The music of _The Tempest_ is extremely beautiful, witness "Come unto these Yellow Sands" and "Full Fathom Five," which are known and admired and in vogue to this day. These pieces being allied to Shakespeare's lines are not likely to be superseded by other composers' music, but unfortunately the major part of Purcell's work in _The Tempest_ is married to verse not Shakespeare's, and cannot therefore find any fitting place in a performance of the play. _Dioclesian_, at first called _The Prophetess_, was advertised for publication in the _London Gazette_, July 3rd, 1690:-- "The vocal and instrumental musick in the opera called _The Prophetess_, composed by Mr. Henry Purcell, is designed to be printed by way of subscriptions. Proposals may be seen at Mr. John Carr's shop at the Middle Temple Gate, and at Mr. Henry Playford's shop near the Inner Temple Church, who are appointed to take subscriptions." It was published the following year with the title, "_The Vocal and Instrumental Musick of the Prophetess, or the History of Dioclesian_, composed by Henry Purcell, Organist of their Majesties' Chappel, and of St. Peter's, Westminster. London, Printed by J. Heptinstall, for the Author, and are to be sold by John Carr, at his shop at the Middle Temple Gate near Temple-Barr. M.DCXCI." The libretto was made into a so-called opera. Purcell dedicated the work to the Duke of Somerset, and, as was the manner of the times, introduced his published score of the music with a flowery preface; it contains many interesting passages and reads as follows:-- "Your Grace has been pleas'd so particularly to favour the Composition of the Musick in _Dioclesian_, that from thence I have been encourag'd to this presumption of Dedicating not only It, but also the unworthy Author of it to your Protection. All Arts and Sciences have receiv'd their first encouragement from Great Persons, and owe their Propagation and Success to their esteem: like some sort of Fruit-trees, which being of a tender Constitution, and delicate in their Nature, require the shadow of the Cedar to shield their Infancy from Blites and Storms.