The mariners all under hatches ftow'd, Who, with a charm join'd to their fuffered labour, Bound fadly home for Naples; Suppofing, that they faw the King's fhip wrackt, Pro. Ariel, thy charge Exactly is perform'd; but there's more work: Ari. Paft the mid feafon. Pro. At least two glaffes; the time 'twixt fix and now Muft by us both be spent most preciously. Ari. Is there more toil? fince thou doft give me pains, Let me remember thee what thou haft promis'd, What is't thou canft demand? Ari. My liberty. Pro. Before the time be out? no more. Ari. I pr'ythee, Remember, I have done thee worthy fervice Without or grudge, or grumblings; thou didst promife of that Name who first discover'd them. They are likewife, call'd Summer Iflands, from Sir George Summers, who in 1609 made that Voyage; and viewing them, probably, firft brought the English acquainted with them, and invited them afterwards to fettle a Plantation there. But why, ftill vext Bermudas? The Soil is celebrated for its Beauty and Fruitfulness; and the Air is so very temperate and ferene, that People live there to a great Age, and are feldom troubled with Sickness. But then, on the other hand, thefe Iflands are fo furrounded with Rocks on all fides, that without a perfect Knowledge of the Paffage, a fmall Veffel cannot be brought to Haven. Again, we are told, that they are fubject to violent Storms, fometimes with terrible clattering of 'Thunder, and dismal flashing of Lightning. And befides, Sir George Summers, when he made the Discovery, was actually fhipwreck'd on the Coaft. This, I take it, might be a fufficient Foundation for our Author's ufing the Epithet ftill-vext. Pro Pro. Doft thou forget From what a torment I did free thee? Ari. No. Pro. Thou doft; and think'ft it much to tread the ooze Of the falt deep; To run upon the fharp Wind of the North; To do me business in the veins o'th' earth, Ari. I do not, Sir. Pro. Thou ly'ft, malignant thing: haft thou forgot The foul witch Sycorax, who with age and envy Was grown into a hoop? haft thou forgot her? Ari. No, Sir. Pro. Thou haft: where was fhe born? fpeak; tell me. Ari. Sir, in Argier. Pro. Oh, was the fo? I muft Once in a month recount what thou hast been, Thou know'ft, was banifh'd: for one thing fhe did,' Pro. This blue-ey'd hag was hither brought with And here was left by th' failors; thou my flave, To act her earthy and abhorr'd commands, A dozen years, within which space the dy'd, And left thee there: where thou didst vent thy groans, A freckled whelp, hag-born) not honour'd with Ari. Ari. Yes; Caliban her fon. Pro. Dull thing, I fay fo: he, that Caliban, Ari. I thank thee, master. Pro. If thou more murmur'ft, I will rend an oak, And peg thee in his knotty entrails, 'till Thou'ft howl'd away twelve winters. Ari. Pardon, master." I will be correfpondent to command, Pro. Do fo: and after two days I will discharge thee. Ari. That's my noble mafter:" What fhall I do? fay what? what shall I do? Pro Go make thy felf like to a nymph o'th' sea. Be fubject to no fight but mine: invifible To every eye-ball elfe. Go take this shape, And hither come in it: go hence with diligence. [Exit Ariel. Awake, dear heart, awake! thou haft flept well; Awake. Mira. The strangeness of your story put Heaviness in me. Pro. Shake it off: come on; We'll vifit Caliban my flave, who never Yields us kind answer. Mira. 'Tis a villain, Sir, I do not love to look on Pro. But, as 'tis, We cannot miss him: he does make our fire, Fetch in our wood, and ferves in offices What hoa! flave! Caliban! That profit us. Thou earth, thou! speak. Cal. Cal. (within) There's wood enough within. Pro. Come forth, I fay; there's other business for thee. Come, thou Tortoife! when?----- Enter Ariel like a Water-Nymph. Fine apparition! my quaint Ariel, Ari. My lord, it shall be done. [Exit. Pro. Thou poisonous flave, got by the devil himself Upon thy wicked dam; come forth. Enter Caliban. Cal. As wicked dew, as e'er my mother brush'd And blifter you all o'er! Pro. For this, be sure, to night thou shalt have cramps, Side-stitches that shall pen thy breath up; urchins Shall, for that vaft of night that they may work, All exercise on thee: thou shall be pinch'd As thick as honey-combs, each pinch more stinging Than bees that made 'em. Cal. I muft eat my dinner. This Island's mine by Sycorax my mother, Which thou tak'ft from me. When thou cameft first, Thou ftroak'dit me, and mad'ft much of me; would'st give me Water with berries in't; and teach me how To name the bigger light, and how the lefs, The fresh springs, brine-pits; barren place, and fertile. Of Sycorax, toads, beetles, bats, light on you! Who firft was mine own King: and here you fty me Pro. Thou moft lying flave, Whom ftripes may move, not kindness; I have us'd thee VOL. I. C (Filth (Filth as thou art) with humane care, and lodg'd In mine own cell, 'till thou didst feek to violate The honour of my child. Cal. Oh ho, oh ho! I wou'd, it had been done! Thou didst prevent me, I had peopled elfe This Ifle with Calibans. Pro. Abhorred flave; (10) Which any print of goodness wilt not take, Took pains to make thee (peak, taught thee each hour Who hadit deferv'd more than a prifon. Cal. You taught me language, and my profit on't Is, I know how to curfe: the red plague rid you, For learning me your language! Pro. Hag-feed, hence! Fetch us in fewel, and be quick (thou wer't beft) What I command, I'll rack thee with old cramps; Cal. No, 'pray thee. I must obey, his art is of fuch pow'r, (10) Mira. Abhorred Slave;] In all the printed Editions this Speech is given to Miranda: but I am perfuaded, the Author never defign'd it for her. In the first Place, 'tis probable, Profpero taught Caliban to fpeak, rather than left that Office to his Daughter: in the next Place, as Profpero was here rating Caliban, it would be a great Impropriety for her to take the Discipline out of his hands; and, indeed, in fome fort, an Indecency in her to reply to what Caliban laft was fpeaking of. Mr. Dryden, I ob ferve, in his Alteration of this Play, has judiciously placed this Speech to Profpero. I can easily guefs, that the Change was firft deriv'd from the Players, who not loving that any Character fhould ftand too long filent on the Stage, to obviate that Inconvenience with Regard to Miranda, clap'd this Speech to her Part. |