To cluftring filberds, and fometimes I'll get thee
Young feamels (24) from the rock.

ACT III.

SCENE I.

There perhaps cannot be conceived any thing more beautiful and natural than the following Scene: I almost think it an Injuftice to S. to take down any particular part: yet the fubfequent lines are fo expreffive of true and unbiaffed affection, I cannot omit them.

Ferdinand, bearing a Log.

There (25) be some sports are painful; and their labour

Delight in them fets off: fome kinds of baseness
Are nobly undergone: and most poor matters
Point to rich ends. This my mean task would be.
As heavy to me, as 'tis odious; but

The mistress whom I ferve, quickens what's dead,
And makes my labours pleasures: O, fhe is
Ten times more gentle than her father's crabbed;
And he's composed of harshness. I mult remove

Some

Other

(24) Seamels.] This is the reading of the old editions, but the word is no where elfe to be met with. Sea-mells, which 7. would propofe, comes very near the traces of the letters: they are birds that haunt the rocks about the fea-fhore, and are the fame with the fea-mews. editors read differently; Theobald and Warburton, Shamois, i. e. young kids: the reading in the text feems lefs uncouth; but it matters little (as has been obferved) fo long as we take a word fignifying the name of fomething in nature, which we ufe. Holt fays, that in fome places, limpets are called fcams.

(25) There, &c.] In Paradife Loft, B. 4. v. 437. Adam Lays to Eve,

But let us ever praise him and extol

His bounty, following our delightful task

To prune thofe growing plants, and tend these flowers,
Which were it toilfome, yet with thee were fweet,

Some thousands of thefe logs, and pile 'em up

Upon a fore injunction. My fweet mistress
Weeps when the fees me work, and fays, fuch baseness
Had ne'er like executor: I forget;

But these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labour,
Most bufie-lefs, (26) when I do it.

Admir'd Miranda!

And again.

Indeed the top of admiration; worth

What's dearest to the world! Full many a lady
I have ey'd with beft regard; and many a time
The harmony of their tongues hath into bondage
Brought my too diligent ear; for feveral virtues
Have I lik'd several women; never any
With fo full foul, but fome defect in her
Did quarrel with the nobleft grace fhe ow'd,
And put it to the foil: but you, O you,
So perfect, and fo peerless, are created
Of every creature's beft (27). .

Miranda's offering to carry the Logs for him is peculiarly elegant.

If you'll fit down,

I'll bear your logs the while; pray give me that,
I'll carry it to the pile.

And

(26) Moft bufie-lefs.] i. e. " Amidst all these labours, the thoughts of her drive away all appearance of labour, and make me feem to myself moft bufy-lefs, or least em. ployed, when I am moft fo!" fomething after the manner of the old famous nunquam minus otiofus, quam cum otiofus. (27) Of every creature's beft.] Alluding to the picture of Venus by Apelles. J.

And afterwards, how innocent—

-I am a fool (28)
To weep at what I am glad of!

(29) I am your wife, if you will marry me:
If not, I'll die your maid: to be your fellow
You may deny me: but I'll be your servant,
Whether you will or no.

SCENE III.

Punishment of Crimes delayed not forgotten.

For which foul deed

The powers, delaying not forgetting, have

Incens'd

(28) I am a fool, &c.] This is one of thofe touches of nature that diftinguish S. from all other writers. It was neceffary, in fupport of the character of Miranda, to make her appear ignorant, that excefs of forrow and excess of joy find alike their relief from tears and as this is the first time that confummate pleasure had made any near approaches to her heart, the calls such an expression of it, folly.

:

It is impertinent to be for ever pointing out beauties, which the reader of tafte will of courfe diftinguish for himfelf; and yet I cannot quit this fcene without observing that it is fuperior in its kind to any of those that pass between Romeo and Juliet; and holds up the most captivating picture of juvenile affection that has been exhibited, even by S. himself. The prince behaves through the wi.ole with a delicacy fuitable to his birth and education and his unexperienced mistress pours forth her foul without reserve, without defcending from the foft elevation of maiden dignity, and apparently derives her confidence from the pu rity of her intentions. St.

:

(29) Mr. Prior has a thought to this effect, in his charming poem of Henry and Emma.

This potent beauty, this triumphant fair,
This happy object of our different care,
Her let me follow, her let me attend,

A fervant-she may fcorn the name of friend,

Incens'd the feas and fhores, yea, all the creatures, Against your peace.

Guilty Confcience.

O, (30) it is monstrous! monftrous!
Methought the billows fpoke, and told me of it;
The winds did fing it to me; and the thunder,
That deep and dreadful organ-pipe, pronounc'd
The name of Profper. It did bafs my trespass. (31)
Gon. All three of them are defperate; their great
guilt

Like poifon given to work a great time after,
Now 'gins to bite thy fpirit.

ACT

(30) O, &c.] The horrors of a guilty mind are thus

nobly defcribed by Mafinger.

Do, do, rage on; rend open, Eolus,

Thy brazen prifon, and let loofe at once
Thy ftormy iffue! Bluft'ring Boreas,
Aided with all the gales the pilot numbers
Upon his compass, cannot raise a tempest
Thro' the vast region of the air, like that
I feel within me: for I am poffefs'd

With whirlwinds, and each guilty thought to me's
A dreadful hurricane; although this center
Labour to bring forth earthquakes, and hell open
Her wide-ftretch'd jaws, and let out all her furies,
They cannot add an atom to the mountain

Of fears and terrors that each minute threaten
To fall on my accurfed head.

Unnatural Combat, A&t 5. latter end. (31) Bafs my trefpafs.]" The deep pipe told it me in a rough bafs found." In the next line but one S. alludes to a custom of the natives of Africa, who have been fupposed to be poffeffed of the fecret how to temper poifons with fuch art as not to take effect till feveral years after they were adminiftered, and were then as certain in their effect, as they were fubtle in their preparation. J. and St,

ACT IV.

SCENE I.

Profpero's Boaft of Miranda.

O, Ferdinand,

Do not smile at me that I boast her off,
For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise,
And make it halt behind her.

Continence before Marriage.

Prof. If thou doft break her virgin-knot, before All fanctimonious ceremonies may

With full and holy right be minister'd,

No fweet afperfions fhall the heav'ns let fall
To make this contract grow: but barren hate,
Sour-ey'd difdain, and difcord shall beftrew
The union of your bed with weeds so loathly,
That you fhall hate it both; therefore take heed,
As Hymen's lamps shall light you.

Ferd.

A Lover's Proteftation.

As I hope

For quiet days, fair iffue, and long life,

With fuch love as 'tis now; the murkieft den
The most opportune place, the strongest fuggeftion
Our worfer genius can, fhall never melt

Mine honour into luft, to take away

The edge of that day's celebration;

When I fhall think or Phœbus' steeds are founder'd, Or night kept chain'd below.

Paffion too frong for Vows.

Prof. Look thou be true: do not give dalliance Too much the rein: the ftrongeft (32) oaths are ftraws

(32) The frongeft, &c.] So in Hamlet, Polonius fays,

To

I do