59] Meat that is infested with maggots which have hatched from eggs
laid by flies is said to be fly-blown. These will not lay their eggs in
pickled meat. Trinculo says he has been so pickled, that is drunk, that
the flies will not blow him.

[465-60] Stephano is sore from his torments, but as the word _sore_ also
means _harsh_ and _severe_, he makes a good pun in his speech.

[466-61] _Retire me_ means _withdraw myself_.

[466-62] Prospero has accomplished his purpose; he has recovered his
dukedom, has found a suitable husband for his daughter, and now feels
that life has little in store for him. So every third thought will be in
preparation for his death.

[467-63] The Epilogue is a part spoken by one of the actors after the
play is over, and is addressed to the audience. Here _Prospero_ steps
forward and speaks.

[467-64] He has dismissed Ariel and laid aside all his magic arts.

[467-65] The audience may hold him on the island or send him to Naples,
for he is still under a spell.

[467-66] He asks the audience to applaud, to clap their hands, for noise
always breaks charms, and will release him from the enchantment so that
he may return to his dukedom.

STUDIES FOR "THE TEMPEST"

THE AUTHOR. Many times we have had occasion to say that an acquaintance
with an author has much to do with our liking for his works, and as we
read the great plays of our greatest poet, we wish we might know him
more intimately. However, when we look for information concerning him,
we quickly find that comparatively little is known of the man beyond
what we can draw from his writings, and few authors have shown
themselves less vividly. After doing our best, we can find only a great,
shadowy Author who must have had a broad knowledge, a rare invention, a
profound insight into human nature, a penetrating sympathy and a
marvelous power of expression. As seen through his works, he appears
more than human, but when we look into our histories, we wonder that so
great a man could have lived and died, and left so light an impression
on his times. In fact, some wise men have felt that the William
Shakespeare we know could never have written the great plays that bear
his name. That is a question, however, we need not discuss; it is better
to leave the credit where it has rested for centuries, and believe that
the plays are better evidence of Shakespeare's greatness than his own
life is evidence of his ability to write them.

William