When I have deck'd the fea with drops full falt; Mira. How came we a-fhore? Some food we had, and fome fresh water, that Out of his charity, being then appointed Mira. Would I might But ever fee that man! Pro. Now, I arise : Sit ftill, and hear the laft of our sea forrow. Have I, thy school-mafter, made thee more profit Mira. Heaven's thank you for't! And now, I pray you, Sir, (For ftill 'tis beating in my mind) your reason For raifing this fea- ftorm ? Pro. Know thus far forth, By accident most strange, bountiful fortune, 5- deck'd the Sea.] To deck the Sea, if explained, to honour, adorn, or dignify, is indeed ridiculous, but the original import of the Verb deck is, to cover; fo in fome Parts they yet fay deck the Table: This Senfe may be born, but perhaps the Poet wrote fleck'd, which I think is ftill used of Drops falling upon Water. Dr. Warburton reads mock'd, the Oxford Edi tion brack'd. A moft A moft aufpicious ftar; whofe influence Ari. All hail, great mafter! grave Sir, hail! I come To answer thy best pleasure: Be't to fly; To fwim; to dive into the fire; to ride On the curl'd clouds: to thy trong bidding task Pro. Haft thou, fpirit, Perform'd to point the tempeft that I bad thee? I boarded the King's fhip: now on the beak, 7 6 Dr. Warburton rightly obferves, that this Sleepinefs which Profpero by his Art had brought upon Miranda, and of which he knew not how foon the Effect would begin, makes him queftion her fo often whether he is attentive to his Story. 7 The Beak was a strong pointed Body at the Head of the ancient Gallies; it is used here for the forecastle, or the bolt-fprit. 8 The Part between the Quarter deck and the forecastle. Yea, Yea, his dread trident shake. Pro. My brave spirit! Who was fo firm, fo conftant, that this coyle Ari. Not a foul But felt a fever of the mad, and plaid 9 Pro. Why, that's my spirit! On their sustaining garments not a blemish, Pro. Of the King's fhip The mariners, fay, how thou haft difpos'd, Ari. Safely in harbour Is the King's fhip; in the deep nook, where once 9 In all the later Editions this is changed to a Fever of the Mind, without Reason or Authority, nor is any Notice given of an Alteration. From the fill vext Bermoothes,] Theobald fays Ber moothes is printed by Mistake for Bermudas. No. That was the Name by which the Islands then went, as we may fee by the Voyages of that Time: and by our Author's contemporary Poets. Fletcher, in his Woman pleased, fays, The mariners all under hatches stow'd, Whom with a charm join'd to their fuffer'd labour Bound fadly home for Naples; Suppoling, that they faw the King's fhip wreckt, Pro. Ariel, thy charge Exactly is perform'd; but there's more work. Ari. Paft the mid feason. Pro. At least two glaffes; the time 'twixt fix' and now Muft by us both be fpent most preciously. Ari. Is there more toil? fince thou doft give me Let me remember thee what thou haft promis'd, Pro. How now ? moody? What is't thou canft demand? Ari. My liberty. Pro. Before the time be out? no more. Remember, I have done thee worthy service; Without or grudge, or grumblings; thou didst pron.ise To bate me a full year. Pro. Doft thou forget 3 From what a torment I did free thee? Ari. No. Pro. Thou doft; and think'ft it much to tread the ooze Of the falt deep; 3 That the Character and Conduct of Profpero may be underflood, fomething must be known of the Syftem of Enchantment, which fupplied all the Marvellous found in the Romances of the middle Ages. This Syftem feems to be founded on the Opinion that the fallen Spirits, having different Degrees of Guilt, had different Habitations alloted them at their Expulfion, fome being confined in Hell, fome, as Hooker, who delivers the Opinion of our Poet's Age, expresses it, difperfed in Air, fome on Earth, fome in Water, others in Caves, Dens or Minerals under the Earth. Of thefe fome were more malignant and mifchievous than others. The earthy Spirits feem to have been thought the most depraved, and the aerial the leaft vitiated. Thus Profpero obferves of Ariel, Thou waft a Spirit too delicate To at her earthy and abhorred Commands. Over thefe Spirits a Power might be obtained by certain Rites performed or Charms learned. This Power was called the Black Art, or Knowledge of Enchantment. The Enchanter being, as King James obferves in his Demonology, VOL. I. one who commands the Devil, whereas the Witch ferves him. Those who thought beft of this Art, the Existence of which was, I am afraid, believed very ferioufly, held that certain Sounds and Characters had a phyfical Power over Spirits, and compelled their Agency; others who condemned the Practice, which in reality was furely never practifed, were of Opinion, with more Reason, that the Power of Charms arofe only from compact, and was no more than the Spirits voluntary allowed them for the Seduction of Man. The Art was held by all, though not equally criminal, yet unlawful; and therefore Coujabon, fpeaking of one who had Commerce with Spirits, blames him, though he imagines him one of the best Kind who dealt with them by Way of Command. Thus Profpero repents of his Art in the lait Scene. The Spirits were always confidered as in fome Meafore enflaved to the Enchanter, at leaft for a Time, and as ferving with Unwillinguefs, therefore Ariel fo often begs for Liberty; and Caliban obferves that the Spirits ferve Profpero with no good Will, but bate him rootedly. Of thefe Trifles enough. |