Upon a sore injunction: My sweet mistress

Weeps when she sees me work; and says, such baseness Had ne'er like éxecutor. I forget:

But these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labours ; Most busiless, 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
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 had rather crack my sinews, break my back,
Than should such dishonour undergo,

you

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 against.

Pro. Poor worm! thou art infected;

This visitation shews 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 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
I 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

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 best.

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 skilless 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
Therein forget.

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 I would 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,

To make me slave to it; and for your

Am I this patient log-man.

Mira. Do you love me?

sake,

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' th' world,
Do love, prize, honour you.

Mira. I am a fool,

To weep at what I am glad of.'

Pro. Fair encounter

Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace
On that which breeds between them!

[1] This is one of those touches of nature that distinguish Shakespeare from all other writers. It was necessary, in support of the character of Miranda, to make her appear unconscious that excess of sorrow and excess of joy find alike their relief from tears; and as this is the first time that consummate pleasure had made any near approaches to her heart, she calls such seeming contradictory expression of it, folly. STEEVENS.

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: to be your fellow
You may deny me; but I'll be your servant,
Whether you will or no.

Fer. My mistress, dearest,

And I thus humble ever.

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 fare

well,

Till half an hour hence.

Fer. A thousand! thousand !2.

[Exe. Fer. and Mira.

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.

SCENE II.

[Exit.

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 brain'd like us, the state totters.

[2] It is impertinent to be for ever pointing out beauties, which the reader of taste will of course distinguish for himself; and yet I cannot quit this scene without observing that it is superior in its kind to any of those that pass between Romeo and Juliet; and holds up the most captivating picture of juvenile affection that has been exhibited, even by Shakespeare himself. The prince behaves through the whole with a delicacy suitable to his birth and education: and his inexperienced mistress pours forth her soul without reserve, without descending from the soft elevation of maiden dignity, and apparently derives her confidence from the purity of her intentions. STEEVENS.

VOL. I.

G 2

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-and-thirty leagues, off and on, by this light.-Thou shalt be my lieutenant, monster, standard.

or my

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-calf, 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 indignity.

Cal. I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleased To hearken once again the suit I made thee?

Ste. Marry will I kneel and repeat it; I will stand, and so shall Trinculo.

Enter ARIEL, invisible.

Cal. As I told thee

Before, I am subject to a tyrant;

A sorcerer, that by his cunning hath

Cheated me of this island.

Ari. Thou liest.

Cal. Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, thou; I would, my valiant master would destroy thee: I do not lie.

Ste. Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in his tale, by this hand, I will supplant some of your teeth.

Trin. Why, I said nothing.

Ste. Mum then, and no more.

Proceed.

[To CALIBAN.

Cal. I say, by sorcery he got this isle ; From me he got it. If thy greatness will Revenge it on him-for, I know, thou dar'st; 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 compassed? Canst thou bring me to the party?

Cal. Yea, yea, my lord; I'll yield him thee asleep, Where thou may'st knock a nail into his head.

Ari. Thou liest, thou canst not.

Cal. What a pied 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 shew him Where the quick freshes are.

Ste. Trinculo, run into no further danger: interrupt the monster 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 lied?

Ari. Thou liest.

Ste. Do I so? Take thou that.

As you like this, give me the lie another time.

[Strikes him

Trin. I did not give the lie:-Out o' your wits, and hearing too?-A pox o' your bottle! this can sack, 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. Beat him enough: after a little time,

I'll beat him too.

Ste. Stand further.-Come, proceed.

Cal. Why, as I told thee, 'tis a custom with him
I' th' afternoon to sleep: there thou may'st brain him,
Having first seiz'd his books; or with a log

Batter his scull, or paunch him with a stake,