Mir. I meant not him; for that was a request, Which, if you love, I should not need to urge. Ferd. Is there another whom I ought to love; And love him for your sake?

Mir. Yes, such a one,

Who, for his sweetness and his goodly shape,
(If I, who am unskilled in forms, may judge)
I think can scarce be equalled: 'Tis a youth,
A stranger, too, as you are.

Ferd. Of such a graceful feature! and must I, For your sake, love him?

Mir. Yes, sir: Do you scruple

To grant the first request I ever made?
He's wholly unacquainted with the world,

And wants your conversation. You should have
Compassion on so mere a stranger.

Ferd. Those need compassion whom you discommend,

Not whom you praise.

Mir. Come, you must love him for my sake:

You shall!

Ferd. Must I for yours, and cannot for my own?
Either you do not love, or think that I don't:
But, when you bid me love him, I must hate him.
Mir. Have I so far offended you already,

That he offends you only for my sake?--
Yet sure you would not hate him, if you saw
Him as I've done, so full of youth and beauty.
Ferd. O, poison to my hopes!--

When he did visit me, and I did mention
This beauteous creature to him, he then did tell
Me, he would have her.

Mir. Alas! what mean you?

[Aside.

Ferd. It is too plain: Like most of her frail sex, She's false, but has not learned the art to hide it. Nature has done her part, she loves variety:Why did I think that any woman could

Be innocent, because she's young? No, no! Their nurses teach them change, when, with two nipples,

They do divide their liking.

[Aside.

Mir. I fear I have offended you, and yet I meant no harm: But, if you please to hear me,

..

[A noise within. Hark, sir! now I am sure my father comes, I know his steps: Dear love! retire a while; I fear I've staid too long.

Ferd. Too long indeed, and yet not long enough: Oh, jealousy! Oh, love! how you distract me! [Exit FERD. Mir. He appears displeased with that young man,

I know

Not why: But, 'till I find from whence his hate proceeds,

I must conceal it from my father's knowledge;
For he will think that guiltless I have caused it,
And suffer me no more to see my love.

Enter PROSPERO.

Prosp. Now I have been indulgent to your wish; You have seen the prisoner?

Mir. Yes.

Prosp. And he spoke to you?

Mir. He spoke; but he received short answers

from me.

Prosp. How like you his converse?

Mir. At second sight,

A man does not appear so rare a creature.

Prosp. I find she loves him much, because she hides it.

Love teaches cunning even to innocence.- [Aside. Well, go in.

Mir. Forgive me, truth! for thus disguising thee. If I can make him think, I do not love

4

Dor. I'll see neither of you.

Hip. Yes, me you may, for we are now acquainted:

But he's the man, of whom your father warned you;
O, he's a terrible, huge, monstrous creature!
I'm but a woman to him.

Dor. I will see him,

Except you'll promise not to see my sister.

Hip. Yes, for your sake, I needs must see your

sister.

Dor. But she's a terrible, huge creature too! If I were not her sister, she would eat me; Therefore take heed.

Hip. I heard that she was fair,

And like you.

Dor. No, indeed, she's like my father,

With a great beard; 'twould fright you to look on her:

Therefore that man and she may go together,

They are fit for nobody but one another.

Hip. [Looking in.] Yonder he comes with glaring eyes; fly! fly!

Before he sees you.

Dor. Must we part so soon?

Hip. You're a lost woman if you see him.

Dor. I would not willingly be lost, for fear

You should not find me.

I'll avoid him.

[Exit DOR.

Hip. She fain would have deceived me, but I

know

Her sister must be fair, for she's a woman;

All of a kind, that I have seen, are like

To one another: All the creatures of

The rivers and the woods are so.

Enter FERDINAND.

Ferd. O, well encountered! you are the happy

man!

You've got the hearts of both the beauteous women. Hip. How, sir! pray, are you sure on't?

Ferd. One of them charged me to love you for her sake.

Hip. Then I must have her.

Ferd. No, not till I am dead.

Hip. How dead? what's that?--But whatsoe'er it

be,

I long to have her.

Ferd. Time and my grief may make me die.
Hip. But, for a friend, you should make haste; I

ne'er

Asked any thing of you before.

Ferd. I see your ignorance,

And, therefore, will instruct you in my meaning. The woman, whom I love, saw you, and loved you'; Now, sir, if you love her, you'll cause my death. Hip. Be sure I'll do it then.

Ferd. But I am your friend;

And I request you that you would not love her. Hip. When friends request unreasonable things, Sure they're to be denied. You say she's fair; And I must love all who are fair: for, to tell you A secret, sir, which I have lately found Within myself, they're all made for me.

Ferd. That's but a fond conceit: You're made for one,

And one for you.

Hip. You cannot tell me, sir;

I know I'm made for twenty hundred women,
I mean, if there so many be i'the world,)
So that, if I once see her, I shall love her.
Ferd. Then do not see her.

Hip. Yes, sir, I must see her:

For I would fain have my heart beat again,
Just as it did when I first saw her sister.

Ferd. I find I must not let you see her then.
Hip. How will you hinder me?
Ferd. By force of arms.

Hip. By force of arms!

My arms, perhaps, may be as strong as yours.
Ferd. He's still so ignorant, that I pity him,
And fain would avoid force. [Aside.]-Pray do not
see her,

She was mine first; you have no right to her.
Hip. I have not yet considered what is right;
But, sir, I know my inclinations are

To love all women; and I have been taught,
That to dissemble what I think is base.
In honour, then, of truth, I must declare,

That I do love, and I will see your woman.
Ferd. Would you be willing I should see and
love

Your woman, and endeavour to seduce her
From that affection, which she vowed to you?
Hip. I would not you should do it, but if she
Should love you best, I cannot hinder her.
But, sir, for fear she should, I will provide
Against the worst, and try to get your woman.
Ferd. But I pretend no claim at all to yours;
Besides, you are more beautiful than I,
And fitter to allure unpractised hearts:
Therefore I once more beg you will not see her.
Hip. I'm glad you let me know I have such
beauty;

If that will get me women, they shall have it
As far as ere 'twill go: I'll never want them.
Ferd. Then, since you have refused this act of
friendship,

Provide yourself a sword, for we must fight.