Thou pardon me my wrongs:-But how should Prospero Be living, and be here ? Pro. First, noble friend, Let me embrace thine age; whose honour cannot Gon. Whether this be, Or be not, I'll not swear, Pro. You do yet taste Some subtilties o' the isle, that will not let you Believe things certain :-Welcome, my friends all :But you, my brace of lords, were I so minded, [Aside to Seb. and Ant. I here could pluck his highness' frown upon you, And justify you traitors; at this time I'll tell no tales. Seb. The devil speaks in him. Pro. No: For you, most wicked sir, whom to call brother Thy rankest fault; all of them; and require Alon. If thou beest Prospero, Give us particulars of thy preservation : [Aside. How thou hast met us here, who three hours since My dear son Ferdinand. Pro. I am woe for't, sir. Alon. Irreparable is the loss; and patience Says, it is past her cure. Pro. I rather think, You have not sought her help; of whose soft grace, And rest myself content. Alon. You the like loss? Pro. As great to me, as late; and, portable [9] The unity of time is most rigidly observed in this piece. The fable scarcely takes up a greater number of hours than are employed in the representation; and from the very particular care which our author takes to point out this circumstance in so many other passages, as well as here, it seems as if it were not accidental,but purposely designed to shew the admirers of Ben Jonson's art, and the cavillers of the time, that he too could write a play within all the strictest laws of regularity, when he chose to load himself with the critick's fetters. STEEV. Than you may call to comfort you; for I Alon. A daughter? O heavens! that they were living both in Naples, Where my son lies. When did you lose your daughter? Pro. In this last tempest. I perceive, these lords At this encounter do so much admire, That they devour their reason; and scarce think Are natural breath: but, howsoe'er you have Been justled from your senses, know for certain, Which was thrust forth of Milan; who most strangely Not a relation for a breakfast, nor Befitting this first meeting. Welcome, sir ; At least, bring forth a wonder, to content ye, The entrance of the Cell opens and discovers FERDI- Mira. Sweet lord, you play me false. Fer. No, my dearest love, I would not for the world. Mira. Yes,for a score of kingdoms, you should wrangle, And I would call it fair play. Alon. If this prove A vision of the island, one dear son Shall I twice lose. Seb. A most high miracle! Fer. Though the seas threaten, they are merciful : I have curs'd them without cause. Alon. Now all the blessings [FERD. kneels to ALON. Of a glad father compass thee about! Arise, and say how thou cam'st here. Mira. O! wonder! How many.goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world, Pro. 'Tis new to thee. Alon. What is this maid, with whom thou wast at play? Your eld'st acquaintance cannot be three hours: Fer. Sir, she's mortal; But, by immortal Providence, she's mine ; Alon. I am her's: But O, how oddly will it sound, that I Pro. There, sir, stop; Let us not burden our remembrance With a heaviness that's gone. Gon. I have inly wept, Or should have spoke ere this. Look down, you gods, And on this couple drop a blessed crown ; For it is you, that have chalk'd forth the way Which brought us hither! Alon. I say, Amen, Gonzalo ! Gon. Was Milan thrust from Milan, that his issue Should become kings of Naples? O, rejoice Beyond a common joy; and set it down hands: Prospero his dukedom, [To FER. and MIR. Alon. Give me your That doth not wish you joy! Gon. Be't so! Amen! Re-enter ARIEL, with the Master and Boatswain amazedly following. O look, sir, look, sir; here are more of us! I prophesied, if a gallows were on land, This fellow could not drown :-Now, blasphemy, That swear'st grace o'erboard, not an oath on shore? Hast thou no mouth by land? What is the news? Boats. The best news is, that we have safely found Our king and company: the next, our ship,Which, but three glasses since, we gave out split,Is tight, and yare, and bravely rigg'd, as when We first put out to sea. Ari. Sir, all this service Have I done since I went. Pro. My tricksy spirit! } Aside. Alon. These are not natural events; they strengthen, And (how, we know not,) all clapp'd under hatches, Ari. Was't well done? Pro. Bravely, my diligence. be free. Alon. This is as strange a maze as e'er men trod; And there is in this business more than nature Was ever conduct of: some oracle Must rectify our knowledge. Pro. Sir, my liege, Do not infest your mind with beating on The strangeness of this business; at pick'd leisure, [Aside. Untie the spell. [Ex.ARI.] How fares my gracious sir? Re-enter ARIEL, driving in CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO in their stolen apparel. Ste. Every man shift for all the rest, and let no man take care for himself; for all is but fortune :—Coragio, bully-monster, Coragio ! Trin. If these be true spies which I wear in my head, here's a goodly sight. Cal. O Setebos, these be brave spirits, indeed! How fine my master is! I am afraid He will chastise me. Seb. Ha, ha; What things are these, my lord Antonio ! Will money buy them? Ant. Very like; one of them Is a plain fish, and, no doubt, marketable. Pro. Mark but the badges of these men, my lords, Then say, if they be true :-This mis-shapen knave,— His mother was a witch; and one so strong That could control the moon ; make flows and ebbs, Cal. I shall be pinch'd to death. Alon. Is not this Stephano, my drunken butler? Seb. He is drunk now: where had he wine? Alon. And Trinculo is reeling ripe; where should they Find this grand liquor that hath gilded them ?— How cam'st thou in this pickle ? [1] This was the phraseology of the times. After the statute against witches, revenge or ignorance frequently induced people to charge those against whom they harboured resentment, or entertained prejudices, with the crime of witchcraft, which had just then been declared a capital offence. In our ancient reports are several cases where persons charged in this manner sought redress in the courts of law. And it is remarkable in all of them, to the scandalous imputation of being witches, the term-a strong one, is constantly added. In Michaelmas term, 9 Car. I. the point was settled that no action could be supported on so general a charge, and that the epithet strong did not enforce the other words. In this instance, I believe, the opinion of the people at large was not in unison with the sages of Westminster-Hall. Several of these cases are collected together in I. Viner, 422. REED. |