Or night kept chain'd below.

Pro. Fairly fpoke.

Sit then, and talk with her, he is thine own.
What, Ariel; my induftrious fervant, Arie

Enter Ariel.

Ari. What would my potent mafter? here I am. Pro. Thou and thy meaner fellows your laft fervice Did worthily perform; and I must use you

8

In fuch 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 promife,
And they expect it from me.
Ari. Prefently.

Pro. Ay, with a twink.

Ari. Before you can fay, Come, and go, And breathe twice; and cry, fo, fo;

Each one, tripping on his toe,

Will be here with mop and mow.

Do you

love me, mafter? no?

Pro. Dearly, my delicate Ariel; do not approach, 'Till thou dost hear me call.

Ari. Well, I conceive.

[Exit.

Pro. Look, thou be true; do not give dalliance

Too much the rein; the ftrongeft oaths are straw
To th' fire i'th' blood: be more abftemious,
Or elfe, good night, your vow!

Fer. I warrant you, Sir;

The white, cold, virgin fnow upon my heart
Abates the ardour of my liver.

Pro. Well.

Now come, my Ariel; bring a corollary.
Rather than want a fpirit, appear; and pertly-

The rabble.] The crew of meaner Spirits.

No

No tongue; all eyes; be filent.

[To Ferdinand. [Soft Mufick.

SCENE III.

A MAS QU E. Enter Iris.

Iris. Ceres, moft bounteous lady, thy rich leas Of wheat, rye, barley, fetches, oats, and peafe; Thy turfy mountains, where live nibling sheep, And flat meads thatch'd with ftover, them to keep; Thy banks with pinion'd, and tulip'd brims,

Which fpungy April at thy heft betrims,

To make cold nymphs chafte crowns: and thy broomgroves,

Whofe fhadow the difmiffed bachelor loves,
Being lafs-lorn; thy pole-clipt vineyard,
And thy fea marge fteril, and rocky hard,
Where thou thy felf do'ft air; the Queen o' th' fky,
Whose wat❜ry arch and meffenger am I,

Bids thee leave thefe; and with her Sov'reign Grace,
Here on this grafs-plot, in this very place,
To come and sport; her peacocks fly amain:
Approach, rich Ceres, her to entertain.

Enter Ceres.

Cer. Hail, many-colour'd meffenger, that ne'er
Do'ft difobey the wife of Jupiter:

Who, with thy faffron wings, upon my flowers.
Diffuseft honey drops, refreshing fhowers;
And with each end of thy blue bow do'ft crown
My bofky acres, and my unfhrub'd down,

Rich fcarf to my proud earth; why hath thy Queen
Summon'd me hither, to this fhort grafs'd green ?

9 No Tongue.] Those who are prefent at incantations, are obliged to be ftriéily filent, elfe, as we are afterwards told, the Spell is marred.

• With thatch'd ftover, Oxford

Edit. Stover feems to be hay laid up.

The old Edition reads pionied and twilled brims, which I do not underland.

Iris.

Iris. A contract of true love to celebrate,
And some donation freely to estate
On the blefs'd lovers.

Cer. Tell me, heav'nly bow,

If Venus or her fon, as thou do'st know,
Do now attend the Queen: fince they did plot
The means, that dufky Dis my daughter got,
Her and her blind boy's fcandal company
I have forfworn.

Iris. Of her fociety

Be not afraid; I met her deity

Cutting the clouds towards Paphos, and her fon
Dove drawn with her; here thought they to have done
Some wanton charm upon this man and maid,
Whose vows are, that no bed-right shall be paid
'Till Hymen's torch be lighted; but in vain.
Mars's hot minion is return'd again,

Her waspish headed fon has broke his arrows,
Swears, he will fhoot no more, but play with fparrows,
And be a boy right out.

Cer. High Queen of ftate,

Great Juno, comes; I know her by her gait.

[Juno defcends, and enters. Jun. How does my bounteous fifter? go with me To bless this twain, that they may profperous be, And honour'd in their iffue,

Jun. Honour, riches, marriage-blessing,

Long continuance and increafing,
Hourly joys be ftill upon you!
Juno fings her blessings on you :

Cer. Earth's increafe, and foyfon-plenty,"
Barns and garners never empty,

2 Earth's Increafe.] All the Editions, that I have ever feen, concur in placing this whole SonVOL. I.

Vines,

net to Juno: but very abfurdly, in my opinion. I believe every accurate Reader, who is acquaint

F

ed

Vines, with clufiring bunches growing,
Pl nts, with goodly burden bowing,
Spring come to you, at the fartheft,
In the very end of harvest!
Scarcity and want fhall fhun you;
Ceres' bleffing fo is on you.

Fer. This is a moft majestic vifion, and
Harmonious charmingly may I be bold
To think thefe fpirits ?

Pro. Spirits, which by mine art

I have from their confines call'd to enact
My prefent fancies.

Fer. Let me live here ever;

So rare a wonder'd father, and a wife,
Make this place paradife.

Pro. Sweet; now filence:
Juno and Ceres whisper feriously;

There's fomething else to do; hufh, and be mute,
Or elfe our spell is marr'd.

Juno and Ceres whisper, and fend Iris on employment. Iris. You nymphs, call'd Nayads, of the winding brooks,

With your fedg'd crowns, and ever-harmless looks,
Leave your crifp channels, and on this green land
Answer your summons, Juno does command:
Come, temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate
A contract of true love; be not too late.

Enter certain Nymphs.

You fun-burn'd ficklemen, of August weary,
Come hither from the furrow, and be merry;

e with poetical Hiftory, and the diftinct Offices of thefe two God. defles, and who then seriously reads over our Author's Lines,

will agree with Me, that Ceres's Name ought to have been placed where I have now prefix'd it.

THEOBAID.

Make holy-day; your rye-straw hats put on,
And these fresh nymphs encounter every one
In country footing.

Enter certain reapers, properly babited; they join with the nymphs in a graceful dance; towards the end whereof, Profpero ftarts fuddenly, and Speaks; after which, to a strange, bollow, and confufed noife, they vanish heavily.

Pro. [afide] I had forgot that foul confpiracy Of the beaft Caliban, and his'confed'rates, Against my life; the minute of their plot

Is almost come.-[To the fpirits.] Well done-avoid

no more.

Fer. This is moft ftrange; your father's in fome paffion That works him strongly.

Mira. Never 'till this day

Saw I him touch'd with anger fo diftemper❜d.
Pro. You look, my fon, in a mov'd fort,
As if you were difmay'd; be chearful, Sir:
Our revels now are ended: thele our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits, and
Are melted into air, into thin air;
And, like the bafelefs fabrick of this vifion,
The cloud-capt towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The folemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, fhall diffolve;
And, like this infubftantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind! we are fuch ftuff
As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a fleep- -Sir, I am vext;

Bear

emotion of anger on his fudden recollection of Caliban's plot. This appears from the admirable reflection he makes on the infignificancy