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 Princess my fifter, call'd my father, father, and fo 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 elfe 'twere hard luck, being in so preposterous 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 swear to the Prince, thou art as honeft a true fellow as any is in Bithynia. Shep. You may say it, but not swear it.

Clo. Not swear it, now I am a gentleman? let boors and franklins fay 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 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 so, Sir, to my power.

Clo. Ay, by any means prove a tall fellow; if I do not wonder how thou dar'st venture to be drunk, not being a tall fellow, trust me not. Hark, the Kings and the Princes, our kindred, are going to fee the Queen's picture. Come, follow us: we'll be thy good masters. [Exeunt.

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, 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 vifit;
It is a furplus of your grace, which never
My life may last to answer.

Leo. O Paulina,

We honour you with trouble; but we came
To fee the statue of our Queen. Your gallery
Have we pass'd through, not without much content,
In many fingularities; but we faw not

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

[Paulina draws a curtain, and discover's
Hermione ftanding like a statue.

I like your filence, it the more shews off
Your wonder; but yet speak, first you, my Liege,
Comes it not fomething near ?

Leo. 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. Oh, not by much.

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

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

Leo. As now she might have done,
So much to my good comfort, as it is
Now piercing to my foul. Oh thus she stood;
Even with fuch life of Majesty, (warm life,
As now it coldly stands), when first I woo'd her.
I am asham'd; do's not the ftone rebuke me,
For being more stone than it? Oh, royal piece!
There's magic in thy Majesty, which has
My evils conjur'd to remembrance; and
From my admiring daughter took the spirits,
Standing like stone with thee.

Per. And give me leave,
And do not say 'tis superftition, 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 so long live; no forrow,

But kill'd itself much fooner.

Pol. 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.

Paul. Indeed, my Lord,

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

Leo. Do not draw the curtain.

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

May think anon it move.

Leo. Let be, let be;

Would I were dead, but that, methinks, alreadyWhat was he that did make it? fee, my Lord, Would you not deem it breath'd, and that those veins

Did verily bear blood?

Pol. Masterly done!

The very life feems warm upon her lip.

Leo. The fissure 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 sweet

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 kiss her.

Paul. Good my Lord, forbear;
The ruddiness 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 statue move indeed; defcend,
And take you by the hand. But then you'll think,
Which I protest against, I am assisted
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.

No foot shall ftir.

[Music.

Paul. Music; awake her: strike;
'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 numbness; 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 spell is lawful: do not shun her,
Until you fee her die again, for then

You kill her double. Nay, present your hand:
When she was young, you woo'd her; now in age,

Is she become the fuitor.

Leo. Oh, she'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 she pertain to life, let her speak too..

Pol. Ay, and make it manifeft where she has liv'd,

Or how ftol'n from the dead.

Paul. That she is living,

Were it but told you, should be hooted at
Like an old tale; but it appears she lives,
Though yet she speak not. Mark a little while.
Please you to interpose, fair Madam, kneel,
And pray your mother's blessing: turn, good Lady;
Our Perdita is found.

[Presenting 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 shalt hear, that I, [found

Knowing by Paulina that the oracle

Gave hope thou wast in being, have preferv'd
Myfelf to fee the issue.

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

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