Gon. I' the commonwealth I would by contraries
Execute all things; for no kind of traffic
Would I admit; no name of magistrate;
Letters should not be known; riches, poverty, 150
And use of service, none; contract, succession,
Bourn, bound of land, tilth, vineyard, none;

Seb.

No use of metal, corn, or wine, or oil;
No occupation; all men idle, all;

And women too, but innocent and pure;
No sovereignty ;-

Yet he would be king on't. Ant. The latter end of his commonwealth forgets

the beginning.

155

Gon. All things in common nature should produce
Without sweat or endeavour: treason, felony, 160
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.

Ant. Long live Gonzalo !

Gon.

Save his Majesty !

165

Alon. Prithee, no more; thou dost talk nothing to 170

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 laugh'd 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. And it had not fallen flatlong.

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.

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.

175

180

185

190

[All sleep except Alon., Seb., and Ant.] Alon. What, all so soon asleep! I wish mine eyes Would, with themselves, shut up my thoughts.

Seb.

I find

They are inclin❜d to do so.

Please you, sir,

Do not omit the heavy offer of it.

Ant.

Alon.

It seldom visits sorrow; when it doth,

It is a comforter.

We two, my lord,

195

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

Thank you. Wondrous heavy.

[Alonso sleeps. Exit Ariel.]

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

Seb.

Ant.

Seb.

Why

Doth it not then our eyelids sink? I find not
Myself dispos'd to sleep.

200

Nor I; my spirits are nimble.

They fell together all, as by consent;

They dropp'd, as by a thunder-stroke. What might,
Worthy Sebastian, O, what might -?

more:

And yet methinks I see it in thy face,

No

205

What thou shouldst be. The occasion speaks thee, and

My strong imagination sees a crown

Dropping upon thy head.

What, art thou waking?

I do; and surely

Ant. Do you not hear me speak?
Seb.

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

211

Ant.

Seb.

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

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

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.

Ant.

Seb.

Ant.

Do so. To ebb

Hereditary sloth instructs me.

0,

220

If you but knew how you the purpose cherish
Whiles thus you mock it! how, in stripping it, 225
You more invest it! Ebbing men, indeed,

Most often do so near the bottom run

By their own fear or sloth.

Prithee, say on.

230

Thus, sir:

The setting of thine eye and cheek proclaim
A matter from thee, and a birth indeed
Which throes thee much to yield.

Although this lord of weak remembrance, this,
Who shall be of as little memory

When he is earth'd, hath here almost persuaded

For he's a spirit of persuasion, only

235

Professes to persuade the King his son's alive, "Tis as impossible that he's undrown'd

241

What great hope have you! No hope that way is
Another way so high a hope that even
Ambition cannot pierce a wink beyond,

But doubt discovery there. Will you grant with

Ant. She that is Queen of Tunis; she that dwells
Ten leagues beyond man's life; she that from
Naples

Can have no note, unless the sun were post

The man i' the moon's too slow-till new-born

chins

249

Be rough and razorable; she that from whom
We all were sea-swallow'd, though some cast again,
And by that destiny to perform an act
Whereof what's past is prologue, what to come
In yours and my discharge.