Journeys Through Bookland Volume Viii Part 50

[407-62] "_Measure us back_," etc., means the same as _Return to us_.

[407-63] The word _others_ may be understood after _there be_.

[407-64] A _chough_ is a bird of the jackdaw kind.

[407-65] This clause means, _I myself could breed a bird to talk as sensibly_.

[407-66] This is difficult to understand. Perhaps it means. "And how does your present contentment advance or care for your interest?"

[407-67] _Feater_ means _more fittingly_ or _more becomingly_.

[408-68] A _kibe_ is a sore on the heel.

[408-69] _Candied_ means here the same as crystallized.

[408-70] This means, _while you, doing the same thing, might put Gonzalo to continuous sleep forever_.

[408-71] _Suggestion_ here means _temptation_.

[408-72] _They'll tell the clock to any business_, etc., means _they will speak any words we tell them to_.

[408-73] _Draw together_ is _let us draw our swords together_.

[409-74] That is, _Why are your swords drawn_?

[409-75] This means, _Why do you look so ghastly_?

[410-1] _Inch-meal_ means _piece-meal_.

[410-2] _Urchin-shows_ are _fairy-shows_.

[410-3] _Fire-brand_ refers to will o' the wisp, or dancing b.a.l.l.s of light seen sometimes at night in swampy places. People used to think these lights were tended by naughty sprites who lured men into trouble.

[410-4] We would now say _sometimes_.

[410-5] _Mow_ means _make mouths_ or _grin_.

[411-6] _p.r.i.c.ks_, here, means their _p.r.i.c.kles_ or _sharp quills_.

[411-7] Caliban is a monster, part brute, part human, more fish-like than man-like, probably. He works only when Prospero drives him to it, and he hates his master bitterly in spite of all that the latter has done for him. Now Caliban is under punishment for his wickedness.

[411-8] _To bear off_ means _to keep off_.

[411-9] A _bombard_ is a black jar or jug to hold liquor.

[411-10] _Poor-john_ is an old name for dried and salted _hake_, a kind of fish.

[411-11] Trinculo means that any strange beast could be exhibited and make a man's fortune.

[412-12] A _gaberdine_ was a coa.r.s.e outer garment or frock.

[412-13] A _swabber_ is a man who scrubs the decks of a ship.

[412-14] _Tang_ means _sharp taste_; here it means that Kate spoke sharply.

[413-15] _Inde_ may mean India as we understand it, or West India, that is, America. Stephano probably alludes to the sham wonders from America that were often exhibited by lying showmen.

[413-16] _Neat's-leather_ is _calfskin_.

[413-17] Stephano means that he will take all he can get.

[413-18] He alludes to an old saying, "Good liquor will make a cat talk."

[414-19] This is probably the nearest to a prayer that Stephano can remember in his fright.

[414-20] This alludes to an old proverb, "He that would eat with the devil must use a long spoon."

[414-21] _Siege_ here means _seat_.

[414-22] A moon-calf was any shapeless monster; supposed to be made so through the influence of the moon.

[415-23] The superst.i.tious Trinculo is still a little afraid that Stephano may be a ghost.

[415-24] _Constant_ here means _settled_, from his recent experiences in the sea.

[415-25] The word _an_ may be omitted from before _if_ without altering the meaning. Caliban fears the men may be evil spirits, but thinks Stephano must be a G.o.d.

[415-26] _Sack_ is an old-fashioned intoxicating drink. A _b.u.t.t_ is a big cask holding about two hogsheads.

[416-27] All these things the fanciful used to think they could see in the face of the moon.

[416-28] This probably means that Caliban had taken a long hearty draught at the bottle.

[417-29] _Pig-nuts_ were probably _ground-nuts_, the small bulbous growths on the roots of certain vines.

[417-30] A _staniel_ is a _kestril_, a beautiful hawk.

[418-1] Ferdinand says, "Some sports are painful, and the delight we take in them offsets the labor."

[418-2] _Baseness_ here means _lowliness_, rather than anything base or evil.

[418-3] Prospero has set Ferdinand to carrying logs, a hard task and a lowly one, to test his love for Miranda, to find out how manly he really is.

[419-4] The meaning of this line probably is that when he works the least he is really most wearied because he does not have Miranda's sympathetic words to cheer him, or the sweet thought that he is working for her.

[420-5] _Put it to the foil_, means _put it on the defensive_. Foil was a general name for swords.

[420-6] Ferdinand thinks his father has been drowned, but wishes it were not so, even though he is thereby made King.