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A thing divine; for nothing natural

I ever saw so noble.

PRO.

As

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my soul prompts it.-Spirit, fine Spirit! I'll free thee Within two days for this.

FER.

Most sure, the goddess.

On whom these airs attend!-Vouchsafe, my prayer

May know, if you remain upon this island;

And that you will some good instruction give,
How I may bear me here: My prime request,
Which I do last pronounce, is, O you wonder!
If you be maid, or no?

MIRA.

But, certainly a maid.

FER.

No wonder, sir;

My language! heavens !—

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

PRO.

How! the best?

What wert thou, if the king of Naples heard thee?
FER. A single thing, as I am now, that wonders
To hear thee speak of Naples. He does hear me ;
And, that he does, I weep: myself am Naples;
Who with mine eyes, ne'er since at ebb, beheld
The king my father wrack'd.

MIRA.

Alack, for mercy!

FER. Yes, faith, and all his lords; the duke of Milan, And his brave son, being twain.

PRO.

The duke of Milan,

[Aside.

And his more braver daughter, could control thee,
If now 't were fit to do't:-At the first sight

They have chang'd eyes.-Delicate Ariel,

I'll set thee free for this!-[To FERD.] A word, good sir;

I fear, you have done yourself some wrong: a word.

MIRA. Why speaks my father so ungently? This

Is the third man that e'er I saw; the first

That e'er I sighed for: pity move my father

To be inclin❜d my way!

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And your affection not gone forth, I'll make you
The queen of Naples.

PRO.

Soft, sir; one word more.—

They are both in either's powers: but this swift business I must uneasy make, lest too light winning

[Aside.

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

That thou attend me: thou dost here usurp

The name thou ow'st not; and hast put thyself

Upon this island, as a spy, to win it

From me, the lord on't.

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MIRA. There's nothing ill can dwell in such a temple :

If the ill spirit have so fair a house,

Good things will strive to dwell with't.

PRO.

Follow me.-[To FERD.

Speak not you for him; he's a traitor.-Come.
I'll manacle thy neck and feet together;
Sea-water shalt thou drink, thy food shall be

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

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My foot my tutor!-Put thy sword up, traitor;

Who mak'st a show, but dar'st not strike, thy conscience

Is so possess'd with guilt: come from thy ward;

For I can here disarm thee with this stick,

And make thy weapon drop.

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Shall make me chide thee, if not hate thee. What!

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An advocate for an impostor? hush!

Thou think'st there are no more such shapes as he,
Having seen but him and Caliban: Foolish wench!

To the most of men this is a Caliban,

And they to him are angels.

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Are then most humble; I have no ambition

To see a goodlier man.

PRO.

Come on; obey: [To FERD.

Thy nerves are in their infancy again,

And have no vigour in them.

FER.

So they are:

My spirits, as in a dream, are all bound up.

My father's loss, the weakness which I feel,

The wrack of all my friends, or this man's threats,
To whom I am subdued, are but light to me,

Might I but through my prison once a day

Behold this maid: all corners else o' the earth
Let liberty make use of; space enough

Have I in such a prison.

PRO.

It works :-Come on.

Thou hast done well, fine Ariel!-Follow me.

Hark, what thou else shalt do me.

MIRA.

My father's of a better nature, sir,

[To FERD. and MIRA. [TO ARIEL. Be of comfort;

Than he appears by speech; this is unwonted,

Which now came from him.

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SCENE I.-Another part of the Island.

Enter ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, GONZALO, ADRIAN, FRANCISCO,

ESEECH

and Others.

GONZALO.

you, sir, be

merry: you have cause
(So have we all) of joy; for our escape
Is much beyond our loss: our hint of woe
Is common; every day, some sailor's wife,
The masters of some merchant, and the merchant,
Have just our theme of woe: but for the miracle,
I mean our preservation, few in millions.

Can speak like us: then wisely, good sir, weigh
Our sorrow with our comfort.

ALON.

Pr'y thee, peace.

SEB. He receives comfort like cold porridge.

ANT. The visitor will not give him o'er so.

SEB. Look, he's winding up the watch of his wit; by and by it will strike.

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