I'm skillefs of; but, by my modefty,
(The jewel in my dower) I would not wish
Any companion in the world but you ;
Nor can imagination form a fhape,
Befides yourself, to like of. But I prattle
Something too wildly, and my father's precepts
I therein do forget..

Fer. 1 am, in my condition,

A Prince, Miranda; I do think, a King; ma
(I would, not fo!) and would no more endure
This wooden flavery, than I would fuffer

The fiefh-fy blow my mouth. Hear my foul speak; The very inftant that I faw you, did

My heart fly to your fervice, there refides

To make me flave to it, and for your fake
Am I this patient log-man..

Mira, Do you love me?

Fer. O heav'n, O earth, bear witnefs to this found

And crown what I profefs with kind event,

If I fpeak true; if hollowly, invert

What beft is boaded me, to mifchief! I,
Beyond all limit of what elfe i' th' world,
Do love, prize, honour you.

Mira. I am a fool,

To weep at what I'm glad of.

Pro. Fair encounter

Of two moft rare affections

heav'ns rain grace,

On that which breeds between 'em!

Fer. Wherefore weep you?

Mira. At mine unworthinefs, that dare not offer, What I defire to give ; and much less take, ́ What I fhall die to want: but this is trifling;

And all the more it feeks to hide itself,

The bigger bulk it fhews. Hence, bafhful 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

1

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 farewel,
Till half an hour hence.

Fer. A thousand, thousand.

Pro. So glad of this as they, I cannot be, Who are furpriz'd withal; but my rejoicing At nothing can be more. I'll to my book; For yet, ere fupper-time muft I perform Much bufinefs appertaining.

[Exeunt.

[Exit.

SCENE changes to another part of the Island.

Ste.

Enter Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo.

ELL not me; when the butt is out, we will drink water, not a drop before; therefore bear up, and board 'em, fervant monster (21); drink

to me.

(21) Servant-monfter.] The part of Caliban has been efteem'd a gnal inftance of the copiousness of Shakespeare's invention; and that he had fhewn an extent of genius, in creating a perfon which was not in nature. And for this, as well as his other magical and ideal characters, a just admiration has been paid him. I can't help taking notice, on this occasion, of the virulence of Ben Johnson, who, in the induction to his Bartieme Fair, has endeavour'd to throw dirt, not only at this fingle character, but at this whole play. <<< If "there be never a fervant monster in the fair, who can help it, (he " fays,) nor a neft of anticks He is loth to make nature afraid in "his plays, like those that beget tales, tempefts, and fuch like drolle"leries, to mix his head with other mens heels." Shakespeare, as the tradition runs, was the perfon who first brought Johnson upon the ftage; and this is the ftab we find given in requital for fuch a fervice, when his benefactor was retreated from the icene. A circumftance, that ftrangely aggravates the ingratitude. But this furly faucinefs was familiar with Ben; when the publick were ever out of humour at his performances, he would. revenge it on them, by being out of humour with those pieces which had beft pleas'd them. I'll only add, that his conduct in this was very contradictory to his cooler pro-, ffions, "that if men would impartially look towards the offices and functions of a Poet, they would eafily conclude to themselves the impoffibility of any man's being the good Peet, without fiist being a. • gold man."

Trin

Trin. Servant monfter! the folly of this ifland! they fay, there's but five upon this ifle; we are three of them, if the other two be brain'd like us, the ftate totters.

Ste. Drink, fervant-monfter, when I bid thee; thy eyes are almost fet in thy head. Loy

Trin. Where should they be fet elle? he were a brave monfter indeed, if they were fe in his tail.

:

Ste. My man-monster ohathu drown'd his tongue in fack for my part, the fea cannot drown me. I fwam, ere I could recover the thore, five and thirty leagues, off and on; by this light, thou shalt be my lieutenant, monster, or my standard.

Trin. Your lieutenant, if you lift; he's no standard. Ste. We'll not run, monfieur monster.

Trin. Nor go neither: but you'll lye like dogs, and yet fay nothing neither.

Ste. Moon-calf, fpeak once in thy life, if thou beeft a good moon-calf.

Cal. How does thy honour let me lick thy fhoe; I'll not ferve him, he is not valiant.

Tain, Thou lieft, moft ignorant monfter, I am in cafe to juftle a conftable; why, thou debofh'd fish thou, was there ever a man a coward that hath drunk fo much fack as I to-day wilt thou tell a monftrous lye, 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 monfter fhould be fuch

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 mon. fter's my fubject, and he fhall not fuffer indignity.

Cal. I thank my noble Lord. Wilt thou be pleas'd to hearken once again to the fuit I made to thee? Ste. Marry, will ; kneel and repeat it; I will Aand, and fo fhall Trinculo.

Enter Ariel invisible.

Cal. As I told thee before, I am fubject to a tyrant, a forcerer, that byhis cunning hath cheated me of the island.

Ari. Thou lieft. v. 1 50

Cal. Thou lieft, thou jefting monkey, thou; I would, my valiant maiter would deftroy thee; I do not lyeid I made cottond of i

Ste. Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in's tale, by this hand,ed will fupplant fome of your teeth.

Trin. Whyafaid nothing

Steg Mum then, and no more; proceed.

Cal. I fay, by forcery he got this fle; From me he got it. If thy greatnefs will Revenge at on him, (for, I know, thou dar'ft, But this thing dare not.

Ste. That's moft certain.

-)

Cal. Thou fhalt be Lord of it, and I'll ferve thee. Ste. How now fhall this be compaft? canst thou bring me to the party?

Cal Yea, yea, my Lord, PH yield him thee afleep, Where thou may'ft knock a nail into his head.

Ari. Thou lieft, thou canst not.

Cal. What a py'd ninny's this? thou fcurvy patch! I do befeech thy greatnefs, give him blows,

And take his buttle from him; when that's gone,
He shall drink nought but brine, for I'll not fhew him
Where the quick trethes are valida 1 to

Ste. Trinculo,run into no further danger: interrupt the monffer one word further, and, by this hand, I'll turn my mercy out of doors, and make a stock-fifh of thee. rin. Why, what did I? I did nothing; I'll go further off.

As

Ste. Did thou not fay, he ly'd?»

Ari: Thou left. 3296

Sie. Do I fo? take you that.

[Beats bim.

you like this, give me the lye another time.

Trin. I did not give thee the lye; out o' your wits, and hearing too? A pox o' your bottle! this can fack and drinking do. A murrain on your monfter, and the devil take your fingers.

Cal. Ha, ha, ha.

Ste. Now, forward with your tale; pr'ythee, ftand further off.

Cal,

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 cuftom with him
I' th' afternoon to 'fleep; there thou may'ft brain him,
Having firft feiz'd his books: or with a log
Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake,
Or cut his wezand with thy knive. Remember,
First to poffefs his books; for without them
He's but a fot, as I am; nor hath not

One spirit to command. They all do hate him,
As rootedly as I. Burn but his books;
He has brave utenfils, (for fo he calls them,)
Which, when he has an houfe, he'll deck withal.
And that moft deeply to confider, is

The beauty of his daughter; he himself

Calls her a non-pareil: I ne'er faw woman,

But only Sycorax my dam, and she:

But the as far furpaffes Sycorax,

As greatest does the leaft.

Ste. Is it fo brave a lafs ?

Cal. Ay, Lord fhe will become thy bed, I warrant, And bring thee forth brave brood.

Ste. Monfter, I will kill this man: his daughter and I will be King and Queen, fave our graces and Trin culo and thyfelf fhall be Vice-roys. Doft thou like the plot, Trinculo?

Trin Excellent.

Ste. Give me thy hand; I am forry, I beat the; but, while thou liv't, keep a good tongue in thy head. Cal. Within this half hour will he be asleep; Wilt thou deftroy him then?

Ste. Ay, on my honour.

Ari. This will I tell

my

mafter.

Cal. Thou mak❜ft me merry; I am full of pleasure; Let us be jocund. Will you troul the catch,

You taught me but while-ere ?

Ste. At thy requeft, monfter, I will do reafon, any reafon come on, Trinculo, let us fing.

[Sings.

Flout 'em, and fkout 'em; and fkout 'em, and flout 'em; thought is free.

Gal