University of Virginia Library

Scene Cypress Trees and Cave.
Enter Prospero alone.
Prosp.
'Tis not yet fit to let my Daughters know I kept
The Infant Duke of Mantua so near them in this Isle,
Whose Father dying, bequeath'd him to my care;
Till my false Brother (when he design'd t' usurp
My Dukedome from me) expos'd him to that fate
He meant for me. By calculation of his birth
I saw death threat'ning him, if, till some time were
Past, he should behold the face of any Woman:
And now the danger's nigh: Hippolito!

Enter Hippolito.
Hip.
Sir, I attend your pleasure.

Prosp.
How I have lov'd thee from thy infancy,
Heav'n knows, and thou thy self canst bear me witness,
Therefore accuse not me for thy restraint.

Hip.
Since I knew life, you've kept me in a Rock,
And you this day have hurri'd me from thence,
Onely to change my Prison, not to free me.
I murmur not, but I may wonder at it.

Prosp.
O gentle Youth, Fate waits for thee abroad,
A black Star threatens thee, and death unseen
Stands ready to devour thee.

Hip.
You taught me not to fear him in any of his shapes:
Let me meet death rather then be a prisoner.

Prosp.
'Tis pity he should seize thy tender youth.

Hip.
Sir, I have often heard you say, no creature liv'd
Within this Isle, but those which Man was Lord of;
Why then should I fear?

Prosp.
But here are creatures which I nam'd not to thee,
Who share Mans Sovereignty by Nature's Laws,
And oft depose him from it.

Hip.
What are those Creatures, Sir?

Prosp.
Those dangerous enemies of men call'd Women.

Hip.
Women! I never heard of them before.
What are Women like?

Prosp.
Imagine something between young Men and Angels:
Fatally beauteous, and have killing Eyes,
Their voices charm beyond the Nightingales,
They are all enchantment, those who once behold 'em,
Are made their slaves for ever.

Hip.
Then I will wink and fight with 'em.

Prosp.
'Tis but in vain,
They'l haunt you in your very sleep.

Hip.
Then I'l revenge it on 'em when I wake.

Prosp.
You are without all possibility of revenge,
They are so beautiful, that you can ne'r attempt,
Nor wish to hurt them.

Hip.
Are they so beautiful?

Prosp.
Calm sleep is not so soft, nor Winter Suns,
Nor Summer shades so pleasant.

Hip.
Can they be fairer then the Plumes of Swans?
Or more delightful then the Peacocks Feathers?
Or than the gloss upon the necks of Doves?
Or have more various beauty then the Rainbow?
These I have seen, and without danger wondred at.

Prosp.
All these are far below 'em: Nature made
Nothing but Woman dangerous and fair:
Therefore if you should chance to see 'em,
Avoid 'em streight I charge you.

Hip.
Well, since you say they are so dangerous,
I'l so far shun 'em as I may with safety of the
Unblemish'd honour which you taught me.
But let 'em not provoke me, for I'm sure I shall
Not then forbear them.

Prosp.
Go in and read the Book I gave you last.
Tomorrow I may bring you better news.

Hip.
I shall obey you, Sir.
Exit Hippolito.

Prosp.
So, so; I hope this Lesson has secur'd him,
For I have been constrain'd to change his lodging
From yonder Rock where first I bred him up,
And here have brought him home to my own Cell,
Because the Shipwrack happen'd near his Mansion.
I hope he will not stir beyond his limits,
For hitherto he hath been all obedience:
The Planets seem to smile on my designs,
And yet there is one sullen cloud behind,
I would it were disperst.
[Enter Miranda and Dorinda.
How, my Daughters! I thought I had instructed
Them enough: Children! retire;
Why do you walk this way?

Mir.
It is within our bounds, Sir.

Prosp.
But both take heed, hath path is very dangerous.
Remember what I told you.

Dor.
Is the man that way, Sir?

Prosp.
All that you can imagine ill is there,
The curled Lion, and the rugged Bear,
Are not so dreadful as that man.

Mir.
Oh me, why stay we here then?

Dor.
I'l keep far enough from his Den, I warrant him:

Mir.
But you have told me, Sir, you are a man;
And yet you are not dreadful.

Prosp.
I Child! but I am a tame man; old men are tame
By Nature, but all the danger lies in a wild
Young man.

Dor.
Do they run wild about the Woods?

Prosp.
No, they are wild within doors, in Chambers,
And in Closets.

Dor.
But, Father, I would stroak 'em, and make 'em gentle,
Then sure they would not hurt me.

Prosp.
You must not trust them, Child: no Woman can come
Near 'em, but she feels a pain, full nine moneths.
Well, I must in; for new affairs require my
Presence: be you, Miranda, your Sisters Guardian.
[Exit Prospero.

Dor.
Come, Sister, shall we walk other way?
The Man will catch us else: we have but two legs,
And he perhaps has four.

Mir.
Well, Sister, though he have; yet look about you,
And we shall spy him ere he comes too near us.

Dor.
Come back, that way is towards his Den.

Mir
Let me alone; I'l venture first, for sure I can
Devour but one of us at once.

Dor
How dare you venture?

Mir.
We'l find him sitting like a Hare in's Form,
And he shall not see us.

Dor.
I but you know my Father charg'd us both.

Mir.
But who shall tel him on't? we'l keep each
Others counsel.

Dor.
I dare not for the world.

Mir.
But how shall we hereafter shun him, if we do not
Know him first?

Dor.

Nay, I confess I would fain see him too. I find it in my

Nature, because my Father has forbidden me.

Mir.

I, there's it, Sister, if he had said nothing, I had been
quiet. Go softly, and if you see him first, be quick, and becken
me away.

Dor.
Well, if he does catch me, I'l humble myself to him,
And ask him pardon, as I do my Father,
When I have done a fault.

Mir.

And if I can but scape with life, I had rather be in pain
nine moneths, as my Father threatn'd, then lose my longing.

[Exeunt.
The Scene continues. Enter Hippolito.
Hip.
Prospero has often said, that Nature makes
Nothing in vain: why then are women made?
Are they to suck the poison of the Earth,
As gaudy colour'd Serpents are? I'l ask that
Question, when next I see him here.

Enter Miranda and Dorinda peeping.
Dor.
O Sister, there it is, it walks about like one of us.

Mir.
I, just so, and has legs as we have too.

Hip.
It strangely puzzles me: yet 'tis most likely
Women are somewhat between men and spirits.

Dor.
Heark! it talks, sure this is not it my Father meant,
For this is just like one of us: methinks I am not half
So much afraid on't as I was; see, now it turns this way.

Mir.
Heaven! what a goodly thing it is?

Dor.
I'l go nearer it.

Mir.
O no, 'tis dangerous, Sister! I'l go to it.
I would not for the world that you should venture.
My Father charg'd me to secure you from it.

Dor.
I warrant you this is a tame man, dear Sister,
He'll not hurt me, I see it by his looks.

Mir.
Indeed he will! but go back, and he shall eat me first:
Fie, are you not asham'd to be so much inquisitive?

Dor.
You chide me for't, and wou'd give your self.

Mir.
Come back, or I will tell my Father.
Observe how he begins to stare already.
I'l meet the danger first, and then call you.

Dor.
Nay, Sister, you shall never vanquish me in kindness.
I'l venture you no more then you will me.

Prosp.
within.
Miranda, Child, where are you!

Mir.
Do you not hear my Father call? go in.

Dor.
'Twas you he nam'd, not me; I will but say my prayers,
And follow you immediately.

Mir.
Well, Sister, you'l repent it.
[Exit Miranda.

Dor.
Though I die for't, I must have th' other peep.

Hip.
seeing her.

What thing is that? sure 'tis some Infant of
the Sun, dress'd in his Fathers gayest Beams, and comes to play
with Birds: my sight is dazl'd, and yet I find I'm loth to
shut my Eyes.

I must go nearer it—but stay a while;
May it not be that beauteous Murderer, Woman,
Which I was charg'd to shun? Speak, what art thou?
Thou shining Vision!

Dor.
Alas, I know not; but I'm told I am a Woman;
Do not hurt me, pray, fair thing.

Hip.

I'd sooner tear my eyes out, then consent to do you any
harm; though I was told a Woman was my Enemy.

Dor.

I never knew what 'twas to be an Enemy, nor can I
e'r prove so to that which looks like you: for though I have
been charg'd by him (whom yet I never disobey'd) to shun your
presence, yet I'd rather die then lose it; therefore I hope you
will not have the heart to hurt me: though I fear you are a
Man, that dangerous thing of which I have been warn'd. Pray
tell me what you are?

Hip.
I must confess, I was inform'd I am a Man,
But if I fright you, I shall wish I were some other Creature.
I was bid to fear you too.

Dor.
Ay me! Heav'n grant we be not poison to each other!
Alas, can we not meet but we must die?

Hip.
I hope not so! for when two poisonous Creatures,
Both of the same kind, meet, yet neither dies.
I've seen two Serpents harmless to each other,
Though they have twin'd into a mutual knot:
If we have any venome in us, sure, we cannot be more
Poisonous, when we meet, then Serpents are.
You have a hand like mine, may I not gently touch it?

[Takes her hand.
Dor.
I've touch'd my Father's and my Sister's hands,
And felt no pain; but now, alas! there's something,
When I touch yours, which makes me sigh: just so
I've seen two Turtles mourning when they met;
Yet mine's a pleasing grief; and so me thought was theirs:
For still they mourn'd, and still they seem'd to murmur too,
And yet they often met.

Hip.
Oh Heavens! I have the same sense too: your hand
Methink goes through me; I feel at my heart,
And find it pleases, though it pains me.

Prosp.
within.
Dorinda!

Dor.
My Father calls again; ah, I must leave you.

Hip
Alas, I'm subject to the same command.

Dor
This is my first offence against my Father,
Which he, by severing us, too cruelly does punish.

Hip.
And this is my first trespass too: but he hath more
Offended truth than we have him:
He said our meeting would destructive be,
But I no death but in our parting see.

[Exeunt several ways.