SHAKESPEARE AND PSYCHOGNOSIS 233 



gives him authority, presents a magic banquet before the nobles. Just as Alonso 

 and his courtiers are about to "stand to and feed," being fatigued by their wanderings 

 through the island in quest of Ferdinand, Ariel claps his wings upon the table, and 

 the banquet vanishes. Ariel then addresses to Alonso, Sebastian, and Antonio a most 

 solemn and effective speech. He declares them unfit to live. 



Enraged by these charges, they endeavor to attack Ariel, who, however, gives 

 new proof that power is at hand to disarm the "three men of sin." He declares 

 even their valor to be wrong and suicidal. He declares spirits to be in league with 

 the elemental fates, implying that through this league an appeal to natural force 

 becomes useless against a spirit. Ariel vividly sets forth the foulness of the banish- 

 ment of Prospero and Miranda, and concludes his searching lecture by the heaviest 

 judgment, with only a slight hope of escape, dependent upon " heart -sorrow and a 

 clear life ensuing." Ariel vanishes in thunder, and mocking shapes carry out the 

 table.' None of Ariel's labors is more lauded by his master than this soul-piercing 

 exhortation. Nothing is less in the true nature of Ariel than this Hebraic denuncia- 

 tion of sin, nothing less in the usual manner of Shakespeare; it is therefore to be 

 observed with proportionate attention as significant and important. It is through 

 this labor that the consciences of the egoists are touched, and, while two of them are 

 scarcely softened, all three are defenseless and stand desperate, and openly con- 

 demned for selfishness and injustice.^ 



The masque of the fourth act follows hard upon this scene. 

 Prospero praises the spirits and calls upon Ariel for a sixth labor. He is to pre- 

 pare the masque instantly, "With a twink." "Well, I conceive," he replies. As 

 the spirits enter, silence is enjoined and soft music is heard. Ariel presents Ceres, 

 but all the speeches of the masque are bright and spiritual, the sense-objects being 

 chosen to suggest beauty as well as plenty. The question of Ceres concerning the 

 presence of Venus is made the condition of the presence of the goddess of plenty 

 "Tell me, heavenly bow, 

 . If Venus or her son, as thou dost know. 



Do now attend the Queen ? Twice they did plot 



The means that dusky Dis my daughter got, 



Her and her blind boy's scandal'd company 



I have foresworn." 

 Iris replies: 



"Of her society 



Be not afraid; I met her deity 



Cutting the clouds towards Paphos and her son 



Dove-drawn with her." 

 Ceres, thus pacified, sings promises of plenty. After the masque, Prospero is 

 deeply moved by certain thoughts, but he does not neglect to praise the spirits 



' This miracle of providing food by magic was in Bacon taking on a scientific significance at this time. 

 'This is a Neo-Hellenic reading of sin as stupid, ugly, and subversive of freedom. 



