When I have deck'd the fea with drops full falt; Against what should enfue. Mira. How came we a-fhore? up Some food we had, and fome fresh water, that Out of his charity, being then appointed Mira. Would I might But ever see that man! Pro. Now, I arife: Sit ftill, and hear the laft of our fea forrow. Have I, thy fchool-mafter, made thee more profit Mira. Heaven's thank you for't! And now, I pray (For ftill 'tis beating in my mind) your reafon For raifing this fea-storm? Pro. Know thus far forth, By accident most strange, bountiful fortune, 5- deck'd the Sea.] To deck the Sea, it explained, to honour, adorn, or dignify, is indeed ridiculous, but the original import of the Verb deck is, to cover; fo in fome Parts they yet fay deck the Table: This Senfe may be born, but perhaps the Poct wrote fleck'd, which I think is ftill uted of Drops falling upon Water. Dr. Warburton reads mock'd, the Oxford Euition brack'd. A most A moft aufpicious ftar; whofe influence If now I court not, but omit, my fortunes And give it way-afide. I know thou canst not chufe- SCENE III. Enter Ariel. Ari. All hail, great mafter! grave Sir, hail! I come To answer thy beft pleafure: Be't to fly; On the curl'd clouds: to thy ftrong bidding task Pro. Haft thou, fpirit, Perform'd to point the tempeft that I bad thee? I boarded the King's fhip: now on the beak, 7 6 Dr. Warburton rightly obferves, that this Sleepinefs which Profpero by his Art had brought upon Miranda, and of which he knew not how foon the Effect would begin, makes him queftion her fo often whether he is attentive to his Story. 7 The Beak was a strong pointed Body at the Head of the ancient Gallies; it is ufed here for the Forecastle, or the Bolt-sprit. The Part between the Quarter deck and the Forecaitle. Yea, his dread trident fhake. Pro. My brave spirit! Who was fo firm, le conant, that this coyle Ari. Not a foul But felt a fever of the mad, and plaid Some tricks of defperation: all, but mariners, Pro. Why, that's my spirit! On their fufaining garments not a blemish, Pro. Of the King's fhip The riners, fa., how thou haft difpos'd, iri. Safely in harbour Is the King's fhip in the deep nook, where once Thou call'd't me up at midnight, to fetch dew From the ftill-vext Bermoothes. There's fhe's hid, ' The Mariners and all under hatchets ftow'd, Suppofing, that they faw the King's fhip wreckt, Pro. Ariel, thy charge Exactly is perform'd; but there's more work. Ari. Paft the mid season. 2 Pro. At least two glaffes; the time 'twixt fix and now Muft by us both be fpent most preciously. Ari. Is there more toil? fince thou doft give me pains, Let me remember thee what thou haft promis'd, Pro. How now ? moody? What is't thou can't demand? Pro. Before the time be out? no more. Ari. I pr'ythee, Remember, I have done thee worthy service; WARBURTON. 2 This Paffage needs not be difturbed, it being common to ask a Question which the next Moment enables us to answer; he that thinks it faulty may eafily adjust it thus: fays, The Devil fhould think of lying fhallowly hid under the purchafing that Eggshell to victual Surface of the Water. out a Witch for the Bermoothes. Smith, in his Account of these lflands, p. 172. fays, that the Bermudas were fo fearful to the World, that many call'd them the Ifle of Devils.-P. 174.-to all Seamen no less terrible than an inchanted Den of Furies. And no wonder, for the Clime was extremely fubject to Storms and Hurricanes; and the Iflands were furrounded with scattered Rocks Profp. What is the Time o'th' now With Without or grudge, or grumblings; thou didst promise To bate me a full year. Pro. Doft thou forget 3 From what a torment I did free thee? Ari. No. Pro. Thou doft; and think'ft it much to tread the ooze Of the falt deep; 3 That the Character and Conduct of Profpero may be underflood, fomething must be known of the Syftem of Enchantment, which fupplied all the Marvellous found in the Romances of the middle Ages. This Syftem feems to be founded on the Opinion that the fallen Spirits, having different degrees of Guilt, had different habitations allotted them at theirExpulfion, fome being confined in Hell. fome, as Hooker, who delivers the Opinion of our Po. et's Age, expreffes it, difperfed in Air, fome on Earth. fome in Wa. ter, others in Caves, Dens or Minerals under the Earth. Of thefe fome were more malignant and mifchievous than others. The earthy Spirits feem to have been thought the moft depraved, and the aerial the leaft vitiated. Thus Profpero obferves of Ariel, Thou waft a Spirit too delicate To act her earthy and abhorred Commands. Over thefe Spirits a Power might be obtained by certain rites performed or Charms learned. This Power was called the Black Art, or Knowledge of Enchantment. The Enchanter being, as King James obferves in his Demonology, VOL. I. The one who commands the Devil, whereas the Witch ferves him. Those who thought beft of this Art, the exiflence of which was, I am afraid, believed very ferioufly, held that certain Sounds and Characters had a phyfical Power over fpirits, and compelled their Agency; others who condemned the Practice, which in reality was furely never practifed, were of Opinion, with more Reason, that the Power of Charms arofe only from compact, and was no more than the Spirits voluntary allowed them for the Seduction of Man. Art was held by all, though not equally criminal, yet unlawful; and therefore Caufabon Speaking of one who had Commerce with Spirits, blames him, though he imagines him one of the beft Kind who dealt with them by Way of Command. Thus Profpero sepents of his Art in the lait Scene. dered as in fome Measure enThe Spirits were always confiflaved to the Enchanter, at least for a Time, and as ferving with Unwillingness, therefore Ariel fo often begs for Liberty; and Caliban obferves that the Spirits ferve Profpero with no good Will, but hate him rootedly.. thefe Trifles enough. C Of Το |