But these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labours; Most busy-less, 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. I had rather crack my sinews, break my back, Mira. As well as it does you: It would become me : and I should do it With much more ease; for my good will is to it, Pro. This visitation shews 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? Fer. Admir'd Miranda! Indeed, the top of admiration; worth With so full soul, but some defect in her Mira. (The jewel in my dower,) I would not wish you; Nor can imagination form a shape, Besides yourself, to like of: But I prattle Something too wildly, and my father's precepts 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, Mira. Do you love me? + I therein do forget." MALONE. 8 The flesh-fly blow my mouth.] To blow means the act of a fly, by which she lodges eggs in flesh. STEEVENS. 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, 9 Do love, prize, honour you. Mira. I am a fool, To weep at what I am glad of. 1 1 Fair encounter Pro. Fer. Wherefore weep you? Mira. At mine unworthiness, that dare not offer The bigger bulk it shews. Hence, bashful cunning! Fer. you 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. 9 of what else i'the world,] i. e. of aught else, of whatsoever else there is in the world 1 I am a fool, To weep at what I am glad of.] This is one of those touches of nature that distinguish Shakspeare 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 a seeming contradictory expression of it, folly. STEEVENS. Mira. And mine, with my heart in't: 3 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 surpriz'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 5: 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 Mira. And mine with my heart in't:] It is still customary in the west of England, when the conditions of a bargain are agreed upon, for the parties to ratify it by joining their hands, and at the same time for the purchaser to give an earnest. HENLEY. 4 So glad of this as they, I cannot be, Who are surpriz'd with all ;] The sense might be clearer, were we to make a slight transposition: "So glad of this as they, who are surpriz'd With all, I cannot be -" Perhaps, however, more consonantly with ancient language, we should join two of the words together, and read 5 at sea. "Who are surpriz'd withal." STEEVENS. bear up, and board 'em:] A metaphor alluding to a chace of them; if the other two be brained 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 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, or my standard. Trin. Your lieutenant, if you list; he's no standard.“ 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,7 was there ever a 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. 6 — or my standard. Trin. Your lieutenant, if you list; he's no standard.] Meaning, he is so much intoxicated, as not to be able to stand. The quibble between standard, an ensign, and standard, a fruit-tree that grows without support, is evident. STEEVENS. 7 thou deboshed fish thou,] the same as debauched. |