Begun to tell me what I am, but stopt, Pro. The hour's now come, The very minute bids thee ope thine ear; I do not think thou canft; for then thou waft not Mira. Certainly, Sir, I can. Pro. By what? by any other house, or perfon? Mira. "Tis far off; And rather like a dream, than an affurance Pro. Thou hadft, and more, Miranda: but how is it, If thou remember'ft aught, ere thou cam'ft here; Mira. But that I do not. Pro. 'Tis twelve years fince, Miranda; twelve years fince, Thy father was the Duke of Milan, and A Prince of Pow'r. Mira Sir, are not you my father ? Pro. Thy mother was a piece of virtue, and She faid, thou waft my daughter; and thy father Was Duke of Milan, and his only heir A Princefs, no worse issu'd. Mira. O the heav'ns! 3, What foul play had we, that we came from thence ? Pro. Both, both, my girl; (2) Out three years old.] This is the old Reading tis true, the Expreffion is obfolete, but it supplied the Senfe of, full out, out-right, or right-out. 1 By foul play (as thou fay'ft) were we heav'd thence Mira. O, my heart bleeds To think o'th' teene that I have turn'd you to, Please you, farther. Without a parallel; thofe being all my tudy :) And to my ftate grew ftranger; being transported, Mira. Sir, moft heedfully. Pro. Being once perfected how to grant faits, How to deny them; whom t'advance, and whom To trafh for over topping; new-created The creatures, that were mine; I fay, or chang'd 'em, Or elie new-form'd 'em; having both the key Of officer and office, fet all hearts i'th' flate T To what tune pleas'd his ear; that now he was A The ivy, which had hid my princely trunk, And fuckt my verdure out on't--Thou attend’At not, Pro. I pray thee, mark me then. 1 thus neglecting worldly ends, all dedicated As my truft was; which had, indeed, no limit. 1 But But what my power might else exact ; like one, To credit his own lie, he did believe He was, indeed, the Duke; from substitution, Mira. Your tale, Sir, would cure deafness. Pro. To have no fcreen between this part he plaid, And him he plaid it for, he needs will be Abfolute Milan. Me, poor man!- my library Was Dukedom large enough; of temporal royalties He thinks me now incapable; confederates (So dry he was for sway) wi'th' King of Naples To give him annual tribute, do him homage; Subject his coronet to his crown; and bend The Dukedom, yet unbow'd, (alas, poor Milan !) To moft ignoble stooping. Mira. O the heav'ns! Pro. Mark his condition, and th' event; then tell me, If this might be a Brother? Mira. I fhould fin, ́ ́ (3) To think but nobly of my grandmother; Good wombs have bore bad fons. (4) Pro (3) I fhould fin, To think not nobly of my grandmother ;] This is Mr. Pope's reading; from no Authority, I prefume: Ail the Copies that I have feen, have it; To think but nobly-i. e. otherwife than nobly; according to our Author's Ufage. (4) Good Wombs have Fore bid Sens. Pro. Now, the Condition :] Thus have all the Editions divided thefe Speeches: But, tho' I have not attempted to regulate them otherwife, I have great Sufpicion, that our Author placed them thus; Now, the Condition : Pro. Good Wombs have bore bad Sons. How cou'd Miranda, that came into this Defert Ifland an Infant, that had never feen any other Creatures of the World, but her Father and Caliban, with any P.opriety be furnished Pro. Now the condition : This King of Naples, being an enemy The gates of Milan; and, i'th' dead of darkness, Mira. Alack, for pity! J. not remembring how I cry'd on't then, That wrings mine eyes to't. Pro. Hear a little further, And then I'll bring thee to the prefent business, Mira. Why did they not That hour destroy us? Pro. Well demanded, wench; My tale provokes that question. Dear, they durft not (So dear the love my people bore me ;) fet A mark fo bloody on the bufinefs; but With colours fairer painted their foul ends. Bore us fome leagues to fea; where they prepar'd to make fuch an Obfervation from Life, that the Iffue has often degenerated from the Parent? But it comes very properly from Profpero, as a fhort Document, by the by, to his Daughter; implying, that he did very well to think with Honour of her Ancestor; for that it was common in Life, for good People *to have bad Children." To To th' winds, whofe pity, fighing back again, Mira. Alack what trouble Was I then to you ? Pro. O! a cherubim Thou waft, that did preferve me: Thou didst fmile, (When I have deck'd the fea with draps full-falt; Against what thould enfue. Mira. How came we a.fhore? Pro. By Providence divine. 1 Some food we had, and fome fresh water, that Out of his charity (being then appointed Master of this defign) did give us, with Rich garments, linnens, ftuffs, and neceffaries, Which fince have fteeded much. So of his gentleness, Knowing I'lov'd my books, he furnish'd me From my own library, with volumes that I prize above my Dukedom. But ever fee that man! Pro. Now, I arife: Sit ftill, and hear the last of our ית: fea forrow; Here in this island we arriv'd, and here Have I, thy fchool-mafter, made thee more profit For vainer hours, and tutors not fo careful. Mira. Heav'ns thank you for't! And now, I pray you, Sir, (For ftill 'tis beating in my mind) your reafon For raising this fea-ftorm? Pro. Know thus far forth, By accident molt ittrange, bountiful fortune |