26

EPILOGUE.

Spoken by Prospero.

NOW my charms are all o'erthrown,
And what strength I have's mine own;
Which is most faint: now, 'lis true,
I must be here confin'd by you,
Or sent to Naples: Let me not,
Since I have my dukedom got,
And nardon'd the deceiver, dwell
In this bare island, by your spell;
But release me from my bands,
With the help of your good hands.1
Gentle breath of yours my sails
Must fill, or else my project fails,
Which was to please: now I want
Spirits to enforce, art to enchant;
And my ending is despair,
Unless I be reliev'd by prayer;

Which pierces so, that it assaults
Mercy itself, and frees all faults.

As you from crimes would pardon d be,
Let your indulgence set me free.

It is observed of The Tempest, that its plan is regular; this the author of The Revisal thinks, what I think too, an accidental effect of the story, not intended or regarded by our author. But, whatever might be Shakspeare's intention in forming or adopting the plot, he has made it instrumental to the production of many characters, diversified with boundless invention, and preserved with profound skill in nature, extensive knowledge of opinions, and accurate observation of life. In a single drama are here exhibited princes, courtiers, and sailors, all speaking in their real characters. There is the agency of airy spirits, and of an earthly goblin; the operations of magic, the tumults of a storm, the adventures of a desert island, the native effusion of untaught affection, the punishment of

(1) Applause: noise was supposed to dissolve a guilt, and the final happiness of the pair for whom

spell.

Tour passions and reasons are equally interested.
JOHNSON.

Valentine.

Oul-laws.

Julia, a lady of Verona, beloved by Proteus.
Silvia, the duke's daughter, beloved by Valentine.
Lucetta, waiting-woman to Julia.

Servants, musicians.

Scene, Sometimes in Verona; sometimes in Milan; and on the frontiers of Mantua.

If lost, why then a grievous labour won;
However, but a folly bought with wit,

Enter Or else a wit by folly vanquished.

CEASE to persuade, my loving Proteus;
Home-keeping youth have ever homely wits:
Wer't not, affection chains thy tender days
To the sweet glances of thy honour'd love,
I rather would entreat thy company,
To see the wonders of the world abroad,
Than living dully sluggardiz'd at home,
Wear out thy youth with shapeless idleness.
But, since thou lov'st, love still, and thrive therein,
Even as I would, when I to love begin.

Pro. Wilt thou be gone? Sweet Valentine,
adieu!

Think on thy Proteus, when thou, haply, seest
Some rare note-worthy object in thy travel:
Wish me partaker in thy happiness,
When thou dost meet good hap; and, in thy

ger,

If ever danger do environ thee,
Commend thy grievance to my holy prayers,
For I will be thy beads-man, Valentine.

Pro. So, by your circumstance, you call me fool.
Val. So, by your circumstance, I fear, you'll

prove.

Pro. Tis love you cavil at; I am not Love.
Val. Love is your master, for he masters you:
And he that is so yoked by a fool,

Methinks should not be chronicled for wise.
Pro. Yet writers say, As in the sweetest bud
The eating canker dwells, so eating love
Inhabits in the finest wits of all.

Val. And writers say, As the most forward bud
Is eaten by the canker ere it blow,
Even so by love the young and tender wit
Is turn'd to folly; blasting in the bud,
Losing his verdure even in the prime,
And all the fair effects of future hopes.
But wherefore waste I time to counsel thee,
That art a votary to fond desire?
Once more adieu: my father at the road
dan-Expects my coming, there to see me shipp'd.

Val. And on a love-book pray for my success.
Pro. Upon some book I love, I'll pray for thee.
Val. That's on some shallow story of deep love,
How young Leander cross'd the Hellespont.

Pro. That's a deep story of a deeper love.
For he was more than over shoes in love.
Val. 'Tis true; for you are over boots in love,
And yet you never swam the Hellespont.

Pro. Over the boots? nay, give me not the
boots.'

Val. No, I'll not, for it boots thee not.

Pro. Val.

What?
To be

In love, where scorn is bought with groans; coy
looks,

With heart-sore sighs; one fading moment's mirth,
With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights:
If haply won, perhaps, a hapless gain;

(1) A humorous punishment at harvest-home feasts, &c.

Pro. And thither will I bring thee, Valentine.
Val. Sweet Proteus, no; now let us take our

leave.

At Milan, let me hear from thee by letters,
Of thy success in love, and what news else
Betideth here in absence of thy friend;
And I likewise will visit thee with mine.
Pro. All happiness bechance to thee in Milan!
Val. As much to you at home! and so, farewell!
[Exit Valentine.

Pro. He after honour hunts, I after love:
He leaves his friends, to dignify them more;
I leave myself, my friends, and all for love.
Thou, Julia, thou hast metamorphos'd me;
Made me neglect my studies, lose my time,
War with good counsel, set the world at nought;
Made wit with musing weak, heart sick with
thought.

| Speed. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her; no, not so much as a ducat for delivering your letter: and being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear, she'll prove as hard to you in

Speed. You conclude that my master is a shep-telling her mind. Give her no token but stones; herd then, and I a sheep?

Pro. A silly answer, and fitting well a sheep. Speed. This proves me still a sheep. Pro. True; and thy master a shepherd. Speed. Nay, that I can deny by a circumstance. Pro. Go, go, begone, to save your ship from Pro. It shall go hard, but I'll prove it by another. wreck; Speed. The shepherd seeks the sheep, and not Which cannot perish, having thee aboard, the sheep the shepherd; but I seek my master, Being destin'd to a drier death on shore :and my master secks not me: therefore, I am no I must go send some better messenger; sheep. fear, my Julia would not deign my lines, Receiving them from such a worthless post.

Did in your name receive it; pardon the fault,
pray.

Jul. Now, by my modesty, a goodly broker 11
Dare you presume to harbour wanton lines?
To whisper and conspire against my youth?
Now, trust me, 'tis an office of great worth,
And you an officer fit for the place.

There, take the paper, see it be return'd;
Or else return no more into my sight.

Jul. This babble shall not henceforth trouble me. 20 Here is a coil with protestation !

Why didst thou stoop, then?
Luc. To take a paper up that I let fall.
Jul. And is that paper nothing?
Luc.
Nothing concerning me.
Jul. Then let it lie for those that it concerns.
Lue. Madam, it will not lie where it concerns,
Unless it have a false interpreter.

Jul. Some love of yours hath writ to you in rhyme.
Lue. That I might sing it, madam, to a tune:
Give me a note: your ladyship can set-

Jud. As little by such toys as may be possible:
Best sing it to the tune of Light o' love.

Luc. It is too heavy for so light a tune.
Jud. Heavy? belike it hath some burden then.
Luc. Ay; and melodious were it, would you
sing it.

Luc.
Jul. Let's see your song:-How now, minion?
I cannot reach so high.
Luc. Keep tune there still, so you will sing it out:
And yet, methinks, I do not like this tune.
Jul. You do not?

Lue. No, madam; it is too sharp.
Jul. You, minion, are too saucy.
Luc. Nay, now you are too flat,

And mar the concord with too harsh a descant:3
There wanteth but a mean to fill your song.
Jul. The mean is drown'd with your unruly base.
Luc. Indeed, I bid the base for Proteus."
bid the base

(1) A matchmaker, (2) Passion or obstinacy,
(3) A term in music. (4) The tenor in music.

I see things too, although you judge I wink.
Jul. Come, come, will't please you go?
[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-The same. A room in Antonio's
house. Enter Antonio and Panthino.

Ant. Tell me, Panthino, what sad talk was that,
Wherewith my brother held you in the cloister?
Ant. Why, what of him?
Pan. 'Twas of his nephew Proteus, your son.

Would suffer him to spend his youth at home;
Pan.
He wonder'd, that your lordship
While other men, of slender reputation,
Put forth their sons to seek preferment out:
Some, to the wars, to try their fortune there;
Some, to discover islands far away;
For any, or for all these exercises,
Some, to the studious universities.
And did request me, to importune you,
He said, that Proteus, your son, was meet;
To let him spend his time no more at home,

(5) A chailenge. (6) Bustle, stir. (7) Since,
Serious, (9) Little consequence

Pant. To-morrow, may it please you, Don Al-SCENE I.-Milan. An apartment in the Duke's