THE TEMPEST. LITERARY AND HISTORICAL NOTICE. THE supernatural agency which forms so leading a feature in this fanciful play, is built (according to Mr. Warton) on the peculiar tenets of the Rosicrucian philosophy; the name of Ariel being derived from the Talmudistic mysteries with which the more learned Jews connected that science. It was one of Shakspeare's latest productions, and probably founded on some Italian novel. Warburton considers it "one of the noblest efforts of his sublime and amazing imagination:" a negative species of praise, since the pleasure which it creates arises from a boundless diversity of invention, from a continued succession of supernatural occurrences, devoid of application and destitute of moral, because the end is ootained by means beyond the ordinary compass of belief. In representation it is greatly dependent on the scenery and mechanism. The language, however, is throughout most forcible, and much of the sentiment chaste and magnificent. Caliban is an original creation; whimsical, monstrous, and impressive: but that men, saved as it were by miracle from death, should immediately plot the destruction of their companions, to obtain dominions which there was no probability of their over re-visiting, is a suggestion at variance with nature, and inconsistent with the spirit of the piece. Johnson says of The Tempest---“In a single drama are here exhibited princes, courtiers, and sailors, all speaking in their real characters. There is the agency of airy spirits, and of an earthly goblin. The operations of magic, the tumults of a storm, the adventures of a desert island, the native effusion of untaught affection, the punishment of guilt, and the final happiness of the pair for whom our passions and reason are equally interested." ALONSO, King of Naples. PROSPERO, the rightful Duke of Milan. Milan. SEBASTIAN, his Brother. ANTONIO, his Brother, the usurping Duke of ARIEL, an Airy Spirit. DRAMATIS PERSONE. Master of a Ship, Boatswain, and Mariners. IRIS, FERDINAND, Son to the King of Naples. CALIBAN, a savage and deformed Slave. TRINCULO, a Jester. STEPHANO, a drunken Butler. Other Spirits attending on PROSPERO. SCENE-The Sea with a ship: afterwards an uninhabited Island. ACT I. storm. Gon. Nay, good, be patient. Boats. When the sea is. Hence! What care these roarers for the name of king? To cabin: silence: trouble us not. Gon. Good; yet remember whom thou hast aboard. Boats. None that I more love than myself. You are a counsellor; if you can command these elements to silence, and work the peace of the present, we will not hand a rope more use your authority. If you cannot, give thanks you have lived so long, and make yourself ready in your cabin for the mischance of the bour, if it so bap,-Cheerly, good hearts.-Out of our way, I say. [Exit. Gon. I have great comfort from this fellow : methinks, he hath no drowning mark upon him; his complexion is perfect gallows. Stand fast good fate, to his hanging! make the rope of his | No more amazement: tell your piteous heart, destiny our cable, for our own doth little advan- There's no harm done. tage! If he be not born to be hanged, our case is miserable. Re-enter BOATSWAIN. [Exeunt. might'st lie drowning, The washing of ten tides ! Gon. He'll be hanged yet; thou [A confused noise within.] Mercy on us. We split, we split! Farewell, my wife and children -Farewell, brother!We split, we split, we split. Ant. Let's all sink with the king. [Erit. Seb. Let's take leave of him. (Exit. Gon. Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea, for an acre of barren ground; long heath, brown furze, any thing: The wills above be done! but I would fain die a dry death. [Exit. SCENE II.-The Island: before the Cell of PROSPERO. Enter PROSPERO and MIRANDA. Mira. If by your art, my dearest father, you have Put the wild waters in this roar, allay them: pitch, But that the sea, mounting to the welkin's cheek, Dashes the fire out. Oh! I have suffer'd Dash'd all to pieces, Oh! the cry did knock Had I been any god of power, I would Have sunk the sea within the earth, or e'er t The freighting souls within her. Mira. O woe the day! I have done nothing but in care of thee, Art ignorant of what thou art, nought know. Of whence I am; nor that I am more better Mira. More to know Did never meddle with my thoughts. I should inform thee further. Lend thy hand, The direful The very virtue of compassion in thee For thou must now know further. Begun to tell me what I am; but stopp'd Pro. The hour's now come; ber A time before we came unto this cell? I do not think thou can'st; for then thou wast not Mira. Certainly, Sir, I can. Pro. By what? by any other house, or per- Of any thing the image tell me, that And rather like a dream than an assurance else In the dark backward and abysm + of time? bere How thou cam'st here thou may'st. Pro. Twelve years since, Miranda, twelve A prince of power. Mira. Sir, are not you my father? Pro. Thy mother was a piece of virtue, and She said-thou wast my daughter; and thy father Was duke of Milan; and his only heir What foul play bad we, that we Or blessed was't we did? Pro. Both, both, my girl: came from By foul play, as thou say'st, were we heav'd thence; But blessedly holp hither. Mira. O my heart bleeds To think o' the teen that I have turn'd you to, Which is from my remembrance! Please you | Of homage, and I know not how much tri further. Pro. My brother, and thy uncle, call'd tonio, I pray thee mark me,-that a brother should Be so perfidious -he whom, next thyself, Of all the world I lov'd, and to him put The manage of my state; as, at that time, Through all the signiories it was the first, bute, An- Should presently extirpate me and mine The gates of Milan; and, i' the dead of dark- And Prospero the prime duke; being so re- The ministers for the purpose hurried thence puted one, Who, having, unto truth, by telling of it, Mira. Your tale, Sir, would cure deafness. Pro. To have no screen between this part he play'd And him he play'd it for, needs be will be Absolute Milan: Me, poor man-my library Was dukedom large enough; of temporal royalties He thinks me now incapable: confederates To give him annual tribute, do him homage; Mira. O the heavens ! Me and thy crying self. Mira, Alack, for pity! 1, not rememb'ring how I cried out then, Will cry it o'er again; it is a hint, • That wrings mine eyes. Pro. Hear a little further, And then I'll bring thee to the present busi ness Which now's upon us; without the which, this story Were most impertinent. Mira. Wherefore did they not That hour destroy us? Pro. Well demanded, wench; My tale provokes that question. Dear, they durst not; (So dear the love my people bore me) nor set A rotten carcass of a boat, not rigg'd, Mira. Alack! what trouble Was I then to you! Pro. Oh! a cherubim Thou wast, that did preserve me! Thou didst smile, Infused with a fortitude from heaven, When I have deck'd the sea with drops full salt; Under my burden groan'd; which raised in me An undergoing stomach, to bear up Mira. How came we ashore? Some food we had, and some fresh water, that Out of his charity, (who being then appointed tleness, Knowing I lov'd my books, he furnish'd me, Pro. Now I arise: Sit still, and hear the last of our sea sorrow, Than otlier princes can, that have more time pray you, Sir, (For still 'tis beating in my mind,) your reasou For raising this sea-storm? Pro. Know thus far forth. By accident most strange, bountiful fortune, A most auspicious star; whose influence |