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have made a ftronger imprcffion on her memory than the fingle 

 event of her tranfportation to' the ifland, the importance of 

 which her infant mind was incapable of knowing. But let us 

 leave thefe remarks to confider the miniftering fpirit who is now 

 exhibited. 



PrjETErnatural agents, however they may furprife, feldom 

 intereft us. The difference of their nature, paffions and purfuits, 

 makes us regard them as an order of beings in whom we have 

 no concern. It remained for Shakefpear to give them fuch 

 charaders as muft excite our love or abhorrence, fuch fentiments 

 and manners as never intrude upon thofe of the human fpecies, 

 yet force us to fympathize in their pleafure and their pains. The 

 fpirit now introduced at once lays hold on our affedions ; its cha- 

 rader is immediately difcovered, and is fuch a charader as we 

 cannot contemplate with indifference. Profpero himfelf is, with 

 the greateft propriety, reprefented as loving it. Delicate, gentle, 

 timid and fubmiffive, it executes the commands of its employer 

 with an alacrity quickened by gratitude, and by the expedation 

 of promifed liberty. But whence is it that we are more interefted 

 by Shakefpear's Ariel, than by the attending fpirits in Milton's 

 Comus? I anfwer. becaufe the former has paffions fimilar to our 

 own, burns with defire, or exults in hope ; chearfully fubmits to 

 bondage frorS motives of generofity, yet at the fame time feels 

 the wretchednefs of bondage, and pants for the enjoyment of 

 freedom. But of the latter, wre only know that they are fent 

 to fuccour virtue in diftrefs; that they difcharge their commiflion 

 with cold apathy ; that they enjoy unruffled happinefs themfelves, 

 and look down upon the perturbations and cares which agitate 



mortals. 



m 



