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Pro. Mark but the badges of these men, my fords,
Then say, if they be true: 5-This mis-shapen knave,-
His mother was a witch; and one so strong
That could control the moon, make flows and ebbs,

Th all And deal in her command, without her power:7
These three have robb'd me; and this demi-devil
(For he's a bastard one,) had plotted with them
To take my life: two of these fellows you
Must know, and own; this thing of darkness, I
Acknowledge mine.

Cal.

I shall be pinch'd to death.
Alon. Is not this Stephano, my drunken butler?
Seb. He is drunk now: where had he wine?
Aton. And Trinculo is reeling ripe: Where should they

Find this grand liquor, that hath gilded them?

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6 His mother was a witch; and one so strong

That could control the moon, &c.] This was the phraseology of the times. After the statute against witches, revenge or ignorance frequently induced people to charge those, against whom they harboured resentment, or entertained prejudices, with the crime of witchcraft, which had just then been declared a capital offence. In our ancient reporters, are several cases, where persons charged in this manner, sought redress in the courts of law. And it is remarkable in all of them, to the scandalous imputation of being witches, the term-a strong one, is constantly added. In Michaelmas Term, 9 Car. I. the point was settled that no action could be supported on so general a charge, and that the epithet strong did not inforce the other words. In this instance, I believe, the opinion of the people at large was not in unison with the sages in Westminster-Hall. Several of these cases are collected together in I. Viner, 422. Reed.

That could control the moon,] From Medea's speech in Ovid, (as translated by Golding,) our author might have learned that this was one of the pretended powers of witchcraft.

"- and thee, O lightsome moon,

" I darken oft, though beaten brass abate thy peril soon."
Malone.

7 And deal in her command, without her power:] I suppose Prospero means, that Sycorax, with less general power than the moon, could produce the same effects on the sea.

Steevens.

8 And Trinculo is reeling ripe: Where should they

Find this grand LIQUOR that hath gilded them?] Shakspeare,

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the alchymists, whic confer immortality. gold, they called Aur in the word gilded; a "How much "Yet coming "With his ti But the joke here boasts of the chemi bestower of immort of his Humour:" This seems to have English were, at t his Jealous Lovers, the Pegasus, brav tieur Thomas, Ac "Old rever "Was tha "Did all The phrase too o Fletcher, in his A little gilded o' As the alchyr reading may sta ration. Steeven

-fly-blo
stinking pool;

1- but a
ordered Ariel
me not alludes
speech Steph
tore. Steeven
2 I should
afterwards

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'st thou in this pickle?

fear fly-blowing.

Thy, how now, Stephano?

, touch me not; I am not Stephano, but a cramp.1

「ou'd be king of the isle, sirrah?

should have been a sore one then.2

mists, which they pretend would restore youth and mortality. This, as they said, being a preparation of y called Aurum potabile; which Shakspeare alluded to rd gilded; as he does again in Antony and Cleopatra: How much art thou unlike Mark Antony? Yet coming from him, that great medicine hath, With his tinct gilded thee."

joke here is to insinuate that, notwithstanding all the the chemists, sack was the only restorer of youth and of immortality. So, Ben Jonson, in his Every Man out Fumour:"Canarie, the very Elixir and spirit of wine." ems to have been the cant name for sack, of which the were, at that time, immoderateiy fond. Randolph, in Lous Lovers, speaking of it, says, " A pottle of Elixir at asus, bravely caroused." So again, in Fletcher's Monhomas, Act III:

"Old reverend sack, which, for aught that I can read yet, "Was that philosopher's stone the wise king Ptolemeus "Did all his wonders by."

rase too of being gilded, was a trite one on this occasion. er, in his Chances:-" Duke. Is she not drunk too? Whore. gilded o'er sir; old sack, old sack, boys!" Warburton.

the alchymist's Elixir was supposed to be a liquor, the old g may stand, and the allusion holds good, without any alte

. Steevens.

-fly-blowing.] This pickle alludes to their plunge into the ng pool; and pickling preserves meat from fly-blowing.

- but a cramp.] i. e. I am all over a cramp. Prospero had ed Ariel to shorten up their sinews with aged cramps. Touch Ot alludes to the soreness, occasioned by them. In his next Ch Stephano confirms the meaning by a quibble on the word

I should have been a sore one then.] The same quibble occurs wards, in the Second Part of King Henry VI: "Mass, 'twill -ore law then, for he was thrust in the mouth with a spear, 'tis not whole yet." Stephano also alludes to the sores about . Steevens.

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ith the help of your good hands. ] By your applause, by clapands. Johnson.

se was supposed to dissolve a spell. So, twice before, in lay:

n:

"No tongue; all eyes; be silent.”

-hush! be mute;

"Or else our spell is marr'd."

In, in Macbeth, Act IV. sc. i:

"Hear his speech, but say thou nought."

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a

Warburton.

6 It is observed of The Tempest, that its plan is regular; this the author of The Revisal thinks, what I think too, an accidental effect of the story, not intended, or regarded, by our author. But, whatever might be Shakspeare's intention, in forming, or adopting, the plot, he has made it instrumental to the production of many characters, diversified with boundless invention, and preserved with profound skill in nature, extensive knowledge of opinions, and accurate observation of life. In single dram are here exhibited princes, courtiers, and sailors, all speaking in their real characters. There is the agency of airy spirits, and of an earthly goblin. The operations of magick, the tumults of a storm, the adventures of a desert island, the native effusion of untaught affection, the punishment of guilt, and the final happiness of the pair for whom our passions and reason are equally interested. Johnson.

TWO GENT

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