Leon. Pr'ythee, no more; thou know'st | He dies to me again, when talk'd of: sure, When I shall see this gentleman, thy speeches Will bring me to consider that, which may Unfurnish me of reason.-They are come. Enter a Lord. Most noble sir, Lord. Re-enter Cleomenes, with Florizel, Perdita, and Desires you to attach his son; who has attendants. Your mother was most true to wedlock, prince; Flo. seiz'd His wish'd ability, he had himself The lands and waters 'twixt your throne and his Leon. O, my brother, (Good gentleman!) the wrongs I have done thee, stir Afresh within me; and these thy offices, Of my behind-hand slackness!-Welcome hither, Good my lord, She came from Libya. His tears proclaim'd his, parting with her: thence Leon. The blessed gods (1) Full of grace and virtue. (His dignity and duty both cast off,) Leon. Flo. Camillo has betray'd me; Whose honour, and whose honesty, till now, Though fortune, visible an enemy, Paul. Sir, my liege, Your eye hath too much youth in't: not a month 'Fore your queen died, she was more worth such gazes Than what you look on now. Leon. I thought of her, Even in these looks I made.-But your petition [To Florizel. Is yet unanswer'd: I will to your father; (4) A quibble on the false dice so called, lord. And mark what way I make: Come, good my encounter, which lames report to follow it, and un- En-that carried hence the child? Aut. 'Beseech you, sir, were you present at this relation? 3 Gent. Like an old tale still; which will have matter to rehearse, though credit be asleep, and not an ear open: He was torn to pieces with a 1 Gent. I was by at the opening of the fardel, bear: this avouches the shepherd's son; who has heard the old shepherd deliver the manner how he not only his innocence (which seems much,) to jusfound it whereupon, after a little amazedness, wetify him, but a handkerchief, and rings, of his, that were all commanded out of the chamber; only Paulina knows. this, methought I heard the shepherd say, he found the child. 1 Gent. What became of his bark, and his followers? Aut. I would most gladly know the issue of it. 3 Gent. Wrecked, the same instant of their 1 Gent. I make a broken delivery of the business: master's death; and in the view of the shepherd: -But the changes I perceived in the king, and so that all the instruments, which aided to expose Camillo, were very notes of admiration: they the child, were even then lost, when it was found. seemed almost, with staring on one another, to tear But, O, the noble combat, that, 'twixt joy and sorthe cases of their eyes; there was speech in their row, was fought in Paulina! She had one eye dedumbness, language in their very gesture; they clined for the loss of her husband; another elevated looked, as they had heard of a world ransomed, or that the oracle was fulfilled: She lifted the prinone destroyed: A notable passion of wonder ap-cess from the earth; and so locks her in embracing, peared in them but the wisest beholder, that knew as if she would pin her to her heart, that she might no more but seeing, could not say, if the importance! no more be in danger of losing. were joy, or sorrow: but in the extremity of the one, it must needs be. Enter another Gentleman. Here comes a gentleman, that, happily, knows more: 1 Gent. The dignity of this act was worth the audience of kings and princes; for by such was it acted. 3 Gent. One of the prettiest touches of all, and that which angled for mine eyes (caught the water, though not the fish,) was, when at the relation of the queen's death, with the manner how she came 2 Gent. Nothing but bonfires: The oracle is fulto it (bravely confessed, and lamented by the king,) filled; the king's daughter is found: such a deal how attentiveness wounded his daughter: till, from of wonder is broken out within this hour, that bal-one sign of dolour to another, she did, with an lad-makers cannot be able to express it. alas! I would fain say, bleed tears; for, I am sure, my heart wept blood. Who was most marble there,s changed colour; some swooned, all sorrowed: if all the world could have seen it, the wo had been universal. Enter a third Gentleman. Here comes the lady Paulina's steward; he can deliver you more.-How goes it now, sir? this news, which is called true, is so like an old tale, that the verity of it is in strong suspicion: Has the king found his heir? 1 Gent. Are they returned to the court? 3 Gent. No: the princess hearing of her mother's statue, which is in the keeping of Paulina,--a piece many years in doing, and now newly performed by that rare Italian master, Julio Romano; who, had he himself eternity, and could put breath into his work, would beguile Nature of her custom, so perfectly he is her ape: he so near to Hermione hath done Hermione, that, they say, one would speak to her, and stand in hope of answer: thither, with all greediness of affection, are they gone; and there 3 Gent. Most true; if ever truth were pregnant by circumstance: that, which you hear, you'll swear you see, there is such unity in the proofs. The mantle of queen Hermione:-her jewel about the neck of it-the letters of Antigonus, found with it, which they know to be his character:-the majesty of the creature, in resemblance of the mother-the affection2 of nobleness, which nature shows above her breeding, and many other evi-they intend to sup. dences, proclaim her, with all certainty, to be the king's daughter. Did you see the meeting of the two kings? 2 Gent. No. 3 Gent. Then have you lost a sight, which was to be seen, cannot be spoken of. There might you have beheld one joy crown another; so, and in such manner, that, it seemed, sorrow wept to take leave of them; for their joy waded in tears. There was casting up of eyes, holding up of hands; with countenance of such distraction, that they were to be known by garment, not by favour.3 Our king. being ready to leap out of himself for joy of his found daughter; as if that joy were now become a loss, cries, O, thy mother, thy mother! then asks Bohemia forgiveness; then embraces his son-inlaw; then again worries he his daughter, with clipping her; now he thanks the old shepherd,|| which stands by, like a weather-beaten conduit of many kings' reigns. I never heard of such another (1) The thing imported. 2 Gent. I thought, she had some great matter there in hand; for she hath privately, twice or thrice a day, ever since the death of Hermione, visited that removed house. Shall we thither, and with our company piece the rejoicing? 1 Gent. Who would be thence, that has the benefit of access? every wink of an eye, some new grace will be born: our absence makes us unthrifty to our knowledge. Let's along. [Exeunt Gentlemen. Aut. Now, had I not the dash of my former life in me, would preferment drop on my head. I brought the old man and his son aboard the prince; told him, I heard him talk of a fardel, and I know not what: but he at that time, over-fond of the shepherd's daughter (so he then took her to be,) who began to be much sea-sick, and himself little better, extremity of weather continuing, this mystery remained undiscovered. But 'tis all one to me: for had I been the finder-out of this secret, it (3) Countenance, features. (4) Embracing. Enter Shepherd and Clown. Here come those I have done good to against my will, and already appearing in the blossoms of their fortune. would not have relished among my other discredits. || It is a surplus of your grace, which never Shep. Come, boy; I am past more children; but thy sons and daughters will be all gentlemen born. Clo. You are well met, sir: You denied to fight with me this other day, because I was no gentleman born: See you these clothes? say, you see them not, and think me still no gentleman born: you were best say, these robes are not gentlemen born. Give me the lie; do; and try whether I am not now a gentleman born. Aut. I know, you are now, sir, a gentleman born. Clo. Ay, and have been so any time these four hours. Shep. And so have I, boy. Clo. So you have:-but I was a gentleman born before my father for the king's son took me by the hand, and called me, brother; and then the two kings called my father, brother; and then the prince, my brother, and the princess, my sister, called my father, father; and so we wept: and there was the first gentleman-like tears that ever we shed. Shep. We may live, son, to shed many more. Clo. Ay; or else 'twere hard luck, being in so preposterous estate as we are. Aut. I humbly beseech you, sir, to pardon me all the faults I have committed to your worship, and to give me your good report to the prince my master. Shep. 'Pr'ythee, son, do; for we must be gentle, now we are gentlemen. Clo. Thou wilt amend thy life? I like your silence, it the more shows off O, not by much. Pol. Leon. As now she might have done, So much to my good comfort, as it is Now piercing to my soul. O, thus she stood, Even with such life of majesty (warm life, As now it coldly stands,) when first I woo'd her! I am asham'd: Does not the stone rebuke me, For being more stone than it ?-O, royal piece, There's magic in thy majesty; which has My evils conjur'd to remembrance; and Shep. You may say it, but not swear it. From thy admiring daughter took the spirits, Clo. Not swear it, now I am a gentleman? Let Standing like stone with thee! boors and franklins say it, I'll swear it. Shep. How if it be false, son? Aut. Ay, an it like your good worship. Clo. If it be ne'er so false, a true gentleman may swear it, in the behalf of his friend :-And I'|| swear to the prince, thou art a tall fellow of thy hands, and that thou wilt not be drunk; but I know, thou art no tall fellow of thy hands, and that thou wilt be drunk; but I'll swear it and I would, thou would'st be a tall fellow of thy hands. Per. And give me leave; I kneel, and then implore her blessing.-Lady, Paul. O, patience, Cam. My lord, your sorrow was too sore laid on; Aut. I will prove so, sir, to my power. Which sixteen winters cannot blow away, Clo. Ay, by any means prove a tall fellow: if ISo many summers, dry scarce any joy do not wonder, how thou darest venture to be Did ever so long live; no sorrow, drunk, not being a tall fellow, trust me not.-Hark! But kill'd itself much sooner. the kings and the princes, our kindred, are going Pol. Dear my brother, to see the queen's picture. Come, follow us: we'll Let him, that was the cause of this, have power be thy good masters. [Exeunt. To take off so much grief from you, as he Will piece up in himself. A room in Paulina's Paul. SCENE III-The same. Indeed, my lord, house. Enter Leontes, Polixenes, Florizel, Per-If I had thought, the sight of my poor image dita, Camillo, Paulina, Lords, and Attendants. Would thus have wrought you (for the stone is Leon. O grave and good Paulina, the great commine,) fort I'd not have show'd it. That I have had of thee! Leon. (3) Worked, agitated. For this affliction has a taste as sweet As any cordial comfort.-Still, methinks, Paul. Good my lord, forbear: You'll mar it, if you kiss it; stain your own So long could I Leon. What you can make her do, To make her speak, as move. Paul. It is requir'd, You do awake your faith: Then, all stand still; No foot shall stir. Proceed; Music; awake her: strike [Music. [Hermione comes down from the pedestal.|| You kill her double: Nay, present your hand : Leon. O, she's warm! [Embracing Pol. She embraces him. If she pertain to life, let her speak too. Pol. Ay, and make't manifest where she has Or, how stol'n from the dead. די That she is living, Were it but told you, should be hooted at Our Perdita is found. Her. [Presenting Per. who kneels to Her. And from your sacred vials pour your graces how found Thy father's court? for thou shalt hear, that I,- Paul. There's time enough for that; Leon. Is richly noted; and here justified By us, a pair of kings.-Let's from this place.- That e'er I put between your holy looks [Exe. This play, as Dr. Warburton justly observes, is, with all its absurdities, very entertaining. The her.||character of Autolycus is naturally conceived, and strongly represented. JOHNSON. |