And he's composed of harshness. I must remove
Some thousands of these logs, and pile them up,
Upon a sore injunction: my sweet mistress
Weeps when she sees me work; and says such base-
Had never like executor. I forget:

[ness But these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labours; Most busy, least 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,

Pray, give me that:

No, precious creature:

I'll bear your logs the while. I'll carry it to the pile.

Fer.

I had rather crack my sinews, break my back, Than you should such dishonour undergo, While I sit lazy by.

Mira.

It would become me

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 liked 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 skill-less 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.-Hear my soul speak: The very instant that I saw you, did

Wherefore weep you?

Fer.
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 fellow
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 Till half-an-hour hence, [farewell, A thousand thousand! [Exeunt FER. and MIR.

Fer.

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.

[Exit.

SCENE II.-Another part of the Isiand. Enter CALIBAN, with a bottle, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO. 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 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 standSte. We'll not run, monsieur monster. [ard. 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 pleas'd to hearken once again to the suit I made to 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 the island.

Ari. Thou liest. [thou; Cal. Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, 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.-[To CALIBAN.] Proceed.

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. Why, as I told thee, 'tis a custom with him
I' the afternoon to sleep: there thou may'st brain
Having first seiz'd his books; or with a log [him,
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 become thy bed, I warrant,
And bring thee forth brave brood.

Ste. Monster, I will kill this man: his daughter and I will be king and queen, (save our graces!) and Trinculo and thyself shall be viceroys.-Dost thou like the plot, Trinculo?

Trin. Excellent.

Ste. Give me thy hand: I am sorry I beat thee; but, while thou livest, keep a good tongue in thy head. Cal. Within this half hour will he be asleep; Wilt thou destroy him then? Ste.

Ay, on mine honour. Ari. This will I tell my master. Cal. Thou mak'st me merry: I am full of pleasure. Let us be jocund: will you troll the catch You taught me but while-ere?

Ste. At thy request, monster, I will do reason, any Come on, Trinculo, let us sing.

reason.

[Sings.

Flout 'em, and skout 'em; and skout 'em, and flout 'em;

Thought is free.

Cal. That's not the tune.

[ARIEL plays the tune on a Tabor and Pipe. Stc. What is this same?

Trin. This is the tune of our catch, played by the picture of Nobody.

Ste. If thou beest a man, show thyself in thy likeness: if thou beest a devil, take 't as thou list. Trin. O, forgive me my sins!

Ste. He that dies, pays all debts: I defy thee.Mercy upon us!

Cal. Art thou afeared?

Ste. No, monster, not I.

Cal. Be not afeard: the isle is full of noises, Sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments [not. 1 Will hum about mine ears; and sometimes voices, That, if I then had wak'd after long sleep, Will make me sleep again: and then, in dreaming, The clouds, methought, would open, and show riches Ready to drop upon me; that, when I wak'd, I cried to dream again.

Ste. This will prove a brave kingdom to me, where I shall have my music for nothing.

Cal. When Prospero is destroyed.

Ste. That shall be by and by: I remember the story. Trin. The sound is going away: let's follow it, and after do our work.

Ste. Lead, monster; we'll follow.-I would I could see this taborer! he lays it on.

Trin. Wilt come? I'll follow, Stephano. [Exeunt.

SCENE III.-Another part of the Island. Enter ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, GONZALO, Adrian, FRANCISCO, and Others.

Gon. By'r la'kin, I can go no farther, Sir; My old bones ache: here's a maze trod, indeed, Through forth-rights, and meanders! by your paI needs must rest me. [tience, Alon. Old lord, I cannot blame thee, Who am myself attach'd with weariness, To the dulling of my spirits: sit down, and rest. Even here I will put off my hope, and keep it No longer for my flatterer: he is drown'd, Whom thus we stray to find; and the sea mocks Our frustrate search on land. Well, let him go. Ant. [Aside to SEB.] I am right glad that he's so out of hope.

Do not, for one repulse, forego the purpose

That you resolv'd to effect.

Seb. [Aside to ANT.]

Will we take throughly.

Ant. [Aside to SEB.]

The next advantage

Let it be to-night;

Is
I say, to-night: no more.

For, now they are oppress'd with travel, they
Will not, nor cannot, use such vigilance,
As when they are fresh.
Seb. [Aside to ANT.]
Solemn and strange music; and PROSPERO above, invisible.
Enter several strange Shapes, bringing in a bangut:
they dance about it with gentle actions of salutation;
and, inviting the King, &c., to eat, they depart.
Alon. What harmony is this? my good friends,
Gon. Marvellous sweet music!

Alon. Give us kind keepers, heavens!
were these?

Seb. A living drollery. Now I will believe That there are unicorns; that in Arabia

[hark! What

And what does else want credit, come to me,
And I'll be sworn 'tis true: travellers ne'er did lie,
Though fools at home condemn them.
Gon.

If in Naples
I should report this now, would they believe me?
If I should say, I saw such islanders,
(For, certes, these are people of the island,)
Who, though they are of monstrous shape, yet, note,
Their manners are more gentle-kind, than of
Our human generation you shall find
Many, nay, almost any.

Pro. [Aside.]

Honest lord,

Thou hast said well; for some of you there prescnt Are worse than devils.

Wallets of flesh? or that there were such men, Whose heads stood in their breasts? which now we find,

Each putter-out of five for one will bring us
Good warrant of.

Alon.
I will stand to, and feed,
Although my last; no matter, since I feel
The best is past.-Brother, my lord the duke,
Stand to, and do as we.

Thunder and lightning. Enter ARIEL like a harpy: claps his wings upon the table: and, with a quaint device, the banquet vanishes.

Ari. You are three men of sin, whom destiny (That hath to instrument this lower world, And what is in 't) the never-surfeited sea Hath caused to belch up; and on this island, Where man doth not inhabit; you 'mongst men Being most unfit to live. I have made you mad; [Seeing ALON., SEB., &c., draw their swords. And even with such like valour men hang and drown Their proper selves. You fools! I and my fellows Are ministers of fate: the elements,

Of whom your swords are temper'd, may as well
Wound the loud winds, or with bemock'd-at stabs
Kill the still-closing waters, as diminish
One dowle that's in my plume: my fellow-ministers
Are like invulnerable. If you could hurt,
Your swords are now too massy for your strengths,
And will not be uplifted. But, remember,
(For that's my business to you) that you three
From Milan did supplant good Prospero;
Expos'd unto the sea, (which hath requit it,)
Him, and his innocent child: for which foul deed
The powers, delaying, not forgetting, have
Incens'd the seas and shores, yea, all the creatures,
Against your peace. Thee, of thy son, Alonso,
They have bereft; and do pronounce, by me,
Lingering perdition (worse than any death
Can be at once) shall step by step attend
You, and your ways; whose wraths to guard you
(Which here in this most desolate isle, else falls
Upon your heads) is nothing, but heart's sorrow,
And a clear life ensuing.

[from

He vanishes in thunder: then, to soft music, enter the Shapes again, and dance with mocks and mowes, and carry out the table.

Pro. [Aside.] Bravely the figure of this harpy hast thou

Perform'd, my Ariel; a grace it had, devouring.
Of my instruction hast thou nothing 'bated,
In what thou hadst to say: so with good life
And observation strange, my meaner ministers
Their several kinds have done. My high charms
And these, mine enemies, are all knit up [work,
In their distractions: they now are in my power;
And in these fits I leave them, while I visit
Young Ferdinand, (whom they suppose is drown'd,)
And his and my lov'd darling.
[Exit above.

Gon. I' the name of something holy, Sir, why
In this strange stare?"
[stand you
Alon.
O, it is monstrous! monstrous!
Methought the billows spoke, and told me of it;
The winds did sing it to me; and the thunder,
That deep and dreadful organ-pipe, pronounc'd
The name of Prosper: it did base my trespass.
Therefore my son i' the ooze is bedded; and
I'll seek him deeper than e'er plummet sounded,
And with him there lie mudded.
[Exit.

SCENE I.-Before PROSPERO'S Cell.
Enter PROSPERO, FERDINAND, and MIRANDA.
Pro. If I have too austerely punish'd you,
Your compensation makes amends; for I
Have given you here a thread of mine own life,
Or that for which I live; whom once again
I tender to thy hand. All thy vexations
Were but my trials of thy love, and thou

Hast strangely stood the test: here, afore Heaven,
I ratify this my rich gift. O Ferdinand!
Do not smile at me that I boast her off,
For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise,
And make it halt behind her.

Fer.

Against an oracle.

I do believe it

Pro. Then, as my gift, and thine own acquisition Worthily purchas'd, take my daughter: but If thou dost break her virgin knot before All sanctimonious ceremonies may With full and holy rite be minister'd, No sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall To make this contract grow; but barren hate, Sour-ey'd disdain, and discord, shall bestrew The union of your bed with weeds so loathly, That you shall hate it both: therefore, take heed, As Hymen's lamps shall light you. Fer.

As I hope For quiet days, fair issue, and long life, With such love as 'tis now, the murkiest den, The most opportune place, the strong'st suggestion Our worser genius can, shall never melt Mine honour into lust, to take away The edge of that day's celebration,

When I shall think, or Phoebus' steeds are founder'd, Or night kept chain'd below.

Iris. Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas Of wheat, rye, barley, vetches, oats, and peas; Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep, And flat meads thatch'd with stover, them to keep; Thy banks with peonied and lilied brims, Which spungy April at thy hest betrims,

To make cold nymphs chaste crowns; and thy broom groves,

Whose shadow the dismissed bachelor loves,
Being lass-lorn; thy pole-clipt vineyard;
And thy sea-marge, sterile, and rocky-hard,
Where thou thyself dost air: the queen o' the sky,
Whose watery arch and messenger am I,

Bids thee leave these; and with her sovereign grace,
Here on this grass-plot, in this very place,
To come and sport. Her peacocks fly amain:
Approach, rich Ceres, her to entertain.

Enter CERES.

Cer. Hail, many-colour'd messenger, that ne'er
Dost disobey the wife of Jupiter;
Who, with thy saffron wings, upon my flowers
Diffusest honey-drops, refreshing showers;
And with each end of thy blue bow dost crown
My bosky acres, and my unshrubb'd down,
Rich scarf to my proud earth; why hath thy queen
Summon'd me hither, to this short-grass'd green?
Iris. A contract of true love to celebrate,
And some donation freely to estate
On the bless'd lovers.

Cer.
Tell me, heavenly bow,
If Venus, or her son, as thou dost know,
Do now attend the queen? since they did plot
The means that dusky Dis my daughter got,
Her and her blind boy's scandal'd company
I have forsworn.

Iris.

Of her society

Be not afraid: I met her deity

Cutting the clouds towards Paphos, and her son Dove-drawn with her. Here thought they to have

done

Some wanton charm upon this man and maid,
Whose vows are, that no bed-rite shall be paid
Till Hymen's torch be lighted; but in vain:
Mars's hot minion is return'd again,

Her waspish-headed son has broke his arrows,
Swears he will shoot no more, but play with spar-
And be a boy right out.
[rows,

Cer.
Highest queen of state,
Great Juno comes; I know her by her gait,