Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

If I fpeak true; if hollowly, invert
What beft is boded me, to mischief! I,
Beyond all limit of what else i' the world,
Do love, prize, honour you.

Mira.

Το weep at what I am glad of.4

I am a fool,

Fair encounter

Pro.
Of too moft rare affections! Heavens rain grace
On that which breeds between them!

Fer.

Wherefore weep you? Mira. At mine unworthinefs, that dare not offer What I defire to give; and much lefs take, What I fhall die to want: But this is trifling; And all the more it seeks 5 to hide itself, The bigger bulk it fhews. Hence, bafhful 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 fervant, Whether you will or no.

Fer.

And I thus humble ever.

Mira.

My miftrefs, 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 farewel, Till half an hour hence.

Fer.

A thoufand! thousand!

[Exeunt FER. and MIR.

D 2

3 i. e. of aught elfe; of whatsoever elfe there is in the world.

Pro.

MALONE.

4 This is one of thofe touches of nature that diftinguish Shakspeare from all other writers. It was neceffary, in fupport of the character of Miranda, to make her appear unconscious that excess of sorrow and excess of joy find alike their relief from tears; and as this is the first time that confummate pleasure had made any near approaches to her heart, fhe calls fuch a feeming contradictory expreffion of it, folly. STEEVENS.

[ocr errors]

it feels] i. e. my affection feeks. MALONE.

6 - your fellow

i. e. companion.

7 It is still customary in the west of England, when the conditions of a bargain are agreed upon, for the parties to ratify it by joining their hands,

and

Pro. So glad of this as they, I cannot be, Who are furpriz'd with all; but my rejoicing At nothing can be more. I'll to my book ; For yet, ere fupper time, must I perform Much bufinefs appertaining.

[blocks in formation]

[Exit

Enter STEPHANO and TRINCULO; CALIBAN following with a bottle.

Ste. Tell not me ;-when the butt is out, we will drink water; not a drop before: therefore bear up, and board 'em: Servant-monfter, drink to me.

Trin. Servant-monfter? the folly of this ifland! They fay, there's but five upon this ifle: we are three of them; if the other two be brain'd like us, the state totters.

Ste. Drink, fervant-monfter, when I bid thee; thy eyes are almost set in thy head.

Trin. Where fhould they be fet elfe? he were a brave monfter indeed, if they were fet in his tail."

Ste. My man-monfter hath drown'd his tongue in fack : for my part, the fea cannot drown me: I fwam, ere I could recover the fhore, five-and-thirty leagues, off and on, by this light.-Thou shalt be my lieutenant, monster, or my ftandard.

Trin. Your lieutenant, if you lift, he's no standard.2
Ste. We'll not run, monfieur monster.

:

Trin. Nor go neither but you'll lie, like dogs; and yet fay nothing neither.

Ste.

and at the fame time for the purchafer to give an earnest. To this practice the poet alludes. HENLEY.

8 A metaphor alluding to a chace at fea. HAWKINS.

9 I believe this to be an allufion to a story that is met with in Stowe, and other writers of the time, It feems in the year 1574, a whale was thrown afhore near Ramfgate: "A monftrous fifb (fays the chronicler) but not fo monftrous as fome reported-for his eyes were in his bead, and not in his back." Summary, 1575, p. 562. FARMER.

2 Meaning, he is fo much intoxicated, as not to be able to ftand. The quibble between standard, an enfign, and ftandard, a fruit-tree that grows without support, is evident. STEVENS.

Ste. Moon-calf, fpeak once in thy life, if thou becit a good moon-calf.

Cal. How does thy honour? Let me lick thy fhoe: I'll not ferve him, he is not valiant.

Trin. Thou lieft, moft ignorant monfter; I am in cafe to juftle a conftable: Why, thou debofh'd fish thou, was there ever man a coward, that hath drunk fo much fack as I to-day? Wilt thou tell a monstrous lie, being but half a fish, and half a monfter?

Cal. Lo, how he mocks me! wilt thou let him, my lord? Trin. Lord, quoth he!-that a monster should be fuch 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 fubject, and he fhall not fuffer indignity.

Cal. I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleas'd

To hearken once again the fuit I made thee?

Ste. Marry will I, kneel, and repeat it; I will ftand, and fo fhall Trinculo.

Enter ARIEL, invifible.

Cal. As I told thee

Before, I am fubject to a tyrant;
A forcerer, that by his cunning hath
Cheated me of the island.

Ari.

Thou lieft.

Cal. Thou lieft, thou jefting monkey, thou; I would, my valiant mafter would destroy thee:

I do not lie.

Ste. Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in his tale, by this hand, I will fupplant fome of your teeth.

Trin. Why, I faid nothing.

Ste. Mum then, and no more.-[To CALIBAN.] Proceed.

Cal. I fay, by forcery he got this ifle;

From me he got it. If thy greatness will
Revenge it on him-for, I know, thou dar'ft;

But this thing dare not.

Ste. That's most certain.

Cal. Thou shalt be lord of it, and I'll ferve thee.

D 3

Ste

Ste. How now fhall this be compafs'd? Canft thou bring me to the party ?

Cal. Yea, yea, my lord; I'll yield him thee asleep,
Where thou may'ft knock a nail into his head.3
Ari. Thou lieft, thou canst not.

Cal. What a py'd ninny's this ?4 Thou fcurvy patch !-
I do befeech thy greatnefs, give him blows,

And take his bottle from him: when that's gone,

He fhall drink nought but brine; for I'll not fhew him
Where the quick freshes are.

Ste. Trinculo, run into no further danger: interrupt the monfter one word further, and, by this hand, I'll turn my mercy out of doors, and make a stock-fish of thee.

Trin. Why, what did I? I did nothing; I'll go further off.

Ste. Didft thou not fay, he lied?

Ari. Thou lieft.

Ste. Do I fo? take thou that. [Strikes him.] As you like this, give me the lie another time.

Trin. I did not give the lie:-Out o' your wits, and hear ing too?-A pox o' your bottle! this can fack, and drinking do. A murrain on your monfter, and the devil take your fingers!

[ocr errors]

Cal. Ha, ha, ha!

Ste. Now, forward with your tale. Pr'ythee ftand further off.

Cal. Beat him enough; after a little time,

I'll beat him too.

Ste. Stand further.-Come, proceed.

Cal.

3 Perhaps Shakspeare caught this idea from the 4th chapter of Judges, V. 21. "Then Jael, Heber's wife, took a nail of the tent, and took a hammer in her hand, and went foftly unto him, and fmote the nail into his temples, &c. for he was fast asleep," &c. STEEVENS.

4 It fhould be remembered that Trinculo is no failor, but a jefter; and is fo called in the ancient dramatis perfore. He therefore wears the party-colour'd drefs of one of thefe characters. STEEVENS.

Dr. Johnfon obferves, that Caliban could have no knowledge of the ftriped coat ufually worn by fools; and would therefore transfer this fpeech to Stephano. But though C liban might not know this circumftance, Shakspeare did. Surely he who has given to all countries and all ages the manners of his own, might forget himself here, as well as in other places. MALONE. might not Trinculo be in hi harty-coloured diefo ? If so where's the fault? my note render malone, mile's

Cal. Why, as I told thee, 'tis a custom with him
I' the afternoon to fleep; there thou may't brain him,
Having firft feiz'd his books; or with a log
Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake,
Or cut his wezand with thy knife: Remember,
First to poffefs his books; for without them
He's but a fot, as I am, nor hath not

One fpirit to command: They all do hate him,
As rootedly as I: Burn but his books;

He has brave utenfils, (for fo he calls them,)
Which, when he has a house, he'll deck withał,
And that moft deeply to confider, is
The beauty of his daughter; he himself
Calls her a non-pareil: I ne'er faw woman,

But only Sycorax my dam, and she;

But fhe as far furpaffeth Sycorax,

As greateft does least.

Ste. Is it fo brave a lafs?

Cal. Ay, lord; fhe 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; (fave our graces!) and Triaculo and thyfelf fhall be vice-roys :-Doft thou like the plot, Trinculo?

Trin. Excellent.

Ste. Give me thy hand; I am forry I beat thee: but, while thou liv'ft, 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'ft me merry: I am full of pleasure; Let us be jocund: Will you troll the catch

You taught me but while-ere?

D 4

Ste.

5 In the old romances the forcerer is always furnished with a book, by reading certain parts of which he is enabled to fummon to his aid whatever dæmons or fpirits he has occafion to employ. When he is deprived of his book, his power ceafes. MALONE.

6 To troll a catch, I fuppofe, is to difmifs it trippingly from the tongue.

STEE. ENS.

« ZurückWeiter »