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Since I came to this ifle: And in the morn,
I'll bring you to your fhip, and fo to Naples,
Where I have hope to fee the nuptials
Of these our dear beloved folemniz'd;
And thence retire me to my Milan, where
Every third thought fhall be my grave.
Alon. I long

To hear the ftory of your life, which muft
Take the ear ftrangely.

Pro. I'll deliver all;

And promife you calm feas, aufpicious gales,
And fail fo expeditious, that fhall catch
Your royal fleet far off. —My Ariel;-chick,
That is thy charge: then to the elements

Afide.

Be free, and fare thou well!-Pleafe you, draw near.

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EPILOGUE.

SPOKEN BY PROSPERO.

NOW my charms are all o’érthrown,
And what ftrength I have's mine own,
Which is most faint: now, 'tis true,
I must be here confin'd by you,
Or fent to Naples: Let me not,
Since I have my dukedom got,
And pardon'd the deceiver, dwell
In this bare ifland, by your fpell;
But releafe me from my bands,
3 With the help of your good hands.
Gentle breath of yours, my fails
Muft fill, or elfe my project fails,
Which was to please: Now I want
Spirits to enforce, art to enchant:
• And my ending is despair,
Unless I be reliev'd by prayer,

Which

3 With the help, &c.] By your applaufe, by clapping hands.

JOHNSON.

Noife was fuppofed to diffolve a spell. So twice before in this

play:

"No tongue; all eyes; be filent."

Again: "

-hush! be mute,

"Or else our spell is marr'd." STEEVENS.

4 And my ending is defpair,

Unless I be reliev'd by prayer;] This alludes to the old stories told of the defpair of necromancers in their last moments, and of the efficacy of the prayers of their friends for them.

WARBURTON.

Which pierces fo, that it affaults
Mercy itself, and frees all faults.

As you from crimes would pardon'd be,
Let your indulgence fet me free!

It is obferved of The Tempeft, that its plan is regular; this the author of The Revifal thinks, what I think too, an accidental effect of the story, not intended or regarded by our author. But whatever might be Shakespeare's intention in forming or adopting the plot, he has made it inftrumental to the production of many characters, diverfified with boundless invention, and preferved with profound kill in nature, extenfive knowledge of opinions, and accurate obfervation of life. In a fingle drama are here exhibited princes, courtiers, and failors, all speaking in their real characters. There is the agency of airy fpirits, and of an earthly goblin. The operations of magick, the tumults of a storm, the adventures of a defart island, the native effufion of untaught affection, the punishment of guilt, and the final happiness of the pair for whom our paffions and reafon are equally interested.

JOHNSON.

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TWO GENTLEMEN

O F

VERON A.

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