Trinculo. I have been in such a pickle, since I saw you last, that, I fear me, will never out of my bones: I shall not fear fly-blowing. Sebastian.-Why, how now, Stephano?

Stephano.-O, touch me not; I am not Stephano, but a cramp.
Prospero.-You'd be a king of the isle, sirrah?
Stephano.--I should have been a sore one then.
Alonso. This is as strange a thing as e'er I look'd on.

[Pointing to Caliban.

Prospero. He is as disproportion'd in his manners,

As in his shape.--Go, sirrah, to my cell;
Take with you your companions; as you look
To have my pardon, trim it handsomely.

Caliban.-Ay, that I will; and I'll be wise hereafter,
And seek for grace.
What a thrice-double ass

Was I, to take this drunkard for a god,

And worship this dull fool?

Prospero.

Go to; away!

Alonso. Hence, and bestow your luggage where you found it.
Sebastian. Or stole it, rather.

[Exeunt Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo. Prospero.-Sir, I invite your highness, and your train,

To my poor cell, where you shall take your rest
For this one night; which (part of it,) I'll waste
With such discourse, as, I not doubt, shall make it
Go quick away: the story of my life,

And the particular accidents, gone by,

Since I came to this isle: and in the morn,
I'll bring you to your ship, and so to Naples
Where I have hope to see the nuptial
Of these our dear-beloved solemniz'd;
And thence retire me to my Milan, where
Every third thought shall be my grave.

Alonso.

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

Prospero.

I'll deliver all;

And promise you calm seas, auspicious gales,

And sail so expeditious, that shall catch

Your royal fleet far off.-My Ariel;-chick,

That is thy charge; then to the elements

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

[Exeunt.

EPILOGUE.-Spoken by Prospero.
Now my charms are all o'erthrown,
And what strength I have 's my own;
Which is most faint: now 'tis true,
I must be here confined by you,
Or sent to Naples. Let me not,
Since I have my dukedom got,
And pardon'd the deceiver, dwell
In this bare island, by your spell;
But release me from my bands,
With the help of your good hands.
Gentle breath of yours my sails
Must fill, or else my project fails,
Which was to please. Now I want
Spirits to enforce, art to enchant;
And my ending is despair,

Unless I be reliev'd by prayer;
Which pierces so, that it assaults
Mercy itself, and frees all faults.

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

367

It is, perhaps, well to present in full the last scene put before his countrymen by Shakespeare.

The farewell words of a friend are warmly cherished in the mind.

There is something pathetic, almost personal, in the close:

As you from crimes would pardoned be,
Let your indulgence set me free.

The eloquent American, J. R. Lowell, invited attention to them as the "solemn words of the great enchanter, who was now bidding farewell to the scene of his triumphs. For in Prospero shall we not recognize the artist himself?"

Mr. Lanier writes: "Did it ever occur to you that the Epilogue of The Tempest becomes marvellously tender and

seemly if we conceive it as spoken by Shakespeare in his own character? The more I read it as such, the more thrilling it becomes to me.'

Here may end the summary of Shakespeare's work: an imperfect summary no doubt, but, nevertheless, a candid attempt to present a picture of it. "What a crown would be stricken from the brow of England," Archbishop Trench said, "if Shakespeare had never lived nor sung."

If these poor pages should lead others to a closer study of Shakespeare's, they will have accomplished the intention of their author.

Shakespeare's frequent visits to Stratford, after he became the owner of New Place in 1597, have been mentioned. His London avocations, however, had the first claim upon his time, and demanded his presence there.

More than half of his plays were produced after he became wealthy. Prosperity did not abate his ardour or his power to put the fruits of his imagination before his countrymen. A glance at the list of his plays will show how many of his greatest works were produced after

1597.

Moreover, he often had to appear as an actor. In that character he appeared not only in his own plays, but as a friendly co-operator. Mr. Sidney Lee records (p. 44) that "Shakespeare's name stands first on the list of those who took part in the original performances of Ben Jonson's Every Man in his Humour (1598). In the original edition of Jonson's Sejanus (1603) the actor's names are arranged in two columns, and Shakespeare's name heads the second column, standing parallel with Burbage's, which heads the first."

As a popular actor in his own plays, also, Shakespeare must have frequently been on the stage when he would have preferred to be composing in his study.

But his visits to Stratford became gradually more frequent and prolonged, and finally, in 1611, he made New Place his regular abode, though he doubtless paid visits to London occasionally.

His will contained proof that his "messuage" at "Blackfriars, in London," was in 1616 occupied by John Robinson.

The close of his career is chronicled in the end of the first chapter of this work, which deals with his life at Stratford-on-Avon.

X

CHAPTER III.

SHAKESPEARE'S RELIGION AND HIS TEACHING.

FEW documents signed by Shakespeare have been preserved. One of them, fortunately, is his Will, and it contains his confession of faith, made while "in perfect health and memory," on the 25th March, 1616. "First I commend my soul into the hands of God my Creator, hoping and assuredly believing, through the only merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour, to be made partaker of life everlasting; and my body to the earth, whereof it is made."

The remaining clauses, ten in number, disposing of his property, &c., are added as " Items," each being so headed.

It would not be easy to frame a clause more categorically including Shakespeare as a loyal member of the Church of England, whose 6th Article declares that"Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation, so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of the faith or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation.” *

* Ought it not to appear incredible that in 1903 a newspaper in Australia declared in a leading article that Shakespeare, "whose observation and understanding of mankind was most profound, who is the delight and inspiration of every school and every sect alike, and who communicates more elevation of spirit than any forty essayists, is the very man of whom no Furness or Furnivall has been able to discover