invert

What best is boded me, to mischief! I,
Beyond all limit of what elfe i' the world,
Do love, prize, honour you.

Mira. 9 I am a fool,
To weep at what I am glad of.

Pro. Fair encounter

Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace
On that which breeds between them!

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 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 marry me ;
If not, I'll die your maid: to be your fellow
You may deny me; but I'll be your fervant,
Whether you will or no.

9 I am a fool,

To weep at what I am glad of.] This is one of those touches of nature that diftinguish Shakespeare from all other writers. It was neceffary, in fupport of the character of Miranda, to make her appear unconfcious that excefs of forrow and excefs of joy find alike their relief from tears; and as this is the first time that confummate pleasure had made any near approaches to her heart, the calls fuch a feeming contradictory expreffion of it, folly. The fame thought occurs in Romeo and Juliet:

"Back foolish tears, back to your native spring,
"Your tributary drops belong to woe,

"Which you, miftaking, offer up to joy." STEEVENS.
your fellow,] i. e. companion. STEEVENS.

Fer. My mistress, dearest,

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 farewell,

Till half an hour hence.

Fer. A thoufand, thousand!

Pro. So glad of this as they, I cannot be,
Who are furpriz'd with all; but my rejoicing
At nothing can be more. I'll to my book;
For yet, ere fupper-time, muft I perform
Much bufinefs appertaining.

SCENE IÌ.
Another part of the island.

[Exeunt.

[Exit.

Enter Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo, with a bottle. Ste. Tell not me ;-when the butt is out, we will drink water; not a drop before: therefore bear up, and board 'em *: Servant-monster, drink to me.

Trin. Servant-monster? 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 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 2.

*Bear up, and board 'em:] A metaphor alluding to a chace at fea. SIR J. HAWKINS.

2 He were a brave monfter indeed, if they were fet in his tail.] I believe this to be an allufion to a flory that is met with in Stowe, and other writers of the time. It feems, in the year 1574, a whale was thrown afhore near Ramsgate. "A monftrous fifb (fays "the chronicler) but not fo monftrous as fome reported - for his 56 eyes were in his head, and not in his back."

Summary, 1575, P. 562.

FARMER.

Ste.

Ste. My man-monfter 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, monfter, 4 or my standard.

Trin. Your lieutenant, if you lift; he's no ftandard. Ste. We'll not run, monfieur monster.

Trin. Nor go neither: but you'll lie, 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.

5

Trin. Thou ly'ft, most ignorant monfter; I am in cafe to justle a conftable: Why, thou debofh'd fish thou,

3 Ifwam, &c.] This play was not published till 1623. Albu mazar made its appearance in 1614, and has a paffage relative to the escape of a failor yet more incredible. Perhaps, in both in ftances, a fneer was meant at the Voyages of Ferdinando Mendez Pinto, or the exaggerated accounts of other lying travellers : five days I was under water; and at length "Got up and spread myself upon a cheft,

66

66

Rowing with arms, and steering with my feet,
"And thus in five days more got land." Act III. sc. v.

or my ftandard.

STEEVENS.

Trin. Your lieutenant, if you lift; he's no ftandard.] Meaning, he is fo much intoxicated, as not to be able to ftand. The quibble between ftandard, an enfign, and standard, a fruit tree, that grows without fupport, is evident. STEEVENS.

5 -thou debob'd fish thou,-] I meet with this word, which I fuppofe to be the fame as debauch'd, in Randolph's Jealous Lovers, 1634:

66

See your house be stor❜d

"With the deboifheft roarers in this city."

Again, All's Well that ends Well:

"With all the fpots o' th' world tax'd and debosh'd,”

Again in Monfieur Thomas, 1639:

66 faucy fellows,

"Debob'd and daily drunkards."

The fubftantive occurs in the Partheneia Sacra, 1633:

"-A hater of men, rather than the deboishments of their

manners."