Delight in them sets off2: some kinds of baseness Weeps when she sees me work; and says, such baseness Had ne'er like executor. I forget: But these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labours; Most busy-less, when I do it. Enter MIRANDA; and PROSPERO at a distance. Mira. Alas, now! pray you, Work not so hard: I would, the lightning had Burnt up those logs, that you are enjoin'd to pile! Pray, set it down, and rest you: when this burns, "Twill 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. If you'll sit down, I'll bear your logs the while: Pray, give me that; I'll carry it to the pile. Fer. No, precious creature; I'd rather crack my sinews, break my back, Than you should such dishonour undergo, While I sit lazy by. Mira. It would become me As well as it does you: and I should do it 2 Molliter austerum studio fallente laborem.-Hor. Sat. ii. 1. 2. So, in Macbeth: "The labour we delight in physics pain." Fer. No, noble mistress; 'tis fresh morning with me When you are by at night. I do beseech you (Chiefly that I might set it in my prayers), What is your name? Mira. Miranda: O my father, I have broke your hest 4 to say so! Admir'd Miranda! Fer. So perfect, and so peerless, are created Mira. 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, 3 Tu mihi curarum requies, tu nocte vel atra Lumen * See Note 27, p. 24. Tibull. lib. iv. el. 13. 6 In the first book of Sidney's Arcadia, a lover says of his mistress: "She is herself of best things the collection." In the third book there is a fable which may have been in Shakspeare's mind. Fer I am, in my condition, A princé, Miranda; I do think, a king; (I would, not so!) and would no more endure This wooden slavery, than to suffer The flesh-fly blow my mouth.--Hear my soul speak; The very instant that I saw you, did My heart fly to your service; there resides, Mira. Do you love me? What best is boded me to mischief! I, Mira. I am a fool, To weep at what I am glad of 8. Fer. If not, I'll die your maid: to be your fellow 9 What else, for whatsoever else. Steevens observes justly that this is one of those touches of nature which distinguish Shakspeare from all other writers. There is a kindred thought in Romeo and Juliet: "Back, foolish tears, back to your native spring! Your tributary drops belong to woe, Which you mistaking offer up to joy." 9 i. e. your companion. Malone has cited a very apposite passage from Catullus; but, as Mr. Douce remarks, Shakspeare had more probably the pathetic old poem of The Nut Brown Maid in his recollection. You may deny me; but I'll be your servant, Fer. And I thus humble ever. Mira. My mistress, 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 farewell, Till half an hour hence. Fer. A thousand! thousand! Pro. So glad of this as they, I cannot be, Another part of the Island. [Exit. Enter STEPHANO and TRINCULO; CALIBAN following Ste. Tell not me;-when the butt is out, we will drink water; not a drop before: therefore bear up, and board 'em: Servant-monster, drink to me. Trin. Servant-monster? the folly of this island! They say, there's but five upon this isle: we are three of them; if the other two be brained like us, the state totters. Ste. Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thee; thy eyes are almost set in thy head. Trin. Where should they be set else? he were a brave monster indeed, if they were set in his tail. Ste. My man-monster hath drowned his tongue in sack: for my part, the sea cannot drown me: I swam, ere I could recover the shore, five-and-thirty leagues, off and on, by this light. -Thou shalt be my lieutenant, monster, or my standard. Trin. Your lieutenant, if you list; he's no standard. Ste. We'll not run, monsieur monster. Trin. Nor go neither: but you'll lie, like dogs; and yet say nothing neither. Ste. Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou beest a good moon-calf. Cal. How does thy honour? Let me lick thy shoe: I'll not serve him, he is not valiant. Trin. Thou liest, most ignorant monster; I am in case to justle a constable: Why, thou deboshed 1 fish thou, was there ever man a coward, that hath drunk so much sack as I to-day? Wilt thou tell a monstrous lie, being but half a fish, and half a monster? Cal. Lo, how he mocks me! wilt thou let him, lord? my Trin. Lord, quoth he! that a monster should be such 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 subject, and he shall not suffer indignity. Cal. I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleas'd to hearken once again to the suit I made thee? Ste. Marry will I kneel, and repeat it; I will stand, and so shall Trinculo. Enter ARIEL, invisible. Cal. As I told thee before, I am subject to a tyrant; a sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me of this island. Ari. Thou liest.ro Cal. Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, thou! I would, my valiant master would destroy thee: I do not lie. Ste. Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in his tale, by this hand, I will supplant some of your teeth. Trin. Why, I said nothing. 1 Deboshed, this is the old orthography of Debauched; following the sound of the French original. In altering the spelling we have departed from the proper pronunciation of the word. |