As o'er-dyed blacks, as wind, as waters, false
As dice are to be wished by one that fixes
No bourn 'twixt his and mine; yet were it true
Το say this boy were like me.-Come, sir page,
Look on me with your welkin eye: sweet villain,
Most dear'st, my collop,-Can thy dam?-may 't
be

Affection, thy intention stabs the centre:
Thou dost make possible things not so held,
Communicat'st with dreams ;-how can this be?—
With what's unreal thou co-active art,

And fellow'st nothing. Then, 't is very credent, Thou may'st co-join with something; and thou dost,

And that beyond commission; and I find it;

And that to the infection of my brains,

And hardening of my brows.

Pol.

Her. He something seems unsettled.

Pol.

What means Sicilia?

How, my lord!

You look

What cheer how is 't with you, best brother?

Her.

As if held a brow of much distraction : you

Are you moved, my lord?

Leon.

How som£

No, in good earnest.

26

Its tenderness, and make itself a pastime
To harder bosoms! Looking on the lines
Of my boy's face, methoughts I did recoil
Twenty-three years, and saw myself unbreeched,
In my green velvet coat, my dagger muzzled,
Lest it should bite its master, and so prove,
As ornaments oft do, too dangerous.

How like, methought, I then was to this kernel,
This squash, this gentleman. Mine honest friend,
Will you take eggs for money?

Mam. No, my lord, I'll fight.

Leon. You will? why, happy man be's dole !—
My brother,

Are you so fond of your young prince as we

Do seem to be of ours?

Pol.

If at home, sir,

He's all my exercise, my mirth, my matter:
Now my sworn friend, and then mine enemy;
My parasite, my soldier, statesman, all.
He makes a July's day short as December;
And with his varying childness cures in me
Thoughts that would thick

Leon.
Officed with me.

my

blood.

So stands this squire

We two will walk, my lord,
Stone Hermione.

Let what is dear in Sicily, be cheap.

Next to thyself and my young rover, he's
Apparent to my heart.

Her.

If you would seek us,

We are yours i' the garden: shall 's attend you

there?

Leon. To your own bents dispose you: you'll be

found,

Be you beneath the sky.-[Aside.] I am angling

now,

Though you perceive me not how I give line.
Go to, go to !

How she holds up the neb, the bill to him;
And arms her with the boldness of a wife

To her allowing husband!

[Exeunt POLIXENES, HERMIONE, and Attendants. Gone already;

Inch-thick, knee-deep, o'er head and ears a forked

one !

Go play, boy, play;-thy mother plays, and I
Play too, but so disgraced a part, whose issue
Will hiss me to my grave: contempt and clamour
Will be my knell.-Go play, boy, play.-There
have been,

Or I am much deceived, cuckolds ere now;
And many a man there is

28

THE WINTER'S TALE.

Now, while I speak this) holds his wife by the arm,
That little thinks she has been sluiced in 's absence,
And his pond fished by his next neighbour, by
Sir Smile, his neighbour. Nay, there's comfort
in 't

Whiles other men have gates, and those gates

opened

Should all despair That have revolted wives, the tenth of mankind Would hang themselves. Physic for 't there is

As mine, against their will.

none:

It is a bawdy planet, that will strike

Where 't is predominant; and 't is powerful, think it,

From east, west, north, and south; be it concluded, No barricado for a belly; know 't;

It will let in and out the enemy,

With bag and baggage. Many a thousand on 's
Have the disease, and feel 't not.-How now, boy?

Mam. I am like you, they say.

Why, that 's some comfort

Leon.

What! Camillo there!

Cam. Ay, my good lord.

Leon. Go play, Mamillius; thou 'rt an honest

mon

Erit MAMILLIUS

Cam. You had much ado to make his anchor

hold:

When you cast out, it still came home.

Leon.

Didst note it?

Cam. He would not stay at your petitions; made His business more material.

Leon.

Didst perceive it?

They're here with me already; whispering,

rounding,

'Sicilia is a—so forth.' 'T is far gone,

When I shall gust it last.-How came 't, Camillo, That he did stay?

Cam.

At the good queen's entreaty.

Leon. At the queen's, be 't: good should be per

tinent;

But so it is, it is not. Was this taken

By any understanding pate but thine?
For thy conceit is soaking; will draw in
More than the common blocks: not noted, is 't,
But of the finer natures? by some severals
Of head-piece extraordinary lower messes,
Perchance, are to this business purblind: say.
Cam. Business, my lord? I think, most under-