The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 03Dryden, John
General
The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 03
Dryden, John
English drama -- 17th century
_Prosp._ No, murderer! she's, like thee, of mortal mould,
But much too pure to mix with thy black crimes;
Yet she has faults, and must be punished for them.
Miranda and Dorinda! where are ye?
The will of heaven's accomplished: I have now
No more to fear, and nothing left to hope;
Now you may enter.
_Enter_ MIRANDA _and_ DORINDA.
_Mir._ My love! is it permitted me to see
You once again?
_Prosp._ You come to look your last;
I will for ever take him from your eyes.
But, on my blessing, speak not, nor approach him.
_Dor._ Pray, father, is not this my sister's man?
He has a noble form; but yet he's not
So excellent as my Hippolito.
_Prosp._ Alas, poor girl! thou hast no man: Look yonder;
There's all of him that's left.
_Dor._ Why, was there ever any more of him?
He lies asleep, sir; shall I waken him?
[_She kneels by_ HIPPOLITO, _and jogs him_.
_Ferd._ Alas! he's never to be waked again.
_Dor._ My love, my love! wilt thou not speak to me?
I fear you have displeased him, sir, and now
He will not answer me; he's dumb and cold too;
But I'll run straight, and make a fire to warm him.
[_Exit_ DORINDA, _running_.
_Enter_ ALONZO, GONZALO, ANTONIO; _and_ ARIEL _invisible_.
_Alon._ Never were beasts so hunted into toils,
As we have been pursued by dreadful shapes.--
But is not that my son? O Ferdinand!
If thou art not a ghost, let me embrace thee.
_Ferd._ My father! O sinister happiness!
Is it decreed I should recover you
Alive, just in that fatal hour, when this
Brave youth is lost in death, and by my hand?
_Ant._ Heaven! what new wonder's this?
_Gonz._ This isle is full of nothing else.
_Prosp._ You stare upon me, as you ne'er had seen me;
Have fifteen years so lost me to your knowledge,
That you retain no memory of Prospero?
_Gonz._ The good old duke of Milan!
_Prosp._ I wonder less,
That thou, Antonio, knowest me not, because
Thou didst long since forget I was thy brother
Else I had ne'er been here.
_Ant._ Shame choaks my words.
_Alonz._ And wonder mine.
_Prosp._ For you, usurping prince,
[_To_ ALONZ.
Know, by my art you were shipwrecked on this isle,
Where, after I a while had punished you,
My vengeance would have ended; I designed
To match that son of yours with this my daughter.
_Alonz._ Pursue it still, I am most willing to it.
_Prosp._ So am not I. No marriages can prosper,
Which are with murderers made; look on that corpse.
This, whilst he lived, was young Hippolito;
That infant duke of Mantua, sir, whom you
Exposed with me; and here I bred him up,
Till that blood-thirsty man, that Ferdinand----
But why do I exclaim on him, when justice
Calls to unsheath her sword against his guilt?
_Alonz._ What do you mean?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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