SYCORAX.
Here may I shun the blaze of day!
In these my well-known purlieus stray;
While the doom'd vessel steers to land,
Which I'll destroy on Hyrca's strand!
In this dark grove, my mortal frame
A prey to death erewhile became;
And here remain'd my darling boy,
Young Caliban! born to annoy
All those who are not of his kind;
With mother's form, and father's mind!
In yon' riv'n pine I left the elf,
Close pent, who would not yield himself
To my desires; for I was shy
O' th' amorous seamen, sailing by,
And scared them hence! I so disdain'd
All mortal commerce, since I gain'd
A spirit for my paramour!
Whose love I lost on Africk's shore,
By one deed, which the moors thought good,
And therefore left me in this wood;
Tho' by their laws condemn'd to die,
For murder, lust, and sorcery!—

When I had stol'n, for sacrifice
To Setebos, a child; the cries
Of it's sad parents, wide misled,
Made me restore it to their bed:
Fool that I was! but, sweet it smil'd,
And, for the moment, clean beguil'd
My wayward nature! soften'd then
To tenderness, unknown by men;
Who dragg'd me, with unfeeling fangs,
Here, to endure sharp labour's pangs
For unborn Caliban!—What light
So sudden dazzles?—'tis the sprite
I here left wedg'd; who bears a wand,
Of potency I can't withstand!
To Barbary's coast,—in yon black cloud,
Which thither speeds, and will enshroud
From sunny rays my bat-like eyes,—
I'll hasten; and, in time, apprize
Hyrca, that Prosp'ro, and his crew,
Approach: ere night the deed I'll do! Exit, ascending. Enter Ariel, with a wand, and other Spirits.

ARIEL.
Thus far, pure friends, success our skill hath crown'd;
And art, to force preferr'd, well steaded us!
The pliant ground yields not more ready way
To the blind pioneer, the sleeky mole;

Nor to th' insinuating worm's more pervious,
Than unto us, in our dispersed search
Of this most precious staff; which my good hap
Chanc'd first to 'light on: no less thanks still due
To each, who freely earth'd his radiant form,
And help'd, when found, it's parts to reunite;
Restoring and augmenting its lost pow'r!
This wand retriev'd, good Prosp'ro's sure support,
For his drown'd book, all fearless, we'll explore
The vast abyss of the ne'er-sounded sea!
Should we recover that, our toil's o'erpaid;
And he again from hellish fiends secure!
Now to the briny ooze; more noisome far
Then vap'rous mine, flint, slime, or clogging clay;
And apt to soil our skiey-tinctur'd wings:
Which must be close compress'd, as deep we dive,
And range through groves of coral; where the nymphs,
And sea-born shepherds, 'neath their moist alcoves,
Repeat their vows, and pour forth all their loves!

ARIEL SINGS.
We'll view the wonders of the deep!
  The pearl-spread plains,
  The finny swains,
And green-hair'd mermaids coy, who keep
  The herds and flocks,
  That graze the rocks;
The web-foot sea-beeves, kine, and sheep!
Then sadly mark each drown'd man's skull!
  And bleached bones,
  Like pebble-stones;
Of which blue Neptune's bed is full!
  When gain'd our prize,
  To air we'll rise;
And Sycorax' fell decree annul! [Exeunt, towards the sea.

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