In act 1, scene 2 of Shakespeare's The Tempest, Ferdinand, the Prince of Naples, meets Prospero's daughter, Miranda, and the two young people fall in love at first sight—which is exactly why Prospero contrived their meeting. Prospero hoped that they would fall in love and get married as part of his plan to recover the dukedom of Naples that was usurped from him by his brother, Antonio.

Prospero thinks, however, that Miranda and Ferdinand might have fallen in love too easily, and that Ferdinand might not appreciate Miranda as much as Prospero believes he should.

PROSPERO: . . . but this swift
business
I must uneasy make, lest too light winning
Make the prize light (1.2.535–537).

Prospero puts a magic spell on Ferdinand that makes him weak and then forces him to do manual labor stacking logs.

In act 4, scene 1, Prospero relents, apologizes to Ferdinand for punishing him, and releases Ferdinand from the spell he put on him. Prospero tells Ferdinand that he has passed the test of his love for Miranda and gives him Miranda's hand and his permission to marry her.

PROSPERO: If I have too austerely punished you,
Your compensation makes amends, for I
Have given you here a third of mine own life—
Or that for which I live—who once again
I tender to thy hand. All thy vexations
Were but my trials of thy love, and thou
Hast strangely stood the test. Here, afore Heaven,
I ratify this my rich gift (4.1.1–8).

No doubt Ferdinand smiles at this and at Prospero's extravagant praise of Miranda.

PROSPERO: O Ferdinand,
Do not smile at me that I boast of her,
For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise,
And make it halt behind her (4.1.8–11).

Prospero is telling Ferdinand to take him seriously, to value Miranda as he should, and that any praise that Prospero gives Miranda now will pale in comparison to what Ferdinand learns about her when he really gets to know her.