Page images
PDF
EPUB
[blocks in formation]

To weep at what I'm glad of. Pro.

I am a fool,

Fair encounter Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace On that which breeds between them! Fer. Wherefore weep you? Mira. At mine unworthiness, that dare not offer What I desire to give; and much less take, What I shall die to want: But this is trifling; And all the more it seeks to hide itself, The bigger bulk it shows. Hence, bashful cunAnd prompt me, plain and holy innocence! I am your wife, if you will marry me ; If not, I'll die your maid: to be your fellow You may deny me; but I'll be your servant, Whether you will or no.

Fer.

And I thus humble ever.

lira.

[ning!

My mistress, dearest,

My husband then?

Fer. Ay, with a heart as willing As bondage e'er of freedom: here's my hand. Mira. And mine with my heart in't: And now Till half an hour hence. [farewell, Fer. A thousand! thousand! [Exeunt Fer. and Mira. Pro. So glad of this as they, I cannot be, Who are surpris'd with all; but my rejoicing At nothing can be more. I'll to my book; For yet, ere supper time, must I perform Much business appertaining.

[Exit.

SCENE II. Another Part of the Island. Enter Stephano and Trinculo; Caliban following with a Bottle.

Ste. Tell not me;-when the butt is out, we will drink water; not a drop before: therefore bear up, and board 'em: Servant-monster, drink to me.

Trin. Servant-monster? the folly of this island! They say, there's but five upon this isle: we are three of them; if the other two be brained like us, the state totters.

Ste. Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thee; thy eyes are almost set in thy head.

Cal. Lo, how he mocks me! wilt thou let him, my lord?

Trin. Lord, quoth he!-that a monster should be such a natural!

Cal. Lo, lo, again! bite him to death, I pr'ythee. Ste. Trinculo, keep a good tongue in your head; if you prove a mutineer, the next tree-The poor monster's my subject, and he shall not suffer indignity.

Cal. I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleas'd To hearken once again the suit I made thee? Ste. Marry will I kneel, and repeat it; I will stand, and so shall Trinculo.

[blocks in formation]

Cal. Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, thou: I would, my valiant master would destroy thee; I do not lie.

Ste. Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in his tale, by this hand, I will supplant some of your teeth.

Trin. Why, I said nothing.

Ste. Mum then, and no more.-[To Caliban.] Proceed.

Cal. I say by sorcery he got this isle ; From me he got it. If thy greatness will Revenge it on him-for, I know, thou dar'st; But this thing dare not.

Ste. That's most certain.

Cal. Thou shalt be lord of it, and I'll serve thee. Ste. How now shall this be compassed? Canst thou bring me to the party?

Cal. Yea, yea, my lord: I'll yield him thee asleep. Where thou may'st knock a nail into his head. Ari. Thou liest, thou canst not.

Cal. What a pied ninny's this? Thou scurvy patch!

I do beseech thy greatness, give him blows,
And take his bottle from him: when that's gone,
He shall drink nought but brine; for I'll not show
Where the quick freshes are.
[him

Ste. Trinculo, run into no further danger: interrupt the monster one word further, and, by this stock-fish of thee. hand, I'll turn my mercy out of doors, and make a

Trin. Why, what did I? I did nothing; I'll go further off.

Ste. Didst thou not say, he lied?
Ari. Thou liest.

Ste. Do I so? take thou that. [Strikes him.] As you like this, give me the lie another time.

Trin. I did not give the lie:-Out o'your wits, and hearing too?-A pox o'your bottle! this can sack, and drinking do.-A murrain on your monster, and the devil take your fingers! Cal. Ha, ha, ha!

Ste. Now, forward with your tale. stand further off.

Trin. Where should they be set else? he were a brave monster indeed, if they were set in his tail. Ste. My man-monster hath drowned his tongue in sack for ny part, the sea cannot drown me: I swam, ere I could recover the shore, five-and-thirtyI'il leagues, off and on, by this light. Thou shalt be my lieutenant, monster, or my standard.

Trin. Your lieutenant, if you list; he's no

standard.

Ste. We'll not run, monsieur monster. Trin. Nor go neither: but you'll lie like dogs; and yet say nothing neither.

Ste. Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou beest a good moon-calf.

Cal. How does thy honour? Let me lick thy shoe; I'll not serve him, he is not valiant.

Trin. Thou liest, most ignorant monster; I am in case to justle a constable: Why, thou deboshea fish thou, was there ever man a coward, that hath drunk so much sack as I to-day? Wilt thou tell a monstrous lie, being but half a fish, and half a monster?

Ste.

Pr'ythee

Cal. Beat him enough: after a little time, beat him too. Stand further.-Come, proceed. Cal. Why, as I told thee, 'tis a custom with him l'the afternoon to sleep: there thou mayst brain him,

Having first seiz'd his books; or with a log
Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake,
Or cut his wezand with thy knife: Remember,
First to possess his books; for without them
He's but a sot, as I am, nor hath not
One spirit to command: They all do hate him,
As rootedly as I: Burn but his books;
He has brave utensils, (for so he calls them,)
Which, when he has a house, he'll deck withal.
And that most deeply to consider, is
The beauty of his daughter; he himself
Calls her a nonpareil: I ne'er saw woman,
But only Sycorax my dam, and she;

[blocks in formation]

Ste. Give me thy hand; I am sorry I beat thee: but, while thou livest, keep a good tongue in thy head.

Cal. Within this half hour will he be asleep;
Wilt thou destroy him then?
Ste.

Ay, on mine honour.
Ari. This will I tell my master.
Cal. Thou mak'st me merry: I am full of pleasure;
Let us be jocund: Will you troll the catch
You taught me but while-ere?

Ste. At thy request, monster, I will do reason, any reason: Come on, Trinculo, let us sing. [Sings. Flout 'em, and skout 'em; and skout 'em, and flout 'em; Thought is free.

Cal. That's not the tune.

[Ariel plays the tune on a Tabor and Pipe. Ste. What is this same? Trin. This is the tune of our catch, played by the picture of No-body.

Ste. If thou beest a man, show thyself in thy likeness; if thou beest a devil, take't as thou list. Trin. O, forgive me my sins!

Ste. He that dies, pays all debts: I defy thee :Mercy upon us!

Cal. Art thou afeard?

Ste. No, monster, not I.

Cal. Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises, Sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt

not.

Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears; and sometime voices,
That, if I then had wak'd after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again: and then, in dreaming,
The clouds, methought, would open, and shew
riches

Ready to drop upon me; that, when I wak'd,
I cry'd to dream again.

Ste. This will prove a brave kingdom to me, where I shall have my music for nothing.

Cal. When Prospero is destroyed.

Ste. That shall be by and by: I remember the

story.

[blocks in formation]

SCENE III. Another part of the Island. Enter Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Gonzalo, Adrian, Francisco, and others.

Gon. By'r lakin, I can go no further, sir; My old bones ache: here's a maze trod, indeed, Through forth-rights, and meanders! by your paI needs must rest me. [tience, Alon. Old lord, I cannot blame thee, Who am myself attach'd with weariness, To the dulling of my spirits; sit down, and rest. Even here I will put off my hope, and keep it No longer for my flatterer: he is drown'd, Whom thus we stray to find; and the sea mocks Our frustrate search on land: Well, let him go. Ant. I am right glad that he's so out of hope. [Aside to Sebastian. Do not, for one repulse, forego the purpose That you resolv'd to effect.

Seb.

Will we take thoroughly.

Ant.

The next advantage

Let it be to-night; For, now they are oppress'd with travel, they

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

Seb.

1 say, to-night: no more. Solemn and strange musick: 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, Gon. Marvellous sweet musick! [hark! 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; And what does else want credit, come to me, And I'll be sworn 'tis true: Travellers ne'er did lie, Though fools at home condemn them. If in Naples I should report this now, would they believe me? If I should say, I saw such islanders, (For, certes, these are people of the island,) Who,though they are of monstrous shape, yet, note, Their manners are more gentle, kind, than of Our human generation you shall find Many, nay, almost any.

Gon.

Pro.

Honest lord,

Thou hast said well; for some of you there present,
Are worse than devils.
Aside.
Alon.
I cannot too much muse,
Such shapes, such gesture, and such sound, ex-
pressing

(Although they want the use of tongue,) a kind
Of excellent dumb discourse.

Pro.

Praise in departing. [Aside. Fran. They vanish'd strangely.

Seb.

No matter, since

[blocks in formation]

Who would believe that there were mountaineers, Dew-lapp'd like bulls, whose throats had hanging Wallets of flesh? or that there were such men, Whose heads stood in their breasts? which now we find,

Alon.

Each putter-out on five for one, will bring us
Good warrant of.
I will stand to, and feed,
Although my last: no matter, since I feel
The best is past:-Brother, my lord the duke,
Stand too, 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 hath to instrument this lower world, And what is in't,) the never-surfeited sea Hath caused to belch up; 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. dram 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 stil!-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,
Lingering 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 musick, enter the Shapes again, and dance with mops and mores, and carry out the table.

Pro. [Aside.] 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,
And observation strange, my meaner ministers
Their several kinds have done: my high charms
work,

And these, mine enemies, are all knit up

In their distractions: they now are in my power;
And in these fits I leave them, whilst I visit
Young Ferdinand, (whom they suppose is drown'd,)
And his and my lov'd darling.
[Exit Prospero from above.
Gon. I' the name of something holy, sir, why
In this strange stare?
[stand you
Alon.
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.

[Exit. But one fiend at a time, I'll fight their legions o'er.

Ant.

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, 1 pray you.

ACT IV.

[Exeunt.

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
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. 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.

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

Pro. Ay, with a twink.

Presently?

Ari. Before you can say, Come, and go,
And breathe twice; and cry, so, so;
Each one, tripping on his toe,
Will be here with mop and mowe:
Do you love me, master? no.

Pro. Dearly, my delicate Ariel: Do not approach,
Till thou dost hear me call.
Ari.
Well, I conceive. [Exit.
Pro. Look, thou be true; do not give dalliance
Too much the rein; the strongest oaths are straw
To the fire i'the blood: be more abstemious,
Or else, good night, your vow!

Fer.

I warrant you, sir; The white-cold virgin snow upon my heart Abates the ardour of my liver.

Pro.

Well.Now come, my Ariel; bring a corollary, Rather than want a spirit; appear, and pertly. No tongue; all eyes; be silent. [Soft musick.

A Masque. Enter Iris.

Iris. Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas
Of wheat, rye, barley, vetches, oats, and peas;
Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep,
And flat ineads, thatch'd with stover, them to keep;
Thy banks with peonied and lilied brims,
Which spongy April at thy hest betrims,
To make cold nymphs chaste crowns: and thy
broom groves,

Whose shadow the dismissed bachelor loves,
Being lass-lorn; thy pole-clipt vineyard;
And thy sea-marge, steril, and rocky-hard,
Where thou thyself dost air: The queen o'the sky,
Whose watery arch, and messenger, am I,
Bids thee leave these; and with her sovereign grace,
Here on this grass-plot, in this very place,
To come and sport: her peacocks fly amain;
Approach, rich Ceres, her to entertain.
Enter Ceres.

Cer. Hail, many-colour'd messenger, that ne'er
Dost disobey the wife of Jupiter;
Who, with thy saffron wings upon my flowers
Diffusest honey-drops, refreshing showers:
And with each end of thy blue bow dost crown
My bosky acres, and my unshrubb'd down,
Rich scarf to my proud earth; Why hath thy queen
Summon'd me hither, to this short-grass'd green?
Iris. A contract of true love to celebrate;
And some donation freely to estate
On the bless'd lovers.

Cer.

Tell me, heavenly bow, 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 spar-
And be a boy right out.
[rows,
Cer.
Highest queen of state,
Great Juno comes: I know her by her gait.

Enter Juno.

Jun. How does my bounteous sister? Go with me, To bless this twain, that they may prosperous be, And honour'd in their issue.

SONG.

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

Cer.

Vines, with clust'ring bunches growing;
Plants, with goodly burden 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.

As I foretold you, were all spirits, and
Are melted into air, into thin air:
And, like the baseless fabrick 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 of, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.-Sir, I am vex'd;
Bear with my weakness; my old brain is troubled.
Be not disturb'd with my infirmity:
If you be pleas'd, retire into my cell,
And there repose; a turn or two I'll walk
To still my beating mind.
Fer. Mira.
We wish your peace.
[Exeunt.

Pro. Come with a thought :-I thank you :-Ariel,

come.

Enter Ariel.

Ari. Thy thoughts I cleave to: What's thy
Spirit, [pleasure?

Pro.

We must prepare to meet with Caliban.
Ari. Ay, my commander; when I presented Ceres,
I thought to have told thee of it; but I fear'd,
Lest I might anger thee.

Pro. Say again, where didst thou leave these var-
lets?
[ing;

Ari. I told you, sir, they were red-hot with drink-
So full of valour, that they smote the air
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 eye-lids, lifted up their noses,
As they smelt musick; so I charm'd their ears,
Spirits, which by mine art That, calf-like, they my lowing follow'd, through

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.

[Juno and Ceres whisper, and send Iris on
employment.

Sweet now, silence;

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 wan-
d'ring 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 holy-day: 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
noise, they heavily vanish.

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

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

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

This was well done, my bird:
Thy shape invisible retain thou still :
The trumpery in my house, go, bring it hither,
For stale to catch these thieves.

Ari.
I go, I go. [Exit.
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.

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

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

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 hood-wink 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.

Cul. Pr'ythee, my king, be quiet: Seest 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.

[mean, Cal. The dropsy drown this fool! what do you To doat thus on such luggage? Let's along, And do the murder first: if he awake, From toe to crown he'll fill our skins with pinches; Make us strange stuff.

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. Trin. Monster, come, put some lime upon your fingers, and away with the rest.

Cal. I will have none on't: we shall lose our time, And all be turn'd to barnacles, or to apes With foreheads villanous low.

Ste. Monster, lay-to your fingers; help to bear this away, where my hogshead of wine is, or I'll turn you out of my kingdom: go to, carry this. Trin. And this.

Ste. Ay, and this.

A noise of hunters heard. Enter divers spirits, in shape of hounds, and hunt them about. Prospero and Ariel, setting them on. 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 Than pard, or cat o' mountain. [them,

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.

ACT V.

[Exeunt.

[blocks in formation]

And the remainder mourning over them,
Erim-full of sorrow and dismay; but chiefly
Him 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 struck 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.

Ari. I'll fetch them, sir.

[Exit. Pro. Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes, and groves;

And ye, that on the sands with printless foot
Do chase the ebbing Neptune, and do fly him,
When he comes back; you demy-puppets, that
By moon-shine 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 be-dimm'd
The noon-tide 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,
By my so potent art: But this rough magick
Have wak'd their sleepers; oped, and let them forth
here abjure: and, when I have requir'd
Some heavenly musick, (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 musick.

I

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 hud 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;
And as the morning steals upon the night,
Melting their darkness, so their rising senses
Begin to chase the ignorant fumes that mantle
Their clearer reason.-O my good Gonzalo,
My true preserver, and a loyal sir
To him thou follow'st; I will pay thy graces
Home, both in word and deed. Most cruelly
Didst thou, Alonso, use me and my daughter:
Thy brother was a furtherer in the act ;-
Thou'rt pinch'd for't now, Sebastian.-Flesh and
blood,

You brother mine, that entertain'd ambition, Expell'd remorse and nature; who, with Sebastian, (Whose in ward pinches therefore are most strong,, Would here have kill'd your king; I do forgive thee,

Unnatural though thou art!-Their understanding

« PreviousContinue »