SCENE I. _Before PROSPERO’S cell._
_Enter FERDINAND, bearing a log._
_Fer._ There be some sports are painful, and their labour
Delight in them sets 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 odious, but 5
The mistress which 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 must remove
Some thousands of these logs, and pile them up, 10
Upon a sore injunction: my sweet mistress
Weeps when she sees me work, and says, such baseness
Had never like executor. I forget:
But these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labours,
Most busy lest, when I do it.
_Enter MIRANDA; and PROSPERO at a distance, unseen._
_Mir._ Alas, now, pray you, 15
Work not so hard: I would the lightning had
Burnt up those logs that you are enjoin’d to pile!
Pray, set it down, and rest you: when this burns,
’Twill weep for having wearied you. My father
Is hard at study; pray, now, rest yourself; 20
He’s safe for these three hours.
_Fer._ O most dear mistress,
The sun will set before I shall discharge
What I must strive to do.
_Mir._ If you’ll sit down,
I’ll bear your logs the while: pray, give me that;
I’ll carry it to the pile.
_Fer._ No, precious creature; 25
I had rather crack my sinews, break my back,
Than you should such dishonour undergo,
While I sit lazy by.
_Mir._ It would become me
As well as it does you: and I should do it
With much more ease; for my good will is to it, 30
And yours it is against.
_Pros._ Poor worm, thou art infected!
This visitation shows it.
_Mir._ You look wearily.
_Fer._ No, noble mistress; ’tis fresh morning with me
When you are by at night. I do beseech you,--
Chiefly that I might set it in my prayers,-- 35
What is your name?
_Mir._ Miranda. --O my father,
I have broke your hest to say so!
_Fer._ Admired Miranda!
Indeed the top of admiration! worth
What’s dearest to the world! Full many a lady
I have eyed with best regard, and many a time 40
The harmony of their tongues hath into bondage
Brought my too diligent ear: for several virtues
Have I liked several women; never any
With so full soul, but some defect in her
Did quarrel with the noblest grace she owed, 45
And put it to the foil: but you, O you,
So perfect and so peerless, are created
Of every creature’s best!
_Mir._ I do not know
One of my sex; no woman’s face remember,
Save, from my glass, mine own; nor have I seen 50
More that I may call men than you, good friend,
And my dear father: how features are abroad,
I am skilless of; but, by my modesty,
The jewel in my dower, I would not wish
Any companion in the world but you; 55
Nor can imagination form a shape,
Besides yourself, to like of. But I prattle
Something too wildly, and my father’s precepts
I therein do forget.
_Fer._ I am, in my condition,
A prince, Miranda; I do think, a king; 60
I would, not so!--and would no more endure
This wooden slavery than to suffer
The flesh-fly blow my mouth. Hear my soul speak:
The very instant that I saw you, did
My heart fly to your service; there resides, 65
To make me slave to it; and for your sake
Am I this patient log-man.
_Mir._ Do you love me?
_Fer._ O heaven, O earth, bear witness to this sound,
And crown what I profess with kind event,
If I speak true! if hollowly, invert 70
What best is boded me to mischief! I,
Beyond all limit of what else i’ the world,
Do love, prize, honour you.
_Mir._ I am a fool
To weep at what I am glad of.
_Pros._ Fair encounter
Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace 75
On that which breeds between ’em!
_Fer._ Wherefore weep you?
_Mir._ At mine unworthiness, that dare not offer
What I desire to give; and much less take
What I shall die to want. But this is trifling;
And all the more it seeks to hide itself, 80
The bigger bulk it shows. Hence, bashful cunning!
And prompt me, plain and holy innocence!
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, 85
Whether you will or no.
_Fer._ My mistress, dearest;
And I thus humble ever.
_Mir._ My husband, then?
_Fer._ Ay, with a heart as willing
As bondage e’er of freedom: here’s my hand.
_Mir._ And mine, with my heart in’t: and now farewell 90
Till half an hour hence.
_Fer._ A thousand thousand!
[_Exeunt Fer. and Mir. severally._
_Pros._ So glad of this as they I cannot be,
Who are surprised withal; but my rejoicing
At nothing can be more. I’ll to my book;
For yet, ere supper-time, must I perform 95
Much business appertaining. [_Exit._
Notes: III, 1.
1: _and_] _but_ Pope.
2: _sets_] Rowe. _set_ Ff.
4, 5: _my ... odious_] _my mean task would be As heavy to me as
’tis odious_ Pope.
9: _remove_] _move_ Pope.
14: _labours_] _labour_ Hanmer.
15: _Most busy lest_] F1. _Most busy least_ F2 F3 F4. _Least busy_
Pope. _Most busie-less_ Theobald._ Most busiest_ Holt White conj.
_Most busy felt_ Staunton. _Most busy still_ Staunton conj.
_Most busy-blest_ Collier MS. _Most busiliest_ Bullock conj.
_Most busy lest, when I do_ (_doe_ F1 F2 F3) _it_] _Most busy when
least I do it_ Brae conj. _Most busiest when idlest_ Spedding
conj. _Most busy left when idlest_ Edd. conj. See note (XIII).
at a distance, unseen] Rowe.
17: _you are_] F1. _thou art_ F2 F3 F4.
31: _it is_] _is it_ Steevens conj. (ed. 1, 2, and 3). om. Steevens
(ed. 4) (Farmer conj.).
34, 35: _I do beseech you,--Chiefly_] _I do beseech you Chiefly_ Ff.
59: _I therein do_] _I do_ Pope. _Therein_ Steevens.
62: _wooden_] _wodden_ F1.
_than to_] _than I would_ Pope.
72: _what else_] _aught else_ Malone conj. (withdrawn).
80: _seeks_] _seekd_ F3 F4.
88: _as_] F1. _so_ F2 F3 F4.
91: _severally_] Capell.
93: _withal_] Theobald. _with all_ Ff.
