Mira. What is't, a spirit? Lord, how it looks about! believe me, Sir, Pro. No, wench, it eats, and fleeps, and hath fuch fenfes As we have, such. This gallant, which thou seest, Was in the wreck: and, but he's something stain'd With grief, (that's beauty's canker) thou might'ft call him A goodly person. He hath loft his fellows, And strays about to find 'em. Mira. I might call him A thing divine; for nothing natural I ever faw so noble. Pro. It goes on, I fee, [Afide. As my foul prompts it. Spirit, fine spirit, I'll free thee Within two days for this. Fer. Most fure, the Goddess 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. insufficient. Therefore, to make the way the easier, she is fup posed to be under the influence of her Father's charm, which was to dissolve, as it were, the rigid chains of virtue and obedience. This is infinuated to the Audience when Profpero, before he begins his story, says 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 reason that Profpero so often questions her, as he proceeds in his story, whether she was attentive: being apprehensive the charm might operate too quick, even before he had ended his relation. Without this interpretation his frequent repetition will appear extremely cold, and absurd. For the fame reason, likewife, he says, in conclufion, Thou art inclin'd to sleep. 'Tis a good dulness, vouchsafe my pray'r May know, For, I may know. Extremely poetical; and most expressive of the humility of the Speaker. And And that you will fome good instruction give, Mira. No wonder, Sir, But certainly a maid. Fer. My language! heav'ns! Were I but where 'tis spoken ! 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 since 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 sight, I'll fet thee free for this.) A word, good Sir. [thee, controul I fear, you've done your self some 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 philosophy, which teaches us the knowledge of our selves: And was an utter stranger to the flattery invented by vicious and designing Men to corrupt the other Sex. So that it could not enter into her imagination, that complaisance and a defire of appearing amiable, qualities of humanity which she had been inftructed, in her moral lessons, to cultivate, could ever degenerate into such excess, as that any one should be willing to have his fellow-creature believe that he thought her a Goddess or an Immortal. 1 -controul thee, ) i. c. shew thee thy error. Mira. Why speaks my father so ungently? this Fer. O, if a Virgin, And your Affection not gone forth, I'll make you Pro. Soft, Sir: one word more. Make the prize light. Sir, one word more; I charge thee, That thou attend me: - thou dost here ufurp Upon this Island, as a spy, to win it From me, the lord on't. Fer. No. as I'm a man. [ple. Mira. There's nothing ill can dwell in such a tem If the ill spirit have fo fair an house, Good things will strive 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 shalt thou drink; thy food shall be The fresh-brook mussels, 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. He's gentle, and not fearful. Make This seems to be a very odd way of expressing her sense of her Lover's good qualities. It is certain the beauty of it is not seen at first view. Miranda, 'till now, had never seen any Mortal (her Make not too rash a tryal of him; for He's gentle, and not fearful. Pro. What, I say, My foot my tutor? put thy sword up, traitor, Who mak'st a shew, but dar'st not strike; thy con fcience Is so possest with guilt: come from thy ward, For I can here difarm thee with this stick, And make thy weapon drop. Mira. Beseech you, father. 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? hush! Thou think'ft, there are no more such shapes as he, Having seen but him and Caliban; foolish 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: The perverfity of Caliban's nature, and the Cowardliness of it, made punishment necessary, and easy to be inflicted: Finding therefore Ferdinand threatened with the like treatment, out of tenderness both to her Father and Lover she cries - He's gentle, not like the favage Caliban, and so deserves not punishment; this the gathered from his preceeding conversation with her - and not fearful, like that coward, and so is not to be easily managed. This she collected from his drawing his sword, and standing on his defence. Pro. . 3 My spirits, as in a dream, are all bound up. Pro. It works: come on. (Thou hast done well, fine Ariel :) follow me. Hark, what thou else shalt do me. Mira. Be of comfort, My father's of a better nature, Sir, [To Ariel. Than he appears by speech: 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: speak not for him. [Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE I. Another part of the Island. GONZALO. BESEECH you, Sir, be merry: you have cause (So have we all) of joy! for our escape 3 My spirits, as in a dream, are all bound up.] Alluding to a common sensation in dreams, when we struggle, but with a total impuissance in our endeavours, to run, strike, &c. Is |