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Mira. What is't, a fpirit?

Lord, how it looks about! believe me, Sir,
It carries a brave form. But 'tis a fpirit.

Pro. No, wench, it eats, and fleeps, and hath fuch fenfes

As we have, fuch. This gallant, which thou seeft,
Was in the wreck: and, but he's fomething ftain'd
With grief, (that's beauty's canker) thou might'ft
call him

A goodly perfon. He hath loft his fellows,
And ftrays about to find 'em.

Mira. I might call him

A thing divine; for nothing natural
I ever faw fo noble.

Pro. It goes on, I fee,

[Afide.

As my foul prompts it. Spirit, fine fpirit, I'll free

thee

Within two days for this.

Fer. Moft fure, the Goddess

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On whom these ayres attend! vouchsafe, my pray'r May know, if you remain upon this Island;

and facilitates its entrance into the mind. But this was, evidently, infufficient. Therefore, to make the way the eafier, fhe is fupposed to be under the influence of her Father's charm, which was to diffolve, as it were, the rigid chains of virtue and obedience. This is infinuated to the Audience when Profpero, before he begins his ftory, fays to her,

Lend thy hand

And pluck this magick garment from me.

The touch communicated the charm, and its efficacy was to lay her to fleep. This is the reafon that Profpero fo often questions her, as he proceeds in his ftory, whether the was attentive: being apprehenfive the charm might operate too quick, even before he had ended his relation. Without this interpretation his frequent repetition will appear extremely cold, and abfurd. For the fame reafon, likewife, he fays, in conclufion,

8

Thou art inclin'd to fleep. 'Tis a good dulnefs,

And give it way: I know thou can'ft not chufe.

vouchsafe my pray'r

May know,- ] For, I may know. Extremely poetical; and most expreffive of the humility of the Speaker.

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And

And that you will fome good inftruction give,
How I may bear me here: my prime request
(Which I do laft pronounce) is, O you wonder!
you be made or no?

If

Mira. No wonder, Sir,

But certainly a maid.

Fer. My language! heav'ns!

I am the best of them that speak this speech,
Were I but where 'tis fpoken!

Pro. How? the best?

What wert thou, if the King of Naples heard thee? Fer. A fingle thing, as I am now, that wonders To hear thee speak of Naples. He does hear me ; And, that he does, I weep: my self am Naples, Who, with mine eyes (ne'er fince at ebb) beheld The King my father wreckt.

Mira. Alack, for mercy!

Fer. Yes, faith, and all his lords: the Duke of Milan, And his brave fon, being twain.

Pro. The Duke of Milan,

And his more braver daughter, could

If now 'twere fit to do't: At the first fight,

They have chang'd eyes: (delicate Ariel,

[thee, controul

I'll fet thee free for this.) A word, good Sir.
I fear, you've done your felf fome wrong: a word-

9 certainly a maid. ] Nothing could be more prettily imagined to illustrate the fingularity of her character, than this pleasant mistake. She had been bred up in the rough and plaindealing documents of moral philofophy, which teaches us the knowledge of our felves: And was an utter ftranger to the flattery invented by vicious and defigning Men to corrupt the other Sex. So that it could not enter into her imagination, that complaifance and a defire of appearing amiable, qualities of humanity which the had been inftructed, in her moral leffons, to cultivate, could ever degenerate into fuch excefs, as that any one fhould be willing to have his fellow-creature believe that he thought her a Goddess or an Immortal.

controul thee,] i. e. fhew thee thy error.

Mira. Why speaks my father fo ungently? this
Is the third man, that I e'er faw; the firft,
That e'er I figh'd for. Pity move my father
To be inclin'd my way!

Fer. O, if a Virgin,

And your Affection not gone forth, I'll make you
The Queen of Naples.

Pro. Soft, Sir: one word more.

They're both in either's power: but this fwift business I must uneafie make, left too light winning

Make the prize light. Sir, one word more; I charge thee,

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Mira. There's nothing ill can dwell in fuch a tem

If the ill fpirit have so fair an house,

Good things will ftrive to dwell with't.

Pro. Follow me

Speak not you for him: he's a traitor. Come,

I'll manacle thy neck and feet together;

Sea-water fhalt thou drink; thy food shall be

The fresh-brook muffels, wither'd roots, and husks Wherein the acorn cradled.

Fer. No,

Follow.

I will refift fuch entertainment, 'till

Mine enemy has more power.

[He draws, and is charm'd from moving.

2 Mira. O dear father,

2 Mira. O dear father,

Make not too rash a tryal of him; for

He's gentle, and not fearful.

Make

This feems to be a very odd way of expreffing her sense of her Lover's good qualities. It is certain the beauty of it is not feen at first view. Miranda, 'till now, had never feen any Mortal

(her

Make not too rafh a tryal of him; for
He's gentle, and not fearful.

Pro. What, I fay,

My foot my tutor? put thy fword up, traitor,
Who mak'ft a fhew, but dar'ft not ftrike; thy con-

fcience

Is fo poffeft with guilt: come from thy ward,

For I can here difarm thee with this ftick,
And make thy weapon drop.

Mira. Befeech you, father.

C

Pro. Hence hang not on my garment.
Mira. Sir, have pity;

I'll be his furety.

Pro. Silence: one word more

Shall make me chide thee, if not hate thee. What, An advocate for an impoftor? hufh!

Thou think'ft, there are no more fuch fhapes as he, Having feen but him and Caliban; foolifh wench! To th' most of men this is a Caliban,

And they to him are angels.

Mira. My affections

Are then most humble: I have no ambition
To fee a goodlier man.

(her father excepted) but Caliban. She had frequently beheld
him under that kind of discipline which her father here threatens
to inflict
upon her lover.

I'll manacle thy neck and feet together:

Sea-water shalt thou drink, thy food shall be

The fresh-brook muffles, wither'd roots and husks
Wherein the acorn cradled.

The perverfity of Caliban's nature, and the Cowardliness of it, made punishment neceffary, and eafy to be inflicted: Finding therefore Ferdinand threatened with the like treatment, out of tenderness both to her Father and Lover fhe cries He's gentle, not like the favage Caliban, and fo deferves not punishment; this fhe gathered from his preceeding converfation with her - and not fearful, like that coward, and fo is not to be eafily managed. This fhe collected from his drawing his fword, and standing on his defence.

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Pro.

Pro. Come on, obey;

Thy nerves are in their infancy again,

And have no vigour in them.

Fer. So they are:

My fpirits, as in a dream, are all bound up.
My father's lofs, the weakness which I feel,

The wreck of all my friends, and this man's threats,
To whom I am fubdu'd, were but light to me
Might I but through my prifon once a day
Behold this maid: all corners elfe o'th' earth
Let liberty make ufe of; fpace enough
Have I, in fuch a prison.

Pro. It works come on.

(Thou haft done well, fine Ariel:) follow me.

Hark, what thou elfe fhalt do me.

Mira. Be of comfort,

My father's of a better nature, Sir,

[To Ariel.

Than he appears by fpeech: this is unwonted,
Which now came from him.

Pro. Thou shalt be as free

As mountain winds; but then exactly do

All points of my command.

Ari. To th' fyllable.

Pro. Come, follow: fpeak not for him. [Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I.

Another part of the Island.

Enter Alonfo, Sebastian, Anthonio, Gonzalo,
Adrian, Francifco, and others.

BES

GONZAL O.

ESEECH you, Sir, be merry: you have caufe (So have we all) of joy! for our escape

3 My fpirits, as in a dream, are all bound up.] Alluding to a common fenfation in dreams, when we ftruggle, but with a total impuiffance in our endeavours, to run, ftrike, &c.

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