Gon. When I wore it at your daughter's marriage? Alon. You cram these words into mine ears, against The stomach of my sense: 'Would I had never I ne'er again shall see her. O thou mine heir Fran. Sir, he may live: I saw him beat the surges under him, And ride upon their backs: he trod the water, The surge most swoln that met him: his bold head 'Bove the contentious waves he kept, and oar'd Himself with his good arms in lusty stroke To the shore, that o'er his wave-worn basis bow'd, As stooping to relieve him: I not doubt, He came alive to land. Alon. No, no; he's gone. Seb. Sir, you may thank yourself for this great loss; That would not bless our Europe with yr daughter, But rather lose her to an African; : Where she, at least, is banish'd from your eye, Who hath cause to wet the grief on. Alon. Pr'ythee, peace. Sb. You were kneel'd to, and importun'd otherwise By all of us; and the fair soul herself .. The meaning of this line will be clear enough, if who de un derstood as referring to eye Who and which were often used mdiscriminately. 8. Weigh'd, between loathness and obedience, at your son, We have lost I fear, for ever: Milan and Naples have More widows in them of this business' making, Than we bring men to comfort them: the fault's Your own. Alon. So is the dear'st o' the loss. Gon. My lord Sebastian, The truth you speak doth lack some gentleness, And time to speak it in: you rub the sore, When you should bring the plaster. Seb. Ant. And most chirurgeonly. Very well. Gon. It is foul weather in us all, good sir, When you are cloudy. Seb. Ant. Foul weather? Very foul Gon. Had I plantation of this isle, my lord,— Ant. He'd sow't with nettle-seed. Seb. Or docks, or mallows. Gon. And were the king on't, what would I do? Seb. 'Scape being drunk, for want of wine. Gon. I' the commonwealth I would by contraries Execute all things: for no kind of traffic Would I admit; no name of magistrate; Letters should not be known; riches, poverty, And use of service, none; contract, succession Bourn, bound of land, tilth, vineyard, none: No use of metal, corn, or wine, or oil: No occupation; all men idle, all; And women too; but innocent and pure: i. e. she was in doubt towards which scale of the balance she should incline. H Seb. Yet he would be king on't. Ant. The latter end of his commonwealth forgets the beginning. Gon. All things in common nature should produce Without sweat or endeavour: treason, felony, Sword, pike, knife, gun, or need of any engine, Would I not have; but nature should bring forth, Of its own kind, all foison," all abundance, To feed my innocent people. Seb. No marrying 'mong his subjects? Ant. None, man; all idle; whores, and knaves. Gon. I would with such perfection govern, sir, To excel the golden age.1 Gon. I do well believe your highness; and did 10 An engine was a term applied to any kind of machine in Shakespeare's age. 11 Foison is only another word for plenty or abundance of provision, but chiefly of the fruits of the earth. 12 In Montaigne's Essay "Of the Cannibals," translated by Florio in 1603, is the following: "Me seemeth that what in those nations we see by experience, doth not only exceed all the pictures wherewith licentious poesy hath proudly embellished the golden age, and all her quaint inventions to feign a happy condition of man, but also the conception and desire of philosophy. - It is a nation, would I answer Plato, that hath no kind of traffic, no knowledge of letters, no intelligence of numbers, no name of magistrate, nor of politic superiority; no use of service, of riches, or of poverty; no contracts, no successions, no dividences; no occupation, but idle; no respect of kindred, but common; no apparel, but natural; no manuring of lands; no use of wine corn, or metal. The very words that import lying, falsehood, treason, dissimulation, covetousness, envy, detraction, and pardon were never heard amongst them." From which it is plain enough, that Montaign and Gonzalo must have been together, and "fed on one thought ' " B. it to minister occasion to these gentlemen, who are of such sensible and nimble lungs, that they always use to laugh at nothing. Ant. "Twas you we laugh'd at. Gon. Who, in this kind of merry fooling, am nothing to you: so you may continue, and laugh at nothing still. Ant. What a blow was there given! Seb. An it had not fallen flat-long. Gon. You are gentlemen of brave mettle: you would lift the moon out of her sphere, if she would continue in it five weeks without changing. Enter ARIEL invisible, playing solemn music. Seb. We would so, and then go a bat-fowling. Ant. Nay, good my lord, be not angry. Gon. No, I warrant you; I will not adventure my discretion so weakly. Will you laugh me asleep, for I am very heavy? Ant. Go sleep, and hear us. Alon. [All sleep but ALON. SEB. and ANT What! all so soon asleep? I wish mine eyes Would, with themselves, shut up my thoughts: I find, They are inclin'd to do so. Seb. Please you, sir, Do not omit the heavy offer of it: It seldom visits sorrow; when it doth, It is a comforter. Ant. We two, my lord, Will guard your person, while you take your rest, And watch your safety. Alon. Thank you: Wondrous heavy [ALONZO sleeps. Erit ARIEL Seb. What a strange drowsiness possesses them! Doth it not then our eye-lids sink? Ant. Why I find not Nor I: my spirits are nimble. They fell together all, as by consent; What might Worthy Sebastian! 13 - O, what might! No more: And yet, methinks, I see it in thy face, What thou should'st be: The occasion speaks thee; and My strong imagination sees a crown Dropping upon thy head. Seb. What! art thou waking? I do; and, surely, Ant. Do you not hear me speak? Seb. It is a sleepy language; and thou speak'st Out of thy sleep: What is it thou didst say? With eyes wide open; standing, speaking, moving, Ant. Noble Sebastian, Thou let'st thy fortune sleep die rather; wink'st Whiles thou art waking. Seb. Thou dost snore distinctly: There's meaning in thy snores. Ant. I am more serious than my custom: you Must be so too, if heed me; which to do, 14 e. makes thee three times what thou art now. H |