This musick crept by me upon the waters ;
Allaying both their fury and my passion,
With its sweet air ; thence I have follow'd it,
Or it hath drawn me rather but 'tis gone.
No, it begins again.

ARIEL's SON G.
6 Full fathom five thy father lies,

Of bis bones are coral made :
Those are pearls, that were his eyes ;

Nothing of him that doth fade,

But

6 Full fathom five thy father lies, &c.] Gildon, who has pretended to criticise our Author, give this up as an infufferable and senseless piece of trifling. And I believe this is the general opinion concerning it. But a very unjust one. Let us consider the business Ariel is here upon, and his manner of executing it. The Commission Prospero had intrusted to him, in a whisper, was plainly this ; to conduct Ferdinand to the fight of Miranda, and to dispose him to the quick sentiments of love, while he, on the other hand, prepared his daughter for the same impressions. Ariel fets about his business by acquainting Ferdinand, in an extraordinary manner, with the amictive news of his father's death. A very odd Apparatus, one would think, for a love-fit. And yet as odd as it appears, the Poet has fhewn in it the finest conduct for carrying on his plot. Prospero had said,

I find my Zenith doth depend upon
A most auspicious flarr; whose influence
If now I court not, but omit, my Fortunes

Will ever after droop. In consequence of this his prescience, he takes advantage of every favourable circumstance that the occasion offers. The principal affair is the Marriage of his daughter with young Ferdinand. But to secure this point it was necessary they should be contracted before the affair came to Alonzo the Father's knowledge. For Prospero was ignorant how this form and shipwreck, cau

fed by him, would work upon

It might either foften him, or in. crease his aversion for Prospero as the author. On the other hand, to engage Ferdinand, without the consent of his Father, was difficult. For not to speak of his Quality, where such engagements are not made without the consent of the Sovereign, Ferdinand is represented (to Thew it a Match worth the seeking) of a most

pious

Alonzo's temper.

C4

But doth suffer a sea-change,
Into something rich and strange.
Sea-nymphs bourly ring bis knell.
Hark, now I hear them, ding-dong, bell.

[Burthen : ding-dong.
Fer. The ditty does remember my drown'd father ;
This is no mortal business, nor no sound
That the earth owns ; I hear it now above me,

S CE N E VI. Pro. 7 The fringed curtains of thine eyes advance, And say, what thou seest yond.

Mira,

pious temper and disposition, which would prevent his contracting himself without his Father's knowledge. The Poet therefore, with the utmost address, has made Ariel persuade him of his Father's death to remove this Remora, which might otherwise have either stop'd, and retarded beyond the time of action, or quite spoiled the whole Plot.

7 The fringed curtains of thine eyes advance,

And say, what thou feel yond. ] The Daughters of Prospero, as they are drawn by Dryden, seem rather to have had their Education in a Court or a Playhouse, than under the severe precepts of a Philosopher in a Desert. But the Miranda of Shakespear is truly what the Poet gives her out. And his art in preserving the unity of her character is wonderful. We must remember what was said in the foregoing note of Prospero's intention to make his Daughter fall in love at fight. And no withstanding what the wits may fay, or the Pretty-fellows think, on this occafion, it was no such easy matter to bring this naturally about. Those who are the least acquainted with human nature know of what force institution and education are to curb and even deface the very strongest passions and affections. She had been brought up under the rough discipline of stoical Morality, and misfortunes generally harden the morality of virtuous men into Stoicism. Such a one was Prospero. And he tells us, that his daughter fully answered the care he bestowed upon her. So that there would be some difficulty for nature to regain its inMuence so suddenly as the Plot required. The Poet, therefore, with infinite address, causes her to be softened by the tender story her father told her of his misfortunęs. For pity preceeds love,

and

Mira. What is't, a spirit ? Lord, how it looks about! believe me, Sir, It carries a brave form. But 'tis a spirit. Pro. No, wench, it eats, and sleeps, and hath

such senses As we have, such. This gallant, which thou seest, Was in the wreck : and, but he's something stain'd With grief, (that's beauty's canker) thou might'st

call him
A goodly person. He hath lost his fellows,
And strays about to find 'em.

Mira. I might call him
A thing divine; for nothing natural
I ever saw so noble.
Pro. It goes on, I see,

[ Afide. As my soul prompts it. Spirit, fine fpirit, Ull free

thee Within two days for this.

Fer. Most sure, the Goddess On whom these ayres attend ! : vouchsafe, my pray’r May know, if you remain upon this INand; and facilitates its entrance into the mind. But this was, evidently, insufficient. Therefore, to make the way the easier, she is sup. posed to be under the influence of her father's charm,

which was to dissolve, as it were, the rigid chains of virtue and obedience. This is infinuated to the Audience when Prospero, before he begins his story, says to her,

Lend thy hand And pluck this magick garment from me. The touch communicated the charm, and its efficacy was to lay her to sleep. This is the reason that Prospero so often questions her, as he proceeds in his story, whether she was attentive: being apprehensive the charm might operate too quick, even before he had ended his relation. Without this interpretation his frequent repetition will appear extremely cold, and absurd. For the same reason, likewise, he says, in conclusion,

Thou art inclin'd to feep. 'Tis a good dulness,
And give it way: I know thou can'ft not chuse.

vouchsafe my pray'r May know, ] For, I may know. Extremely poetical ; and most expressive of the humility of the Speaker.

And

And that you will some good instruction give,
How I may bear me here : my prime request
(Which I do laft pronounce).is, you wonder !
If you be made or no?

Mira. No wonder, Sir,
But 9 certainly a maid.

Fer. My language! heav'ns!
I am the best of them that speak this speech,
Were I but where 'tis spoken!

Pro. How? the best?
What wert thou, if the King of Naples heard thee?

Fer. A single thing, as I am now, that wonders To hear thee speak of Naples. He does hear me ; And, that he does, I weep: my self am Naples, Who, with mine eyes (ne'er since at ebb) beheld The King my father wreckt.

Mira. Alack, for mercy !

Fer. Yes, faith, and all his lords: the Duke of Milan, And his brave fon, being twain. Pro. The Duke of Milan,

(thee, And his more braver daughter, could ' controul If now ’twere fit to do't: --At the first sight, They have chang'd eyes : (delicate Ariel, I'll fet thee free for this.) À word, good Sir. I fear, you've done your self some wrong: a word

Mira. Why speaks my father so ungently? this
Is the third man, that I e'er saw; the first,
That e'er I sigh'd for. Pity move my father
To be inclin'd my way!

Fer. O, if a Virgin,
And your Affection not gone forth, I'll make you
The Queen of Naples.

Pro. Soft, Sir : one word more.
They're both in either's power: but this swift business
I must uneasie make, left too light winning
Make the prize light. Sir, one word more ;

I charge thee, That thou attend me:-thou dost here ufurp The name thou ow'ft not, and hast put thy self Upon this Island, as a spy, to win it From me, the lord on't. Fer, No. as I'm a man.

[ple. Mira. There's nothing ill can dwell in such a temIf the ill spirit have fo fair an house, Good things will strive to dwell with’t.

Pro. Follow me.
Speak not you for him : he's a traitor. Come,
I'll manacle thy neck and feet together ;
Sea-water shalt thou drink ; thy food shall be
The fresh-brook muffels, wither'd roots, and husks
Wherein the acorn cradled. Follow,

Fer. No,
I will resist such entertainment, 'till
Mine enemy has more power.

[He draws, and is charm'd from moving. 2 Mira. O dear father,

Make

2 Mira. O dear father,
Make not too rash a tryal of him ; for

He's gentle, and not fearful.
This seems to be a very odd way of expressing her sense of her
Lover's good qualities. It is certain the beauty of it is not seen
at first view. Miranda, 'till now, had never seen any

Mortal

(her