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ACT V. SCENE I.

152. "I'll drown my book."

[Solemn music.

The direction for the music was not, I suppose, intended for this place, but after the words,

-Boil'd within thy skull.”

Solemn music.)

The direction for "solemn music" is certainly misplaced, the three lines, beginning "A solemn air, and the best," &c. seem addressed only to Alonzo, as the first who approaches Prospero.

"Now useless boil'd within thy skull! there stand,

"For you are spell-stopp'd."

At the first pause after the word "skull," Alonzo, having approached the station designed by Prospero, is directed to stand: between the time of this sentence to Alonzo, and the subsequent one to Gonzalo, the solemn air commences, and the rest of the company take their stations in the circle formed by Prospero. Were the air first to commence at the pause after "fellowdrops," it would be too far distant, and the arrangement of the enchanted persons would improperly be unaccompanied by any of Prospero's magic. I would have the address to Gonzalo spoken during the diminuendo, or dying-away of the air, and the pause which follows that address be filled up by the air swelling upon the sense.This management of the music would give effect to Prospero's words, and the judicious introduc

tion of it, at the various intervals of Prospero's speech, which follow, would connect the whole. At the end of the 92nd line, the music should be as an accompaniment to Ariel's song, (if here rightly inserted) and, having accomplished its purpose upon Alonzo and the others, might with propriety lay aside its solemnity, and fit itself to a lighter measure. When Ariel has finished his song, the symphony which ensues should be solemn, and but faintly heard, till finally dismissed by Prospero with So, so, so. B. STRUTT. Control the moon, make flows

168. "

and ebbs,

"And deal in her command without her power."

i. e. I apprehend Sycorax could exercise her art in the regions of the moon's sway, independently of that power.

171. "I'll be wise hereafter."

Dr. Warton, in his elegant critique on this play, (Adventurer, No. 93, 97) thinks Shakspeare injudicious in putting into the mouth of Caliban this speech, which implies repentance and understanding; whereas he thinks the poet ought to have preserved the fierce and implacable spirit of Caliban to the end. I doubt whether this censure is just, and suspect it would not have been passed, had not Dr. Warton thought it necessary to point out some defect in the piece, on which he was commenting, in order to escape the charge of an indiscriminating admiration of his author, too frequently imputable to commentators : Caliban was struck with the splendid appearance of Prospero and the other princes, whose magnificent

habits far exceeded any thing he had ever seen before; for their "garments being, as they were, drenched in the sea, heid, notwithstanding, their freshness and glosses, being rather new-dyed than stained with salt water;" and he considered them as beings of a superior order to the drunkards with whom he had lately conversed.

"O, Setabos! these be brave spirits indeed. "How fine my master is !".

It is natural for a savage to be immoderately delighted with novelty, and to overrate that with which he is captivated; and accordingly Caliban, in his first encounter with Stephano and Trinculo, is represented, with great propriety, (I think) as treating his new friends with a superstitious respect.

"That's a brave god, and bears celestial liquor. "I'll kneel to him."

He had recently, besides, had painful experience of Prospero's power; the further effects of which he still dreaded,-" I fear he will chastise me," and "I shall be pinch'd to death;" and his extravagant admiration co-operating with his fears, it seems natural for him to promise amendment, and to engage obedience to those whom his astonished imagination conceived to be possessed of transcendant dignity and power. LORD CHEDWORTH.

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Boot or boots signifies, in language very commonly understood, something in barter, superadded to the principal article-this is called boot or boots. Proteus says-nay, give me not the boots-no, replies Valentine, for it boots thee not, i. e. it is of no advantage to thee.

195. "Poor forlorn Proteus, passionate Pro

teus."

Pássíónáte a quadrisyllable.

200. "Sweet love! sweet lines! sweet life!"

Something is wanting here: perhaps the verse might have run thus:

"Sweet lines! and now, sweet life! and sweeter

love."

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214.

ACT. II.

I am the dog: no, the dog is himself, and I am the dog: O the dog is me, and I am myself."

Perhaps the meaning of Lance's dramatic arrangement is this: "I am the dog;" this suggesting the idea of an unlucky fellow, which he conceives himself to be, he says, directly-no: the dog is as he should be, and I am the dog, i. e. the unlucky fellow-O! to me belongs the name of dog, and I am nothing else.

221. "I'll die on him that says so, but yourself."

I'll die on him seems to mean I'll execute death on him; or, perhaps, I will contend with him to death: I will enter the fatal lists with him.

ACT. III. SCENE II.

258. Ay, and perversely she persévers so.” This unusual accentuation of persevere or persever, might be avoided thus:

"Ay, and perversely does she pérsěver so,”

In other places we find the accent resting on the first syllable.

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