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mortals. What emotion, but that of reverence, can be excited 

 by a charader which is itfelf exempt from all ? Hence we may 

 obferve that if at any time fpiritual agents be reprefented, they 

 fhould be of a middle order, fiibjed to various degrees of pleafure 

 and of pain. Human paffions are moft of them founded on the 

 imperfedions of our nature, and nothing that is perfedt can become 

 their proper objed. 



But to return to our author. Ariel's impatience for freedom 

 gives Profpero a natural opportunity of recounting what had paffed 

 upon his firll coming to the ifland, and prepares us for the 

 appearance of Cahban. Mean while the ftory continues to be 

 unfolded, or rather unfolds itfelf. We become acquainted with 

 the principal adors ; we learn a more particular account of the 

 king's fate and his followers ; and at the fame time, left curiofity 

 fhould be weakened, the poet artfully heightens our fufpcnfe by 

 the fecret cojnmijjion given to Ariel. In this fcene a fignal 

 iuftance occurs of Shakefpear's accuracy io adapting his language 

 to the different perfonages he exhibits. The fpirit informing its 

 matter of the harbour in which the king's fliip is concealed, 

 inftead of defcribing it from the fituation, or the nature of the 

 place, marks it out by a circumftance fuitable to its own cha- 

 rader : 



" Where once 



" Thou call'dfl me up at midnight to fetch dew 

 " From the ftill-vext Bermoothes." 



(G) Such 



