True, too true, my lord: || And all eyes else dead coals!-fear thou no wife,
I'll have no wife, Paulina.
Paul.

Leon.
Pr'ythee, no more; thou know'st
He dies to me again, when talk'd of: sure,
When I shall see this gentleman, thy speeches
Will bring me to consider that, which may
Unfurnish me of reason.-They are come.
Re-enter Cleomenes, with Florizel, Perdita,

attendants.

Enter a Lord.

Most noble sit,

Lord.
That, which I shall report, will bear no credit,
Were not the proof so nigh. Please you, great sir,
Bohemia greets you from himself, by me:
and Desires you to attach2 his son; who has
(His dignity and duty both cast off,)
Fled from his father, from his hopes, and with
A shepherd's daughter.

Your mother was most true to wedlock, prince;
For she did print your royal father off,
Conceiving you: Were I but twenty-one,
Your father's image is so hit in you,
His very air, that I should call you brother,
As I did him; and speak of something, wildly
By us perform'd before. Most dearly welcome!
And your fair princess, goddess!-O, alas!
I lost a couple, that 'twixt heaven and earth
Might thus have stood, begetting wonder, as
You, gracious couple, do! and then I lost
(All mine own folly,) the society,
Amity too, of your brave father; whom,
Though bearing misery, I desire my life
Once more to look upon.

Flo.
By his command
Have I here touch'd Sicilia; and from him
Give you all greetings, that a king, at friend,
Can send his brother: and, but infirmity
(Which waits upon worn time,) hath something

seiz'd

Good my lord,

She came from Libya.
Leon.
Where the warlike Smalus,
That noble honour'd lord, is fear'd, and lov'd?
Flo. Most royal sir, from thence; from him,
whose daughter

His tears proclaim'd his, parting with her: thence
(A prosperous south-wind friendly,) we have cross'd,
To execute the charge my father gave me,
For visiting your highness: My best train
I have from your Sicilian shores dismiss'd;
Who for Bohemia bend, to signify
Not only my success in Libya, sir,
But my arrival, and my wife's, in safety
Here, where we are.

Leon.

The blessed gods
Purge all infection from our air, whilst you
Do climate here! You have a holy father,
A gracefull gentleman; against whose person,
So sacred as it is, I have done sin :
For which the heavens, taking angry note,
Have left me issueless; and your father's bless'd,
(As he from heaven merits it,) with you,
Worthy his goodness. What might I have been,
Might I a son and daughter now have look'd on,
Such goodly things as you?

(1) Full of grace and virtue.

(2) Seize, arrest. (3) Conversation.

Leon.

Where's Bohemia? speak.
Lord. Here in the city; I now came from him.
I speak amazedly; and it becomes
My marvel, and my message. To your court
Whiles he was hast'ning (in the chase, it seems,
Of this fair couple,) meets he on the way
The father of this seeming lady, and
Her brother, having both their country quitted
With this young prince.

Flo.

Camillo has betray'd me;

Whose honour, and whose honesty, till now,

Endur'd all weathers.

Leon.
Lord. Camillo, sir; I spake with him; who now
Has these poor men in question.3 Never saw I
Wretches so quake: they kneel, they kiss the earth;
Forswear themselves as often as they speak:
Bohemia stops his ears, and threatens them
With divers deaths in death.

Per.

O, my poor father!-
The heaven sets spies upon us, will not have
Our contract celebrated.

Leon.

You are married?
Flo. We are not, sir, nor are we like to be;
The stars, I see, will kiss the valleys first:-
The odds for high and low's alike.4
Leon.

Is this the daughter of a king?
Flo.

When once she is my wife.

My lord,

She is,

Leon. That once, I see, by your good father's
speed,

Will come on very slowly. I am sorry,
Most sorry, you have broken from his liking,
Where you were tied in duty: and as sorry,
Your choice is not so rich in worths as beauty,
That you might well enjoy her.

Flo.

Dear, look up:

Though fortune, visible an enemy,
Should chase us, with my father; power no jot
Hath she, to change our loves.-'Beseech you, sir,
Remember since you ow'd no more to time
Than I do now: with thought of your affections,
Step forth mine advocate; at your request,
My father will grant precious things, as trifles.
Leon. Would he do so, I'd beg your precious
mistress,

Which he counts but a trifle.

Paul.

Sir, my liege,

Your eye hath too much youth in't: not a month
'Fore your queen died, she was more worth such

gazes
Than what you look on now.
Leon.
I thought of her,
Even in these looks I made.-But your petition
[To Florizel.

Is yet unanswer'd: I will to your father;
Your honour not o'erthrown by your desires,
I am a friend to them, and you: upon which errand
I now go toward him; therefore, follow me,

(4) A quibble on the false dice so called.
(5) Descent or wealth.

And mark what way I make: Come, good my
lord.
[Exeunt.
SCENE II-The same. Before the palace. En-
ter Autolycus and a Gentleman.

Aut. 'Beseech you, sir, were you present at this relation?

1 Gent. I was by at the opening of the fardel, heard the old shepherd deliver the manner how he found it whereupon, after a little amazedness, we were all commanded out of the chamber; only this, methought I heard the shepherd say, he found the child.

encounter, which lames report to follow it, and un
does description to do it.
that carried hence the child?
2 Gent. What, pray you, became of Antigonus,

3 Gent. Like an old tale still; which will have matter to rehearse, though credit be asleep, and not an ear open: He was torn to pieces with a bear: this avouches the shepherd's son; who has not only his innocence (which seems much,) to justify him, but a handkerchief, and rings, of his, that Paulina knows.

1 Gent. What became of his bark, and his followers?

Aut. I would most gladly know the issue of it. 3 Gent. Wrecked, the same instant of their 1 Gent. I make a broken delivery of the business; master's death; and in the view of the shepherd: -But the changes I perceived in the king, and so that all the instruments, which aided to expose Camillo, were very notes of admiration: they the child, were even then lost, when it was found. seemed almost, with staring on one another, to tear But, O, the noble combat, that, 'twixt joy and sor the cases of their eyes; there was speech in their row, was fought in Paulina! She had one eye dedumbness, language in their very gesture; they clined for the loss of her husband; another elevated looked, as they had heard of a world ransomed, or that the oracle was fulfilled: She lifted the prinone destroyed: A notable passion of wonder ap-cess from the earth; and so locks her in embracing, peared in them: but the wisest beholder, that knew as if she would pin her to her heart, that she might no more but seeing, could not say, if the importance no more be in danger of losing. were joy, or sorrow: but in the extremity of the one, it must needs be.

Enter another Gentleman.

Here comes a gentleman, that, happily, knows more:
The news, Rogero?

2 Gent. Nothing but bonfires: The oracle is fulfilled; the king's daughter is found: such a deal of wonder is broken out within this hour, that ballad-makers cannot be able to express it.

Enter a third Gentleman.

Here comes the lady Paulina's steward; he can deliver you more.-How goes it now, sir? this news, which is called true, is so like an old tale, that the verity of it is in strong suspicion: Has the king found his heir?

3 Gent. Most true; if ever truth were pregnant by circumstance: that, which you hear, you'll swear you see, there is such unity in the proofs. The mantle of queen Hermione:-her jewel about the neck of it-the letters of Antigonus, found with it, which they know to be his character:-the majesty of the creature, in resemblance of the mother; the affection of nobleness, which nature shows above her breeding,-and many other evidences, proclaim her, with all certainty, to be the king's daughter. Did you see the meeting of the two kings?

2 Gent. No.

1 Gent. The dignity of this act was worth the audience of kings and princes; for by such was it acted.

3 Gent. One of the prettiest touches of all, and that which angled for mine eyes (caught the water, though not the fish,) was, when at the relation of the queen's death, with the manner how she came how attentiveness wounded his daughter: till, from to it (bravely confessed, and lamented by the king,) one sign of dolour to another, she did, with an alas! I would fain say, bleed tears; for, I am sure, my heart wept blood. Who was most marble there,5 changed colour; some swooned, all sorrowed: if all the world could have seen it, the wo had been universal.

1 Gent. Are they returned to the court? 3 Gent. No: the princess hearing of her mother's statue, which is in the keeping of Paulina,-a piece many years in doing, and now newly performed by that rare Italian master, Julio Romano; who, had he himself eternity, and 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.

2 Gent. 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?

1 Gent. 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.

3 Gent. Then have you lost a sight, which was to be seen, cannot be spoken of. There might you have beheld one joy crown another; so, and in such manner, that, it seemed, sorrow wept to take leave of them; for their joy waded in tears. There was casting up of eyes, holding up of hands; with countenance of such distraction, that they were to Aut. Now, had I not the dash of my former life be known by garment, not by favour.3 Our king, in me, would preferment drop on my head. I being ready to leap out of himself for joy of his brought the old man and his son aboard the prince; found daughter; as if that joy were now become told him, I heard him talk of a fardel, and I know a loss, cries, O, thy mother, thy mother! then asks not what: but he at that time, over-fond of the Bohemia forgiveness; then embraces his son-in-shepherd's daughter (so he then took her to be,) law; then again worries he his daughter, with clipping her; now he thanks the old shepherd, which stands by, like a weather-beaten conduit of many kings' reigns. I never heard of such another

(1) The thing imported.
(2) Disposition or quality.

who began to be much sea-sick, and himself little
better, extremity of weather continuing, this mys-
tery remained undiscovered. But 'tis all one to
me: for had I been the finder-out of this secret, it

(3) Countenance, features. (4) Embracing.
(5) Most petrified with wonder. (6) Reinote.

would not have relished among my other discredits. || It is a surplus of your grace, which never
My life may last to answer.
Leon.

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

Shep. Come, boy; I am past more children; but thy sons and daughters will be all gentlemen born. Clo. 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.

Aut. I know, you are now, sir, a gentleman born. Clo. Ay, and have been so any time these four hours.

Shep. And so have I, boy.

Clo. 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.

Shep. We may live, son, to shed many more. Clo. Ay; or else 'twere hard luck, being in so preposterous estate as we are.

Aut. 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.

Shep. 'Pr'ythee, son, 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 swear to the
prince, thou art as honest a true fellow as any is in
Bohemia.

||

O Paulina,
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.
Paul.
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, 'tis well.
[Paulina undraws a curtain, and dis-

covers 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,
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 ?-0, royal piece,
There's magic in thy majesty; which has
My evils conjur'd to remembrance; and
From thy admiring daughter took the spirits,

Shep. You may say it, but not swear it.
Clo. Not swear it, now I am a gentleman? Let Standing like stone with thee!
boors and franklins say it, I'll swear it.
Shep. How if it be false, son?

Clo. 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 tall2 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.

Per.

And give me leave;

And do not say, 'tis 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.
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,

Pol.

Aut. I will prove so, sir, to my power. Clo. Ay, by any means prove tall fellow: if ISo many summers, dry: scarce any joy do not wonder, how thou darest venture to be Did ever so long live; no sorrow, drunk, not being a tall fellow, trust me not.-Hark!|| But kill'd itself much sooner. 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-The same. A room in Paulina's house. Enter Leontes, Polixenes, Florizel, Perdita, Camillo, Paulina, Lords, and Attendants. Leon. O grave and good Paulina, the great comfort

That I have had of thee!

Paul.
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 con-
tracted

Heirs of your kingdoms, my poor house to visit,
(1) Yeomen.
(2) Stout.

Paul.

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.
If I had thought, the sight of my poor image
Indeed, my lord,
Would thus have wrought3 you (for the stone is
mine,)
I'd not have show'd it.

Leon.
Paul. No longer shall
fancy
May think anon, it moves.
Leon.
Let be, let be.
Would I were dead, but that methinks already-
What was he, that did make it ?-See, my lord,

Do not draw the curtain.
you gaze on't; lest your

(3) Worked, agitated.

That she is living,
I'll draw the curtain;|| Were it but told you, should be hooted at
Like an old tale; but it appears, she lives,

What you can make her do, But how, is to be question'd: for I saw her,

This play, as Dr. Warburton justly observes, is, with all its absurdities, very entertaining. The her.||character of Autolycus is naturally conceived, and strongly represented.