PERSONS REPRESENTED. KING of France. DUKE of Florence. BERTRAM, Count of Roufillon. LAFEU, an old Lord. PAROLLES, a parafitical follower of BERTRAM: a Coward, but vain, and a great pretender to Valour. Several young French Lords, that ferve with BERTRAM in the Florentine War. STEWARD, CLOWN, } Servants to the Countess of Roufillon. COUNTESS of Roufillon, Mother to BERTRAM. HELENA, Daughter to GERARD DE NARBON, a famous Phyfician, fome Time fince dead. An old Widow of Florence. DIANA, Daughter to the Widow. MARIANA, Neighbour and Friend to the Widow. Lords, attending on the King; Officers, Soldiers, &c. SCENE-lies partly in France, and partly in Tuscany. THIS PLAY is faid to have paffed under the various Titles of "Love's Labour won ;"-"A bad Beginning makes a good Ending-;" "and Mr. Parolles" it was probaby written about the Year 1598, and in fome of the graver Scenes Shakspeare availed himself of a Novel of Boccace, or rather his Tranflator Painter, in the Palace of Pleasure, called Giletta of Narbon. The Countess of Roufillon's Houfe in France. Enter Bertram, the Countess of Roufillon, Helena, and Lafeu, all in black. n Count. In delivering my fon from me, I bury a fecond husband. Ber. And I, in going, madam, weep o'er my father's death anew but I must attend his majesty's command, to whom I am now in ward, evermore in fubjection. Laf. You fhall find of the king a husband, madam ;you, fir, a father: He that fo generally is at all times good, must of neceffity hold his virtue to you; whose In delivering my fon from me,]-In yielding up the care of my fon. to whom I am now in ward,]-under whofe tutelage I am at present. worthiness worthiness would ftir it up where it wanted, rather than lack it where there is fuch abundance. Count. What hope is there of his majesty's amendment? Laf. He hath abandon'd his physicians, madam; under whose practices he hath perfecuted time with hope; and finds no other advantage in the process, but only the lofing of hope by time. Count. This young gentlewoman had a father, (O, that bad! how fad a paffage 'tis !) whose skill was almost as great as his honefty; had it ftretch'd fo far, it would have made nature immortal, and death should have 'play'd for lack of work. 'Would, for the king's fake, he were living! I think, it would be the death of the king's disease. Laf. How call'd you the man you speak of, madam? Count. He was famous, fir, in his profeffion, and it was his great right to be fo: Gerard de Narbon. Laf. He was excellent, indeed, madam; the king very lately spoke of him, admiringly, and mourningly: he was fkilful enough to have liv'd still, if knowledge could have been set up againft mortality. Ber. What is it, my good lord, the king languishes of? Laf. A fistula, my lord. Ber. I heard not of it before. Laf. I would, it were not notorious.—Was this gentlewoman the daughter of Gerard de Narbon? Count. His fole child, my lord; and bequeathed to my overlooking. I have thofe hopes of her good, that her education promises: 'her difpofitions fhe inherits, which makes Pit wanted, rather than lack it]-it was wanting, rather than fail of obtaining a fhare of it.-flack it. aa paffage]-a word.-preface, prefage. г play. ber difpofitions he inherits, which makes fair gifts fairer :]-her fine accomplishments receive a double luftre from her naturally good difpofition. fair gifts fairer for where an unclean mind 'carries virtuous qualities, there commendations go with pity, they are virtues and "traitors too; in her they are the better for their fimpleness; fhe derives her honesty, and atchieves her' goodness. Laf. Your commendations, madam, get from her tears. Count. 'Tis the best brine a maiden can season her praise in. The remembrance of her father never approaches her heart, but the tyranny of her forrows takes all 2 livelihood from her cheek. No more of this Helena, go to, no more; left it be rather thought you affect a forrow, than to have. Hel. I do affect a forrow, indeed, but I have it too. Laf. Moderate lamentation is the right of the dead, exceffive grief the enemy to the living. a b Count. If the living be enemy to the grief, the excess makes it foon mortal. Ber. Madam, I defire your holy wishes. с Laf. How understand we that? Count. Be thou bleft, Bertram! and fucceed thy father In manners, as in fhape! thy blood, and virtue, Contend for empire in thee; and thy goodness Share with thy birth-right! Love all, truft a few, carries virtuous qualities,]-is furnished with those external ad. vantages. " traitors too;]-of a dangerous tendency, betray men into mischief. "fimpleness;]-artless fimplicity. bonefty, -integrity. Y goodnejs.]-embellishments. z livelihood]-liveliness. 2 I do affect a forrow, indeed, but I have it too.]—for the lofs of my father-but am truly forry for Bertram's departure. be enemy to the grief, the excess makes it foon mortal.]-oppose it properly, it's very violence will, in a short time, destroy it. Scarce any joy," &c. WINTER'S TALE. A& V, S. 3. Cam. How understand we that ?]—A characteristic effusion of thoughtless vivacity. VOL. II. Do wrong to none: be able for thine enemy 'Tis an unfeafon'd courtier, good my lord, Laf. He cannot want the best, That fhall attend his love. Count. Heaven blefs him! Farewel, Bertram. [Exit Countefs. Ber. [To Helena.] The best wishes, that can be forg'd in your thoughts, 'be fervants to you! Be comfortable to my mother, your mistress, and make much of her. Laf. Farewel, pretty lady: of your father. Hel. Oh, were that all 1 And these great tears grace i You uphold the credit [Exeunt Bertram and Lafeu. I think not on my father; his remembrance more, Than those I fhed for him. What was he like? I have forgot him: my imagination * Carries no favour in it, but Bertram's. I am undone, there is no living, none, If Bertram be away. It were all one, d be able for thine enemy]-practifed in the science of defence. • He cannot want the beft, That shall attend his love.]-The efteem that he will win by his deferts, will enfure him the best advice. be fervants to you !]-may you compass in their fullest extent. You uphold]-by your long continued grief you testify a due sense of your father's fuperior merit-you must hola. Oh, were that all !]-would I had no other cause to grieve! And these great tears grace bis remembrance more, Than those I fed for him.]-This present flow of tears, attributed to a mistaken fource, does more honour to his memory, than those which I actually fhed for him. Carries no favour in it,]-recollects no other form. And |