Mir.

Miranda :-O my father,

I have broke your hest1 to say so!

Fer.

Indeed, the top of admiration;
What's dearest to the world!

Admired Miranda!

worth

Full many a lady

I have eyed 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 liked several women; never any
With so full soul, but some defect in her
Did quarrel with the noblest grace she owed,
And put it to the foil: 3 But you, 0 you,
So perfect, and so peerless are created
Of every creature's best."

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.

3 Made it doubtful whether the virtue or the defect pre

ponderated.

4

Alluding to the picture of Venus by Apelles.

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

The flesh-fly blow my mouth.1 Hear my soul speak :—

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.

Mir.

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, honor you.

Mir.

I am a fool,

Fair encounter

To weep at what I am glad of.

Pro.

Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace On that which breeds between them!

Fer.

Wherefore weep you?

Mir. 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,

1 Swell and inflame my mouth.

2 Of aught else.

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

Fer.

My mistress, dearest ;

And I thus humble ever.

Mir.

My husband then?

Fer. Ay, with a heart as willing

As bondage e'er of freedom: here's my hand,
Mir. And mine, with my heart in 't: and now

farewell,

Till half an hour hence.

Fer.

A thousand! thousand!

[Exeunt Fer. and Mir.

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

[Exit.

SCENE II.

Another part of the island.

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-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.1

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 honor? 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 2 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?

1 Meaning, he is so much intoxicated, as not to be able to stand. 2 Debauched.

Cal. Lo, how he mocks me! wilt thou let him, my lord?

Trin. Lord, quoth he !—that a monster should be such a natural! 1

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 pleased 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.

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.

Ste. Mum then, and no more.-[to Caliban.] Proceed.

1 Fool.