A Motley Jest
SHAKESPEAREAN
DIVERSIONS
By Oscar Fay Adams
AUTHOR OF “A DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN AUTHORS,” “THE
STORY OF JANE AUSTEN’S LIFE,” “SICUT PATRIBUS
AND OTHER VERSE,” ETC.; AMERICAN EDITOR
OF THE HENRY IRVING SHAKESPEARE,
ETC.
[Illustration: Colophon
LEGE
QUID
LEGAS]
BOSTON
Sherman, French & Company
1909
Copyright 1909
SHERMAN, FRENCH & COMPANY
TO THE
OLD CAMBRIDGE SHAKESPEARE ASSOCIATION
THIS
LITTLE VOLUME
IS
GRATEFULLY INSCRIBED
PREFATORY NOTE
The Sixth Act of _The Merchant of Venice_ was first printed in the
_Cornhill Booklet_ for March, 1903. The _Shakespearean Fantasy_ now
appears for the first time in print.
CONTENTS
I
A SHAKESPEAREAN FANTASY 1
II
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE 49
ACT SIXTH.
NOTE BY WILLIAM J. ROLFE, LITT.D. 63
I
A SHAKESPEAREAN FANTASY
A SHAKESPEAREAN FANTASY
SCENE I.
_An island in the Middle Seas. A cave is seen on the right
and before it, under a palm tree_, CALIBAN _is discovered
sleeping_.
[_Enter_ TRINCULO _and_ STEPHANO, _quarreling_.
TRINCULO. Since the day when the old gentleman they call
Prospero took it into his bald pate to disappear into air along
with a most goodly company beside, there’s not a bottle to be found
i’ this isle, as I am a good Christian, and, what is more, a good
Christian man’s son.
STEPHANO. Bottle me no bottles, Trinculo. Had we ne’er shared a
bottle betwixt us we had not been left to bide by ourselves in this
whoreson isle in the hard service of the man-monster, Caliban, but
might be in fair Naples at this very hour.
TRINCULO. Sagely said, Master Stephano. Thou wast ever wise
enow i’ the tail o’ the event. An’ thou could’st have looked it thus
wisely i’ the mouth, thou hadst been a made man, Stephano, a made
man, and a householder, to boot.
STEPHANO. By mine head, a scurvy trick o’ the King to give us
over to a dog’s life in this heathen isle with a man-monster for a
master, and none other company beside.
TRINCULO. More wisdom from that mouth of thine, most sage
STEPHANO. Thou art indeed become a second Socrates for sober
conclusions.
CALIBAN [_awaking_] What, Trinculo! Get me some food, I say, or
thy bones shall pay thy jape. Get thee hence at once, for a mighty
hunger is come upon me and I would eat. [_To_ STEPHANO] Sing thou,
and caper nimbly the while.
STEPHANO [_sings and dances clumsily_]
A lass I had,
A lass I had,
But I’ve a lass no longer.
She’s dead and cold
In churchyard mould
Grim Death he was the stronger.
ARIEL [_invisible_] _sings_.
In churchyard mould
She lieth cold:
From her dust the violets spring.
To her dark bed
Have fairies sped
To sing her welcoming.
CALIBAN [_alarmed_] Methinks like music have I heard before
When Prospero I did serve. And it should bode
Damn’d Prospero’s return then were I slave
Again, doing his will in everything.
STEPHANO. What is this same that sings i’ the air without lips
or body?
TRINCULO [_returning with food which he places before_ CALIBAN]
Master Nobody is at his ancient tricks. An’ he be a devil, he hath an
angel’s voice.
CALIBAN. Retire ye both, for I would be alone.
[_Exeunt_ TRINCULO and STEPHANO.
ARIEL _plays softly on a tabor, scatters poppy
leaves and departs, leaving_ CALIBAN _asleep_.