This ancient 5 Moral, this Sir Prudence, who
Should not upbraid our course. For all the rest,
They'll take fuggeftion, as a cat laps milk;
They'll tell the clock to any business, that,
We say, befits the hour.

Seb. Thy cafe, dear friend,

Shall be my precedent: as thou got'st Milan,
I'll come by Naples. Draw thy fword; one stroke
Shall free thee from the tribute which thou pay'st;
And I the King shall love thee.

Ant. Draw together:

And when I rear my hand, do you the like

To fall it on Gonzalo.

Seb. O, but one word

Enter Ariel, with Musick and Song.

Ari. My master through his art forefees the danger,

That you his friend, are in; and sends me forth

(For elfe his project dies) to keep them living.

[Sings in Gonzalo's Ear.

5 This ancient MORSEL, this Sir Prudence, &c.] But why morfel? How does this characterise the person spoken of? We muit read,

This ancient MORAL. i. e. this man of old fashioned honesty, for fuch is his Character. - An ancient moral is almost proverbial, in the mouths of licentious people, to fignify, morals too fevere, and not fit for the times. This way of freaking is familiar with our Author. Rem. & Jul. And why my Lady Wisdom? hold your tongue, good Prudence. 6

-to

keep the living.] i. e. Alonzo and Antonio; for it was on their lives that his project depended. Yet the Oxford Editor alters them, to you, because in the verse before, it is faid - you bis friend; as if, because Ariel was fent forth to save his friend, he could not have another purpose in sending him, viz. to save bis project too.

Ant. Ant. Then let us both be fudden.

Gon. Now, good angels preserve the King!

[They wake.

Alon. Why, how now, ho? awake? why are you

drawn?

Wherefore this ghastly looking?
Gon. What's the matter?

Seb. While we stood here fecuring your repose,
Ev'n now we heard a hollow burft of bellowing
Like bulls, or rather lions; did 't not wake you?
It strook mine ear most terribly.

Alon. I heard nothing.

Ant. O, 'twas a din to fright a monster's ear; To make an earthquake: fure, it was the roar Of a whole herd of lions.

Alon. Heard you this?

Gon. Upon my honour, Sir, I heard a humming, And that a strange one too, which did awake me.. I fhak'd you, Sir, and cry'd; as mine eyes open'd, I faw their weapons drawn: there was a noise, That's verity. 'Tis best we stand on guard; Or that we quit this place: let's draw our weapons.

Alon. Lead off this ground, and let's make further

fearch

For my poor fon.

Gon. Heav'ns keep him from these beasts!

For he is, fure, i'th' island.

Alon. Lead away.

Ari. Profpero my lord shall know what I have done.

So, King, go fafely on to feek thy fon.

[Exeunt.

SCENE

Changes to another part of the Island.

Enter Caliban with a burden of wood; a noise of thunder beard.

Cal.

A

LL the infections, that the fun fucks up,

66

"From bogs, fens, flats, on Prosper fall, and make

" him

" By inch-meal a disease! his spirits hear me, " And yet I needs must curse. But they'll not pinch, "Fright me with urchin shews, pitch me i' th' mire, "Nor lead me, like a fire-brand, in the dark "Out of my way, unless he bid 'em; but "For every trifle are they set upon me.

"Sometimes like apes, that moe and chatter at me, " And after bite me; then like hedge-hogs, which "Lye tumbling in my bare-foot way, and mount "Their pricks at my foot-fall; fometime am I "All wound with adders, who with cloven tongues "Do hifs me into madness. Lo! now! lo!

Enter Trinculo.

Here comes a spi'rit of his, and to torment me
For bringing wood in slowly. I'll fall flat;
Perchance, he will not mind me.

Trin. Here's neither bush nor shrub to bear off any weather at all, and another storm brewing; I hear it fing i' th' wind: yond same black cloud, yond huge one, looks like a foul bumbard that would shed his liquor. If it should thunder as it did before, I know not where to hide my head: yond same cloud

8

cannot chuse but fall by pailfuls- What have we here, a man or a fish ? dead or alive? a fish; he smells like a fish: a very ancient and fish-like smell. A kind of, not of the newest, Poor John: a strange fish! " Were I in England now, as once I was, and had " but this fish painted, not an holiday-fool there but " would give a piece of silver. There would this "monster make a man; any strange beast there " makes a man; when they will not give a doit to " relieve a lame beggar, they will lay out ten to see a " dead Indian." Legg'd like a man! and his fins like arms! warm, o'my troth! I do now let loose my opinion, hold it no longer, this is no fish, but an Inander that hath lately fuffer'd by a thunder-bolt. Alas! the storm is come again. My best way is to creep under his gaberdine: there is no other shelter hereabout; " misery acquaints a man with strange " bed-fellows:" I will here shrowd, 'till the dregs of the storm be past.

Enter Stephano, finging.

Ste. I shall no more to fea, to fea, bere shall I die a-shore. This is a very scurvy tune to sing at a man's funeral; well, here's my comfort. [Drinks.

Sings. The master, the swabber, the boatswain and 1, The gunner, and his mate,

Lov'd Mall, Meg, and Marrian, and Margery,

8 Any strange beaft there makes a man ;) I cannot but think this Satire very just upon our Countrymen: who have been always very ready to make Denisons of the whole Tribe of the Pitheci, and compliment them with the Donum Civitatis, as appears by the names in use. Thus Monkey, which, the Etymologifts tell us, comes from Monkin, Monikin, homunculus. Baboon, from Babe, the termination denoting addition and increment, a large Babe. Mantygre speaks its original. And when they have brought their Sirnames with them from their native Country, as Ape, the common people have as it were Christen'd them by the addition of Jack-an-Ape.

But

But none of us car'd for Kate;

For she had a tongue with a tang,
Would cry to a failor, go hang :
She lov'd not the favour of tar nor of pitch,
Yet a taylor might scratch her, where-e'er she did itch.
Then to fea, boys, and let her go hang.
This is a scurvy tune too; but here's my comfort.

Cal. Do not torment me, oh!

[Drinks.

Ste. What's the matter? have we devils here? do you put tricks upon's with salvages, and men of Inde? ha? I have not scap'd drowning, to be afraid now of your four legs; for it hath been faid, As proper a man, as ever went upon four legs, cannot make him give ground; and it shall be faid so again, while Stephano breathes at his nostrils.

Cal. The fpirit torments me: oh!

Ste. This is fome monfter of the ifle with four legs, who has got, as I take it, an ague: where the devil should he learn our language? I will give him fome relief, if it be but for that: if I can recover him, and keep him tame, and get to Naples with him, he's a present for any Emperor that ever trod on neatsleather.

Cal. Do not torment me, p'rythee; I'll bring my wood home fafter.

Ste. He's in his fit now; and does not talk after the wifeft: he shall taste of my bottle. If he never drunk wine afore, it will go near to remove his fit; if