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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.

Gòn.

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.

Pro.

Honest lord,

Thou hast said well; for some of you there present Are worse than devils.

Alon.

[Aside.

I cannot too much muse,

Such shapes, such gesture, and such sound, expressing (Although they want the use of tongue,) a kind

Of excellent dumb discourse.

Pro.

Praise in departing. [Aside.

No matter, since

Fran. They vanish'd strangely.,

Seb.

They have left their viands behind; for we have stom

achs.

Will't please you taste of what is here?

Alon.

Not L

Gon. Faith, sir, you need not fear: When we were boys,

Who would believe, that there were mountaineers, Dew-lapp'd like bulls, whose throats had hanging at

[blocks in formation]

Wallets of flesh? or that there were such men,

Whose heads stood in their breasts? which now, we

find,

Each putter-out on five for one, will bring us

Good warrant of

Alon.

I will stand too, 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 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; And even with such like valour, men hang and drown Their proper selves. You fools! I and my fellows

[Seeing Alon. Seb. &c. draw their swords. 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 ereatures,

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 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 Pro. from above.
Gon. I' the name of something holy, sir, why stand

you

In this strange stare?

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, I pray you. [Exeunt.

m

ACT IV.

SCENE I-Before Prospero's cell. Enter Prospero, Ferdinand, and Miranda.

Prospero.

IF I have too austerely punished 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.

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 harren 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 mid long life,

With such love as 'tis 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!

Enter Ariel.

Ari. What would my potent master? here I am. Pro. Thou and thy meaner fellows your last service Did worthily perform; and I must use you

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

Bestow upon the eyes of this young couple

Some vanity of mine art; it is my promise,
And they expect it from me.

Aris

Pro. Ay, with a twink.

Ari.

Presently?

Before you can say, Come, and go,

And breathe twice; and cry, 80, 80 j

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.

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