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 they intend to sup.

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2 Gentleman. 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?

I Gentleman. 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.

Autolycus. 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 them talk of a fardel and I know not what: but he at that time, overfond 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 't is all one to me; for had I been the finder-out of this secret, it would not have relished among my other discredits.

Enter Shepherd and Clown.

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Here come those I have done good to against my will, and already appearing in the blossoms of their fortune.

Shepherd. Come, boy; I am past moe children, but thy sons and daughters will be all gentlemen born.

Clown. 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.

Autolycus. I know you are now, sir, a gentleman born. Clown. Ay, and have been so any time these four hours. Shepherd. And so have I, boy.

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Clown. 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.

Shepherd. We may live, son, to shed many more.

Clown. Ay; or else 't were hard luck, being in so preposterous estate as we are.

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Autolycus. 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.

Shepherd. Prithee, son, do; for we must be gentle, now we are gentlemen.

Clown. Thou wilt amend thy life?

Autolycus. Ay, an it like your good worship.

Clown. Give me thy hand; I will swear to the prince thou art as honest a true fellow as any is in Bohemia.

Shepherd. You may say it, but not swear it.

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Clown. Not swear it, now I am a gentleman? Let boors and franklins say it, I'll swear it.

Shepherd. How if it be false, son?

Clown. If it be ne'er so false, a true gentleman may swear it in the behalf of his friend: and I'll 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 wouldst be a tall fellow of thy hands. Autolycus. I will prove so, sir, to my power.

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Clown. Ay, by any means prove a tall fellow; if I do not wonder how thou darest venture to be drunk, not being a tall fellow, trust me not.-Hark! the kings and the princes, our kindred, are going to see the queen's picture. Come, follow us; we 'll be thy good masters. [Exeunt.

SCENE III. A Chapel in Paulina's House.

Enter LEONTES, POLIXENES, FLORIZEL, PERDITA, CAMILLO, PAULINA, Lords, and Attendants.

Leontes. O grave and good Paulina, the great comfort That I have had of thee!

Paulina.

What, sovereign sir,

I did not well I meant well. All my services
You have paid home; but that you have vouchsaf'd,
With your crown'd brother and these your contracted
Heirs of your kingdoms, my poor house to visit,

It is a surplus of your grace, which never

My life may last to answer.

We honour you with trouble: but we came

To see the statue of our queen; your gallery

Have we pass'd through, not without much content
In many singularities, but we saw not

That which my daughter came to look upon,

The statue of her mother.

Paulina.

As she liv'd peerless,

So her dead likeness, I do well believe,

Excels whatever yet you look'd upon

Or hand of man hath done; therefore I keep it
Lonely, apart. But here it is; prepare

To see the life as lively mock'd as ever

Still sleep mock'd death. Behold, and say 't is well.

ΤΟ

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[Paulina draws a curtain, and discovers Hermione standing like 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?

Leontes.

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.

Polixenes.

O, not by much.

Paulina. So much the more our carver's excellence; Which lets go by some sixteen years, and makes her As she liv'd now.

Leontes.

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
From thy admiring daughter took the spirits,
Standing like stone with thee.

Perdita.

And give me leave,

And do not say 't is superstition, that

I kneel and then implore her blessing.-Lady,
Dear queen, that ended when I but began,

Give me that hand of yours to kiss.

Paulina.

O, patience!

The statue is but newly fix'd, the colour 's
Not dry.

Camillo. My lord, your sorrow was too sore laid on,
Which sixteen winters cannot blow away,

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So many summers dry: scarce any joy

Did ever so long live; no sorrow

But kill'd itself much sooner.

Polixenes.

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.

Paulina.

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.

Leontes.

Do not draw the curtain.

Paulina. No longer shall you gaze on 't, lest your fancy May think anon it moves.

Leontes.

Let be, let be.

Would I were dead, but that, methinks, already

What was he that did make it?-See, my lord,

Would you not deem it breath'd? and that those veins
Did verily bear blood?

The very life seems warm upon her lip.

Leontes. The fixure of her eye has motion in 't,

As we are mock'd with art.

Paulina.

I'll draw the curtain;

My lord's almost so far transported that

He'll think anon it lives.

Leontes.

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.

Paulina. I am sorry, sir, I have thus far stirr'd you; but

I could afflict you farther.

Leontes.

Do, Paulina;

For this affliction has a taste as sweet

As any cordial comfort. Still, methinks,

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