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.

[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,
With your sedged crowns and ever-harmless looks,
Leave your crisp channels, and on this green land
Answer your summons; Juno does command :

125

130

Come, temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate
A contract of true love; be not too late.

Enter certain Nymphs.

You sunburn'd 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.

135

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

140

Is almost come. [To the Spirits.] Well done! avoid; no

more!

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.

As I foretold you, were all

These our actors,

pirits, and

145

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

155

As dreams are made on;

and our little life

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.

We wish your peace.

160

[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.

151 this vision] F1. their vision

th' air visions Warburton. 156 rack] F3F4. racke F1F2

2F3F4

track

Hanmer. wreck Dyce (Malone / conj.). scrap Cartwright conj. wrack Keightley.

157 on] of Steevens (1793). little] brittle Anon, conj. 161 you] thou Rowe (ed. 2). 163 mind] heart Gould conj. your] F1F2F3. you F4

164 Come...come.] [to Ariel] Come with

L

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165

a thought! I thank ye [Exeunt Fer. and Mir.] - Ariel, come! Dyce (ed. 2).

I thank thee, Ariel: come.] I thank you:-Ariel, come. Theobald. I thank ye-Ariel, come. Capell. Enter Ariel.] Ff. Prospero comes forward from the Cell; enter Ariel to him. Theobald.

165, 166 Spirit,... Caliban] As in Theobald. One line in Ff.

169 Lest] F4. Least F1F2F3.

Pros. Say again, where didst thou leave these varlets? Ari. I told you, sir, they were red-hot with drinking;

172

175

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,
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 shape invisible retain thou still :

The trumpery in my house, go bring it hither,

For stale to catch these thieves.

Ari.

I go, I go.

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 plagre them all,

Even to roaring.

185

[Exit.

190

Re-enter ARIEL, loaden with glistering apparel, &c.
Come, hang them on this line.

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

Cal. Pray you, tread softly, that the blind mole may not Hear a foot fall: we now are near his cell.

195

Ste. Monster, your fairy, which you say is a harmless fairy, has done little better than played the Jack with us. Trin. Monster, I do smell all horse-piss; at which my nose is in great indignation.

Ste. So is mine. Do you hear, monster? If I should

take a displeasure against you, look you,

Trin. Thou wert but a lost monster.

Cal. Good my lord, give me thy favour still. Be patient, for the prize I'll bring thee to Shall hoodwink this mischance: therefore speak softly. All's hush'd as midnight yet.

201

206

Trin. Ay, but to lose our bottles in the pool, Ste. There is not only disgrace and dishonour in that, monster, but an infinite loss.

Trin. That's more to me than my wetting: yet this is your harmless fairy, monster.

211

Ste. I will fetch off my bottle, though I be o'er ears for my labour.

Cal. Prithee, my king, be quiet. See'st thou here, This is the mouth o' the cell: no noise, and enter. Do that good mischief which may make this island

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