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, farewell3. [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 6. Freedom, hey-day! hey-day, freedom! freedom! heyday, freedom! Ste. O brave monster! lead the way. [Exeunt. word is printed in all the original editions) Shakespeare intended a fish or a bird. Kamm-muschell (as Mr. Thoms observes to me) in German, means a scallop, and hence he supposes "scamel" may possibly have been derived: Holt also states, though the assertion may require to be confirmed, that in some parts of England limpets are called scams. On the other hand, Theobald altered "scamels” to sea-mells, and that reading Malone followed, on the ground (which is by no means clear) that a sea-mell is a species of gull, which builds its nest in the rock. Under these difficulties we adhere to the old orthography. 5 Farewell, master; farewell, farewell.] It may be doubted whether Caliban is to sing these words, and in the old copies they are not printed in italic type like his song, although we have the stage-direction," Caliban sings drunkenly," just above them. Neither is the line in the same measure as his song. 6 Get a new man.] We must suppose that this was meant by Caliban for Prospero, and that he turned towards the enchanter's cell. VOL. I. E ACT III. SCENE I. Before PROSPERO'S Cell. Enter FERDINAND, bearing a log. Fer. There be some sports are painful, and their labour Delight in them sets off: some kinds of baseness Weeps when she sees me work; and says, such baseness But these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labours; Most busy, least when I do it’. Enter MIRANDA; and PROSPERO at a distance. Mira. Alas! now, pray you, Work not so hard: I would, the lightning had 7 Most busy, LEAST when I do it.] The meaning of this passage seems to have been misunderstood by all the commentators. Ferdinand says that the thoughts of Miranda so refresh his labours, that when he is most busy he seems to feel his toil least. It is printed in the folio, 1623, "Most busy lest when I do it," a trifling error of the press, corrected in the folio, 1632, although Theobald tells us that both the oldest editions read lest. Not catching the poet's meaning, he printed "Most busy-less when I do it," and his supposed emendation has ever since been taken as the text: even Capell adopted it. I am happy to have Mr. Amyot's concurrence in this restoration. 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. I had rather crack my sinews, break my back, Mira. It would become me As well as it does you; and I should do it Pro. This visitation shows it. Mira. Poor worm! thou art infected; 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! Admir'd Miranda! I have broke your hest to say so. Fer. Full many a lady I have ey'd with best regard; and many a time So perfect, and so peerless, are created I do not know Mira. Fer. I am, in my condition, 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.-Hear my soul speak: The very instant that I saw you, did My heart fly to your service; there resides, 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, Mira. I am a fool, To weep at what I am glad of. Fair encounter Pro. Fer. Wherefore weep you? Mira. At mine unworthiness, that dare not offer What I desire to give; and much less take, The bigger bulk it shows. Hence, bashful cunning! I am your wife, if you will marry me; If not, I'll die your maid: to be your fellow 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 fare well, 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. |