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And deeper than did ever plummet sound
I'll drown my book.
[Solemn music.
Re-enter ARIEL before: then ALONSO, with a
frantic gesture, attended by GONZALO; SE-
BASTIAN and ANTONIO in like manner, at
tended by ADRIAN and FRANCISCO: they all
enter the circle which PROSPERO had made,
and there stand charmed; which PROSPERO
observing, speaks:

A solemn air and the best comforter
To an unsettled fancy cure thy brains,

For more assurance that a living prince
Does now speak to thee, I embrace thy body;
And to thee and thy company I bid
A hearty welcome.

Alon.

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Whether thou be'st he or no,
Or some enchanted trifle to abuse me,
As late I have been, I not know: thy pulse
Beats as of flesh and blood; and, since I saw
thee,

The affliction of my mind amends, with which,
I fear, a madness held me: this must crave,
An if this be at all, a most strange story.

Now useless, boil'd within thy skull! There stand, Thy dukedom I resign and do entreat
For you are spell-stopp'd.

Holy Gonzalo, honourable man,

Mine eyes, even sociable to the show of thine,
Fall fellowly drops. The charm dissolves apace,
And as the morning steals upon the night,
Melting the darkness, so their rising senses
Begin to chase the ignorant fumes that mantle
Their clearer reason. O good Gonzalo,
My true preserver, and a loyal sir

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To him thou follow'st! I will pay thy graces
Home both in word and deed. Most cruelly
Didst thou, Alonso, use me and my daughter:
Thy brother was a furtherer in the act.
Thou art pinch'd for't now, Sebastian. Flesh
and blood,

You, brother mine, that entertain'd ambition,
Expell'd remorse and nature; who, with Se-
bastian,

Whose inward pinches therefore are most strong, Would here have kill'd your king; I do forgive thee,

Thou pardon me my wrongs.

Prospero

Be living and be here?
Pros.

But how should

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Let me embrace thine age, whose honour cannot
Be measured or confined.

Gon.

Or be not, I'll not swear.
Pros.

Whether this be

You do yet taste
Some subtilties o' the isle, that will not let you
Believe things certain. Welcome, my friends all!
[Aside to Seb. and Ant.] But you, my brace of
lords, were I so minded,

I here could pluck his highness' frown upon you
And justify you traitors: at this time
I will tell no tales.

Seb. [Aside] The devil speaks in him.
Pros.

No.
For you, most wicked sir, whom to call brother
Would even infect my mouth, I do forgive
Thy rankest fault; all of them; and require
My dukedom of thee, which perforce, I know,
80 Thou must restore.
Alon.

Unnatural though thou art. Their understanding
Begins to swell, and the approaching tide
Will shortly fill the reasonable shore

That now lies foul and muddy. Not one of them
That yet looks on me, or would know me: Ariel,
Fetch me the hat and rapier in my cell:
I will discase me, and myself present
As I was sometime Milan : quickly, spirit;
Thou shalt ere long be free.

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If thou be'st Prospero,
Give us particulars of thy preservation;
How thou hast met us here, who three hours since
Were wreck'd upon this shore; where I have lost-
How sharp the point of this remembrance is !—
My dear son Ferdinand.

Pros.

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I am woe for't, sir.
Alon. Irreparable is the loss, and patience 140
Says it is past her cure.

I rather think

Pros.
You have not sought her help, of whose soft grace
For the like loss I have her sovereign aid
And rest myself content.

You the like loss!

Alon.
Pros. As great to me as late; and, supportable
To make the dear loss, have I means much weaker
Than you may call to comfort you, for I
Have lost my daughter.

Alon.

A daughter?

O heavens, that they were living both in Naples,
The king and queen there! that they were, I wish
Myself were mudded in that oozy bed
Where my son lies. When did you lose your
daughter?

Pros. In this last tempest. I perceive, these lords
At this encounter do so much admire
That they devour their reason and scarce think
Their eyes do offices of truth, their words
Are natural breath: but, howsoe'er
you have
Been justled from your senses, know for certain
That I am Prospero and that very duke
Which was thrust forth of Milan, who most

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Upon this shore, where you were wreck'd, was landed,

To be the lord on't. No more yet of this;
For 'tis a chronicle of day by day,

Not a relation for a breakfast nor

Befitting this first meeting. Welcome, sir;
This cell's my court: here have I few attendants
And subjects none abroad: pray you, look in.
My dukedom since you have given me again,
I will requite you with as good a thing;

At least bring forth a wonder, to content ye 170
As much as me my dukedom.

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She

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Your eld'st acquaintance cannot be three hours:
Is the the goddess that hath sever'd us,
And brought us thus together?
Fer.
Sir, she is mortal;
But by immortal Providence she's mine:
I chose her when I could not ask my father
For his advice, nor thought I had one.
Is daughter to this famous Duke of Milan,
Of whom so often I have heard renown,
But never saw before; of whom I have
Received a second life; and second father
This lady makes him to me.
Alen.

I am hers:

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O, look, sir, look, sir! here is more of us:
I prophesied, if a gallows were on land,
This fellow could not drown. Now, blasphemy,"
That swear'st grace o'erboard, not an oath on shore?
Hast thou no mouth by land? What is the news?
Boats. The best news is, that we have safely
found

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Our king and company; the next, our ship-
Which, but three glasses since, we gave out split-
Is tight and yare and bravely rigg'd as when
We first put out to sea.

Ari. [Aside to Pros.] Sir, all this service
Have I done since I went.

Pros. [Aside to Ari.] My tricksy spirit! Alon. These are not natural events; they strengthen

From strange to stranger. Say, how came you hither?

Boats. If I did think, sir, I were well awake, I'ld strive to tell you. We were dead of sleep, And-how we know not-all clapp'd under hatches; Where but even now with strange and several

noises

Of roaring, shrieking, howling, jingling chains,
And more diversity of sounds, all horrible,
We were awaked; straightway, at liberty;
Where we, in all her trim, freshly beheld
Our royal, good and gallant ship, our master
Capering to eye her: on a trice, so please you,
Even in a dream, were we divided from them
And were brought moping hither.

Ari. [Aside to Pros.] Was't well done? 240
Pros. Aside to Ari.] Bravely, my diligence,
Thou shalt be free.

Alon. This is as strange a maze as e'er men trod;

And there is in this business more than nature
Was ever conduct of: some oracle
Must rectify our knowledge.

Pros.

Sir, my liege,

Do not infest your mind with beating on
The strangeness of this business; at pick'd leisure
Which shall be shortly, single I'll resolve you,
Which to you shall seem probable, of every
These happen'd accidents; till when, be cheerful
And think of each thing well. [Aside to Ari.]
Come hither, spirit:

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Set Caliban and his companions free; Untie the spell. [Exit Ariel.] How fares my gracious sir?

There are yet missing of your company Some few odd lads that you remember not. Re-enter ARIEL, driving in CALIBAN, STEPHANO and TRINCULO, in their stolen apparel. Ste. Every man shift for all the rest, and let no man take care for himself; for all is but fortune. Coragio, bully-monster, coragio!

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To my poor cell, where you shall take your rest
For this one night; which, part of it, I'll waste
With such discourse as, I not doubt, shall make it
Go quick away; the story of my life
And the particular accidents gone by
Since I came to this isle: and in the morn
I'll bring you to your ship and so to Naples,
Where I have hope to see the nuptial
Of these our dear-beloved solemnized;
And thence retire me to my Milan, where
Every third thought shall be my grave.
Alon.

I long

310

To hear the story of your life, which must
Take the ear strangely.
Pros.
I'll deliver all;
And promise you calm seas, auspicious gales
And sail so expeditious that shall catch
Your royal fleet far off. [Aside to Ari.] My Ariel,
chick,

That is thy charge: then to the elements
Be free, and fare thou well! Please you, draw
[Exeunt.

near.

EPILOGUE.

SPOKEN BY PROSPERO.

Now my charms are all o'erthrown,
And what strength I have's mine own,
Which is most faint: now, 'tis true,
I must be here confined by you,
Or sent to Naples. Let me not,
Since I have my dukedom got
And pardon'd the deceiver, dwell
In this bare island by your spell;
But release me from my bands
With the help of your good hands:
Gentle breath of yours my sails
Must fill, or else my project fails,
Which was to please. Now I want
Spirits to enforce, art to enchant,
And my ending is despair,
Unless I be relieved by prayer,
Which pierces so that it assaults
Mercy itself and frees all faults.

As you from crimes would pardon'd be,
Let your indulgence set me free.

10

20

THE

TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA.

DRAMATIS PERSONE.

DUKE OF MILAN, Father to Silvia.

VALENTINE, the two Gentlemen.
PROTEUS,

ANTONIO, Father to Proteus.

THURIO, a foolish rival to Valentine.
EGLAMOUR, Agent for Silvia in her escape.
HOST, where Julia lodges.
OUTLAWS, with Valentine.

SPEED, a clownish servant to Valentine.

ACT I.

SCENE I. Verona. An open place.

Enter VALENTINE and PROteus.
Val Cease to persuade, my loving Proteus:
Home-keeping youth have ever homely wits.
Were't not affection chains thy tender days
To the sweet glances of thy honour'd love,
I rather would entreat thy company
To see the wonders of the world abroad
Than, living dully sluggardized at home,
Wear out thy youth with shapeless idleness.
But since thou lovest, love still and thrive therein,
Even as I would when I to love begin.
Pre Wilt thou be gone? Sweet Valentine,
adieu!

Think on thy Proteus, when thou haply seest
Some rare note-worthy object in thy travel:
Wish me partaker in thy happiness

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When thou dost meet good hap; and in thy dan

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Val. And writers say, as the most forward bud
Is eaten by the canker ere it blow,
Even so by love the young and tender wit
Is turn'd to folly, blasting in the bud,
Losing his verdure even in the prime
And all the fair effects of future hopes.
But wherefore waste I time to counsel thee
That art a votary to fond desire?
Once more adieu! my father at the road
Expects my coming, there to see me shipp'd.
Pro. And thither will I bring thee, Valentine.
Val. Sweet Proteus, no; now let us take our
leave.

To Milan let me hear from thee by letters
Of thy success in love and what news else >
Betideth here in absence of thy friend;
And I likewise will visit thee with mine.

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Pro. All happiness bechance to thee in Milan! Val. As much to you at home! and so, farewell. [Exit. Pro. He after honour hunts, I after love: He leaves his friends to dignify them more; I leave myself, my friends and all, for love. Thou, Julia, thou hast metamorphosed me, Made me neglect my studies, lose my time, War with good counsel, set the world at nought: Made wit with musing weak, heart sick with thought.

Enter SPEED.

Speed. Sir Proteus, save you! Saw you my master?

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70

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Speed. The shepherd seeks the sheep, and not the sheep the shepherd; but I seek my master, and my master seeks not me: therefore I am no sheep. 91

Pro. The sheep for fodder follow the shepherd; the shepherd for food follows not the sheep: thou for wages followest thy master; thy master for wages follows not thee: therefore thou art a sheep.

Speed. Such another proof will make me cry 'baa.'

Pro. But, dost thou hear? gavest thou my letter to Julia?

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Speed. Ay, sir: I, a lost mutton, gave your letter to her, a laced mutton, and she, a laced mutton, gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labour.

Pro. Here's too small a pasture for such store of muttons.

Speed. If the ground be overcharged, you were best stick her.

Pro. Nay: in that you are astray, 'twere best pound you.

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Speed. Nay, sir, less than a pound shall serve me for carrying your letter.

Pro. You mistake; I mean the pound,-a pinfold.

Speed. From a pound to a pin? fold it over

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Speed. Now you have taken the pains to set it together, take it for your pains.

Pro. No, no; you shall have it for bearing the letter.

Speed. Well, I perceive I must be fain to bear with you.

Pro. Why, sir, how do you bear with me? Speed. Marry, sir, the letter, very orderly; having nothing but the word 'noddy' for my pains. Pro. Beshrew me, but you have a quick wit. Speed. And yet it cannot overtake your slow

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Speed. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her; no, not so much as a ducat for delivering your letter: and being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear she'll prove as hard to you in telling your mind. Give her no token but stones; for she's as hard as steel.

Pro. What said she? nothing?

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Speed. No, not so much as "Take this for thy pains. To testify your bounty, I thank you, you have testerned me; in requital whereof, henceforth carry your letters yourself: and so, sir, I'll commend you to my master.

Pro. Go, go, be gone, to save your ship from wreck, Which cannot perish having thee aboard, Being destined to a drier death on shore.

[Exit Speed.

160

I must go send some better messenger:
I fear my Julia would not deign my lines,
Receiving them from such a worthless post. [Exit.
SCENE II. The same. Garden of JULIA's house.
Enter JULIA and LUCETTA.

Jul. But say, Lucetta, now we are alone,
Wouldst thou then counsel me to fall in love?
Luc. Ay, madam, so you stumble not unheed-
fully.

Jul. Of all the fair resort of gentlemen That every day with parle encounter me, In thy opinion which is worthiest love? Luc. Please you repeat their names, I'll show my mind

According to my shallow simple skill.

Jul. What think'st thou of the fair Sir Egla

mour?

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Jul. What think'st thou of the rich Mercatio? Luc. Well of his wealth; but of himself, so so. Jul. What think'st thou of the gentle Proteus? Lord, Lord! to see what folly reigns in us! Jul. How now! what means this passion at his name?

Luc.

Luc. Pardon, dear madam: tis a passing shame That I, unworthy body as I am,

Should censure thus on lovely gentlemen.

Jul. Why not on Proteus, as of all the rest? Luc. Then thus: of many good I think him best. Jul. Your reason?

Luc. I have no other but a woman's reason; I think him so because I think him so.

Ful. And wouldst thou have me cast my love on him?

Luc. Ay, if you thought your love not cast

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Laec. Yet he, of all the rest, I think, best loves ye.

Jul. His little speaking shows his love but small.

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Luc. Fire that's closest kept burns most of all. Jul. They do not love that do not show their love.

Luc. O, they love least that let men know their love.

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