Gon. All three of them are desperate; their great guilt, Like poison given to work a great time after, 7 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. SCENE I.-Before PROSPERO's Cell. Enter PROSPERO, FERDINAND, and MIRANDA. Prospero. IF I have too austerely punish'd you, Your compensation makes amends; for I 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, Do not smile at me, that I boast her off, For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise, Fer. I do believe it, Against an oracle. Pro. Then, as my gift, and thine own acquisition With full and holy rite be minister'd, No sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall Fer. As I hope For quiet days, fair issue, and long life, [7] The natives of Africa have been supposed to be possessed of the secret how to temper poisons with such art as not to operate till several years after they were administered. Their drugs were then as certain in their effect, as subtle in their preparation. STEEV. 12 VOL. I. With such love as 'tis now; the murkiest den, Mine honour into lust; to take away When I shall think, or Phœbus' steeds are founder'd, Pro. Fairly spoke : Sit then, and talk with her, she is thine own.- Ari. What would my potent master? here I am. In such another trick: go, bring the rabble, O'er whom I give thee power, here, to this place : Ari. Presently? Pro. Ay, with a twink. Ari. Before you can say, Come, and go, And breathe twice; and cry, so, so ; 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. Ari. Well I conceive. Pro. Look, thou be true; do not give dalliance [Exit. Too much the rein; the strongest oaths are straw Fer. I warrant you, sir; The white-cold virgin snow upon my heart Pro. Well. Now come, my Ariel; bring a corollary, 8 Rather than want a spirit: appear and pertly. No tongue; all eyes; be silent.9 [Soft music. [8] Corollary-surplus. Bring more than are sufficient, rather than fail for want of numbers. STEEV. [9] Those who are present at incantations are obliged to be strictly silent, « else," as we are afterwards told, "the spell is marred." JOHNSON. A masque. Enter IRIS. Iris. Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas Which spongy April at thy hest betrims, To make cold nymphs chaste crowns; and thy broom groves, Whose shadow the dismissed bachelor loves, Bids thee leave these; and with her sov'reign grace, Enter CERES. Cer. Hail, many-colour'd messenger, that ne'er Who, with thy saffron wings, upon my flowers Rich scarf to my proud earth; Why hath thy queen And some donation freely to estate On the bless'd lovers. Cer. Tell me, heavenly bow, If Venus, or her son, as thou dost know, Do now attend the queen? since they did plot Iris. Of her society Be not afraid; I met her deity Cutting the clouds towards Paphos ; and her son [1] Bosky-woody. Bosky acres are fields divided from each other by hedge-rows. Boscus is middle Latin for wood. Bosquet, Fr. STEEV. Whose vows are, that no bed-rite shall be paid Her waspish-headed son has broke his arrows, Swears he will shoot no more, but play with sparrows, And be a boy right out. Cer. Highest queen of state, Great Juno comes; I know her by her gait. Enter JUNO. Juno. How does my bounteous sister? Go with me, To bless this twain, that they may prosperous be, And honour'd in their issue. SONG. Juno. Honour, riches, marriage-blessing, Cer. Earth's increase, and foizon plenty, Scarcity, and want, shall shun you ; Fer. This is a most majestic vision, and Pro. Spirits, which by mine art I have from their confines call'd to enact Fer. Let me live here ever; So rare a wonder'd father, and a wife, Make this place a paradise. [JUNO and CERES whisper, and send IRIS on employ ment. Pro. Sweet now, silence; Juno and Ceres whisper seriously; There's something else to do: hush, and be mute, Iris. You nymphs, call'd Naiads, of the wand'ring brooks, With your sedg'd crowns, and ever-harmless looks, Leave your crisp channels, and on this green land Enter certain Nymphs. You sun-burn'd sicklemen, of August weary, Enter certain Reapers, properly habited: they join with the Nymphs in a graceful dance; towards the end whereof PROSPERO starts suddenly, and speaks ; after which, to a strange, hollow, and confused noise, they heavily vanish. Pro. [Aside.] I had forgot that foul conspiracy Is almost come.—[To the Spirits.] Well done;— Fer. This is most strange: your father's in some passion That works him strongly. Mira. Never till this day, Saw I him touch'd with anger so distemper'd. Pro. You do look, my son, in a mov'd sort, And, like the baseless fabric of this vision, If you be pleas'd, retire into my cell, [6] Rack-the last fleeting vestige of the on account of their distance and tenuity. tack, is now termed by sailors-the scud. 12* VOL. 1. highest clouds, scarce perceptible What was anciently called the STEEV. |