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النشر الإلكتروني

ACT III.

SCENE, before Profpero's Cell.
Enter Ferdinand, bearing a log.

FERDINAND.

Here be fome fports are painful, but their labour

Are nobly undergone, and most poor matters
Point to rich ends. This my mean task would be
As heavy to me, as 'tis odious: but

The mistress, which I ferve, quickens what's dead,
And makes my labours pleasures: O, fhe is
Ten times more gentle, than her father's crabbed;
And he's compofed of harfhness. I must move
Some thousands of thefe logs, and pile them up,
Upon a fore injunction. My fweet mistress

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

But these sweet 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
Burnt 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) Least bufy when I do it.] This reading, I prefume, to be Mr. Pope's; for I do not find it authoriz'd by the copies: The two first folio's read;

Moft bufy leaf, 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 can't afford to think well of my own fagacity for having difcover'd it..

Fer

Fer. O moft 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'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 against.

Pro. Poor worm! thou art infected;

This vifitation fhews it.

Mira. You look wearily.

Fer. No, noble mistress; '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 quarrel with the noblest
grace fhe ow'd,
And put it to the foil. But you, O you,
So perfect, and fo peerlefs, are created
Of every creature's best.

Mira. I do not know

One of my fex; no womans 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'm killefs of; but, by my modefty,
(The jewel in my dower) I would not wish
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 suffer
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 witnefs to this found,

And crown what I profefs with kind event,

If I fpeak true; if hollowly invert

What beft is boaded me, to mischief! I

Beyond all limit of what else i' th' world,
Do love, prize, honour you.

Mira. I am a fool,

To weep at what I'm `glad of.

Pro. Fair encounter

Of two moft rare affections! heav'ns rain grace,
On that which breeds between 'em!

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 seeks to hide itself,

The bigger bulk it fhews. Hence, bashful 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.

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

Mira

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.

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

[Exeunt.

Exit.

SCENE changes to another part of the Island.

Ste.

Enter Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo.

TE

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

to me.

(21) Servant-monfler.] The part of Caliban has been esteem'd a fignal inftance of the copioufhefs of Shakespeare's invention; and that he had fhewn an extent of genius, in creating a perfon which was not in nature. 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 Jobrfon, who, in the induction to his Bartlemer Fair, has endeavour'd to throw dirt, not only at this fingle character, but at this whole play. "If "there be never a fervant monfier in the fair, who can help it, (he "fays,) ner a net of anticks? He is loth to make nature afraid in "his plays, like thefe that beget tales, tempefts, and fuch like drolle"ries, to mix his head with other men's heels." Shakespeare, as the tradition uns, was the perfon who first brought Johnson upon the tage; and this is the ftab we find given in requital for fuch a fervice, when his benefactor was retreated from the scene. A circumftance, that firangely aggravates the ingratitude. But this furly faucine's 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 profions, that if men would impartially look towards the offices and functions of a Poet, they would eafily conclude to themfelves the "impoffiblity of any man's being the good Poet, without first being a good man."

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Trin. Servant monfter! 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 almost fet in thy head.

Trin. Where fhould they be fet elfe? he were a brave monster 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 ftandard.

Trin. Your lieutenant, if you lift; he's no ftandard. 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, most ignorant monster, 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 fish, 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 harken once again to the fuit I made to thee? Ste. Marry, will I; kneel and repeat it; I will ftand, and fo fhall Trinculo.

Enter Ariel invifible.

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

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