Not, however, that this foible can fairly be induced against us, as a national reflection, by any means; for it is not peculiar to this, or any other particular people, but will be found to be the common difpofition and idle curiofity of mankind, in general. There is another piece of farcafin, also, thrown out, in the fame fpeech, as unjust as the former: When they will not give a doit to relieve a lame beggar. No nation on the globe is more diftinguifhed for charity, humanity, and benevolence, than the English are, at prefent. And this must have been always their characteristic; for manners may refine, but cannot create, virtues. Polishing may give taste, but feelings come from nature,

After Trinculo has recovered from his fright, and finds Caliban to be but an harmless favage, so very fimple as to believe Stephano to be the Man in the Moon; he fays,

"By this good light, this is a very fhallow monfter-1 afraid of "him? a very fhallow monster. The man i'th' Moon? a most poor "credulous monster."

'Tis to be observed, here, that he was not charged with having been afraid, nor did any one know of it, but himself; and it was this very consciousness that forced fuch a bravado from him. This is Doctor Warburton's remark. 'Tis a just one, and may be rendered general, by obferving, that, upon all occafions, too prompt a defence of ourselves, is a fort of felf-accufation.

ACT III. SCENE I.

Ferdinand's firft fpeech, here, prettily expreffes that kind of chearfulness with which a perfon undertakes labour, or executes the meaneft or most irksome offices, for their fecond-felf, for thofe they love.

There be some sports are painful, but their labour
Delight in them fets off; fome kinds of baseness
Are nobly undergone; and most poor matters

alteration of a fyllable, to have it inferted among the Mysteries*. Men would be Chriftians upon their own terms, only, and are too apt to think that faith and fear, without love or works, are fufficient for the pose.

pur

ACT II. SCENE I. Gonzalo, comforting and cheering up the spirits of his companions in the wreck, fpeaks with a becoming refignation and proper gratitude towards Providence :

Befeech you, Sir, be merry - you have cause,
So have we all, of joy! for our escape

Is much beyond our lofs: our hint of woe
Is common: every day fome failor's wife,

The matter of fome merchant, and the merchant,
Have juft our theme of woe: But for the miracle,
I mean our prefervation, tew in millions

Can speak like us: Then wifely, goud Sir, weigh
Our forrow with our comfort.

An uncouth or fevere manner of giving reproof, or offering advice, is very juftly, and with equal good fenfe and tenderness, reflected upon by Gonzalo, in the following paffage :

My lord Sebaftian,

The truth you fpeak doth lack fome gentleness,
And time to speak it in. You rub the fore,
When you should bring the plaifter.

SCENE II.

Trinculo moft humourously ridicules the paffion of the English for strange fights, in the following reflection, on feeing Caliban lying afleep on the ground, whom he takes for a dead fea-monfter, just caft afhore by the working of the waves,

"Were I in England, now, as once I was, and had but this fish "painted, not a holy-day fool there but would give a piece of "filver. There would this monfter make a man; any strange beaft "there makes a man. When they will not give a doit to relieve a "lame beggar, they will lay out ten to fee a dead Indian."

Antient Dramatic exhibitions, fo called; ufually performed by the priests in the 13th and 14th centuries, upon public theatres, in which the feveral difpenfations of the Gofpel were profanely reprefented.

Not,

Not, however, that this foible can fairly be induced against us, as a national reflection, by any means; for it is not peculiar to this, or any other particular people, but will be found to be the common difpofition and idle curiofity of mankind, in general. There is another piece of farcafin, alfo, thrown out, in the fame speech, as unjust as the former: When they will not give a doit to relieve a lame beggar. No nation on the globe is more diftinguished for charity, humanity, and benevolence, than the English are, at prefent. And this must have been always their characteristic; for manners may refine, but cannot create, virtues. Polishing may give taste, but feelings come from nature.

After Trinculo has recovered from his fright, and finds Caliban to be but an harmless favage, so very fimple as to believe Stephano to be the Man in the Moon; he fays,

"By this good light, this is a very fhallow monfter-1 afraid of "him? a very fhallow monfter. The man i'th' Moon? a most poor "credulous monster."

'Tis to be observed, here, that he was not charged with having been afraid, nor did any one know of it, but himself; and it was this very consciousness that forced fuch a bravado from him. This is Doctor Warburton's remark. 'Tis a juft one, and may be rendered general, by obferving, that, upon all occafions, too prompt a defence of ourselves, is a fort of felf-accufation.

ACT III. SCENE I.

Ferdinand's firft fpeech, here, prettily expreffes that kind of chearfulness with which a person undertakes labour, or executes the meanest or most irksome offices, for their fecond-felf, for those they love.

There be some sports are painful, but their labour
Delight in them fets off; fome kinds of baseness
Are nobly undergone; and moft poor matters

Point to rich ends. This my mean task would be
As heavy to me, as 'tis odious; but

The miftrefs which I ferve, quickens what's dead,
And makes my labour pleasure.-My sweet mistress
Weeps when the fees me work, and fays, fuch bafenefs
Had ne'er like executer. I forget-

But those sweet thoughts do even refresh my labour,
Moft bufy-lefs, when I do it.

The above speech has fomething of the fame turn and spirit in it, with that of Profpero, in the fecond Scene of the First Act, already obferved upon.

SCENE

IV.

The horrors and upbraidings of a wounded conscience, are finely painted in the latter part of this

fcene:

Alonzo. O it is monftrous! monftrous!

Methought the billows spoke, and told me of it;
The winds did fing it to me; and the thunder,
That deep and dreadful organ-pipe, pronounced
The name of Profper. It did bafs my trespass.
Gonzalo. All three of them are defperate; their great guilt,
Like poifon given to work a great time after,
Now 'gins to bite the fpirits.

ACT IV.
IV. SCENE I.

A chafte conduct between betrothed lovers, is ftrongly urged, and fanctified, by fevere maledictions, and very natural predictions, in the following paffages :

Profpero, giving his daughter to Ferdinand.
Then as my gift, and thine own acquifition,
Worthily purchased, take my daughter. But
If thou dost break her virgin knot, before
All fanctimonious ceremonies may
With full and holy rite be ministered,
No fweet afperfions fhall the heavens let fall
To make this contract grow: but barren hate,
Sour-eyed difdain, and difcord, shall beftrew
The union of your bed with weeds fo loathly,
That you shall hate it both. Therefore take heed,
As Hymen's lamps fhall light you-

Ferdinand's reply.

As I hope

For quiet days, fair iffue, and long life,

With fuch love as 'tis now; the murkieft den,
The most opportune place, and strongest fuggeftion
Our worfer Genius can, fhall never melt
Mine honour into luft, to take away
The edge of that day's celebration,

When I fhall think that Phoebus' steeds are foundered,
Or night kept chained below-

A little after, old Profpero, being better acquainted with the fallibilities of human nature than the young lovers were, repeats the fame caution to Ferdinand, again :

Look, thou be true; do not give dalliance

Too much the rein; the strongest oaths are straw
To th' fire i' th' blood; be more abftemious,
Or elfe, good night, your vow!

To which Ferdinand anfwers, as before,
I warrant you, Sir;

The white, cold, virgin-fnow upon my heart
Abates the ardour of my liver.

There is a beautiful, but humiliating reflection on the inconfiderablenefs of life and grandeur, made by Profpero, in this fcene, which is worthy of being added to the golden verfes of Pythagoras, and ought to be placed in gilt characters, as an inscription, on all the palaces, monuments, or triumphal arches of the earth.

Our revels now are ended-These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all Spirits, and

Are melted into air, into thin air * ;

And like the baseless fabric of this vifion,
The cloud-capt towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The folemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve,
And, like this unfubftantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack + behind! We are fuch fluff
As dreams are made of, and our little life

Is rounded with a fleep.

ACT V. SCENE I.

The feelings and fentiments of humanity, with the nobleness of remiffion upon repentance, are here finely and most affectingly touched.

⚫ Æther.

† Rack, the most rarified part of a cloud, detached from it, and floating in an higher region.

Ariel