Re-enter ARIEL, invisible, playing and singing; FERDINAND Fer. Where should this music be? i' th' air, or th' earth ?— It sounds no more;-and sure, it waits upon ARIEL sings. Full fathom five thy father lies; Of his bones are coral made; 4 The wild waves WAIST,] i. e. The wild waves silent. 5 And, sweet sprites, the burden bear.] In the old copies this line runs, “And sweet sprites bear the burden," which the rhyme, and the corr. fo. 1632 show to be a transposition. 6 Dispersedly.] This is the stage-direction of the folios, meaning that “the watch-dog's bark" is to be heard in several places at the same time: what is called "the burden," "bowgh, wowgh," is erroneously mixed up with the song itself in the old editions, and we are left to infer that “dispersedly” applies to the repetition, as well as to the first insertion of "bowgh, wowgh." But doth suffer a sea-change Into something rich and strange. Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell : [Burden ding-dong. Hark! now I hear them,—ding-dong, bell. Fer. The ditty does remember my drown'd father.- That the earth owes '.—I hear it now above me. Mira. What is't? a spirit? It carries a brave form :-but 'tis a spirit. Pro. No, wench: it eats and sleeps, and hath such senses 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 mightst call him And strays about to find 'em. Mira. A thing divine, for nothing natural I ever saw so noble. Pro. I might call him It goes on, I see, [Aside. As my soul prompts it.-Spirit, fine spirit! I'll free thee Fer. Most sure, the goddess On whom these airs attend!--Vouchsafe, my prayer May know if you remain upon this island, [Kneeling. 7 That the earth owES.] i. e. Owns. See Vol. ii. pp. 210. 251. 575. 661 ; "If you be MAID, or no?] This is the reading of the three earliest folios, and seems unquestionably right. Ferdinand has at first supposed Miranda a goddess, and now inquires if she be really a mortal; not a celestial being, but a maiden: "maid" is used in its general sense. In the fourth folio "maid" is altered to made, as if the question had been, are you a created being? But, certainly a maid. Fer. My language heavens! [Rising'. I am the best of them that speak this speech, How the best? Pro. Fer. A single thing, as I am now, that wonders Mira. Alack, for mercy! Fer. Yes, faith, and all his lords; the duke of Milan, And his brave son, being twain. Pro. [Aside.] The duke of Milan, And his more braver daughter, could control thee, If now 'twere fit to do't.—At the first sight They have chang'd eyes :-delicate Ariel, I'll set thee free for this!-[To him.] A word, good sir; Is the third man that e'er I saw; the first That e'er I sigh'd for. To be inclin❜d my way! Pity move my father Oh! if a virgin, And your affection not gone forth, I'll make you The queen of Naples. Pro. Soft, sir: one word more. [Aside.] They are both in either's powers: but this swift business I must uneasy make, lest too light winning Make the prize light.—[To him.] 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. Fer. No, as I am a man. 1 Rising.] This stage-direction, and the previous "Kneeling," are from the corr. fo. 1632, and afford evidence of what was the practice with the performers on our old stage. The action seems natural, and proper to the situation. 2 I fear, you have done yourself some wrong:] Some wrong to your character by asserting, untruly, that you are king of Naples. Mira. There's nothing ill can dwell in such a temple: Good things will strive to dwell with't. [TO FERDINAND. Speak not you for him; he's a traitor.-Come. Sea-water shalt thou drink; thy food shall be My foot my tutor?-Put thy sword up, traitor; Who mak'st a show, but dar'st not strike, thy conscience And make thy weapon drop. Mira. Pro. Hence! hang not on my garments. Mira. I'll be his surety. Pro. Beseech you, father! Sir, have pity: Silence! one word more Shall make me chide thee, if not hate thee. What! Thou think'st there are no more such shapes as he, And they to him are angels. Mira. My affections Are then most humble: I have no ambition Pro. -If To see a goodlier man. Thy nerves are in their infancy again, Fer. 3 He's gentle, and not FEARFUL.] i. e. Not to be feared, not terrible: the use of the word in this sense was of old common. VOL. I. D My spirits, as in a dream, are all bound up. Have I in such a prison. Pro. It works. Come on. [To FERD. and MIR. [To ARIEL. Be of comfort. Hark, what thou else shalt do me. My father's of a better nature, sir, Pro. Thou shalt be as free As mountain winds; but then, exactly do All points of my command. Enter ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, GONZALO, ADRIAN, FRANCISCO, and others. Gon. Beseech 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, 4 Our HINT of woe] Gonzalo seems to call it "hint of woe," in reference to its comparative triflingness, and ordinary occurrence. 5 The MASTERS of some merchant,] Possibly, "masters" (as Steevens thought) has here been misprinted for mistress; or the passage may refer to the owners of the ship, who may be called the "masters." It has been suggested by Malone, that "merchant may be taken in the sense of merchantman. |