This mufick crept by me upon the waters; ARIEL'S SONG. • Full fathom five thy father lies, But 6 Full fathom five thy father lies, &c.] Gildon, who has pretended to criticife our Author, would give this up as an infufferable and fenfeless piece of trifling. And I believe this is the general opinion concerning it. But a very unjust one. Let us confider the business Ariel is here upon, and his manner of executing it. The Commiffion Profpero had intrufted to him, in a whisper, was plainly this; to conduct Ferdinand to the fight of Miranda, and to difpofe him to the quick fentiments of love, while he, on the other hand, prepared his daughter for the fame impreffions. Ariel fets about his bufinefs by acquainting Ferdinand, in an extraordinary manner, with the afflictive 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. Profpero had said, I find my Zenith doth depend upon A moft aufpicious flarr; whose influence In confequence of this his prefcience, he takes advantage of every favourable circumftance that the occafion offers. The principal affair is the Marriage of his daughter with young Ferdinand. But to fecure this point it was neceffary they should be contracted before the affair came to Alonzo the Father's knowledge. For Profpero was ignorant how this form and fhipwreck, caufed by him, would work upon Alonzo's temper. It might either foften him, or increase his averfion for Profpero as the author. On the other hand, to engage Ferdinand, without the confent of his Father, was difficult. For not to speak of his Quality, where fuch engagements are not made without the confent of the Sovereign, Ferdinand is represented (to fhew it a Match worth the feeking) of a moft C 4 pious But doth fuffer a fea-change, 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 found That the earth owns: I hear it now above me, Pro. 7 The fringed curtains of thine eyes advance, And fay, what thou feeft yond. Mira, pious temper and difpofition, which would prevent his contracting himfelf without his Father's knowledge. The Poet therefore, with the utmost addrefs, has made Ariel perfuade him of his Father's death to remove this Remora, which might otherwise have either ftop'd, and retarded beyond the time of action, or quite fpoiled the whole Plot. The fringed curtains of thine eyes advance, And fay, what thou feeft yond. ] The Daughters of Profpero, as they are drawn by Dryden, feem rather to have had their Education in a Court or a Playhoufe, than under the fevere precepts of a Philofopher in a Defert. But the Miranda of Shakespear is truly what the Poet gives her out. And his art in preferving the unity of her character is wonderful. We must remember what was faid in the foregoing note of Profpero's intention to make his Daughter fall in love at fight. And notwithstanding what the wits may fay, or the Pretty-fel lows think, on this occafion, it was no fuch eafy matter to bring this naturally about. Those who are the least acquainted with human nature know of what force inftitution and education are to curb and even deface the very strongest paffions and affections. She had been brought up under the rough difcipline of ftoical Morality, and misfortunes generally harden the morality of virtuous men into Stoicifm. Such a one was Profpero. And he tells us, that his daughter fully anfwered the care he bestowed upon her. So that there would be fome difficulty for nature to regain its influence fo fuddenly as the Plot required. The Poet, therefore, with infinite addrefs, caufes her to be foftened by the tender story her father told her of his misfortunes. For pity preceeds love, and Mira. What is't, a fpirit? Lord, how it looks about! believe me, Sir, Pro. No, wench, it eats, and fleeps, and hath fuch fenfes As we have, fuch. This gallant, which thou feeft, Was in the wreck: and, but he's fomething ftain'd With grief, (that's beauty's canker) thou might'ft call him A goodly perfon. He hath loft his fellows, Mira. I might call him A thing divine; for nothing natural Pro. It goes on, I see, [Afide. As my foul prompts it. Spirit, fine fpirit, I'll free thee Within two days for this. Fer. Moft fure, the Goddess 8 On whom these ayres attend! vouchfafe, my pray'r May know, if you remain upon this Island; and facilitates its entrance into the mind. But this was, evidently, infufficient. Therefore, to make the way the eafier, fhe is fup posed to be under the influence of her Father's charm, which was to diffolve, as it were, the rigid chains of virtue and obedience. This is infinuated to the Audience when Profpero, before he begins his ftory, fays 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 fleep. This is the reafon that Profpero fo often questions. her, as he proceeds in his ftory, whether the was attentive: being apprehenfive the charm might operate too quick, even before he had ended his relation. Without this interpretation his frequent repetition will appear extremely cold, and abfurd. For the fame reafon, likewife, he fays, in conclufion, Thou art inclin'd to fleep. 'Tis a good dulnefs, And give it way: I know thou can'ft not chufe. vouchsafe my pray'r May know,- 1 For, I may know. Extremely poetical; and most expreffive of the humility of the Speaker. And And that you will fome good inftruction give, If Mira. No wonder, Sir, 9 But certainly a maid. Fer. My language! heav'ns! I am the best of them that speak this speech, Pro. How? the best? What wert thou, if the King of Naples heard thee? Fer. A fingle thing, as I am now, that wonders To hear thee speak of Naples. He does hear me ; And, that he does, I weep: my felf am Naples, Who, with mine eyes (ne'er fince 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 fight, They have chang'd eyes: (delicate Ariel, I'll fet thee free for this.) A word, good Sir. I fear, you've done your felf fome wrong: a word 9 certainly a maid. ] Nothing could be more prettily imagined to illuftrate the fingularity of her character, than this pleasant mistake. She had been bred up in the rough and plaindealing documents of moral philofophy, which teaches us the knowledge of our felves: And was an utter ftranger to the flattery invented by vicious and defigning Men to corrupt the other Sex. So that it could not enter into her imagination, that complaifance and a defire of appearing amiable, qualities of humanity which he had been inftructed, in her moral leffons, to cultivate, could ever degenerate into fuch excefs, as that any one fhould be willing to have his fellow-creature believe that he thought her a Goddess or an Immortal. I controul thee,] i. e. fhew thee thy error. ་ Mira. Why fpeaks my father fo ungently? this Fer. O, if a Virgin, And your Affection not gone forth, I'll make you Pro. Soft, Sir: one word more. They're both in either's power: but this swift business I must uneafie make, left too light winning Make the prize light. charge thee, That thou attend me: The name thou ow'ft not, Sir, one word more ; I thou dost here ufurp and haft put thy felf [ple. Upon this Island, as a spy, to win it From me, the lord on't. Fer. No. as I'm a man. Mira. There's nothing ill can dwell in fuch a tem If the ill spirit have fo fair an house, Good things will ftrive to dwell with't. Pro. Follow me. Speak not you for him: he's a traitor. Come, Sea-water fhalt thou drink; thy food shall be The fresh-brook muffels, wither'd roots, and husks Wherein the acorn cradled. Fer. No, Follow. I will refift fuch entertainment, 'till Mine enemy has more power. [He draws, and is charm'd from moving. 2 Mira. O dear father, 2 Mira. O dear father, Make not too rash a tryal of him; for He's gentle, and not fearful. Make This feems to be a very odd way of expreffing her sense of her Lover's good qualities. It is certain the beauty of it is not seen at firft view. Miranda, 'till now, had never feen any Mortal (her |