Young sir, a word.

With hazard of yourself you do me wrong.

Mir. Why speaks my father so ungently? This is The third man that I ever saw, the first

Whom e'er I sighed for; sweet heaven, move my father

To be inclined my way.

Ferd. O! if a virgin,

And your affections not gone forth, I'll make you Mistress of Savoy.

Prosp. Soft, sir, one word more.--

They're in each other's power; but this swift business

I must uneasy make, lest too light winning

Make the prize light.-One word more. Thou usurp st

The name not due to thee, hast put thyself
Upon this island as a spy, to get

The government from me, the lord of it.

Ferd. No, as I'm a man.

Mir. There's nothing ill can dwell in such a temple:

If the evil spirit hath so fair a house,

Good things will strive to dwell with it.

Prosp. No more. Speak not for him, he is a traitor.

Come! thou art my prisoner, and shalt be in bonds.
Sea-water shalt thou drink, thy food shall be
The fresh brook-muscles, withered roots and husks,
Wherein the acorn cradled;follow.

Ferd. No, I will resist such entertainment,
my enemy has more power.

Till

He draws, and is charmed from moving. Mir. O dear father! make not too rash a trial Of him; for he is gentle, and not fearful.

Prosp. My child my tutor! put thy sword up, Traitor, who mak'st a show, but dar'st not strike:

Thy conscience is possessed with guilt.
Come from thy ward,

For I can here disarm thee with this wand,
And make thy weapon drop.

Mir. 'Beseech you, father.

Prosp. Hence: Hang not on my garment.
Mir. Sir, have pity!

I'll be his surety!

Prosp. Silence! one word more

Shall make me chide thee, if not hate thee: What! An advocate for an impostor? sure

Thou think'st there are no more such shapes as his; To the most of men this is a Caliban,

And they to him are angels.

Mir. My affections are then most humble;
I have no ambition to see a goodlier man.
Prosp. Come on, obey:

Thy nerves are in their infancy again,
And have no vigour in them,

Ferd. So they are:

My spirits, as in a dream, are all bound up:
My father's loss, the weakness which I feel,

The wreck of all my friends, and this man's threats,
To whom I am subdued, would seem light to me,
Might I but once a day thorough my prison
Behold this maid: All corners else of the earth
Let liberty make use of: I have space

Enough in such a prison.

Prosp. It works: Come on:

Thou hast done well, fine Ariel:

Follow me.

Hark what thou shalt do for me. [Whispers ARIEL.

Mir. Be of comfort!

My father's of a better nature, sir,

Than he appears by speech: This is unwonted,
Which now came from him.

Prosp. Thou shalt be free as mountain winds:
But then

Exactly do all points of
Ariel. To a syllable.

my command.

[Exit ARIEL.

Prosp. to Mir. Go in that way, speak not a word for him:

I'll separate you.

[Exit MIRANDA.

Ferd. As soon thou may'st divide the waters,

when

Thou strik'st 'em, which pursue thy bootless blow, And meet when it is past.

Prosp. Go practise your philosophy within, And if you are the same you speak yourself, Bear your afflictions like a prince. That door Shews you your lodging.

Ferd. 'Tis in vain to strive, I must obey.

[Exit FERD. Prosp. This gocs as I would wish it. Now for my second care, Hippolito. I shall not need to chide him for his fault, His passion is become his punishment. Come forth, Hippolito.

Enter HIPPOLITO.

Hip. Tis Prospero's voice.

Prosp. Hippolito, I know you now expect I should severely chide you: You have seen A woman, in contempt of my commands.

Hip. But, sir, you see I am come off unharmed; I told you, that you need not doubt my courage. Prosp. You think you have received no hurt? Hip. No, none, sir.

Try me again; whene'er you please I'm ready:
I think I cannot fear an army of them.

Prosp. How much in vain it is to bridle nature!

[Aside.

Well, what was the success of your encounter? Hip. Sir, we had none, we yielded both at first; For I took her to mercy, and she me.

Prosp. But are you not much changed from what you were?

Hip. Methinks, I wish, and wish!—for what I

know not,

But still I wish :-Yet if I had that woman,
She, I believe, could tell me what I wish for.
Prosp. What would you do to make that woman.
yours?

Hip. I'd quit the rest o'the world, that I might

live

Alone with her; she never should be from me:
We two would sit and look till our eyes ached.
Prosp. You'd soon be weary of her.

Hip. O, sir, never.

Prosp. But you'll grow old and wrinkled, as you

see

Me now, and then you will not care for her.

Hip. You may do what you please; but, sir, we

two

Can never possibly grow old.

Prosp. You must, Hippolito.

Hip. Whether we will or no, sir! who shall make

. us?

Prosp. Nature, which made me so.

Hip. But you have told me, that her works are

various :

She made you old, but she has made us young.
Prosp. Time will convince you.-

Meanwhile, be sure you tread in honour's paths,
That you may merit her: And that you may not
Want fit occasions to employ your virtue,
In this next cave there is a stranger lodged,
One of your kind, young, of a noble presence,
And, as he says himself, of princely birth;
He is my prisoner, and in deep affliction:
Visit, and comfort him; it will become you.

Hip. It is my duty, sir.

[Exit HIP. Prosp. True, he has seen a woman, yet he lives!Perhaps I took the moment of his birth

Amiss: Perhaps my art itself is false.

On what strange grounds we build our hopes and fears!

Man's life is all a mist! and, in the dark,
Our fortunes meet us.

If fate be not, then what can we foresee?
Or how can we avoid it, if it be?

If by free will in our own paths we move,
How are we bounded by decrees above?
Whether we drive, or whether we are driven,
If ill, 'tis qurs: if good, the act of heaven. [Exit.

SCENE VI.-A Cave.

Enter HIPPOLITO and FERDINAND.

Ferd. Your pity, noble youth, doth much oblige

me.

Indeed, 'twas sad to lose a father so.

Hip. Ay, and an only father too; for sure

You said. you had but one.

Ferd. But one father! He's wondrous simple.

Aside.

Hip. Are such misfortunes frequent in your

world,

Where many men live?

Ferd. Such are we born to.

But, gentle youth, as you have questioned me,

So give me leave to ask you, what you are?

Hip. Do not you know?

Ferd. How should I?

Hip. I well hoped

I was a man, but, by your ignorance

Of what I am, I fear it is not so.