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.

Pros. Ay, with a twink.

Presently?

Ari. Before you can say 'come' and 'go,'
And breathe twice and cry 'so, so,'

Each one, tripping on his toe,

40

Will be here with mop* and mow.† *Nod.
Do you love me, master? no?

† Grimace.

Pros. Dearly, my delicate Ariel. Do not approach

Till thou dost hear me call.

Well, I conceive. [Exit. 50

Ari.
Pros. Look thou be true; do not give dalliance
Too much the rein: the strongest oaths are straw
To the fire i' the blood: be more abstemious,

Or else, good night your vow!
Fer.
I warrant you, sir;
The white cold virgin snow upon my heart
Abates the ardour of my liver.

Well.

*Surplus.

Pros.
Now come, my Ariel! bring a corollary,*
Rather than want a spirit: appear, and pertly!
No tongue! all eyes! be silent.

Enter IRIS.

[Soft music.

Iris. Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas Of wheat, rye, barley, vetches, oats and pease; Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep, And flat meads thatch'd with stover,* them to keep; Thy banks with pioned and twilled‡ brims, *Fodder. Which spongy April at thy hest? betrims, †Digged. To make cold nymphs chaste crowns; and thy broom-groves,

Doubtful word. ¿Command.

Whose shadow the dismissed bachelor loves,
Being lass-lorn;|| thy pole-clipt vineyard;
And thy sea-marge, sterile and rocky-hard,

Where thou thyself dost air;-the queen o' the sky,
Whose watery arch and messenger am I,

71

Bids thee leave these, and with her sovereign

Deserted by a mistress.

grace,
Here on this grass-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 messenger, that ne'er Dost disobey the wife of Jupiter;

Who with thy saffron wings upon my flowers
Diffusest honey-drops, refreshing showers,

And with each end of thy blue bow dost crown 80
My bosky* acres and my unshrubb'd down, *Woody.
Rich scarf to my proud earth; why hath thy queen
Summon'd me hither, to this short-grass'd green?
Iris. A contract of true love to celebrate;
And some donation freely to estate

On the blest lovers.

Cer. Tell me, heavenly bow, If Venus or her son, as thou dost know, Do now attend the queen? Since they did plot The means that dusky Dis my daughter got, Her and her blind boy's scandal'd company I have forsworn.

Iris.

Of her society Be not afraid: I met her deity

90

Cutting the clouds towards Paphos and her son 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 son has broke his arrows, Swears he will shoot no more but play with spar

rows

And be a boy right out.

Cer.

High'st queen of state, Great Juno, comes; I know her by her gait.

Enter JUNO.

100

Juno. How does my bounteous sister? Go

with me

To bless this twain, that they may prosperous be And honour'd in their issue.

[They sing:

Juno. Honour, riches, marriage-blessing,
Long continuance, and increasing,
Hourly joys be still upon you!
Juno sings her blessings on you.

Cer.

ΙΙΟ

Earth's increase, foison* plenty,
Barns and garners never empty, *Abundance.
Vines with clustering bunches growing,
Plants with goodly burthen bowing;
Spring come to you at the farthest
In the very end of harvest!

Scarcity and want shall shun you;
Ceres' blessing so is on you.

Fer. This is a most majestic vision, and
Harmonious charmingly. May I be bold
To think these spirits?

Pros.

Spirits, which by mine art
I have from their confines call'd to enact
My present fancies.

Fer.

So rare a wonder'd* father and a wife

I 20

*Marvellously gifted.

Let me live here ever;

Makes this place Paradise.

Pros.

[Juno and Ceres whisper, and send

Iris on employment. Sweet, now, silence!

Juno and Ceres whisper seriously;

There's something else to do: hush, and be mute, Or else our spell is marr'd.

Iris. You nymphs, call'd Naiads, of the windring* brooks, *Winding. With your sedged crowns and ever-harmless looks, Leave your crispt 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.

†Winding.

You sunburnt sicklemen, of August weary,
Come hither from the furrow and be merry:
Make holiday; your rye-straw hats put on

And these fresh nymphs encounter every one
In country footing.

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. Pros. [Aside] I had forgot that foul conspiracy Of the beast Caliban and his confederates Against my life: the minute of their plot Is almost come. [To the Spirits.] Well done! avoid; no more!

140

Fer. This is strange: your father's in some passion

That works him strongly.

Mir. Never till this day Saw I him touch'd with anger so distemper'd. Pros. You do look, my son, in a moved sort,

As if you were dismay'd: be cheerful, sir.

Our revels now are ended. These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits and
Are melted into air, into thin air:

150

And, like the baseless fabric of this vision,

The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces,

The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack* behind. We are such stuff
As dreams are made on, and our little life *Wreck.
Is rounded† with a sleep. Sir, I am vex'd;
Bear with my weakness; my old brain is troubled:
Be not disturb'd with my infirmity:

If you be pleased, retire into my cell
And there repose: a turn or two I'll walk,

To still my beating mind.

Fer. Mir.

160

+Finished.

We wish your peace. [Exeunt. Pros. Come with a thought. I thank thee, Ariel: come.

Enter ARIEL.

Ari. Thy thoughts I cleave to. What's thy pleasure?

Pros.

We must prepare to meet with Caliban.

Spirit,

Ari. Ay, my commander: when I presented
Ceres,

I thought to have told thee of it, but I fear'd
Lest I might anger thee.

Pros. Say again, where didst thou leave these varlets?

170

Ari. I told you, sir, they were red-hot with drinking;

So full of valour that they smote the air
For breathing in their faces; beat the ground
For kissing of their feet; yet always bending
Towards their project. Then I beat my tabor:*
At which, like unback'd colts, they prick'd their

ears,

*Small side-drum.

Advanced their eyelids, lifted up their noses
As they smelt music: so I charm'd their ears
That calf-like they my lowing follow'd through
Tooth'd briers, sharp furzes, pricking goss and

thorns,

180

Which enter'd their frail shins: at last I left them
I',the filthy-mantled pool beyond your cell,
There dancing up to the chins, that the foul lake
O'erstunk their feet.

Pros.
This was well done, my bird.
Thy sha invisible retain thou still:
The trum,
pery in my house, go bring it hither,
For stale* to catch these thieves.

*Decoy.

Ari.
I go, I go.[Exit.
Pros. A devil, a born devil, on whose nature
Nurture can never stick; on whom my pains,
Humanely taken, all, all lost, quite lost;
And as with age his body uglier grows,
So his mind cankers. I will plague them all,
Even to roaring.

Re-enter ARIEL, loaden with glistering ap-
parel, &c.

Come, hang them on this line.

190

PROSPERO and ARIEL remain, invisible. Enter CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO, all wet.