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The best is past.

Brother, my lord the duke,

Stand too, 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) 1 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; [seeing Alon. Seb. &c. draw their swords. And even with such like valor, men hang and drown

Their proper selves. You fools! I and my fellows 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 ;

Exposed unto the sea, which hath requit it,

That makes use of this world, and every thing in it, as its instruments to bring about its ends.

2 Feather.

Him and his innocent child; for which foul deed,
The powers, delaying, not forgetting, have
Incensed the sea and shores, yea, all the creatures,
Against your peace. Thee, of thy son, Alonso,
They have bereft; and do pronounce by me,
Lingering 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 1 life ensuing.

He vanishes in thunder: then, to soft music, enter the shapes again, and dance with mops and mowes, 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,3
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

1 Pure, blameless.

Making mouths, or wry faces.

* With exact representation of their several characters: so we say, 'acted to the life.'

SHAK.

I

E.

Young Ferdinand, whom they suppose is drown'd;

And his and my loved darling.

[Exit Prospero 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, pronounced The name of Prosper; it did bass 1 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.

I'll fight their legions o'er.

Ant.

[Exit.

But one fiend at a time,

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 ecstasy?
May now provoke them to.

Adr.

Follow, I pray you.

[Exeunt.

1 Told it me in a rough bass sound.

Alienation of mind.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.

Before Prospero's cell.

Enter PROSPERO, FERDINAND, and MIRANDA.
Pro. If I have too austerely punish'd you,
Your compensation makes amends: for I
Have given you here a thread of mine own life,1
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

2

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 purchased, 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 3 shall the heavens let fall
To make this contract grow; but barren hate,

A fibre or portion of myself. 3 Sprinkling.

2 To admiration.

Sour-eyed 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, and long life,

With such love as 'tis now; the murkiest den,

The most opportune place, the strong'st suggestion 1 Our worser Genius can, shall never melt

Mine honor 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

2

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.

Ari.

Presently?

1 Temptation.

? The crew of meaner spirits.

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