صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني
[blocks in formation]

Who's the next heir of Naples? Seb.

He's gone.

Then tell me, Claribel.

Ant. She that is queen of Tunis; she that dwells Ten leagues beyond man's life; she that from Naples

Can have no note,2 unless the sun were post, (The man i' the moon's too slow,) till 'new-born chins

Be rough and razorable: she, from whom

We all were sea-swallow'd, though some cast again;
And, by that destiny, to perform an act,
Whereof what's past is prologue; what to come,
In your's and my discharge.3

Šeb. What stuff is this?-How say you? 'Tis true, my brother's daughter's queen of Tunis; So is she heir of Naples; 'twixt which regions There is some space.

[blocks in formation]

Music. Re-enter ARIEL, invisible.

Ari. My master through his art foresees the danger

That you, his friend, are in; and sends me forth
For else his projects die, to keep them living.
[Sings in GONZALO's ear.

While you here do snoring lie,
Open-ey'd conspiracy

His time doth take:

If of life you keep a care,

Shake off slumber, and beware:
Awake! awake!

Ant. Then let us both be sudden.

Gon. Now, good angels, preserve the king. [They wake. Alon. Why, how now, ho! awake! Why are you drawn?

Wherefore this ghastly looking?

Ant.
Gon.
A space whose every cubit
Seems to cry out, How shall that Claribel
Measure us back to Naples ?-Keep in Tunis,
And let Sebastian wake!-Say, this were death
That now hath seiz'd them; why they were no

worse

Than now they are: There be, that can rule

t

Naples,

As well as he that sleeps; lords, that can prate As amply, and unnecessarily,

As this Gonzalo; I myself could make

A chought of as deep chat. O, that you bore

The mind that I do! what a sleep were this

For your advancement! Do you understand me?
Seb. Methinks, I do..
Ant.

I

And how does your content Tender your own good fortune? Seb.

I remember,

True:

You did supplant your brother Prospero.
Ant.

And, look, how well my garments sit upon me;
Much feater than before: My brother's servants
Were then my fellows, now they are my men.
Seb. But, for
your conscience-

Aat. Ay, sir; where lies that? if it were a kybe,
"Twould put me to my slipper; but I feel not
This deity in my bosom: twenty consciences,
That stand 'twixt me and Milan, candied be they,
And melt, ere they molest! Here lies your brother,
No better than the earth he lies upon,

If he were that which now he's like, that's dead;
Whom I, with this obedient steel, three inches of it,
Can lay to bed for ever: whiles you, doing thus,
To the perpetual wink for aye might put
This ancient morsel, this sir Prudence, who

1 i. e. The utmost extent of the prospect of ambition, the point where the eye can pass no farther.

2 The commentators have treated this as a remarkable instance of Shakspeare's ignorance of geography; but though the real distance between Naples and Tunis is not so immeasurable, the intercourse in early times between the Neapolitans and the Tunisians was not so frequent as to make it popularly considered less than a formidable voyage; Shakspeare may however be countenanced in his poetical exaggeration, when we remember that Eschylus has placed the river Eridanus in Spain; and that Appolonius Rhodius describes the Rhone and the Po as meeting in one and discharging themselves into the Gulf of Venice.

What's the matter? Seb. Whiles we stood here securing your repose, Even now, we heard a hollow burst of bellowing Like bulls, or rather lions; did it not wake you? It struck mine ear most terribly. Alon. I heard nothing. To make an earthquake; sure it was the roar Ant. O, 'twas a din to fright a monster's ear; Of a whole herd of lions.

Alon.

Heard you this, Gonzalo ?"
Gon. Upon mine honour, sir, I heard a humming,
And that a strange one too, which did awake me:
I shak'd you, sir, and cried; as mine eyes open'd,
I saw their weapons drawn :-there was a noise,
That's verity: 'Best stand upon our guard;
Or that we quit this place: let's draw our weapons.
Alon. Lead off this ground; and let's make fur-
ther search

For my poor son.
Gon. Heavens keep him from these beasts!
For he is, sure, i' the island.
Alon.
Lead away.
Ari. Prospero my lord shall know what I havo
[Aside.

done:

So, king, go safely on to seek thy son, [Exeunt. SCENE II. Another part of the Island. Enter CALIBAN, with a burden of Wood. A noise of Thunder heard.

Cal. All the infections that the sun sucks up From bogs, fens, flats, on Prosper fall, and make him By inch-meal a disease! His spirits hear me, And yet I needs must curse. But they'll nor pinch, Fright me with urchin shows, pitch me i' the mire, Nor lead me, like a fire-brand, in the dark,

3 What is past is the prologue to events which are to come; that depends on who you and I are to perform. 4 A chough is a bird of the jackdaw kind.

5 Suggestion is frequently used in the sense of temptation, or seduction, by Shakspeare and his contemporaries. The sense here is, that they will adopt and bear witness to any tale that may be dictated to them.

6 The old copies read "For else his project dies," By the transposition of a letter, this passage, which has much puzzled the editors, is rendered more intelligible.

"to keep them living," relates to projects, and not to Alonzo and Gonzalo, as Steevens and Johnson er. roneously supposed

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

Here comes a spirit of his; and to torment me,
For bringing wood in slowly: I'll fall flat;
Perchance he will not mind me.

Trin. Here's neither bush nor shrub, to bear off any weather at all, and another storm brewing: I hear it sing i' the wind: yond' same black cloud, yond' huge one, looks like a foul bumbard that would shed his liquor. If it should thunder, as it did before, I know not where to hide my head: yond' same cloud cannot choose but fall by pailfuls.What have we here? a man or a fish? Dead or alive? A fish: he smells like a fish; a very ancient and fish-like smell; a kind of, not of the newest, Poor-John. A strange fish! Were I in England now, (as once I was,) and had but this fish painted, not a holiday-fool there but would give a piece of silver: there would this monster make a man;4 any strange beast there makes a man: when they will not give a doit to relieve a lame beggar, they will lay out ten to see a dead Indian. Legg'd like a man! and his fins like arms! Warm, o' my troth! I do now let loose my opinion, hold it no longer; this is no fish but an islander, that hath lately suffered by a thunderbolt. [Thunder.] Alas! the storm is come again: my best way is to creep under his garberdine; there is no other shelter hereabout: Misery acquaints a man with strange bed-fellows. I will here shroud, till the dregs of the storm be past.

Enter STEPHANO, singing; a bottle in his hand.
Ste. I shall no more to sea, to sea,
Here shall I die ashore ;-

This is a very scurvy tune to sing at a man's funeral:

Well, here's my comfort.

[Drinks,

The master, the swabber, the boatswain, and I,
The gunner, and his mate,

Lov'd Mall, Megg, and Marian, and Margery,
But none of us cared for Kate:
For she had a tongue with a tang,
Would cry to a sailor, Go, hang:
She lov'd not the savour of tar nor of pitch,
Yet a tailor might scratch her where-e'er she did itch:
Then to sea boys, and let her go hang.

This is a scurvy tune too: But here's my comfort. [Drinks.

Cal. Do not torment me: O! Ste. What's the matter? Have we devils here? Do you put tricks upon us with savages, and men of Inde? Ha! I have not scap'd drowning, to be afeard now of your four legs; for it hath been said, As proper a man as ever went on four legs, cannot 1 To moe is to make mouths. "To make a moe like an ape. Distorquere os. Rictum deducere."Baret. 2 Pricks is the ancient word for prickles.

3 A bumbard is a black jack of leather, to hold beer, &c.

4 i. e. make a man's fortune. Thus in A Midsum mer Night's Dream

"We are all made men."

And in the old comedy of Ram Alley

"She's a wench

Was born to make us all."

make him give ground: and it shall be said so again, while Stephano breathes at nostrils.

Cal. The spirit torments me: O!

Ste. This is some monster of the isle, with four legs; who hath got, as I take it, an ague: Where the devil should he learn our language? I will give him some relief, if it be but for that: if I can recover him, and keep him tame, and get to Naples with him, he's a present for any emperor that ever trod on neat's-leather.

Cal. Do not torment me, pr'ythee; I'll bring my wood home faster.

Ste. He's in his fit now; and does not talk after the wisest. He shall taste of my bottle: if he hath never drunk wine afore, it will go near to remove his fit: ifI can recover him, and keep him tame, I' will not take too much for him he shall pay for him that hath him, and that soundly.

Cal. Thou dost me yet but little hurt; thou wilt Anon, I know it by thy trembling: Now Prosper works upon thee.

Ste. Come on your ways; open your mouth; here is that which will give language to you, cat open your mouth: this will shake your shaking, can tell you, and that soundly: you cannot tell who's your friend: open your chaps again.

Trin. I should know that voice: It should beBut he is drowned; and these are devils: O! de fend me !

Ste. Four legs, and two voices; a most delicate monster! His forward voice now is to speak wel of his friend; his backward voice is to utter foul speeches, and to detract. If all the wine in my bottle will recover him, I will help his agne; Come,- -Amen! I will pour some in thy other mouth.

Trin. Stephano,

Ste. Doth thy other mouth call me? Mercy! mercy! This is a devil, and no monster: I will leave him; I have no long spoon."

Trin. Stephano!-If thou beest Stephano, touch me, and speak to me; for I am Trinculo;be not afeard,-thy good friend Trinculo. Ste. If thou beest Trinculo, come forth; I'll pull thee by the lesser legs; If any be Trinculo's legs, these are they. Thou art very Trinculo, indeed: How cam'st thou to be the siege of this moon-calf? Can he vent Trinculos?

Trin. I took him to be killed with a thunderstroke-But art thou not drowned, Stephano? I hope now, thou art not drowned. Is the storm overblown? I hid me under the dead moon-calf's1o gaberdine, for fear of the storm: And art thou living, Stephano? O Stephano, two Neapolitans 'scap'd!

Ste. Pr'ythee, do not turn me about; my stomach is not constant.

Cal. These be fine things, an if they be not sprites.

That's a brave god, and bears celestial liquor:
I will kneel to him.

Ste. How did'st thou 'scape? How cam'st thou hither? swear by this bottle, how thou cam's hither. I escaped upon a butt of sack, which the sailors heaved over-board, by this bottle! which 1 Chapman's version of the fourth Book of the Odyssey.

[ocr errors]

The sea calves savour was

So passing sowre (they still being bred at seas)
It much afflicted us, for who can please

To lie by one of these same sea-bred whales."

6 No impertinent hint to those who indulge in the con stant use of wine. When it is necessary for them as a medicine, it produces no effect.

7 Any sum, ever so much, an ironical expression im plying that he would get as much as he could for him. 8 Shakspeare gives his characters appropriate lan"Aguage, "They beich forth proverbs in their drink,"

Good liquor will make a cat speak," and "he who eats with the devil had need of a long spoon." The last is again used in The Comedy of Errors, Act iv. Sc. 2 9 Siege for stool, and in the dirtiest sense of the

5 A gaberdine was a coarse outer garment. shepherd's pelt, frock, or gaberdine, such a coarse long jacket as our porters wear over the rest of their garments," says Cotgrave. "A kind of rough cassock or frock like an Irish mantle," says Philips. It is from the low Latin Galvardina, whence the French Galvar-word. din and Gaban. One would almost think Shakspeare 10 The best account of the moon calf may be found ir had been acquainted with the following passage in Drayton's poem with that title

made of the bark of a tree, with mine own hands, since I was cast a-shore.

Cal. I'll swear, upon that bottle, to be thy true subject; for the liquor is not earthly.

Ste. Here; swear then how thou escap'dst. Trin. Swam a-shore, man, like a duck; I can swim like a duck, I'll be sworn.

Ste. Here, kiss the book: Though thou canst swim like a duck, thou art made like a goose.

Trin. O Stephano, hast any more of this? Ste. The whole butt, man; my cellar is in a ock by the sea-side, where my wine is hid. How now, moon-calf? how does thine ague?

Cal. Hast thou not dropped from heaven?' Ste. Out o' the moon, I do assure thee: I was the man in the moon,2 when time was.

Cal. I have seen thee in her, and I do adore thee; my mistress shewed me thee, and thy dog, and thy bush.

Ste. Come, swear to that: kiss the book: I will furnish it anon with new contents: swear.

Trin. By this good light, this is a very shallow monster:-I afeard of him?-a very weak monster:-The man i' the moon?-a most poor credulous monster:-Well drawn, monster, in good sooth.

Cal. I'll shew thee every fertile inch o' the island;

And I will kiss thy foot: I pr'ythee, be my god. Trin. By this light, a most perfidious and drunken monster; when his god's asleep, he'll rob his bottle.

Cal. I'll kiss thy foot: I'll swear myself thy subject.

Ste. Come on then; down, and swear. Trin. I shall laugh myself to death at this puppy-headed monster: A most scurvy monster! I could find in my heart to beat him,

Ste. Come, kiss.

Trin. but that the poor monster's in drink: An abominable monster!

Cal. I'll shew thee the best springs; I'll pluck

thee berries:

I'll fish for thee, and get thee wood enough.
A plague upon the tyrant that I serve!
I'll bear him no more sticks, but follow thee,
Thou wondrous man.

Trin. A most ridiculous monster; to make a wonder of a poor drunkard.

Cal. I pr'ythee, let me bring thee where crabs

grow;

And I with my long nails will dig thee pig-nuts;
Shew thee a jay's nest, and instruct thee how
To snare the nimble marmozet; I'll bring thee
To clust'ring filberds, and sometimes I'll get thee
Young sea-mells from the rock: Wilt thou go

with me?

Ste. I pr'ythee now, lead the way, without any more talking.-Trinculo, the king and all our company else being drowned, we will inherit here. Here; bear my bottle. Fellow Trinculo, we'll fill him by and by again.

Cal. Farewell, master; farewell, farewell.
[Sings drunkenly.
Trin. A howling monster; a drunken monster.
Cal. No more dams I'll make for fish;
Nor fetch in firing
At requiring,

Nor scrape trenchering, nor wash dish;
'Ban 'Ban, Ca-Caliban,

Has a new master-Get a new man. Freedom, hey-day! hey-day, freedom! hey-day, freedom!

Ste.

O brave monster! lead the way. [Exeunt.

1 The Indians of the Island of S. Salvador asked by signs whether Columbus and his companions were not come down from heaven.

ACT III.

SCENE I-Before Prospero's Cell. Enter FER
DINAND, bearing a Log.

Fer. There be some sports are painful; and
their labour

Delight in them sets off: some kinds of baseness
Are nobly undergone; and most poor matters
Point to rich ends. This my mean task
Would be as heavy to me, as odious; but
The mistress, which I serve, quickens what's dead,
And makes my labours pleasures: 0, she is
Ten times more gentle than her father's crabbed;
And he's composed of harshness. I must remove
Some thousands of these logs, and pile them up,
Upon a sore injunction: My sweet mistress
and says,
Weeps when she sees me work;
baseness
I forget:
Had ne'er like executor.
But these sweet thoughts do even refresh my
bours;

Most busy-less, when I do it.

such

Enter MIRANDA; and PROSPERO at a distance.
Mira.
Alas, now! pray you,
Work not so hard: I would, the lightning had
Burnt up those logs, that you are enjoin'd to pile!
Pray, set it down, and rest you: when this burns,
Twill weep for having wearied you: My father
Is hard at study; pray now, rest yourself;
He's safe for these three hours.

Fer.
O most dear mistress,
The sun will set, before I shall discharge
What I must strive to do.
Mira.
If you'll sit down,
I'll bear your logs the while: Pray, give me that;
I'll carry it to the pile.

Fer.

No, precious creature ; i
I'd rather crack my sinews, break my back,
Than you should such dishonour undergo,
While I sit lazy by.
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 your's it is against.

Mira.

Pro.

Poor worm! thou art infected;
This visitation shews it.
Mira.

You look wearily,
Fer. No, noble mistress; 'tis fresh morning with

[blocks in formation]

I

Mira.

Miranda:-O my father,

I have broke your hest" to say so!

Fer.

Admir'd Miranda!
Indeed, the top of admiration; worth
What's dearest to the world! Full many a lady
have ey'd with best 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 several women; never any 37
With so full soul, but some defect in hor
Did quarrel with the noblest grace she ow'd,
And put it to the foil: But you, you
So perfect, and so peerless, are created
Of every creature's best."

3 A smaller species of sea-gulls,

[ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

2 The reader may consult a curious note on this pas sage in Mr. Douce's very interesting Illustrations of Shakspeare; where it is observed that Dante makes Cain the man in the moon with his bundle of sticks; or in other words describes the moon by the periphrasis In the third book there is a fable which may have been Caino e le spine.”

in Shakspeare's mind,

Mira.

I do not know One of my sex; 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 skill-less of; but, by my modesty, (The jewel in my dower,) I would not wish 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 there do forget.

Fer.

I am, in my con/lition,

A prince, Miranda; I do think, a king;

(I would, not so!) and would no more endure This wooden slavery, than to suffer The flesh-fly blow my mouth.

speak ;

-Hear my soul

The very instant that I saw you, did
My heart fly to your service; there resides,
To make me slave to it; and, for your sake,
Am I this patient log-man.

Mira.

Do you love me?

Fer. O heaven, O earth, bear witness to this sound,

And crown what I profess with kind event,
If I speak true; if hollowly, invert

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

Mira.

I am a fool,

To weep at what I am glad of.2 Pro.

Fair encounter

Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace
On that which breeds between them!
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 shows. 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 servant,
Whether you will or no.

Fer.

And I thus humble ever.

Mira.

My mistress, dearest,

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' thousand! thousand! [Exeunt FER. and MIR. Pro. So glad of this as they, I cannot be, Who are surpris'd with all; but my rejoicing At nothing can be more. I'll to my book; For yet, ere supper time, must I perform Much business appertaining.

[Exit.

SCENE II.-Another part of the Island. Enter STEPHANO and TRINCULO; CALIBAN following 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 island! They say, there's but five upon this isle: we are three of them; if the other two be brained like the state totters.

1 What else, for whatsoever else.

us,

2 Steevens observes justly that this is one of those ouches of nature which distinguish Shakspeare from all other writers. There is a kindred thought in Romeo and Juliet:

"Back, foolish tears, back to your native spring! Your tributary drops belong to woe, Which you mistaking offer up to Joy."

1. e. your companion Malone has cited a very

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

Trin. Where should they be set else? he were a brave monster indeed, if they were set in his tail. Ste. My man-monster hath drowned his tongue in sack for my part, the sea cannot drown me: I swam, ere I could recover the shore, five-andthirty leagues, off and on, by this light.-Thou shalt be my lieutenant, monster, or iny 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 lie, like dogs; and yet say nothing neither.

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

Cal. How does thy honour? Let me lick thy shoe: I'll not serve him, he is not valiant.

Trin. Thou liest, most ignorant monster; I am in case to justle a constable: Why, thou deboshed fish thou, was there ever man a coward, that hath drunk so much sack as I to-day? Wilt thou tell a monstrous lie, 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 indige

[blocks in formation]

Where the quick freshes are.

Ste. Trinculo, run into no further danger: in

apposite passage from Catullus; but, as Mr. Douce remarks, Shakspeare had more probably the pathetic old poem of The Nut Brown Maid in his recollection.

4 Deboshed, this is the old orthography of debauched; following the sound of the French original. In altering the spelling we have departed from the proper pronunciation of the word.

5 He calls him a pied ninny,'alluding to Trinculo♥ party-coloured dress, he was a licensed fool or jester 6 Quick freshes are living springs.

« السابقةمتابعة »