The stomach of my sense.

Would I had never

Married my daughter there! for, coming thence,
My son is lost, and, in my rate, she too,
Who is so far from Italy removed

I ne'er again shall see her. O thou mine heir
Of Naples and of Milan, what strange fish
Hath made his meal on thee?

Fran.

Sir, he may

live:

I saw him beat the surges under him,
And ride upon their backs; he trod the water,
Whose enmity he flung aside, and breasted
The surge most swoln that met him; his bold
head

'Bove the contentious waves he kept, and oar'd
Himself with his good arms in lusty stroke

To the shore, that o'er his wave-worn basis bow'd,
As stooping to relieve him: I not doubt

He came alive to land.

Alon.

No, no, he's gone.

Seb. Sir, you may thank yourself for this great loss,

That would not bless our Europe with your

daughter,

But rather lose her to an African;

Where she at least is banish'd from your eye,

Who hath cause to wet the grief on 't.

Alon.

Prithee, peace.

Seb. You were kneel'd to and importuned

otherwise

By all of us, and the fair soul herself

110

120

Weigh'd between loathness and obedience, at 130

109. rate, estimation.

127. Who hath cause to wet the grief on't, (she) who has cause to fill your eyes with tears. 130. loathness, reluctance. ib. at which end o' the

beam should bow, which scale should descend. The expression is elliptical for at which end of (it) the beam should bow,' or 'at which end o' the beam (it) should bow,'

་

Which end o' the beam should bow. We have

lost your son,

I fear, for ever: Milan and Naples have

Moe widows in them of this business' making
Than we bring men to comfort them :

The fault's your own.

Alon.

So is the dear'st o' the loss.

Gon. My lord Sebastian,

The truth you speak doth lack some gentleness
And time to speak it in: you rub the sore,
When you should bring the plaster.

Seb.

Ant. And most chirurgeonly.

Very well.

140

Gon. It is foul weather in us all, good sir,

When you are cloudy.

Seb.

Ant.

Foul weather?

Very foul.

Gon. Had I plantation of this isle, my lord,—
Ant. He'ld sow 't with nettle-seed.

Seb.
Or docks, or mallows.
Gon. And were the king on 't, what would I do?
Seb. 'Scape being drunk for want of wine.
Gon. I' the commonwealth I would by con-
traries

Execute all things; for no kind of traffic
Would I admit; no name of magistrate;
Letters should not be known; riches, poverty,
And use of service, none; contract,,succession,
Bourn, bound of land, tilth, vineyard, none;
No use of metal, corn, or wine, or oil;
No occupation; all men idle, all;
And women too, but innocent and pure;

150

143. plantation, a colony. Antonio affects to understand the word in the sense now alone current.

No sovereignty ;

Seb.

Yet he would be king on 't.

Ant. The latter end of his commonwealth for

gets the beginning.

Gon. All things in common nature should produce Without sweat or endeavour: treason, felony, Sword, pike, knife, gun, or need of any engine, Would I not have; but nature should bring forth, Of it own kind, all foison, all abundance, To feed my innocent people.

Seb. No marrying 'mong his subjects?

Ant. None, man; all idle; whores and knaves. Gon. I would with such perfection govern, sir, To excel the golden age.

Seb.

'Save his majesty !

160

Ant. Long live Gonzalo !
Gon.
And,-do you mark me, sir ?
Alon. Prithee, no more: thou dost talk nothing 170

to me.

Gon. I do well believe your highness; and did it to minister occasion to these gentlemen, who are of such sensible and nimble lungs that they always use to laugh at nothing.

Ant. 'Twas you we laughed at.

Gon. Who in this kind of merry fooling am nothing to you: so you may continue and laugh at nothing still.

Ant. What a blow was there given !

Seb. An it had not fallen flat-long.

Gon. You are gentlemen of brave mettle; you would lift the moon out of her sphere, if she would continue in it five weeks without changing.

163. it, its.

ib. foison, plenty.

174. sensible, sensitive, easily moved.

180

178. to, in comparison with.

181. flat-long, like a blow with the flat of the sword.

Enter ARIEL, invisible, playing solemn music.
Seb. We would so, and then go a bat-fowling.
Ant. Nay, good my lord, be not angry.

Gon. No, I warrant you; I will not adventure my discretion so weakly. Will you laugh me asleep, for I am very heavy?

Ant. Go sleep, and hear us.

[All sleep except Alon., Seb., and Ant. Alon. What, all so soon asleep! I wish mine

eyes

Would, with themselves, shut up my thoughts: I

find

They are inclined to do so.

Seb.

Please you, sir,

Do not omit the heavy offer of it:
It seldom visits sorrow; when it doth,
It is a comforter.

Ant.

We two, my lord,

Will guard your person while you take your rest,
And watch your safety.

Alon.

Thank you.

Wondrous heavy.

[Alonso sleeps. Exit Ariel.

Seb. What a strange drowsiness possesses them!
Ant. It is the quality o' the climate.

Seb.

Why

Doth it not then our eyelids sink? I find not
Myself disposed to sleep.

Ant.

Nor I; my spirits are nimble.

What

They fell together all, as by consent;
They dropp'd, as by a thunder-stroke.

might,

185. a bat-fowling, the hunting of bats by night; they were scared with flames and knocked down with poles.

190. Go sleep, and hear us,

190

200

i.e. hear them laughing at him.

194. omit the heavy offer of it, neglect its slumberous invitation.

203. consent, common agree. ment.

Worthy Sebastian? O, what might ?-No more :-
And yet methinks I see it in thy face,

What thou shouldst be: the occasion speaks thee,

and

My strong imagination sees a crown

Dropping upon thy head.

It is a sleepy language and thou speak'st

Out of thy sleep. What is it thou didst say?
This is a strange repose, to be asleep

With eyes wide open; standing, speaking, moving,
And yet so fast asleep.

Ant.

Noble Sebastian,

Thou let'st thy fortune sleep-die, rather; wink'st Whiles thou art waking.

Seb.

Thou dost snore distinctly;

There's meaning in thy snores.

Ant. I am more serious than my custom: you Must be so too, if heed me; which to do

Trebles thee o'er.

Seb.

Well, I am standing water.

Ant. I'll teach you how to flow.
Seb.

Hereditary sloth instructs me.

Ant.

Do so to ebb

O,

If you but knew how you the purpose cherish
Whiles thus you mock it! how, in stripping it,
You more invest it! Ebbing men, indeed,

Most often do so near the bottom run

By their own fear or sloth.

Seb.

207. speaks, proclaims.

217. distinctly, articulately.

221. Trebles thee, makes you

Prithee, say on:

thrice the man you are.

220

226. Ebbing men, men of declining fortunes.