Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake,
Or cut his weazand with thy knife."

The third scene opens with renewed resolve by Sebastian and Antonio to murder the King and Gonzalo, now over-wearied by long search for the lost Ferdinand; and then, close upon these suggestions of treason and murder, comes the main action of the second part of Prospero's design. There is tempting show of a table spread in the wilderness. When the men who represent the wicked world that cast out Prospero, draw near to eat, the show vanishes, there is the rush of harpies' wings, and Ariel as a harpy speaks the words that are designed to touch their hearts, and bring them to repentance:—

(For that's my business to you), that you three
From Milan did supplant good Prospero;
Exposed unto the sea (which hath requit it)
Him and his innocent child for which foul deed
The powers, delaying, not forgetting, have
Incensed the seas and shores, yea, all the creatures
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."

The better natures are thus softened to remorse; the harder natures of Sebastian and Antonio are struck with confusion; and the Act closes with this part of Prospero's design in the straight way

to success.

The Fourth Act opens with Prospero's blessing on the love of Ferdinand and Miranda, a blessing to be made secure by purity in life and thought. Prospero uses his art to delight them with a fairy show, in which Heaven and Earth-Iris and Ceres -themselves so bound that the words of each begin with praise of the other, join in blessing on the marriage of true minds. Venus, not wanted, is far away with her doves; but Juno, Queen of Heaven, crowns the blessing, and a fairy dance of water - nymphs with the "burnt sicklemen of August," of the "temperate nymphs" with weary sons of toil, closes the show. The fairy dance is broken off by Prospero's recollection of the plot of Caliban. The defeat of such a plot is easy. The sensualist and the fool, alike infirm of purpose, are easily led by the glitter of a little frippery to yield to the first temptation that may offer. They busy

themselves with the gay clothes presented to their eyes, forget their plot, and then, by spirits in the shape of hounds, with noise of a hunt, they who have fallen below the level of the beasts as beasts are hunted.

The last Act then shows Prospero's attainment of the ends he sought. His enemies are prisoners to him in the lime-grove that weather-fends his cell. "If you beheld them," Ariel says, “your affections would become tender."

"Pro. Dost thou think so, spirit?

Ariel. 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 moved than thou art? Though with their high wrongs I am stung 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 farther." +

* Compare As You Like It, Act iv., sc. 2 :-

66 kindness, nobler ever than revenge,
And nature, stronger than his just occasion."

+ Compare Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act v., sc. 4:

"Proteus. Forgive me, Valentine. If hearty sorrow Be a sufficient ransom for offence,

Prospero's last charm is to call for heavenly music, that a strain of true harmony may keep time with the restored music of life. He will give up his rough magic, break his staff, and returning to the fellowship of man, use only the finer magic of God's gift of love. In making himself known to his old enemy, the King of Naples, he says

"For more assurance that a living prince

Does now speak to thee, I embrace thy body."

He can say now with a free heart

66

'Welcome, my friends all."

When by the drawing of a curtain the lost Ferdinand is shown at chess with Miranda, we have the ancient use of chess-play as an emblem of the game of life. We have in life, and shall always have, to oppose wit to wit in contests of opinion; but love may direct all the moves, the

I tender it here: I do as truly suffer

As e'er I did commit.

Valentine.

Then I am paid ;

And once again I do receive thee honest:

Who by repentance is not satisfied,

Is nor of heaven, nor earth; for these are pleased;
By penitence th' Eternal's wrath 's appeased."

love that thinks no evil.

Even the earth-monster

Caliban is brought into the closing music :

"I'll be wise hereafter,

And seek for grace.

What a thrice-double ass

Was I, to take this drunkard for a god,

And worship this dull fool!"

We may note also a suggestive summary of the spirit of the play in Prospero's last words. He stands part of such a group as Shakespeare often causes to speak thought to the eye. Around him

are, in friendly form, the enemies whose evil he has overcome with good-the men he might so easily have shunned and his last words to them are, "Please you DRAW NEAR."

H. M.