To cluftring filberds, and sometimes I'll get thee
Young seamels (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 Injustice to S. to take down any particular part : yet the subjequent lines are so expressive of true and unbiassed affection, I cannot omit them.

Ferdinand, bearing a Log. There (25) be fome sports are painful; and their

labour Delight in them fets off: some 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 serve, quickens what's dead, And makes my labours pleasures: O, she is Ten times more gentle than her father's crabbed; And he's composed of harshness. I muit remove

Some

(24) Seamels.] This is the reading of the old editions, but the word is no where else to be met with. Sea-mells, which J. would propose, comes very near the traces of the letters: they are birds that haunt the rocks about the sea-fore, and are the same with the sea-mews. Other editors read differently; Theobald and Warburton, Shamois, i. e. young kids: the reading in the text seems lefs uncouth; but it matters little (as has been observed) so long as we take a word fignifying the name of something in nature, which we use. Holt lays, that in some places, lime pets are called scams.

(25) There, &c.] In Paradise Loft, B. 4. V. 437. Adam says to Eve,

But let us ever praise him and extol

His bounty, following our delightful task
To prune those growing plants, and tend these flowers,

Which were it toilfome, yet with thee were sweet,

Some thousands of these logs, and pile 'em up
Upon a sore injunction. My sweet mistress
Weeps when she sees me work, and says, such baseness
Had ne'er like executor: I forget;
But these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labour,
Most busie-less, (26) when I do it.

1

And again.

Admir'd Miranda!
Indeed the top of admiration ; worth
What's dearest to the world! Full many a lady
I have ey'd with best regard; and many a time
The harmony of their tongues hath into bondage
Brought my too diligent ear; for several virtues
Have I likod several women; never any
With so full soul, but some defect in her
Did quarrel with the noblest grace she ow'd,
And put it to the foil: but

you,

O

you, So perfect, and so peerless, are created Of every creature's best(27).

Miranda's offering to carry the Logs for him is pecu

liarly elegant.

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

And

(26) Most busie-less.] i. e. “ Amidst all these labours, the thoughts of her drive away all appearance of labour, and make me seem to myself most busy-less, or least em, ployed, when I am most lo!” soinething after the manner of the old famous nunquam minus otiofus, quam cum otiosus.

(27) Of every creature's beft.) Alluding to the picture of Venus by Apelles. .

And afterwards, how innocent

I am a fool (28) To weep a: 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 those touches of nature that distinguih S. from all other writers. It was necessary, in support of the character of Miranda, to make her appear ignorant, that excess of sorrow and excess of joy find alike their relief from tears : and as this is the first time that consumate pleasure had made any near approaches to her heart, she calls such an expression of it, folly.

It is impertinent to be for ever pointing out beauties, which the reader of taste will of course distinguish for himself; and yet I cannot quit this scene without observing that it is superior 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 whole with a delicacy suitable to his birth and education : and his unexperienced mistress pours forth her soul without reserve, without descending from the soft 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 servant- she may scorn the name of nd,

Incens’d the seas and shores, yea, all the creatures, Against your peace.

Guilty Conscience. 0, (30) it is monstrous ! monstrous ! 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 Prosper. It did bass my trespass. (31) Gon. All three of them are desperate ; their great

guilt Like poison given to work a great time after, Now'gins to bite thy spirit.

ACT

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

Do, do, rage on; rend open, Æolus,
Thy brazen prison, and let loose at once
Thy stormy issue! 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 possess’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-stretch'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 accursed head.

Unnatural Combat, Act 5. latter end. (31) Bass my trespass.) “ The deep pipe told it me in a rough bass found.

In the next line but one S. alludes to a custom of the natives of Africa, who have been supposed to be possessed of the secret how to temper poisons with such art as not to take effect till several years after they were administered, and were then as certain in their effect, as they were subtle in their preparation. J. and St,

I T

ACT IV. SCENE I.

Prospero's Boast of Miranda,

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

Continence before Marriage.
Prof. If thou doit break her virgin-knot, before
All fanctimonious ceremonies may
With full and holy right be minister'd,
No sweet asperfions hall the heav'ns let fall
To make this contract grow: but barren hate,
Sour-ey'd disdain, and discord shall beftrew
The union of your bed with weeds so loathly,
That you shall hate it both; therefore take heed,
As Hymen's lamps hall light you.

A Lover's Protestation.
Ferd.

As I hope
For quiet days, fair issue, and long life,
With such love as 'tis now; the murkieft den
The most opportune place, the strongest suggestion
Our worser genius can, shall never melt
Mine honour into luít, to take away
The edge of that day's celebration ;
When I shall think or Phæbus' steeds are founder'd,
Or night kept chain'd below.

Paffion too ftrong for Vows.
Prof. Look thou be true: do not give dalliance
Too much the rein: the strongest (32) oaths are ftraws

To

(32) The strongest, &c.] So in Hamlet, Polonius says, VOL. II.

D

I do