We cannot missa him: he does make our fire, CAL. [Within.] There's wood enough within. PRO. Come forth, I say! there's other business for thee: Come, thou tortoise! when?b Re-enter ARIEL, like a Water-nymph. [Aside to ARIEL.] Fine apparition! My quaint Ariel, Hark in thine ear. ARI. My lord, it shall be done. PRO. Thou poisonous slave, got by the devil himself Upon thy wicked dam, come forth! [Exit. Enter CALIBAN. (5) CAL. As wicked dew as e'er my mother brush'd With raven's feather from unwholesome fen, Drop on you both! a south-west blow on ye, And blister you all o'er! (6) PRO. For this, be sure, to-night thou shalt have cramps, As thick as honeycomb, each pinch more stinging CAL. I must eat my dinner. This island's mine, by Sycorax my mother, Which thou tak'st from me. When thou camest first, Thou strok'dst me, and mad'st much of me; wouldst give me • We cannot miss him :] We cannot do without him. When?] See note (*), p. 635, Vol. I. As wicked dew-] Wicked here implies baneful, pernicious; as in opposition we hear of the virtuous properties of "herbs, plants, stones," &c. 4 Urchins- Hedgehogs were formerly so called: it is doubtful, however, whether urchins in this place does not signify some fairy beings; as in "The Merry Wives of Windsor," Act IV. Sc. 4, "we'll dress Like urchins, ouphes, and fairies," &c. • 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,— Water with berries in 't; and teach me how The fresh springs, brine pits, barren place and fertile :- Of Sycorax, toads, beetles, bats, light on you! For I am all the subjects that you have, Which first was mine own king: and here you sty me The rest o' the island. PRO. Thou most lying slave, Whom stripes may move, not kindness! I have us'd thee, The honour of my child. CAL. O ho, O ho!-would it had been done! Thou didst prevent me; I had peopled else This isle with Calibans. Which any print of goodness will not take, Took pains to make thee speak, taught thee each hour A thing most brutish, I endow'd thy purposes With words that made them known. But thy vile race,c Deservedly confin'd into this rock, Who hadst deserv'd more than a prison. CAL. You taught me language; and my profit on 't Is, I know how to curse. The red plague rida you, For learning me your language! PRO. Hag-seed, hence! Fetch us in fuel; and be quick, thou 'rt best, To answer other business. Shrugg'st thou, malice? If thou neglect'st, or dost unwillingly What I command, I'll rack thee with old cramps, e That beasts shall tremble at thy din. 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. The red plague rid you,-] See note (*), p. 840, Vol. II. 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 substan CAL. No, pray thee [Aside.] I must obey: his art is of such power, It would control my dam's god, Setebos, (7) And make a vassal of him. [Exit CALIBAN. Re-enter ARIEL, invisible, playing and singing; FERDINAND following. FER. Where should this music be? i' the air, or the earth? It sounds no more:-and sure it waits upon (*) Old text, beare the burthen. (†) Old text, cock-a-didle-dowe. tive Ach, ch being turned into k." As a substantive, then, the word was written aches; and pronounced as a dissyllable when a verb, it was written akes, and its pronunciation was monosyllabic. This distinction is invariably marked in the old text; thus, in "Romeo and Juliet," Act II. Sc. 5, where it is a verb, "Lord, how my head akes, what a head have I." While in every instance where it occurs as a substantive, it is spelt as in the passage above, aches, and should be so pronounced. Court'sied when you have and kiss'd,— Foot it featly," &c.] It was customary in the "good old times," for the partners in some dances to curtsy and salute before beginning; and if an allusion to these ceremonies is intended, the line,— "The wild waves whist,❞— should be read parenthetically, in the sense of, the wild waves being hushed. original punctuation, however, "Court'sied when you have, and kiss'd, The wild waves whist:" The (when you have curtsied, and kissed the waves to peace) affords an intelligible and poetic meaning. Some god o' the island. Sitting on a bank, BURDEN. ARIEL sings. Full fathom five thy father lies; Hark! now I hear them,-Ding-dong, bell. FER. The ditty does remember my drown'd father:- That the earth owes:-I hear it now above me. MIRA. What is 't? a spirit? Lord, how it looks about! Believe me, sir, It carries a brave form :-but 't is a spirit. PRO. No, wench; it eats, and sleeps, and hath such senses As we have, such. This gallant which thou seest Was in the wreck; and but he's something stain'd With grief, that's beauty's canker, thou mightst call him A goodly person: he hath lost his fellows, And strays about to find 'em. MIRA. A thing divine; for nothing natural PRO. [Aside.] I might call him It goes on, I see, Most sure, the goddess As my soul prompts it.-Spirit, fine spirit! I'll free thee FER. On whom these airs attend!-Vouchsafe my prayer May know if you remain upon this island; And that you will some good instruction give MIRA. But certainly a maid. FER. No wonder, sir; My language! heavens !— I am the best of them that speak this speech, Were I but where 't is spoken. How! the best? PRO. MIRA. Alack, for mercy! FER. Yes, faith, and all his lords; the duke of Milan And his brave son, being twain. PRO. [Aside.] The duke of Milan And his more braver daughter, could controla thee, I'll set thee free for this!-A word, good sir; I fear you have done yourself some wrong: a word. That e'er I sigh'd for: pity move my father FER. O, if a virgin, And your affection not gone forth, I'll make you The queen of Naples. PRO. Soft, sir! one word more. [Aside.] They are both in either's powers; but this swift business I must uneasy make, lest too light winning Make the prize light.-One word more; I charge thee That thou attend me: thou dost here usurp The name thou ow'st not; and hast put thyself Upon this island as a spy, to win it From me, the lord on 't. 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. PRO. Follow me. [To FER. Speak not you for him; he's a traitor.-Come, Mine enemy has more power. [Draws, and is charmed from moving. MIRA. Ŏ dear father, Make not too rash a trial of him, for He's gentle, and not fearful.b · could control thee,-] Control in its ordinary acceptation, and Shakespeare uses it in no other, seems incongruous here. Is it a misprint for console? b He's gentle, and not fearful.] This may mean, he's mild and not terrible: but from the context, VOL. III. "Make not too rash a trial of him," &c.— H H |