Page images
PDF
EPUB
[graphic]

give him some relief, if it be but for that. If I can recover him, and keep him tame, and get to Naples with him, he 's a present for any emperor that ever trod on neat's-leather.

CAL. Do not torment me, pr'ythee! I'll bring my wood home faster.

STE. He's in his fit now; and does not talk after the wisest. He shall taste of my bottle: if he have never drunk wine afore, it will go near to remove his fit. If I can recover him, and keep him tame, I will not take too much for him: he shall pay for him that hath him, and that soundly.

CAL. Thou dost me yet but little hurt; thou wilt anon, I know it by thy trembling now Prosper works upon thee.

:

STE. Come on your ways; open your mouth; here is that which will give language to you, cat; open your mouth; this will shake your shaking, I can tell you, and that soundly: you cannot tell who's your friend: open your chaps again.

TRIN. I should know that voice: it should be but he is drowned; and these are devils:-0! defend me!

STE. Four legs and two voices; a most delicate monster! His forward voice now, is to speak well of his friend; his backward voice is to utter foul speeches and to detract. If all the wine in my bottle will recover him, I will help his ague:

Amen!] Perhaps a warning to the monster to stint his draught.

b I have no long spoon.] An allusion which we have had

Come ;-Amen!a I will pour some in thy other mouth.

TRIN. Stephano,

STE. Doth thy other mouth call me? Mercy! mercy! This is a devil, and no monster: I will leave him: I have no long spoon.b

TRIN. Stephano!-if thou beest Stephano, touch me, and speak to me; for I am Trinculo,-be not afeard, thy good friend Trinculo.

STE. If thou beest Trinculo, come forth: I'll pull thee by the lesser legs: if any be Trinculo's legs, these are they.-Thou art very Trinculo, indeed how camest thou to be the siege of this moon-calf? can he vent Trinculos?

TRIN. I took him to be killed with a thunderstroke-but art thou not drowned, Stephano? I hope now, thou art not drowned. Is the storm overblown? I hid me under the dead moon-calf's gaberdine for fear of the storm. And art thou living, Stephano? O Stephano, two Neapolitans 'scaped!

STE. Pr'ythee, do not turn me about; my stomach is not constant.

CAL. [Aside.] These be fine things, an if they
be not sprites.

That's a brave god, and bears celestial liquor:
I will kneel to him.

STE. How didst thou 'scape? How camest thou

before, in "The Comedy of Errors," Act IV. Sc. 3, to the ancient proverb, "He who eats with the devil hath need of a long spoon."

[graphic]

hither? swear by this bottle, how thou camest hither. I escaped upon a butt of sack, which the sailors heaved overboard, by this bottle! which I made of the bark of a tree, with mine own hands, since I was cast ashore.

CAL. [Aside.] I'll swear upon that bottle, to be thy true subject; for the liquor is not earthly.

STE. Here; swear then how thou escapedst. TRIN. Swam ashore, man, like a duck; I can swim like a duck, I'll be sworn.

STE. Here, kiss the book. Though thou canst swim like a duck, thou art made like a goose.

TRIN. O Stephano, hast any more of this? STE. The whole butt, man; my cellar is in a rock by the sea-side, where my wine is hid.-How now, moon-calf? how does thine ague?

CAL. Hast thou not dropped from heaven? STE. Out o' the moon, I do assure thee: I was the man i' the moon when time was.

CAL. I have seen thee in her, and I do adore thee;

My mistress show'd me thee, and thy dog and thy

bush.

STE. Come, swear to that; kiss the book:-I will furnish it anon with new contents:-swear. TRIN. By this good light, this is a very shallow monster:-I afeard of him!-a very weak mon

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

a Young scamels-] So the old text, but perhaps corruptly, since the word has not been found in any other author. Theobald changed it to shamois, and suggested staniels, that is, young hawks, and sea-malls, or sea-mells.

b Nor scrape trencher,-] The old text has, "Nor scrape trenchering." but, as Mr. Dyce observes, "That 'trenchering' is an error of the printer (or transcriber), occasioned by the preceding words, 'firing' and 'requiring,' is beyond a doubt."

[blocks in formation]

e Hey-day! hey-day!] This appears to have been a familiar burden. Thus, in Ben Jonson's "Cynthia's Revels," Act II. Sc. 1:

'Come follow me, my wags, and say, as I say.
There's no riches but in rags, hey day, hey-day:
You that profess this art, come away, come away,
And help to bear a part. Hey-day, hey-day!!

[graphic]
[graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[blocks in formation]

MIRA.

up

Alas, now! pray you, Work not so hard; I would the lightning had Burnt those logs that you are enjoin'd to pile! Pray, set it down, and rest you: when this burns, 'T will 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.
I'll bear your logs the while
I'll carry
it to the pile.

If I'll sit down you pray give me that; No, precious creature : I had rather crack my sinews, break my back, should such dishonour undergo,

FER.

Than you

While I sit lazy by.

[blocks in formation]

When you are by at night. I do beseech you,Chiefly that I might set it in my prayers,— What is your name?

MIRA.

Admir'd Miranda ! worth

Miranda :-O my father, I have broke your 'hest to say so! FER. Indeed the top of admiration; 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 lik'd several women; never any With so full soul, but some defect in her Did quarrel with the noblest she ow'd, grace And put it to the foil: but O you, you,

I do not know

So perfect and so peerless, are created
Of every creature's best!
MIRA.
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 [speak :

The flesh-fly blow my mouth.-Hear my soul
The very instant that I saw you, did

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 else i' the world,
Do love, prize, honour you.

MIRA.

I am a fool,
To weep at what I am glad of.
PRO. [Aside.]

Fair encounter Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace On that which breeds between 'em!

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

FER. My mistress, dearest ! And I thus humble ever.

[blocks in formation]

when I do it; " Mr. Holt White suggests, "Most busiest when I do it; " and Mr. Collier's annotator, "Most busy,-blest when I do it." Whatever may have been the word for which "lest" was misprinted, "Most busy" and that word bore reference, unquestionably, not to Ferdinand's task, but to the sweet thoughts by which it was relieved. We have substituted felt as a likely word to have been mis-set "lest;" but are in doubt whether still, in its old sense of ever, always, is not preferable,

"Most busy still, when I do it."

b Fellow-] That is, companion, pheer.

« PreviousContinue »