Shep. And fo have I, boy.

Clo. So you have: but I was a gentleman born before my father; for the King's fon took me by the hand, and call'd me brother; and then the two Kings call'd my father brother; and then the Prince my brother, and the Princefs my fifter, call'd my father, father, and fo we wept;" and there was the first gentleman-like "tears that ever we fhed.

Shep. We may live, fon, to fhed many more.

Cl. Ay, or elfe 'twere hard luck, being in fo prepofterous eftate as we are.

Aut. I humbly befeech 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, fon, do; for we must be gentle, now we are gentlemen.

Clo. Thou wilt amend thy life?

Aut. Ay, an it like your good Worship.

Clo. Give me thy hand: I will fwear to the Prince, thou art as honeft a true fellow as any is in Bithynia. Shep. You may fay it, but not fwear it.

Clo. Not fwear it, now I am a gentleman? let boors and franklins fay it, I'll fwear it.

Shep. How if it be falfe, fon?

Clo. If it be ne'er fo falfe, a true gentleman may fwear it in the behalf of his friend: and I'll fwear 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.

Aut. I will prove fo, Sir, to my power.

Clo. Ay, by any means prove a tall fellow; if I do not wonder how thou dar'ft venture to be drunk, not being a tall fellow, truft 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

SCENE VII. Changes to Paulina's house. Enter Leontes, Polixenes, Florizel, Perdita, Camillo, Paulina, Lords and Attendants.

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

Paul. What, fovereign Sir,

I did not well, I meant well; all my fervices
You have paid home. But that you have vouchfaf'd,
With your crown'd brother, and these your contracted
Heirs of your kingdoms, my poor house to vifit;
It is a furplus of your grace, which never

My life may laft to aniwer.

Leo. O Paulina,

We honour you with trouble; but we came

To fee the ftatue of our Queen. Your gallery

Have we pafs'd through, not without much content,

İn many fingularities; but we faw not

That which my daughter came to look upon,
The ftatue of her mother.

Paul. As the liv'd peerless,

So her dead likeness, I do well believe,
Excells whatever yet you look'd upon,

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

To fee the life as lively mock'd, as ever

Still fleep mock'd death; behold, and say, 'tis well.

I like

[Paulina draws a curtain and difcovers Hermione ftanding like a ftatue.

your filence, it the more fhews off

Your wonder; but yet fpeak, firft you, my Liege,
Comes it not fomething near?

Leo. Her natural posture!

Chide me, dear stone, that I may fay, indeed,
Thou art Hermione; or rather, thou art fhe,
In thy not chiding; for fhe was as tender
As infancy and grace. But yet, Paulina,
Hermione was not fo much wrinkled, nothing
So aged as this feems.

Pol. Oh, not by much.

Paul. So much the more our carver's excellence,

Which lets go by fome fixteen years; and makes her As the liv'd now.

Leo. As now the might have done,

So much to my good comfort, as it is

Now piercing to my foul. Oh, thus fhe ftood;
Even with fuch life of Majefty, (warm life,
As now it coldly ftands), when first I woo'd her.
I am afham'd; does not the stone rebuke me,
For being more stone than it? Oh, royal piece!
There's magic in thy majefty, which has
My evils conjur'd to remembrance; and
From my admiring daughter took the spirits,
Standing like ftone with thee.

Per. And give me leave,

And do not fay 'tis fuperftition, that

I kneel, and then implore her bleffing.—Lady,
Dear Queen, that ended when I but began,
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 forrow was too fore laid on, Which fixteen winters cannot blow away,

So many fummers dry: scarce any joy

Did ever fo long live; no forrow,

But kill'd itself much fooner.

Pol. Dear my brother,

Let him that was the caufe of this, have power
To take off fo much grief from you, as he
Will piece up in himself.

Paul. Indeed, my Lord,

If I had thought the fight of my poor image
Would thus have wrought you, (for the ftone is mine),
I'd not have fhew'd it.

Leo. Do not draw the curtain.

Paul. No longer fhall you gaze on't, left your fancy

May think anon it move.

Leo. Let be, let be;

Would I were dead, but that, methinks, already

What was he that did make it? fee, my Lord,

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

Pol. Mafterly done!

The very life feems warm upon her lip.

Leo. The fiffure of her eye has motion in't,

As we were mock'd with art.

Paul. I'll draw the curtain.

My Lord's almost so far transported, that
He'll think anon it lives.

Leo. O fweet Paulina,

Make me to think so twenty years together:
No fettled fenfes of the world can match
The pleasure of that madness. Let't alone.

Paul. I'm forry, Sir, I have thus far stirr'd you; but I could afflict you further.

Leo. Do, Paulina;

For this affliction has a taste as fweet

As any cordial comfort. Still methinks

There is an air comes from her. What fine chizzel Could ever yet cut breath! Let no man mock me, For I will kifs her.

Paul. Good my Lord, forbear;

The ruddinefs upon her lip is wet;

You'll mar it, if you kiss it; ftain your own
With oily painting. Shall I draw the curtain ?
Leo. No, not these twenty years.

Per. So long could I

Stand by a looker-on.
Paul. Either forbear,

Quit presently the chapel, or refolve you

For more amazement: if you can behold it,

I'll make the ftatue move indeed; defcend,

And take you by the hand. But then you'll think, Which I proteft againft, I am affifted

By wicked powers.

Leo. What you can make her do,

I am content to look on; what to speak,

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:

And those that think it is unlawful business

I am about, let them depart.

Leo. Proceed;

VOL. III.

Νο

No foot fhall ftir.

Paul. Mufic; awake her: ftrike;

[Mufic.

'Tis time, defcend; be ftone no more; approach,
Strike all that look upon with marvel. Come,
I'll fill your grave up: ftir; nay, come away :
Bequeath to death your numbnefs; for from him
Dear life redeems you. You perceive she stirs;

[Hermione comes down.

Start not; her actions shall be holy, as,
You hear, my fpell is lawful: do not fhun her,
Until you fee her die again, for then

You kill her double. Nay, prefent your hand:
When he was young, you woo'd her; now in age,
Is he become the fuitor.

Leo. Oh, fhe's warm!

If this be magic, let it be an art
Lawful as eating.

Pol. She embraces him.

Cam. She hangs about his neck;

[Embracing her

If the pertain to life, let her speak too.

Pol. Ay, and make it manifeft where fhe has liv'd, Or how ftol'n from the dead.

Paul. That the is living,

Were it but told you, fhould be hooted at

Like an old tale; but it appears she lives,

Though yet fhe speak not.

Mark a little while.

Pleafe you to interpofe, fair Madam, kneel,

And pray your mother's bleffing: turn, good Lady; Our Perdita is found.

[Prefenting Perdita, who kneels to Herm.

Her. You gods, look down,

And from your facred vials pour your graces

Upon my daughter's head: tell me, mine own,

Where haft thou been preferv'd? where liv'd? how
Thy father's court? for thou fhalt hear, that I, [found
Knowing by Paulina that the oracle

Gave hope thou waft in being, have preferv'd
Myfelf to fee the iffue.

Paul. There's time enough for that;
Left they defire, upon this pufh, to trouble
Your joys with like relation. Go together,
You precious winners all, your exultation

Partake