Excels whatever yet you look'd upon, To see the life as lively mock'd, as ever Still sleep mock'd death: behold; and say, 'tis well. [PAULINA undraws a Curtain, and discovers a statue. I like your silence, it the more shows off Your wonder: But yet speak;-first, you, my liege. Comes it not something near? Leon. Her natural posture!Chide me, dear stone; that I may say, indeed, Thou art Hermione: or, rather, thou art she, In thy not chiding; for she was as tender, As infancy, and grace.-But yet, Paulina, Hermione was not so much wrinkled; nothing So aged, as this seems. Pol. O, not by much. Paul. So much the more our carver's excellence; Which lets go by some sixteen years, and makes her As she liv'd now. Leon. As now she might have done, Per. And give me leave; And do not say, 'tis superstition, that I kneel, and then implore her blessing.-Lady, Give me that hand of yours, to kiss. Paul. O, patience; The statue is but newly fix'd, the colour's Not dry. Cam. My lord, your sorrow was too sore laid on; Which sixteen winters cannot blow away, So many summers, dry: scarce any joy Did ever so long live; no sorrow, But kill'd itself much sooner. Pol. Dear my brother, Let him, that was the cause of this, have power To take off so much grief from you, as he Will piece up in himself. Paul. Indeed, my lord, If I had thought, the sight of my poor image Would thus have wrought you (for the stone is mine,) I'd not have show'd it. Leon. Do not draw the curtain. Paul. No longer shall you gaze on't; lest your fancy Let be, let be. Would I were dead, but that, methinks, alreadyWhat was he, that did make it ?-See, my lord, Would you not deem, it breath'd? and that those veins Did verily bear blood? Pol. Masterly done: The very life seems warm upon her lip. Leon. The fixure of her eye has motion in't,3 2-wrought] i. e. worked, agitated. The fixure of her eye has motion in't,] The meaning is, though her eye be fixed, [as the eye of a statue always is,] yet it seems to have motion in it: that tremulous motion, which is perceptible in the eye of a living person, how much soever one endeavour to fix it. I'll draw the curtain; As we are mock'd with art.4 Paul. My lord's almost so far transported, that He'll think anon, it lives. Leon. O sweet Paulina, Make me to think so twenty years together; No settled senses of the world can match The pleasure of that madness. Let't alone. Paul. I am sorry, sir, I have thus far stirr'd you: but I could afflict you further. Leon. Do, Paulina; For this affliction has a taste as sweet As any cordial comfort. Still, methinks, There is an air comes from her: What fine chiz zel Could ever yet cut breath? Let no man mock me, For I will kiss her. Paul. Good my lord, forbear: You'll mar it, if you kiss it; stain your own Per. Stand by, a looker on. Paul. So long could I Either forbear, Quit presently the chapel; or resolve you By wicked powers. Leon. What you can make her do, I am content to look on: what to speak, As we are mock'd with art.] As, is used by our author here as in some other places, for " as if." With has the force of by. I am content to hear; for 'tis as easy To make her speak, as move. Paul. It is requir'd, You do awake your faith: Then, all stand still; Or those, that think it is unlawful business I am about, let them depart. Leon. No foot shall stir. Paul. Proceed; Musick; awake her: strike. [Musick. "Tis time; descend; be stone no more: approach; [HERMIONE comes down from the Pedestal. You kill her double: Nay, present your hand: When she was young, you woo'd her; now, in age, Is she become the suitor. Leon. If this be magick, Lawful as eating. Pol. She embraces him. Cam. She hangs about his neck; If she pertain to life, let her speak too. Pol. Ay, and make't manifest where she has liv'd, Or, how stol'n from the dead? Paul. That she is living, Were it but told you, should be hooted at And pray your mother's blessing.-Turn, good lady; Our Perdita is found. [Presenting PERDITA, who kneels to HERMIONE. Her. You gods, look down, And from your sacred vials pour your graces Upon my daughter's head!-Tell ine, mine own, Where hast thou been preserv'd? where liv'd? how found Thy father's court? for thou shalt hear, that I,— Gave hope thou wast in being,-have preserv'd Paul. Will wing me to some wither'd bough; and there O peace, Paulina; Leon. mine; Thou hast found But how, is to be question'd: for I saw her, As I thought, dead; and have, in vain, said many A prayer upon her grave: I'll not seek far (For him, I partly know his mind,) to find thee An honourable husband:-Come, Camillo, And take her by the hand: whose worth, and ho nesty, You precious winners all;] You who by this discovery have gained what you desired, may join in festivity, in which I, who have lost what never can be recovered, can have no part. 6 your exultation Partake to every one.] Partake here means participate. |