ACT THE SECOND.

SCENE I.

The Sea.-A Ship in a Tempest.

ARIEL firing the Ship.

SPIRITS of the Winds dancing.

Chorus by SPIRITS of the Storm.

Arise, ye terrors of the storm,
Appall the guilty eye!

Tear the wild waves, ye mighty winds,
Ye blasting lightnings, fly!

Dart thro' the Tempest of the deep,

And rocks and seas confound!

[Loud Thunder

Hark, how the vengeful thunders roll!

Amazement flames around.

Behold, the fate-devoted bark

Dash'd on the trembling shore! Mercy!-the sinking wretches cry,

Mercy!-they're heard no more.

[The Ship seems to founder.-ARIEL and all the other SPIRITS disappear.

SCENE II.

The Cave of HIPPOLYTO.

Enter PROSPero.

Pro. 'Tis not yet fit, I let my daughters know
That I have rear'd the princely heir of Mantua,
As I have them, from childhood in this isle.
His father, dying, bequeath'd him to my care,
That I should breed him equal to his birth.
O, thou false brother! was it not enough
To usurp my state, but that thou must betray
My pupil's dukedom to the Neapolitan,
And doom him to the fate design'd for me !—
By calculation of his birth, I saw

Death threatening him, if, till some time were pass'd,
He should behold the face of any woman;

And now the danger's nigh.-Hippolyto!— Approach, young man; come forth :-Hippolyto!Enter HIPPOLYTO.

Hip. Sir, I attend your pleasure.

Pro. How I have lov'd thee from thy infancy, Heaven knows, and thou thyself canst bear me wit

ness;

Therefore accuse me not for thy restraint.

Hip. I murmur not; but I may wonder at it. Pro. O, gentle youth, fate waits for thee abroad, A black star threatens thee, and death unseen Stands ready to devour thee.

Hip. Sir, I have often heard you say, no creature Liv'd in this isle, but those which man was lord of:→ Why then should I fear?

Pro. But here are creatures which I nam'd not to

thee;

Those dangerous enemies of men, call'd women.
Hip. Women!-I never heard of them before.
What are women like?

Pro. Imagine something 'tween young men and angels,

Fatally beauteous, and with killing eyes:

Their voices charm beyond the nightingale's;

They are all enchantment; those, who once behold them,

Are made their slaves for ever:

Therefore, if you should chance to see them,-mark

me,

Avoid them straight, I charge you.

Hip. Well, since you say they are so dangerous, I'll so far shun them, as I may with safety Of the unblemish'd honour which you taught me: But let them not provoke me; for, I'm sure,

I shall not then forbear them.

Pro. Go in, and read the book I gave you
Hip. I shall obey you, sir.

last. [Exeunt.

SCENE III.

A Valley in the Island.

Enter PROSPero.

Pro. So, so; I hope this lesson has secur'd him; For I have been constrain'd to change his lodging From the rude rock where I have bred him up, And bring him to the neighbourhood of my cell, Because the shipwreck happen'd near his mansion.— How, my daughters!—

I thought I had instructed them enough.

Enter MIRANDA and DORINDA.

Children, retire :-Why do you walk this way?
Mir. It is within our bounds, sir.

Pro. But both take heed, that path is very dan

gerous:

Remember what I told you.

Dor. Is the man that way, sir?

Pro. All, that you can imagine ill, is there: The curled lion, and the rugged bear,

Are not so dreadful as that savage man.

Dor. But I would stroke him, father,

And make him gentle, then he would not hurt me. Pro. You must not trust him, child.—But I must

in;

For now my operant spells require my presence.-
Be you, Miranda, guardian to your sister.

[Exit PROSPERO.
Dor. Come, sister, let us walk the other way,
The man will catch us else; we've but two legs,
And he, perhaps, has four.

Mir. Well, sister, though he have, yet look about

you,

And we shall spy him, ere he come too near us. Dor, Come back, come back; that way is tow'rd his den.

Mir. Let me alone: I'll venture first; for sure He can devour but one of us at once.

I will go softly—if you see him first,

Be sure, you call me to take care of you.

[Exit MIRANDA. Dor. Nay, I confess, I would fain see him too:

I find a longing in my very nature,

Because my father has forbidden me.

[Exit DORINDA.

SCENE IV.

The Cave of HIPPOLYTO.

Enter HIPPOLYTO, reading.

Hip. Prospero has often said that nature makes Nothing in vain why then are women made? I'll ask that question, when I see him next.

Enter DORINDA and MIRANDA, from behind. Dor. O, sister, there it is:—it walks about Like one of us.

Mir. Ay, just so, and has legs as we have too. Hip. It strangely puzzles me: yet, 'tis most likely, Women are somewhat between men and spirits. Mir. Hark, hark! it talks. Why, sure this is

not it

My father meant :-'tis just like one of us.

Dor. I am not half so much afraid on't as
I was :—see, see, it turns this way.-
Heav'n! what a pretty thing it is!
Mir. I'll go nearer it.

Dor. O no; 'tis dangerous, sister: I'll go to it.
Mir. I would not for the world that you should

venture;

My father charg'd me to secure you from it.

Dor. I warrant you, this is a tame man, sister: He will not hurt me; I see it by his looks.

Pro. [Without.] What ho! what ho!-Miranda, child, where are you?

Mir. Do you not hear my father call? go in.
Dor. "Twas you he call'd, not me.—)
-Make haste,

make hase:

You would not let my father wait, I hope.