Will not, nor cannot, use such vigilance,
As when they are fresh.
Seb.

I say, to-night: no more. Solemn and strange music; and PROSPERO above, invisible. Enter several strange Shapes, bringing in a banquet; they dance about it with gentle actions of salutation; and, inviting the King, &c., to eat, they depart.

Alon. What harmony is this? my good friends, hark! Gon. Marvellous sweet music!

Alon. Give us kind keepers, heavens! What were these?

Seb. A living drollery: Now I will believe
That there are unicorns; that in Arabia

There is one tree, the phoenix' throne; one phoenix
At this hour reigning there.

Ant.

I'll believe both;

Alon.

I will stand to, and feed,

Although my last : no matter, since I feel
The best is past :-Brother, my lord the duke,
Stand to, and do as we.

Thunder and lightning. Enter ARIEL like a harpy ; claps his wings upon the table, and, with a quaint device, the banquet vanishes.

Ari. You are three men of sin, whom destiny (That bath to instrument this lower world,

* The putter-out is he who, being about to encounter the dangers of travel, deposits a sum of money to receive a larger if he returns in safety. Five for one appears to have been the rate for a very distant voyage. Five for one was, therefore, the technical term applied to a putter-out. He puts out at the rate of five for car.

And what is in 't) the never-surfeited sea
Hath caus'd to belch up you, and on this island
Where man doth not inhabit; you 'mongst men
Being most unfit to live. I have made

you mad; [Seeing ALON., SEB., &c., draw their swords. And even with such-like valour, men hang and drown Their proper selves. You fools! I and my fellows Are ministers of fate; the elements,

Of whom your swords are temper'd, may as well
Wound the loud winds, or with bemock`d-at stabs
Kill the still-closing waters, as diminish
One dowle that 's in my plume; my fellow-ministers
Are like invulnerable: if you could hurt,
Your swords are now too massy for your strengths,
And will not be uplifted: But, remember,
(For that 's my business to you,) that you three
From Milan did supplant good Prospero:
Expos'd unto the sea, which hath requit it,
Him and his innocent child: for which foul deed
The powers, delaying, not forgetting, have
Incens'd the seas and shores, yea, all the creatures.
Against your peace: Thee, of thy son, Alonso,
They have bereft; and do pronounce, by me,
Ling'ring perdition (worse than any death
Can be at once) shall step by step attend

You, and your ways; whose wraths to guard you

from

(Which here, in this most desolate isle, else falls Upon your heads) is nothing, but heart's sorrow, And a clear life ensuing.

He vanishes in thunder: then, to soft music, enter the Shapes again, and dance with mops and mowes, and carry out the table.

Pro. Bravely the figure of this harpy hast thou Perform'd, my Ariel; a grace it had, devouring: Of my instruction hast thou nothing 'bated, In what thou hadst to say: so, with good life, b And observation strange, my meaner ministers Their several kinds have done: my high charms work. And these, mine enemies, are all knit up

Alon.

In their distractions: they now are in my power;
And in these fits I leave them, while I visit
Young Ferdinand, (whom they suppose is drown'd,)
And his and my lov'd darling. [Exit PROS. from above.
Gon. I' the name of something holy, sir, why stand you
In this strange stare?
O, it is monstrous! monstrous!
Methought the billows spoke, and told me of it;
The winds did sing it to me; and the thunder,
That deep and dreadful organ-pipe, pronounc'd
The name of Prosper; it did bass my trespass.
Therefore my son i' the ooze is bedded; and
I'll seek him deeper than e'er plummet sounded,
And with him there lie mudded.

Seb.

I'll fight their legions o'er.

Ant.

[Exii.

But one fiend at a time,

I'll be thy second. [Exeunt SEB. and ANT. Gon. All three of them are desperate; their great guilt, Like poison given to work a great time after, Now 'gins to bite the spirits: -I do beseech you, That are of suppler joints, follow them swiftly, And hinder them from what this ecstacy May now provoke them to. Adr.

Follow, I pray you. [Exeunt.

a Dowle-a feather, a particle of down.
b Good life-alacrity, energy, spirit.

SCENE I.-Before Prospero's Cell.

Enter PROSPERO, FERDINAND, and MIRANDA. Pro. If I have too austerely punish'd you, Your compensation makes amends; for I Have given you here a thread of mine own life, Or that for which I live; whom once again 1 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. O Ferdinand, Do not smile at me that I boast her off, For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise, And make it halt behind her.

Fer.

Against an oracle.

I do believe it,

Pro. Then, as my gift, and thine own acquisition
Worthily purchas'd, take my daughter: But
If thou dost break her virgin knot before
All sanctimonious ceremonies may
With full and holy rite be minister'd,

No sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall
To make this contract grow: but barren hate,
Sour-ey'd disdain, and discord, shall bestrew
The union of your bed with weeds so loathly,
That you shall hate it both: therefore take heed,
As Hymen's lamps shall light you.

Fer.

As I hope

For quiet days, fair issue, and long life,
With such love as 't is now, the murkiest den,
The most opportune place, the strong'st suggestion
Our worser genius can, shall never melt
Mine honour into lust; to take away
The edge of that day's celebration,

When I shall think, or Phoebus' steeds are founder'd,
Or night kept chain'd below.

Pro.

Fairly spoke:

Sit then, and talk with her, she is thine own.—— What, Ariel; my industrious servant, Ariel'

If Venus, or her son, as thou dost know,
Do now attend the queen? Since they did plot
The means that dusky Dis my daughter got,
Her and her blind boy's scandal'd company
I have forsworn.

Iris.

Of her society

Be not afraid; I met her deity

Cutting the clouds towards Paphos; and her son
Dove-drawn with her: here thought they to have done
Some wanton charm upon this man and maid,
Whose vows are that no bed-rite shall be paid
Till Hymen's torch be lighted: but in vain;

Mars's hot minion is return'd again;

Her waspish-headed son has broke his arrows,
Swears he will shoot no more, but play with sparrows,
And be a boy right out.

Cer.

Highest queen of state, Great Juno comes: I know her by her gait.

Enter JUNO.

Jun. How does my bounteous sister?

me,

Go with

To bless this twain, that they may prosperous be,
And honour'd in their issue.

a Corollary-a surplus number.

b Pioned and twilled. What banks does April betrim at the hest of Ceres? pioned banks,-that is, banks dug, thrown up. A pioneer, or pimer, is a digger. The brim of the bank is thus especially pioned. Henley says, "Twilled is obviously formed from the participle of the French verb touiller, which Cotgrave interprets filthily to mix or mingle; confound or shuffle together; bedirt; begrine; besme ****

Jun.

Cer.

SONG.

Honour, riches, marriage blessing,
Long continuance, and increasing,
Hourly joys he still upon you!
Juno sings her blessings on you.
Earth's increase, foison plenty,
Barns and garners never empty;

Vines, with clust'ring bunches growing;
Plants with goodly burthen bowing;
Spring come to you, at the farthest,
In the very end of harvest!

Scarcity and want shall shun you;
Ceres' blessing so is on you.

Fer. This is a most majestic vision, and
Harmonious charmingly: May I be bold
To think these spirits?

Pro.

Spirits, which by mine art

I have from their confines call'd to enact

My present fancies.

Fer.

Let me live here ever;

So rare a wonder'd father, and a wife,

Make this place Paradise.

Pro.

We must prepare to meet with Caliban.

Spirit,

Juno and Ceres whisper seriously;

There's something else to do: hush, and be mute,
Or else our spell is marr'd.

Iris. You nymphs call'd Naiads, of the windering

brooks,

With your sedg'd crowns, and ever harmless looks,
Leave your crisp channels, and on this green land
Answer your summons: Juno does command:
Come, temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate
A contract of true love; be not too late.

Enter certain Nymphs.

You sun-burn'd sicklemen, of August weary,
Come hither from the furrow, and be merry,
Make holiday: your rye-straw hats put on,
And these fresh nymphs encounter every one
In country footing.

Enter certain Reapers, properly habited; they join with the Nymphs in a graceful dance; towards the end whereof PROSPERO starts suddenly, and speaks; after which, to a strange, hollow, and confused Boise, they heavily vanish.

Pro. [Aside.] I had forgot that foul conspiracy
Of the beast Caliban, and his confederates,
Araust my life; the minute of their plot

Is almost come.-[To the Spirits.] Well done;avoid ;-no more.

Fer. This is strange: your father's in some passion That works him strongly.

Mira.
Never till this day,
Saw I him touch'd with anger so distemper'd.
Pro. You do look, my son, in a mov'd sort,
As if you were dismay'd: be cheerful, sir:
Our revels now are ended: these our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits, and
Are melted into air, into thin air:
And, like the baseless fabric of this vision,
The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve;
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind: We are such stuff
As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.-Sir, I am vex'd;

Windering. The epithet, of course, has the meaning of wading.

* We may take rack in the sense of the smallest feathery cloud -the cirrus of modern science.

Randed is used in the sense of encompassed. The “insubFantal pageant" had been presented; its actors had "melted an air;" it was an unreality In the same way, life if is but a dream. It is surrounded with the sleep which is the parent of dreams.

a

For breathing in their faces; beat the ground
For kissing of their feet; yet always bending
Towards their project: Then I beat my tabor,

At which, like unback'd colts, they prick'd their ears,
Advanc'd their eyelids, lifted up their noses,

As they smelt music; so I charm'd their ears,
That, calf-like, they my lowing follow'd, through
Footh'd briers, sharp furzes, pricking goss, and thorns
Which enter'd their frail shins: at last I left them
I' the filthy mantled pool beyond your cell,
There dancing up to the chins, that the foul lake
O'erstunk their feet.

Ari. Pro. A devil, a born devil, on whose nature Nurture can never stick; on whom my pains, Humanely taken, all, all lost, quite lost : And as, with age, his body uglier grows, So his mind cankers: I will plague them all, Re-enter ARIEL, loaden with glistering apparel, &c. Even to roaring:-Come, hang them on this line. PROSPERO and ARIEL remain invisible. Enter CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO, all wet. Cal. Pray you, tread softly, that the blind mole may

not

Hear a foot fall: we now are near his cell.

Ste. Monster, your fairy, which you say is a harmless fairy, has done little better than played the Jack with us.

Trin. Monster, I do smell all horse-piss; at which my nose is in great indignation.

Ste. So is mine. Do you hear, monster? If I should take a displeasure against you; look you,— Trin. Thou wert but a lost monster.

Cal. Good my lord, give me thy favour still: Be patient, for the prize I'll bring thee to Shall hoodwink this mischance: therefore speak softly, All's hush'd as midnight yet.

Trin. Ay, but to lose our bottles in the pool,Ste. There is not only disgrace and dishonour in that, monster, but an infinite loss.

Trin. That's more to me than my wetting: yet this is your harmless fairy, monster.

Ste. I will fetch off my bottle, though I be o'er ears for my labour.

Cal. Prithee, my king, be quiet: See'st thou here, This is the mouth o' the cell: no noise, and enter. Do that good mischief which may make this island

Thine own for ever, and I, thy Caliban, For aye thy foot-licker.

Ste. Give me thy hand: I do begin to have bloody thoughts.

Trin. O king Stephano! O peer! O worthy Stephano! look, what a wardrobe here is for thee!

Cal. Let it alone, thou fool; it is but trash.

Trin. O, ho, monster; we know what belongs to a frippery :-O king Stephano!

Ste. Put off that gown, Trinculo; by this hand, I'll have that gown.

Trin. Thy grace shall have it.

Cal. The dropsy drown this fool! what do you mean,
To dote thus on such luggage? Let's alone,
And do the murther first: if he awake,

From toe to crown he 'll fill our skins with pinches ;
Make us strange stuf.

Ste. Be you quiet, monster.-Mistress line, is not this my jerkin? Now is the jerkin under the line: now, jerkin, you are like to lose your hair, and prove a bald jerkin.

Trin. Do, do: We steal by line and level, an 't like your grace.

Ste. I thank thee for that jest: here 's a garment for 't: wit shall not go unrewarded while I am king of this country: Steal by line and level is an excellent pass of pate; there's another garment for 't.

Pro. Hey, Mountain, hey!

Ari. Silver! there it goes, Silver! Pro. Fury, Fury! there, Tyrant, there! hark, hark! [CAL, STE., and TRIN. are driven out. Go, charge my goblins that they grind their joints With dry convulsions; shorten up their sinews With aged cramps; and more pinch-spotted make them, Than pard or cat o' mountain. Ari. Hark, they roar. Pro. Let them be hunted soundly: At this hour Lie at my mercy all mine enemies: Shortly shall all my labours end, and thou Shalt have the air of freedom: for a little, Follow, and do me service.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I.-Before the Cell of Prospero. Enter PROSPERO in his magic robes; and ARIEL. Pro. Now does my project gather to a head: My charms crack not; my spirits obey; and Time Goes upright with his carriage. How's the day? Ari. On the sixth hour; at which time, my lord, You said our work should cease.

Pro.

I did say so, When first I rais'd the tempest. Say, my spirit, How fares the king and 's followers?

Ari.
Confin'd together
In the same fashion as you gave in charge;
Just as you left them; all prisoners, sir,
In the line-grove which weather-fends your cell;
They cannot budge till your release. The king,
His brother, and yours, abide all three distracted;
And the remainder mourning over them,
Brimfull of sorrow and dismay; but chiefly
Him that you term'd, sir, "The good old lord, Gonzalo;"
His tears run down his beard, like winter's drops
From eaves of reeds: your charm so strongly works
them,

That if you now beheld them your affections
Would become tender.

Pro.

Dost thou think so, spirit? Ari. Mine would, sir, were I human. Pro.

And mine shall.

Hast thou, which art but air, a touch, a feeling
Of their afflictions? and shall not myself,
One of their kind, that relish all as sharply,
Passion as they, be kindlier mov'd than thou art?
Though with their high wrongs I am strook to the

quick,

Yet, with my nobler reason 'gainst my fury
Do I take part: the rarer action is

In virtue than in vengeance: they being penitent,
The sole drift of my purpose doth extend
Not a frown further: Go, release them, Ariel;
My charms I'll break, their senses I'll restore,
And they shall be themselves.

groves;

And ye that on the sands with printless foot
Do chase the ebbing Neptune, and do fly him,
When he comes back; you demi-puppets that
By moonshine do the green sour ringlets make,
Whereof the ewe not bites; and you, whose pastime
Is to make midnight-mushrooms; that rejoice
To hear the solemn curfew; by whose aid
(Weak masters though ye be) I have bedimm'd
The noontide sun, call'd forth the mutinous winds,
And 'twixt the green sea and the azur'd vault
Set roaring war: to the dread rattling thunder
Have I given fire, and rifted Jove's stout oak
With his own bolt: the strong-bas'd promontory
Have I made shake; and by the spurs pluck'd up
The pine and cedar: graves, at my command,
Have wak'd their sleepers; op'd, and let them forth
By my so potent art: But this rough magic
I here abjure: and, when I have requir'd
Some heavenly music, (which even now I do,)
To work mine end upon their senses that
This airy charm is for, I'll break my staff,
Bury it certain fathoms in the earth,
And, deeper than did ever plummet sound,
I'll drown my book.

[Solemn music.

Re-enter ARIEL: after him, ALONSO, with a frantic gesture, attended by GONZALO; SEBASTIAN and ANTONIO in like manner, attended by ADRIAN and FRANCISCO: they all enter the circle which PROSPERO had made, and there stand charmed; which PROSPERO observing, speaks.

A solemn air, and the best comforter

To an unsettled fancy, cure thy brains,

Now useless, boil'd within thy skull! There stand,
For you are spell-stopp'd.

Holy Gonzalo, honourable man,

Mine eyes, even sociable to the show of thine,

Fall fellowly drops.-The charm dissolves apace