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dramatic pointing; and we feel confident that if, after glancing at this brief note, the reader will turn to the second scene and follow for a moment or two the pauseeffects in the exquisite dialogue between Miranda and her father, he will not only master its principles without difficulty but will become a complete convert to Shakespearian punctuation.

D. W.

THE TEMPEST 'The scene, an uninhabited island'

CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY

ALONSO, King of Naples

SEBASTIAN, his brother

PROSPERO, the right Duke of Milan

ANTONIO, his brother, the usurping Duke of Milan

FERDINAND, son to the King of Naples

GONZALO, an honest old Councillor

ADRIAN and FRANCISCO, Lords

CALIBAN, a salvage and deformed slave

TRINCULO, a Jester

STEPHANO, a drunken Butler

[blocks in formation]

6

THE TEMPEST

[1. 1.] 'A tempestuous noise of thunder and lightning heard.' The waist of a ship is seen, seas breaking over it.

A SHIP-MASTER: A BOATSWAIN.

Master [from the poop-deck]. Bos'n!
Boatswain [in the waist]. Here, master: what cheer?
Master. Good: speak to th' mariners: fall to't-yarely

-or we run ourselves aground. Bestir, bestir.

[he returns to the helm

Master's whistle heard. Mariners come aft.

Boatswain. Heigh my hearts! cheerly, cheerly my hearts...yare, yare...take in the topsail...tend to th' master's whistle...[to the gale] Blow till thou burst thy wind-if room enough!

'ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, FERDINAND,
GONZALO, and others' come on deck.

Alonso. Good boatswain have care... Where is the master? Play the men.

Boatswain. I pray now, keep below.

Antonio. Where is the master, bos'n?

Boatswain. Do you not hear him? You mar our labour. Keep your cabins: you do assist the storm.

Gonzalo. Nay, good, be patient.

Boatswain.

When the sea is... Hence!

What care these roarers for the name of king?
To cabin...silence...trouble us not!

Gonzalo. Good, yet remember whom thou hast aboard. Boatswain. None that I more love than myself... You are a Councillor if you can command these elements to silence, and work the peace of the present, we will not hand a rope more. Use your authority... If you cannot, give thanks you have lived so long, and make yourself ready in your cabin' for the mischance of the hour, if it so hap...

Cheerly, good hearts... Out of our way, I say.

[he runs forward

Gonzalo [his speech interrupted as the ship pitches]. I have great comfort from this fellow...Methinks he hath no drowning mark upon him, his complexion is perfect gallows...Stand fast, good Fate, to his hanging, make the rope of his destiny our cable, for our own doth little advantage... If he be not born to be hanged, our case is miserable.

BOATSWAIN come aft: courtiers retreat before him
to their cabins.

Boatswain. Down with the topmast...yare, lower, lower! bring her to try with main-course....['A cry' is heard below]. A plague upon this howling....they are louder than the weather, or our office...

SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, and GONZALO return.

Yet again? What do you here? Shall we give o'er and drown? Have you a mind to sink?

Sebastian. A pox o' your throat, you bawling, blasphemous, incharitable dog!

Boatswain. Work you, then.

[he turns from them Antonio. Hang, cur, hang, you whoreson, insolent noise-maker! we are less afraid to be drowned than thou art.

Gonzalo. I'll warrant him for drowning, though the ship were no stronger than a nutshell, and as leaky as an unstaunched wench.

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