Fer. O most dear mistress,
The fun will set, before I shall discharge
What I must strive 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

fhould such dishonour undergo, While I sit lazy by:

Mira. It would become me,
As well as it does you ; and I should do it
With much more ease; for my good will is to it,
And yours it is against.

Pro. Poor worm! thou art infected ;
This visitation Mews it.

Mira. You look wearily.

Fer. No, noble mistress ; 'tis fresh morning with me; When you are by at night. I do beseech you, (Chiefly that I might set it in my prayers) What is

your

Name?
Mira. Miranda. O my father,
I've broke your hest to say fo.

Fer. Admir'd Miranda !
Indeed, the top of admiration ; worth
What's dearest 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 several virtues
Have I lik'd rev'ral women, never any
With so full soul, but some defect in her
Did quarrel with the noblest grace she ow'd,
And put it to the foil. But you, O you,
So perfect, and so peerless, are created
Of every creature's beft.

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; ho features are abroad,

I'm skillefs of; but, by my modetty,
(The jewel in my dower) I would not with
Any companion in the world but you ;
Nor can imagination form a shape,
Besides 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 slavery, than I would suffer
The fleih-fly blow my mouth. Hear my soul speak;
The very instant that I saw you, did
My heart fly to your service, there resides
To make me llave to it, and for your fake
Am I this patient log-man.

Mirc. Do you love me?

Fer. O heav'n, O earth, bear witness to this found, And crown what I profefs with kind event, It I speak true; if hollowly invert What beit is boaded me, to mischief! I Beyond all limit of what else i' th' world, Do love, prize, honour you.

ivirů. I am a fool,
To weep at what I'm glad of.

Pro. Fair encounter
Of two most rare affections ! heav'ns rain grace,
On that which breeds between 'em!

Fer. Wherefore weep you ?

Mira. At mine unworthiness, that dare not offer,
What I desire to give; and much less take,
What I shall die to want: but this is trifling;
And all the more it seeks to hide itself,
The bigger bulk it shews. 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':

fellow You may deny me; but I'll be

your servant, Whether you will or no.

Fer. My mistress, deareft, And I thus humble ever..

Mira,

: to be your

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.

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

Exit. SCENE changes to another part of the land.

Enter Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo. Ste. ELL not me; when the butt is out, we will

drink water, not a drop before; therefore bear up, and board 'enn, fervant monster (21); drink

T

to me.

(21) Servant-monfier.] The part of Caliban has been esteemid a fignal inftance of the copiousness of Shakespeare's invention; and that he had shewn an exient of genius, in creating a person 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 occasion, of the virulence of Ben Jobrfon, who, in the induction to his Bartkimcw Fair, has endeavour'd to throw cirt, rot only at this fingle character, but at this whole play. “ If “ there te never a fervant monster in the fair, who can help it, (he “ fays,) ncr a neit of anticks? He is loth to make nature afraid in " his plays, like those that beget tales, tempefts, and such like drolle

vies, to mix his head with other men's' heels.” Shakespeare, as the tradition ions, was the person who first brought Johnson upon the Itage; and this is the stab we find given in requital for such a service, when his benefactor was retreated from the scene. A circumstance, that firangely aggravates the ingratitude. But this surly faucineis was familiar with Bin; when the publick were ever out of humour at his performances, he would revenge it on them, by being out of humour with those picces which had best pleas'd them.

I'll only add, that his conduct in this was very contradictory to his cooler pro. fljicns, “ that if men would impartially look towards the offices and “ functions of a l'oet, they would ealily conclude to themselves the “impoffiblity of any man's being the good Poet, without first being a good man.

Trin. Servant monster! the folly of this ifland! they say, there's but five upon this ifle; we are three of them, if the other two be brain'd like us, the state totters.

Ste. Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thee; thy eyes are almost set in thy head.

Trin. Where should they be fet else? he were a brave monster indeed, if they were set in his tail.

Ste. My man-monster hath drown'd his tongue in sack: for my part, the sea cannot drown me. I swam, ere I could recover the shore, five and thirty leagues, off and on; by this light, thou thalt be my lieutenant, monster, or my standard.

Trin. Your lieutenant, if you list; he's no standard.
Ste. We'll not run, monsieur monster.

Trin. Nor go neither: but you'll lye like dogs, and yet say nothing neither.

Ste. Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou beest a good moon-calf.

Cal. How does thy honour: let me lick thy hoe; I'll not serve him, he is not valiant.

Trin. Thou liest, most ignorant monster, I am in case to justle a conftable; why, thoa deboth'd fith thou, was there ever a man a coward that hath drunk so much fack as I to-day? wilt thou tell a monstrous 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 monster should be such 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 monster's my subject, and he shall not suffer indignity.

Cal. I thank my noble Lord. Wilt thou be pleas'd to harken once again to the suit I made to thee?

Ste. Marry, will I; kneel and repeat it; I will
Hand, and fo fhall 7 rinculo.

Enter Ariel invisible.
Cal. As I told thee before, I am subject to

tyrant, a forcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me of the island.

1

more

Ari. Thou liest.

Cal. Thou liest, thou jefting monkey, thou ;
I would my valiant master would destroy thee;
I do not lye.
Ste. Trinculo, if you trouble him any

in's tale, by this hand, I will supplant some of your teeth.

Trin. Why, I said nothing.
Ste. Mum then, and no more; proceed.

Cal. I say, by forcery he got this ifle;
From me he got it. If thy greatness will
Revenge it on him, (for, I know, thou dar'it,
But this thing dare not.--)

Ste. That's most certain.
Cal. Thou shalt be Lord of it, and I'll serve thee.

Ste. How now shall this be compaft ? can'st thor bring me to the party?

Cal. Yea, yea, my Lord, I'll yield him thee asleep, Where thou may'st knocka nail into his head.

Ari. Thou lieft, thou canst not.

Cal. What a py'd ninny's this thou scurvy patch! I do beseech thy greatness, give him blows, And take his bottle from him ; when that's gone, He shall drink nought but brine, for I'll not fhew him Where the quick freshes are.

Ste. Trinculo, run into no further danger; interrupt the monfter one word further, and, by this hand, I'll turn my mercy out of doors, and make a stock-fish of thee.

Trin. Why, what did I? I did nothing; I'll go further off.

Ste. Didst thou not say, he ly’d?
Ari. Thou lieft.
Ste, Dolfo? take you that.

[Beats him. As

you like this, give me the lye another time.

Trin. I did not give thee the lye; out o' your wits, and hearing too? A pox o' your bottle! this can fack and drinking do. A murrain on your monster, and the devil take your fingers.

Cal. Ha, ha, ha.

Ste. Now, forward with your tale; pr’ythee, stand further off,

Cal.