Like Prospero, he had sacrificed his position to his art, and, like him, he had dwelt upon an enchanted island in the ocean of life. He had been its lord and master, with dominion over spirits, with the spirit of the air as his servant, and the spirit of the earth as his slave. At his will graves had opened, and by his magic art the heroes of the past had lived again. The words with which Prospero opens the fifth act come, despite all gloomy thoughts of death and wearied hopes of rest, straight from Shakespeare's own lips :

'Now does my project gather to a head:

My charms crack not; my spirits obey; and time
Goes upright with his carriage.'

All will soon be accomplished and Ariel's hour of deliverance is nigh. The parting of the master from his genius is not without a touch of melancholy :

'My dainty Ariel! I shall miss thee,

But yet thou shalt have freedom.'

:

Prospero has determined in his heart to renounce all his magical powers:—

"To the elements

Be free, and fare thou well!'

He has taken leave of all his elves by name, and now utters words whose personal application has never been approached by any character hitherto set upon the stage by Shakespeare:

'But this rough magic

I here abjure, and, when I have required

Some heavenly music, which even now I do,
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 is heard, and Shakespeare has bidden farewell to his art.

B

THE TEMPEST.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

ALONSO, King of Naples.

SEBASTIAN, his brother.

PROSPERO, the right Duke of Milan.

ANTONIO, his brother, the usurping Duke of Milan.

FERDINAND, son to the King of Naples.

GONZALO, an honest old Counsellor.

ADRIAN,

FRANCISCO,

Lords.

CALIBAN, a savage and deformed Slave.

TRINCULO, a Jester.

STEPHANO, a drunken Butler.

Master of a Ship.

Boatswain.

Mariners.

THE TEMPEST.

ACT THE FIRST.

SCENE I.

On a ship at sea: a tempestuous noise of thunder and lightning heard.

Enter a SHIP-MASTER and a BOATSWAIN.

MAST. Boatswain!

BOATS. Here, master: what cheer?

MAST. Good, speak to the mariners: fall to't, yarely, or we run ourselves aground: bestir, bestir.

Enter MARINERS.

[Exit.

BOATS. Heigh, my hearts! cheerly, cheerly, my hearts! yare, yare! Take in the topsail. Tend to the master's whistle. Blow, till thou burst thy wind, if room enough!

Enter ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, FERDINAND, GONZALO, and others.

ALON. Good boatswain, have care. Where's the master? Play the men.

BOATS. I pray now, keep below.

ANT. Where is the master, boatswain?

8