Alon. I will ftand to and feed,

Although my laft; no matter, fince I feel
The belt is paft. Brother, my lord the Duke,
Stand to, and do as we.

Thunder and lightning. Enter Ariel like a barpy, claps his wings upon the table, feems to feize upon the dishes, and with a quaint device the banquet vanifbes.

Ari. You are three men of fin, whom destiny,
That hath to inftrument this lower world,
And what is in't, the never-furfeited fea
Hath caufed 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
And ev❜n with fuch like valour men hang and drown
Their proper felves. [Alonfo, Sebaftian, and the reft
Ye fools! I and my fellows [draw their fwords.

Are ministers of fate; the elements,
Of whom your fwords are temper'd, may as well
Wound the loud winds, or with bemockt-at ftabs
Kill the still-clofing waters, as diminish

One down that's in my plume: my fellow-ministers
Are like invulnerable. If you could hurt,
Your swords are now too maffy for your ftrengths,
And will not be uplifted. But remember,
(For that's my business to you) that you three
From Milan did fupplant good Profpero:
Expos'd unto the fea, which hath requit it,
Him, and his innocent child: for which foul deed
The powers, delaying not forgetting, have
Incens'd the feas and fhores, yea, all the creatures,
Against your peace. Thee of thy fon, 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; whofe wrath to guard you from,
Which here in this moft defolate Ifle else falls

Upon

Upon your heads, is nothing but heart's forrow,
And a clear life enfuing. (3)

He vanifbes in. thunder: then to foft mufick. Enter the fhapes again, and dance with mops and mores, and carrying out the table.

Pro. Bravely the figure of this harpy haft thou Perform'd, my Ariel; a grace it had, devouring: Of my inftruction haft thou nothing 'bated, In what thou hadft to fay; fo with good life, (4) And obfervation ftrange, my meaner minifters Their several kinds have done. My high charms work, And thefe, mine enemies, are all knit up In their distractions: they are in my power; And in these fits I leave them, whilst I vifit Young Ferdinand, whom they suppose is drown'd, And his and my lov'd darling.

[Exit Profpero from above. Gon. I' th' name of fomething holy, Sir, why ftand In this ftrange ftare?

[you

Alon. O, it is monftrous! monstrous ! Methought, the billows fpoke, and told me of it; The winds did fing it to me; and the thunder, That deep and dreadful organ pipe, pronounc'd The Name of Profper: it did bafs my trefpafs. (5) Therefore, my fon i'th ooze is bedded; and I'll feek him deeper than e'er plummet founded, And with him there lye mudded.

(3)

[Exit.

clear life] Pure, blameless, innocent. (4) with good life,] This feems a corruption. I know not in what fenfe life can here be ufed, unless for alacrity, livelinefs, vigour, and in this fenfe the expreffion is harsh. Perhaps we may read,

with good lift,

with good will, with fincere zeal for my fervice. I fhould have propofed,

with good lief,

in the fame fenfe, but that I can not find lief to be a Substantive.

(5)

bass my trespass.] The deep pipe told it me in a rough bafs found.

Seb.

Seb. But one fiend at a time,

I'll fight their legions o'er.

Ant. I'll be thy fecond.

[Exeunt. Gon. All three of them are desperate; their great guilt, Like poifon giv'n to work a great time after, Now 'gins to bite the fpirits. I do befeech you That are of fuppler joints, follow them fwiftly; And hinder them from what this ecftafie May now provoke them to.

Adri. Follow, I pray you.

[Exeunt.

Have giv'n you here a third of mine own life: (6)
Or that for which I live; whom once again

I tender to thine hand: all thy vexations

(6) Thus all the Impreffions in general; but why is She only a Third of his own Life? He had no wife living, nor any other Child, to rob her of a Share in his Affection: So that we may reckon her at least half of himself. Nor could he intend, that he loved himself twice as much as he did her; for he immedi❤ ately fubjoins, that it was She for whom he liv'd. In Othello, when Tago alarms the Senator with the lofs of his Danghter, he tells him,

Your heart is burst, you have loft half your Soul. And Dimidium anime mee was the current Lauguage with the Latines on fuch Occafions. THEOBALD.

In confequence of this ratiocination, Mr. Theobald printed the text a thread of my own life. I have reftored the ancient reading. Profpero, in his reafon fubjoined why he calls her the third of his life, feems to allude to fome logical diftinction of caufes, making her the final cause.

were

Were but my trials of thy love, and thou
Haft ftrangely ftood the teft. (7) 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, fhe will outftrip all praife,
And make it halt behind her.

Fer. I believe it, Against an oracle.

Pro. Then as my * gift, and thine own acquifition
Worthily purchas'd, take my Daughter. But
If thou doft break her virgin-knot, before
All fanctimonious ceremonies may
With full and holy Rite be minifter'd,

No fweet afperfions fhall the heav'ns let fall
To make this contract grow: but barren hate,
Sour-ey'd difdain, and difcord fhall beftrew
The union of your bed with weeds fo loathly,
That you shall hate it both therefore take heed,
As Hymen's lamps fhall light you.

Fer. As I hope

For quiet days, fair iffue, and long life,

With fuch love as 'tis now; the murkiest den,
The most opportune place, the ftrong'ft fuggeftion
Our worfer Genius can, fhall never melt

Mine honour into luft to take away

;

The edge of that day's celebration,

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

Pro. Fairly fpoke.

Sit then, and talk with her, fhe is thine own.
What, Ariel; my induftrious fervant, Ariel-

Ari. What would my potent mafter? here I am. Pro. Thou and thy meaner fellows your laft service Did worthily perform; and I muft ufe you

-ftrangely ftood the teft.] Strangely is ufed by way of commendation, merveilleusement, to a wonder; the fenfe is the fame in the foregoing fcene, with obfervations strange. *My Guest, first Fol.

In

In fuch another trick; go, bring the rabble, (8)
O'er whom I give thee power, here to this place :
Incite them to quick motion, for I must

Beftow upon the eyes

of this young couple Some vanity of mine art; it is my promife,

And they expect it from me.

Ari. Prefently.

Pro. Ay, with a twink.

Ari. Before you can fay, Come, and go, And breathe twice; and cry, fo, so;

Each one, tripping on his toe,

Will be here with mop and mow.

Do you love me, mafter? 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 th' fire i'th' blood: be more abstemious,
Or elfe, good night, your vow!

Fer. I warrant you, Sir ;

The white, cold, virgin-fnow upon my heart
Abates the ardour of my liver.

Pro. Well.

Now come, my Ariel; bring a corollary.

Rather than want a fpirit, appear; and pertly. (9) No tongue; all eyes; be filent.

[To Ferdinand.

SCENE III.

[Soft Mufick.

A MASQUE. Enter Iris.

Iris. Ceres, moft bounteous lady, thy rich leas Of wheat, rye, barley, fetches, oats, and peas;

(8) The Rabble,] The crew of meaner Spirits.

(9) No tongue;] Thofe who are prefent at Incantations, are obliged to be strictly filent, else, as we are afterwards told, the Spell is marred.

Thy