University of Virginia Library

ACT V.

SCENE I.

A RETIRED GROVE.
Enter Caliban,
CALIBAN.
Where can my mistress and that jay be hid?
I can find neither! and could tear myself
For letting them, so dolt-like, both escape!
Had I kept either, she might have suffic'd;
Though my own mistress liefer would I clip!
Nor can I spy my dam! I hop'd t' have seen
The wond'rous spirit, when we reach'd the land,
Destroy that tyrant Prosper! or, while-ere,
I had done't upon the sea! but, what comes now?
Methinks I hear a foot-fall in yon dell;
Perchance it is my mistress;—that it may!
I will enbush me! then, should she approach,
Like cat-a-mountain springing, seize my prey!

Enter Miranda.
MIRANDA.
Whither, ah whither shall I bend my steps,
To seek my straying father and dear lord?
Or hide me from—Protect me, heav'n! I'm caught!

CALIBAN.
'Scape if thou can'st again! thou now art mine,
'Spite of those chattering and deceitful apes;
Who would have talk'd me out of thee, my right!
Or that much finer, but less beauteous, she.

MIRANDA.
Be gentle, Caliban!—gripe not so hard!
Lest with your talons my frail skin you tear!

CALIBAN.
I cannot harm thee!—tho' I meant thee scathe,
In punishment for thy late scornful flouts!
Be thou but kind, I will be so to thee!

MIRANDA.
Alack, alack! when was I otherwise?

CALIBAN.
Full oft to me! although I ever lov'd
And fondled thee!—when first into my isle
Prosper, a puling babe, Miranda brought;
Weeping through hunger, shiv'ring with bleak winds;
I lick'd the tears from thy frore, blubber'd cheeks,
Nousled and chafed thee in my hairy arms,
Hugging thee close as the dam ape her cub;
Fed thee with eggs;—into thy coral mouth
From the goat's dug press'd the warm, fost'ring milk;
Of thistle-down and goss'mer made thy bed;
Then hush'd and lullaby'd thee to thy sleep,
And lack'd my own that thine might be secure.

MIRANDA.
I ever strove to thank thee for't; and still,
As from my father speech and sense I learn'd,
Delighted in imparting both to thee!
I never laid upon thee harsh command;
Assisted always to trim up our cell;
And in each look, word, deed, was ever kind!

CALIBAN.
But kinder far to Ferdinand! though he
Ne'er nurs'd, nor stroak'd, nor fed, nor fondled thee!
In our lime-grove I lurk'd behind a bush,
And saw the lack-beard kiss that down-like hand;
I could have claw'd his lips off, had I dar'd!
But now, from Prosper's magick-pow'r set free,
Him and my rival, wench, I laugh to scorn;
Here have thee, and will keep thee all my own!

MIRANDA.
O, Ferdinand! my love! where art thou stray'd?
Haste, and deliver me from this vile thrall!

CALIBAN.
'Twere death, should Ferd'nand interrupt me now!
Though I seem'd fearful late, and shunn'd his sword,
'Twas but in craft, to compass what hath happ'd;
Then stint this din, and let thine eyes soft beam;
Nor scorn, nor flout, for I'm not smooth as he!
In beauty what I lack I have in strength;
More needful, to protect and get thee food!
I'll fetch thee, mistress! nests of callow birds;
The rathe lamb roast by fire of scented wood;
Gather th' empurpled grape for thy repast;
And weave a flow'ry garland, thee to crown
Queen of this unknown clime and me, for aye!
Give me the honey of thy lips in lieu,
And let me clip thee!

MIRANDA.
Monster! stand aloof!
I feel strange courage, and unusual strength;
Nor longer fear thee or thy brutal force!
A heavenly inspiration doth assure
No ill shall 'gainst a spotless maid prevail!
The Lybian lion at my feet would crouch,
Tho' hunger-driv'n, if what I've read be true;
Nor murkiest fiends, nor thou, more dreadful yet,
Can soil or harm troth-plighted, clear virginity!

Enter Stephano and Claribel.
STEPHANO.

Go to! I know you are queen of Tunis;—
the fitter to be my spouse:—for, I intend to be
king of this new-discover'd country.

CLARIBEL.
Hence, rudesby! nor insult me more, bold slave!
Who, thus inebriated, dost forget
The due respect unto thy sov'reign's child!

MIRANDA.
Ah, my sweet friend! meet we again in woe?

STEPHANO.

Bully monster! hast thou been looking for a
consort too, and lighted upon my queen o'the
island, that was to be?—all's one!—madam
Claribel will serve my turn, and she is a queen
ready-made to my hands.

CALIBAN.
This is no time for jests! avaunt, dull ass!—
Lo! who are these? some of my dam's grim goblins!

CLARIBEL.
My brave Abdallah comes to rescue us!—
Fierce Hyrca too? still do I fear we're lost!

Enter Hyrca, with a wand, and Abdallah.
HYRCA.
Ungrateful moor! is this my love's return?
Was't not enough to wed curst Claribel!
But you must now with guilty wretches plot
To leave fond Hyrca sighing to the winds!
Who, by her art, safe brought thee to this spot;
Which an elyzium to us well might prove,
Would'st thou but—

ABDALLAH.
What! submit to thy embrace?
Forsake my Claribel, my beauteous bride!
For thee? foul sorceress! form'd to loath, not love!
How can'st thou hope it? in the mirror view
Thy form forbidding, which 'gainst love would plead,
Tho' no deformity of mind thou ow'd'st;
Crying aloud,—look on fair Claribel!

HYRCA.
Rather, thou scornful!—which thou mayst repent—
View in the glass or stream thy swarthy hue,
With each peculiarity of clime;
And, wond'ring say,—how thus can Hyrca doat?
Or this thy fair-faced moppet but endure!
Then yet be wise;—your new-found friends are seiz'd,
And Sycorax will vengeance on them wreak!
Would'st thou not share their fate, throw by this scorn;
Receive my proffer'd love; quit Claribel;
Or thou their studied torments shalt partake!

ABDALLAH.
Wert thou more fair (could heav'n a fairer make)
Than e'en my beauteous Claribel herself;
With art more potent than all hell in league;
For her alone I live! for her would die!

HYRCA.
And die thou shalt! my love I blow to air!
Insatiate fury and revenge possess me!
That face, thou think'st so fair, shalt thou see scarr'd;
Those eyes, you call twin-stars—

ABDALLAH.
Hear me, fell fiend!—

HYRCA.
Speak not! thou shalt not! with this touch thou'rt dumb!
Whilst slighted Hyrca hath the power of speech,
Abdallah's voice shall but in groans be heard,
In concert with, detested rival! thine;
As you both struggle in the pangs of death!

CLARIBEL.
[kneeling.
Oh! mercy! mercy!

HYRCA.
Hence! I know it not!

CLARIBEL.
Spare, spare my lord! let only Claribel die,
The lamb, that licks the butcher's bloody hand,
Shall not submit more patient to the knife!

[Thunder heard, and a vast glare of light seen.]
HYRCA.
Hark! I am summon'd Sycorax to attend!
The ship now blazes on the fatal strand,
Appointed signal of her freight's dread doom.—
Thou, stranger-maid, must share their destin'd fate!

MIRANDA.
If my lov'd Ferdinand and father fall,
'Twill be Miranda's greatest bliss to die!

HYRCA.
Unto the burning vessel strait repair,
And in its flames to perish, Moor! prepare;
Love, Pity, Mercy, hence! Revenge now reigns!
Sycorax and Hyrca stalk the sanguine plains!

[Exit Hyrca, waving her wand, and charming Abdallah, Claribel, Miranda and Caliban to follow.—Caliban and Stephano remain.
STEPHANO.

Come, mooncalf, now the she-fire-drake is
gone, have a sup of my bottle; she scared me
out of my seven senses with her quaint jarring,
or she should not have taken away my queen-elect.

CALIBAN.
We, too, must follow!—felt you not her charm?
Me it pulls hard;—did I not wish to go,
It would compel:—but, 'tis my heav'n-on-earth,
That I, at length, shall see my mighty dam
Dash tyrant Prosper to the flinty earth;
On his vile trunk I'll stamp, rend wide his gorge;
Avenging my long thraldom with his blood!

[Exit Caliban.
STEPHANO.

Go thy ways for a blood-thirsty, and most
monstrous monster! when I was pot-valiant
once, indeed, I had some notion of knocking out
the old conjuror's brains myself;—but, now that

I am sober, I can't bear the thought of murder!
no, not even manslaughter! so, that I may n't
be an accessary, I'll e'en go look after our ship,
the fury said was o' fire; and, if it be not burnt,
get aboard again, as fast as I can paddle the
boat, or oar myself to it!

[Drinks till his bottle is empty.]
Enter Trinculo.
TRINCULO.

Oh, Stephano! Stephano! what will become
of us, Stephano? we are undone for ever! left
upon this outlandish place, to live upon hips and
haws, crab-apples, and pignuts, as long as such
trash will keep life and soul together!

STEPHANO.

Why, what a murrain! the ship is not really
burnt; is it, Trinculo?

TRINCULO.

Every stick and thread of it! as we were going
aboard, to wash down our wild breakfast
with a draught of sack; not being able to find
the boat again, we waited 'till the tide should
ebb, and leave the ship aground; which it had
no sooner done, than a legion of devils slew
over our heads, set fire to her, and, in a moment,
tore her all to pieces, like a handful of lighted
flax!

STEPHANO.

Mayhap they'll make lighted flax of us next!—
what a villainous voyage we have made on't!—
my wine is all gone,—I am dry as tinder, and
shall burn like touchwood! this is all owing to
the duke's drowning his magical book, and
breaking his conjuring stick:—if he had but
them, safe and sound, he'd be a match for
the old-one himself!

[Thunder, &c.]
TRINCULO.

Oh, lord! oh, lord! the devils are coming
here now!

STEPHANO.

Are they? why then they may burn my wooden
bottle, for there's nothing in it; and the
devil take the hindmost!

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

THE BEACH.
Enter Hyrca, charming Abdallah, Claribel, Miranda and Caliban to follow her; at the same time Enter, on the opposite side, impelled by fiends, Prospero, Alonso, Ferdinand, Gonzalo, Adrian, and Francisco.
SYCORAX
speaks.
Welcome, my friend, and darling son!
These wretches' line is nearly spun!
For, lo! their frames no more can bear;
With stony eyes they, speechless, glare!
Now, Hyrca, shall we vengeance due
Wreak on this curst, devoted crew!
Done is ev'ry charm and spell,
Of melody, or dismal yell;
With mystick incantations dire,
As we circled hell-stol'n fire!
And crackling flames to ashes turn'd
The vessel we have, joyful, burn'd!
Now speak, proud tyrant, ere thy breath
For aye expire in horrid death!

PROSPERO.
Nor this, nor direst deeds of hell combin'd,
Can shake, or alter my still stedfast breast!
Conscious I have in nought offended yet,
More than inherent frailty of weak man,
I know just Heav'n will not permit my fall;
But, by inscrutable, mysterious ways,
T' accomplish some outweighing good dependent:
Convinc'd of that, I bow me to my fate!—
Yet, if you know what means the gentle word,
Have pity on my children, and lov'd friends;
And let my death dread Sycorax appease!

SYCORAX.
Thy death appease, fall'n tyrant? no!
Thy friends unto thee first I'll show
In torments, worse than regicide,
Or zealous martyr ever tried;
At which if thou dar'st once repine,
Their pangs shall be delight to thine!
And, what I know will irk thee more
Than tortures manifold and sore,
Ere thy vile thread of life be spun,
Thy daughter will I give my son!

CALIBAN.
Ho! ho! ho! ho! I thank thee, gentle dam!
Soon shall she bring brave brood of Calibans!

PROSPERO.
[Kneeling.
All righteous Providence, permit not this!
In thee, Most High! confiding, I resign'd
My potent magick, which had now bested;—
Let not thy servant perish for much faith!
But, if pure chastity seem good to thee,
Send down some guardian Angel to defend,
And from perdition snatch a spotless maid!

Grand Harmonious Musick is heard.
Ariel descends, bearing a wand and book, attended by other Spirits.
THEY SING.
Virtue is the High One's care!
Who to shield it from vile lust,
Sends his Spirits of pure air,
From the mansions of the just!

The Fire sinks; Sycorax, Hyrca, Caliban, and Fiends, go off howling amidst Thunder, &c.
ARIEL.
All hail, my Heav'n-tried master! Prospero hail!
To recompense your former kindnesses,
Hath Ariel div'd i'th' oozy Neptune's bed;
Your precious magick-volume rescued thence:
And into Tellus' bosom deeply pierc'd,
Your broken, buried wand recovering;
With th' aid of these, my fellow ministers,
Firm re-united, and of greater force.
Accept them, master! from your grateful sprite;
You now again have power: still use it right!

PROSPERO.
Heaven heard my prayer! to Heaven thanks first are due!
Next unto thee, my kind, my gentle Ariel!
And these pure Spirits, who vouchsafed their aid!
My children! lov'd Gonzalo! dear friends all!
Like monumental marble thus enfix'd,
Move! speak! embrace! ye now, again, are free!

[Waving his Wand.
ABDALLAH.
My queen!

CLARIBEL.
My lord!

MIRANDA.
My Ferdinand!

FERDINAND.
Sweet love!

ALONSO.
Thou wond'rous man! who hast unlock'd our spell,
How can we thank or praise thee as we ought!

PROSPERO.
Your thanks and praises offer up to Heaven!
Nor Prospero, nor e'en Ariel, now hath freed you;
But the Most High! before whose throne all bow!

GONZALO.
My joints are old and stiff; but to my God
No youth with a more supple knee shall bend!

ARIEL.
Ye favour'd friends!—restoring first this King,
And Virgin Queen, unto afflicted Tunis,—
In Italy you'll soon be fully blest!
Where, by my means inform'd of these events,
Gentle and simple, old and young, now throng,
Numerous as sands the shore, to greet this train.

PROSPERO.
But that, my chick! exceeds my utmost art.
Our ship destroy'd, we here must patient wait
'Till Heaven hath granted means for our return.

ARIEL.
That Heaven hath done! the sadly home-bound fleet,
Conducted here by me, now joyful waits
To bear you safely hence.
[The Fleet appears.]
Once more embark!
Ye scatter'd remnants I'm allow'd to save,
Haste, and be rescued from a living grave!
All but th' usurping duke, and regicide!
Here for their crimes they're ever doom'd to bide,
And echo with their groans, on this strange shore,
Hyrca's dire shrieks, curst Caliban's fell roar!
Whilst Sycorax, replung'd i'th' lake of fire,
Shall ne'er be freed till Nature's self expire!

PROSPERO.
Must then my wretched brother here be left?
Him and Sebastian I could now forgive!

ARIEL.
It may not be!—Heaven's merciful, but just!

PROSPERO.
Heaven's will be done!

ARIEL.
Here bend the wond'ring crew.

Enter Master, Boatswain, Mariners, Stephano, and Trinculo.
ARIEL.
Now farewell all!—my duty thus complete,
I will but tend to Italy the fleet,
And see my master past all perils' power;
Then seek repose i' th' bell of some sweet flower!
ARIEL sings.

PROSPERO.
My gentle friends! ere we depart,
A word or two on magick-art.
Though the dread demons of this hour,
To hell and sorcery ow'd their pow'r;
Let not all magick be decried,
As hellish and unsanctified.
Virtue's our magick-staff! our book
Pure Piety!—with Faith who look
Thereon, may antres vast explore;
Or, fearless, hear hoarse Neptune roar:
Pervade the endless, endless skies;
See system upon system rise:
Soar to the center of all space;
Kneel at the Throne of Heavenly Grace!

HYMN, By the attendant Spirits.
Hail, Virtue! eldest born of Light!
Whose ray illumes the darkest cell!
Whose presence makes e'en Heaven more bright!
With Faith and Piety still dwell!