PRO. Dull thing, I say so; he, that Caliban, ARI. Pardon, master: I will be correspondent to command, ARI. My lord, it shall be done. [Exit. PRO. Thou poisonous slave, got by the devil himself Upon thy wicked dam, come forth! Enter CALIBAN.(5) CAL. As wicked dew as e'er my mother brush'd PRO. For this, be sure, to-night thou shalt Side-stitches that shall pen thy breath up; urchins I will discharge thee. a MIRA. (Waking.)] Mr. Collier claims for his annotator the merit of having first added this not very important stage direction. b We cannot miss him:] We cannot do without him. e When?] See note (f), p. 449, Vol. I. 44s wicked dew-] Wicked here implies baneful, pernicious; as in opposition we hear of the virtuous properties of "herbs, plants, stones," &c. e Urchins-] Hedgehogs were formerly so called, it is doubtful, however, whether urchins in this place does not signify some fairy CAL. Thou strok'dst me, and mad'st much of me; Water with berries in 't; and teach me how Cursed be I that did so!-All the charms beings; as in "The Merry Wives of Windsor," Act IV. Sc. 4,"we'll dress Like urchins, ouphes, and fairies," &c. f Vast of night-] By "vast of night" the poet may have meant the chasm or vacuity of night, as in "Hamlet," Act I. Sc. 2,"In the dead vast and middle of the night." But some critics have conjectured we should read,urchins Shall for that, fast of night." Which first was mine own king: and here you sty me In this hard rock, whiles you do keep from me PRO. Filth as thou art, with human care; and lodg'd thee In mine own cell, till thou didst seek to violate CAL. O ho, O ho!-would it had been done! PRO.a Abhorred slave, Which any print of goodness will not take, Being capable of all ill! I pitied thee, Took pains to make thee speak, taught thee each hour One thing or other: when thou didst not, savage, a PRO.] This speech, in the folios, has the prefix "Mira," but it plainly belongs to Prospero, to whom Theobald assigned it, and who has retained it ever since. b Which any print of goodness will not take, Here, as in many other places, capable signifies impressible, susceptible. c Race,-] That is, Nature, essence. d The red plague rid you,-] See note (a), p. 447, Vol. II. e Fill all thy bones with aches,-] Mr. Collier remarks that "this word, of old, was used either as a monosyllable or as a dissyllable, as the case might require." This may be questioned. Ake," says Baret in his "Alvearie," "is the Verbe of the substantive Ach, ch being turned into k." As a substantive, then, Is the third man that e'er I saw; the first That e'er I sigh'd for: pity move my father To be inclin'd my way! advance, This is no mortal business, nor no sound As we have, such. This gallant which thou seest A goodly person: he hath lost his fellows, MIRA. I might call him A thing divine; for nothing natural I ever saw so noble. PRO. [Aside.] It goes on, I see, As my soul prompts it.-Spirit, fine spirit! I'll free thee MIRA. There's nothing ill can dwell in such a temple: If the ill spirit have so fair a house, Good things will strive to dwell with 't. Follow me. PRO. [To FER. Speak not you for him; he's a traitor.-Come, I'll manacle thy neck and feet together: Sea-water shalt thou drink; thy food shall be The fresh-brook muscles, witner'd roots, and husks Wherein the acorn cradled. Follow. FER. I will resist such entertainment, till Mine enemy has more power. MIRA. No, [Draws, and is charmed from moving. Make not too rash a trial of him, for PRO. What! I say, My foot my tutor!-Put thy sword up, traitor; Who mak'st a show, but dar'st not strike, thy conscience Is so possess'd with guilt: come from thy ward; "Make not too rash a trial of him," &c. we believe that Smollett's interpretation is the true one,- he's of a lofty spirit and not to be intimidated. C thy ward;] Thy posture of defence. |