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Hazlitt, William, 1778-1830

"Characters of Shakespeare's Plays"

But this rough magic
I here abjure; and when I have requir'd
Some heav'nly music, which ev'n now I do,
(To work mine end upon their senses that
This airy charm is for) I'll break my staff,
Bury it certain fadoms in the earth,
And deeper than did ever plummet sound,
I'll drown my book.
We must not forget to mention among other things in this play, that
Shakespeare has anticipated nearly all the arguments on the Utopian
schemes of modern philosophy:
Gonzalo. Had I the plantation of this isle, my lord--Antonio. He'd
sow't with nettle-seed. Sebastian. Or docks or mallows. Gonzalo. And
were the king on't, what would I do? Sebastian. 'Scape being drunk,
for want of wine. Gonzalo. I' th' commonwealth I would by contraries
Execute all things: for no kind of traffic Would I admit; no name of
magistrate; Letters should not be known; wealth, poverty, And use of
service, none; contract, succession, Bourn, bound of land, tilth,
vineyard, none; No use of metal, corn, or wine, or oil; No
occupation, all men idle, all, And women too; but innocent and pure:
No sov'reignty. Sebastian. And yet he would be king on't. Antonio.
The latter end of his commonwealth forgets the beginning. Gonzalo.
All things in common nature should produce Without sweat or
endeavour. Treason, felony, Sword, pike, knife, gun, or need of any
engine Would I not have; but nature should bring forth, Of its own
kind, all foison, all abundance To feed my innocent people!
Sebastian.


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