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
I therein do 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 to suffer
The flesh-fly blow my mouth.-

speak ;

The very instant that I saw you, did

Hear my soul

My heart fly to your service; there resides,
To make me slave to it; and, for your sake,

Am I this patient log-man.

Mira.

Do you love me?

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 else1 i' the world,
Do love, prize, honor you.

Mira.

I am a fool,

To weep at what I am glad of.2

1 What else, for whatsoever else.

2 Steevens observes justly, that this is one of those touches of nature which distinguish Shakspeare from all other writers. There is a kindred thought in Romeo and Juliet:

"Back, foolish tears, back to your native spring!

Your tributary drops belong to wo,

Which you mistaking offer up to joy."

Pro.

Fair encounter

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

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 shows. 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 fellow1
You may deny me; but I'll be your servant,
Whether you will or no.

Fer.

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.

Mira. And mine, with my heart in't: and now farewell,

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 surprised 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.-Another Part of the Island.

!

[Exil

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.

1 i. e. your companion.

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 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. 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 honor? 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 deboshed1 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 to the suit I made thee?

1 Deboshed. This is the old orthography of debauched; following the sound of the French original. In altering the spelling we have departed from the proper pronunciation of the word.

I:

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 Ste. Mum then, and no more.-[To CALIBAN.] Proceed.

Trin. Why, I said nothing.

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?

thou bring me to the party?

Canst

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 pied1 ninny's this?

patch!

Thou scurvy

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 show im
Where the quick freshes 2 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.

1 Alluding to Trinculo's party-colored dress: he was a licensed fool or jester.

2 Living springs.

VOL. I.

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.

[Strikes him.]

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

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' the afternoon to sleep: there thou may'st brain him, Having first seized his books; or with a log

1

Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake,
Or cut his wezand with thy knife. Remember,
First, to possess his books; for without them
He's but a sot, 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 utensils, (for so he calls them,)
Which, when he has a house, he'll deck withal.
And that most deeply to consider, is

The beauty of his daughter; he himself

Calls her a nonpareil: I never saw a woman,
But only Sycorax my dam, and she;

But she as far surpasseth Sycorax,

As great'st does least.

Ste.

Is it so brave a lass?

Cal. Ay, lord; she will be come thy bed, I war

rant,

And bring thee forth brave brood.

Ste. Monster, I will kill this man: his daughter

1 Wezand, i. e. throat or windpipe.