Mine honour into lust; to take away

The edge of that day's celebration,

When I shall think, or Phoebus' steeds are founder'd,
Or Night kept chain'd below.

Pros.

Fairly spoke.

Sit, then, and talk with her; she is thine own.-
What, Ariel! my industrious servant, Ariel!

Enter ARIEL.

Ari. What would my potent master? here I am. Pros. Thou and thy meaner fellows your last service Did worthily perform; and I must use you

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:(91) it is my promise,
And they expect it from me.

Ari. Before you can say, "Come," and "Go,"

And breathe twice, and cry, "So, so,"

Each one, tripping on his toe,

Will be here with mop and mow.

Do you love me, master? no?

Pros. Dearly, my delicate Ariel. Do not approach Till thou dost hear me call.

Well, I conceive.

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.

Now come, my Ariel! bring a corollary,

Rather than want a spirit: appear, and pertly!—
No tongue; all eyes; be silent.

[Exit.

[Soft music.

Enter IRIS.

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 peonèd and lilied brims, (92)

Which spongy April at thy hest betrims,

To make cold nymphs chaste crowns; and thy broomgroves, (93)

Whose shadow the dismissèd 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,

Bids thee leave these; and with her sovereign grace,
Here on this grass-plot, in this very place,
To come and sport:-her peacocks(94) 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
My bosky acres and my unshrubb'd down,
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 bless'd 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

Be not afraid: I met her deity

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-rite 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 sparrows,

And be a boy right out.

Cer.

High'st queen of state,

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

Enter JUNO.

Juno. How does my bounteous sister? Go with me
To bless this twain, that they may prosperous be,
And honour'd in their issue.

SONG.

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

Cer. Earth's increase, and foison plenty,(95)
Barns and garners never empty;

Vines with clustering bunches growing;
Plants with goodly burden 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.

Let me live here ever;

So rare a wonder'd father and a wife.

Make this place Paradise. (96)

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 Naiades, of the wandering(97)

brooks,

With your sedg'd(98) crowns and ever-harmless looks,
Leave your crisp 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 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.

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.

Fer. This is most strange: your father's in some passion(99) That works him strongly.

Mir.

Never till this day

Saw I him touch'd with anger so distemper'd.

Pros. Sure,(100) you do look, my son, in a mov'd 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 :
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 wreck behind. (101) We are such stuff
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 pleas'd, 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.

Pros. [to Ariel] Come with a thought!-I thank ye [Exeunt Fer. and Mir.].-Ariel, come !(102)

Re-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 t' have told thee of it; but I fear'd

Lest I might anger thee.

Pros. Say again, where didst thou leave these varlets ?(103)
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,
Advanc'd 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,
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. (103*)

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.

I go, I go.

Ari.
Pros. A devil, a born devil, on whose nature
Nurture can never stick; on whom my pains,
Humanely taken, are all lost, quite lost;(104)

[Exit.