ALON. Hence, and bestow your luggage where you found it.

To

SEB. Or ftole it, rather.

[Exeunt CAL. STE. and TRIN. PRO. Sir, I invite your highness, and your train, my poor cell where you fhall take your reft For this one night; which (part of it,) I'll waste With fuch difcourfe, as, I not doubt, fhall make it Go quick away: the ftory of my life,

And the particular accidents, gone by,
Since I came to this ifle: And in the morn,
I'll bring you to your fhip, and fo to Naples,
Where I have hope to fee the nuptial
Of these our dear-beloved folemniz'd;
And thence retire me to my Milan, where
Every third thought shall be my grave.

ALON.
I long
To hear the ftory of your life, which must
Take the ear strangely.

PRO.
I'll deliver all;
And promise you calm feas, aufpicious gales,
And fail fo expeditious, that fhall catch
Your royal fleet far off.-My Ariel ;-chick,-
That is thy charge; then to the elements

Be free, and fare thou well!-[afide.] Please you,
draw near.
[Exeunt.

EPILOGU E.

SPOKEN BY PROSPERO.

NOW my charms are all o'erthrown,
And what strength I have's mine own ;
Which is most faint: now, 'tis true,
I must be bere confin'd by you,
Or fent to Naples: Let me not,
Since I have my dukedom got,
And pardon'd the deceiver, dwell
In this bare ifland, by your Spell;
But releafe me from my bands,
With the help of your good hands.3
Gentle breath of yours my fails
Muft fill, or elfe my project fails,
Which was to please: Now I want
Spirits to enforce, art to enchant;
And
my ending is defpair,

Unless I be reliev'd by prayer ;*

3 With the help of your good hands.] By your applaufe, by clapping hands. JOHNSON.

Noise was supposed to diffolve a spell. So twice before in this

play:

Again:

"No tongue; all eyes; be filent.”

"Or else our spell is marr'd.”

Again, in Macbeth, Act IV. fc. i:

"Hear his fpeech, but fay thou nought."

Again, ibid.

Liften, but speak not to't." STEEVENS.

And my ending is despair,

Unless I be reliev'd by prayer;] This alludes to the old ftories told of the defpair of necromancers in their laft moments, and of the efficacy of the prayers of their friends for them. WARBURTON.

Which pierces fo, that it affaults
Mercy itself, and frees all faults.

As you from crimes would pardon'd be,
Let your indulgence fet me free.s

It is obferved of The Tempeft, that its plan is regular; this the author of The Revifal thinks, what I think too, an accidental effect of the ftory, not intended or regarded by our author. But, whatever might be Shakspeare's intention in forming or adopting the plot, he has made it inftrumental to the production of many characters, diverfified with boundlefs invention, and preferved with profound skill in nature, extenfive knowledge of opinions, and accurate obfervation of life. In a fingle drama are here exhibited princes, courtiers, and failors, all fpeaking in their real characters. There is the agency of airy fpirits, and of an earthly goblin. The operations of magick, the tumults of a ftorm, the adventures of a defert island, the native effufion of untaught affection, the punishment of guilt, and the final happiness of the pair for whom our paffions and reafon are equally interefted.

JOHNSON.

TWO GENTLEMEN

OF

VERON A.*