John Dryden

“ Sir Mart. How angry the poor devil is! In fine, thou art as choleric as a cook by a fireside.
Warn. I am overheated, like a gun, with continual discharging my wit: 'Slife, sir, I have rarified my brains for you, 'till they are evaporated; but come, sir, do something for yourself like a man: I have engaged you shall give to your mistress a serenade in your proper person: I'll borrow a lute for you.
Sir Mart. I'll warrant thee I'll do't, man.
Warn. You never learned: I do not think you know one stop. [71]
Sir Mart. 'Tis no matter for that, sir; I'll play as fast as I can, and never stop at all. ”

“ Sir Mart. He's an ungrateful fellow; and so, in fine, I shall tell him when I see him next—Monsieur——
Enter Warner.
Warner, a propos! I hope you'll applaud me now. I have defeated the enemy, and that in sight of my mistress; boy, I have charmed her, i'faith, with my valour.
Warn. Ay, just as much as you did e'en now with your music; go, you are so beastly a fool, that a chiding is thrown away upon you.
Sir Mart. Fool in your face, sir; call a man of honour fool, when I have just achieved such an enterprise—Gad, now my blood's up, I am a dangerous person, I can tell you that, Warner. ”

“ To him Porphyrius.
Por. I come, sir, to expect your great commands.
Max. My happiness lies only in thy hands; And, since I have adopted thee my son, I'll keep no secret from thy breast unknown. Led by the interest of my rising fate, I did espouse this empress, whom I hate; And, therefore, with less shame I may declare, That I the fetters of thy captive wear.
Por. Sir, you amaze me with so strange a love.
Max. Pity, my son, those flames you disapprove. The cause of love can never be assigned; 'Tis in no face, but in the lover's mind. ”

“ Ferd. She's sure the mistress on whom these airs attend. Fair excellence! if, as your form declares, You are divine, be pleased to instruct me how You will be worshipped; so bright a beauty Cannot sure belong to human kind.
Mir. I am, like you, a mortal, if such you are.
Ferd. My language, too! O heavens! I am the best Of them who speak this speech, when I'm in my Own country.
Prosp. How, the best? what wert thou, if The duke of Savoy heard thee?
Ferd. As I am now; Who wonders to hear thee speak of Savoy; He does hear me, and that he does, I weep. ”

“ Sir Mart. It may be you have, and it may be you have not, sir; you see I have no mind to satisfy you, sir: What a devil! a man cannot talk a little to his own flesh and blood, but you must be interposing, with a murrain to you.
Mood. Enough of this, good Anthony; this gentleman is to marry your sister.
Sir Mart. He marry my sister! Ods foot, sir, there are some bastards, that shall be nameless, that are as well worthy to marry her, as any man; and have as good blood in their veins.
Sir John. I do not question it in the least, sir.
Sir Mart. 'Tis not your best course, sir; you marry my sister! ”

“ What! did not I see you an hour ago turning over a great folio, with strange figures in it, and then muttering to yourself, like any poet; and then naming Theodosia, and then staring up in the sky, and then poring upon the ground; so that, betwixt God and the devil, madam, he came to know your love.
Bel. Madam, if ever I knew the least term in astrology, I am the arrantest son of a whore breathing.
Beat. O, sir, for that matter, you shall excuse my lady: Nay, hide your talents if you can, sir.
Theo. The more you pretend ignorance, the more we are resolved to believe you skilful. ”

“ I'll not hear you speak, her crime is plain; She owns her pride, which you perhaps may feign. She shall be prisoner till she bend her mind To that, which is for both of you designed.
Val. You'll find it hard my free-born will to bound.
Max. I'll find that power o'er wills, which heaven ne'er found. Free-will's a cheat in any one but me; In all but kings, 'tis willing slavery; An unseen fate which forces the desire; The will of puppets danced upon a wire. A monarch is The spirit of the world in every mind; He may match wolves to lambs, and make it kind. ”

“ Rose. First hear Sir Martin, ere you quite condemn him; consider, 'tis a rival who accused him.
Mill. Speak not a word in his behalf: Methought too, Sir John called him fool.
Rose. Indeed he has a rare way of acting a fool, and does it so naturally, it can be scarce distinguished.
Mill. Nay, he has wit enough, that's certain.
Rose. How blind love is!
Enter Warner.
Mill. How now, what's his business? I wonder, after such a crime, if his master has the face to send him to me.
Rose. How durst you venture hither? If either Sir John or my old master see you!—
Warn. Pish! they are both gone out. ”

“ Sir John. Her name, sir, I beseech you.
Warn. For heaven's sake, sir, have a care.
Sir Mart. Thou art such a coxcomb—Her name's Millisent. [14]
Warn. Now, the pox take you, sir, what do you mean?
Sir John. Millisent, say you? That's the name of my mistress.
Sir Mart. Lord! what luck is that now! well, sir, it happened one of her gloves fell down; I stooped to take it up; and, in the stooping, made her a compliment.
Warn. The devil cannot hold him; now will this thick-skulled master of mine tell the whole story to his rival! ”

“ As for myself, I do not life despise, But as the greatest gift of nature prize. My sex is weak, my fears of death are strong, And whate'er is, its being would prolong. Were there no sting in death, for me to die, Would not be conquest, but stupidity; But if vain honour can confirm the soul, And sense of shame the fear of death controul; How much more then should faith uphold the mind, Which, showing death, shows future life behind? ”

“ Thy hand, Mustacho, and thine, Ventoso; the storm has done its worst.—Stephano alive too! give thy boatswain thy hand, master.
Vent. You must kiss it then; for I must tell you, we have chosen him duke, in a full assembly.
Trinc. A duke! where? What's he duke of?
Must. Of this island, man. Oh, Trincalo, we are all made: The island's empty; all's our own, boy; and we will speak to his grace for thee, that thou mayest be as great as we are.
Trinc. You great! what the devil are you?
Vent. We two are viceroys over all the island; and, when we are weary of governing, thou shalt succeed us. ”

“ Warn. That's impossible; thou hast a skull so thick, no sword can pierce it; but much good may it do you, sir, with the fruits of your valour: You rescued your rival, when he was to be arrested, on purpose to take him off from your mistress.
Sir Mart. Why, this is ever the fate of ingenious men; nothing thrives they take in hand.
Enter Rose.
Rose. Sir Martin, you have done your business with my lady, she'll never look upon you more; she says, she's so well satisfied of your wit and courage, that she will not put you to any further trial.
Sir Mart. Warner, is there no hopes, Warner? ”

“ Were saving Berenice's life a sin, Heaven had shut up your flight from Maximin.
S. Cath. Thus with short plummets heaven's deep will we sound, That vast abyss where human wit is drowned! In our small skiff we must not launch too far; We here but coasters, not discoverers, are. Faith's necessary rules are plain and few; We many, and those needless, rules pursue: Faith from our hearts into our heads we drive, And make religion all contemplative. ”

“ Why, Mr Fool, Oaf, Coxcomb, will you hear none of your names?
Mill. Sir Martin, Sir Martin, take your man's counsel, and keep time with your music.
Sir Mart. [Peeping.] Hah! What do you say, madam? How does your ladyship like my music?
Mill. O most heavenly! just like the harmony of the spheres, that is to be admired, and never heard.
Warn. You have ruined all, by your not leaving off in time.
Sir Mart. What the devil would you have a man do, when my hand is in! Well, o'my conscience, I think there is a fate upon me. ”

“ You to the waves an infant prince exposed, And on the waves have lost an only son. I did usurp my brother's fertile lands, And now am cast upon this desert-isle.
Gonz. These, sirs, 'tis true, were crimes of a black dye; But both of you have made amends to heaven, By your late voyage into Portugal; Where, in defence of christianity, Your valour has repulsed the Moors of Spain.
Alon. O name it not, Gonzalo; No act but penitence can expiate guilt! Must we teach heaven what price to set on murder? What rate on lawless power and wild ambition? ”

“ Sir Mart. Well, I find I am a miserable man: I have lost my mistress, and may thank myself for it.
Warn. You'll not confess you are a fool, I warrant.
Sir Mart. Well, I am a fool, if that will satisfy you: But what am I the nearer, for being one?
Warn. O yes, much the nearer; for now fortune's bound to provide for you; as hospitals are built for lame people, because they cannot help themselves. Well; I have a project in my pate.
Sir Mart. Dear rogue, what is't?
Warn. Excuse me for that: But while 'tis set a working, you would do well to screw yourself into her father's good opinion. ”

“ O traitor to our gods—but more to me! Dar'st thou of any faith but of thy prince's be? But sure thou rav'st; thy foolish error find: Cast up the poison that infects thy mind, And shun the torments thou art sure to feel.
Apol. Nor fire, nor torture, nor revenging steel Can on my soul the least impression make: How gladly, truth, I suffer for thy sake! Once I was ignorant of what was so; But never can abandon truth I know. My martyrdom I to thy crown prefer; Truth is a cause for a philosopher. ”

“ Sir, they are just, and for your service meant. If for religion you our lives will take, You do not the offenders find, but make. All faiths are to their own believers just; For none believe, because they will, but must. Faith is a force from which there's no defence; Because the reason it does first convince: And reason conscience into fetters brings; And conscience is without the power of kings.
Max. Then conscience is a greater prince than I, At whose each erring call a king may die! Who conscience leaves to its own free command, Puts the worst weapon in a rebel's hand. ”

“ Sir Mart. I have hit of a thing myself sometimes, when wiser heads have missed it; but that might be mere luck.
L. Dupe. Fortune does more than wisdom.
Sir Mart. Nay, for that you shall excuse me; I will not value any man's fortune at a rush, except he have wit and parts to bear him out. But when do you expect them?
L. Dupe. This tide will bring them from Gravesend. You had best let your man go, as from me, and wait them at the stairs in Durham-yard.
Sir Mart. Lord, cousin, what a-do is here with your counsel! ”

“ For nothing can prove A joy so great, as to be wounded with love.
My days, and my nights, Are filled to the purpose with sorrows and frights: From my heart still I sigh, And my eyes are ne'er dry; So that, Cupid be praised, [73] I am to the top of love's happiness raised.
My soul's all on fire, So that I have the pleasure to doat and desire: Such a pretty soft pain, That it tickles each vein; 'Tis the dream of a smart, Which makes me breathe short, when it beats at my heart. ”

“ Must. Ventoso, here's to thee. Is it not better to pierce the butt, than to quarrel and pierce one another's bellies?
Vent. Let it come, boy.
Trinc. Now would I lay greatness aside, and shake my heels, if I had but music.
Calib. O my lord! my mother left us in her will a hundred spirits to attend us, devils of all sorts, some great roaring devils, and some little singing spirits.
Syc. Shall we call? And thou shalt hear them in the air.
Trinc. I accept the motion: Let us have our mother-in-law's legacy immediately.
CALIBAN SINGS.
We want music, we want mirth. ”

“ I am a fool, to weep at what I'm glad of: But I have a suit to you, And that, sir, shall Be now the only trial of your love.
Ferd. You've said enough, never to be denied, Were it my life; for you have far o'er-bid The price of all that human life is worth.
Mir. Sir, 'tis to love one for my sake, who, for His own, deserves all the respect which you Can ever pay him. ”

“ To Charinus.
This new pretender will all power engross: All things must now by his direction move, And you, sir, must resign your father's love.
Char. Yes; every name to his repute must bow; There grow no bays for any other brow. He blasts my early honour in the bud, Like some tall tree, the monster of the wood; O'ershading all which under him would grow, He sheds his venom on the plants below. ”

“ Yes, tyrant, know, that I their faith embrace, And own it in the midst of my disgrace; That faith, which, abject as it seems to thee, Is nobler than thy purple pageantry; A faith, which still with nature is at strife, And looks beyond it to a future life; A faith, which vicious souls abhor and fear, Because it shows eternity too near: And therefore every one, With seeming scorn of it the rest deceives; All joining not to own what each believes. ”

“ If not by sword, then she shall die by fire; And one by one her miracles I'll tire. If proof against all kind of death she be; My love's immortal, and she's fit for me.
S. Cath. No, heaven has shewn its power, and now thinks fit Thee to thy former fury to remit. Had providence my longer life decreed, Thou from thy passion hadst not yet been freed. But heaven, which suffered that, my faith to prove, Now to itself does vindicate my love. A power controuls thee, which thou dost not see; And that's a miracle it works in thee. ”

“ SCENE III. Enter Warner and Rose.
Rose. A mischief upon all fools! do you think your master has not done wisely? First to mistake our old man's humour; then to dispraise the plays; and, lastly, to discover his acquaintance with my mistress: My old master has taken such a jealousy of him, that he will never admit him into his sight again.
Warn. Thou makest thyself a greater fool than he, by being angry at what he cannot help. I have been angry with him too; but these friends have taken up the quarrel. [Shews gold.] ”