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,

So many summers dry: scarce any joy

Did ever so long live; no sorrow,

But kill'd itself much sooner.

Pol.

Dear my brother,

Let him that was the cause of this have pow'r
To take off so much grief from you as he

Will piece upon himself.

Paul.

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 shew'd it.

Leon.

Do not draw the curtain. Paul. No longer shall you gaze on 't; lest your

fancy

May think anon it moves.

Leon.

Let be, let be.

Would I were dead, but that, methinks, alreadyWhat was he that did make it? — See, my lord, Would you not deem it breath'd? and that those veins Did verily bear blood?

Pol.

Masterly done:

The very life seems warm upon her lip.

Leon. The fixure of her eye has motion in 't, As we are mock'd with art.

Paul.

I'll draw the curtain;

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

Leon.

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.

Paul. I am sorry, sir, I have thus far stirr'd you, but I could afflict you farther.

Leon.

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 chisel

Could ever yet cut breath?

For I will kiss her.

Paul.

Let no man mock me,

Good my lord, forbear:

The ruddiness upon her lip is wet;

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

Per.

Stand by, a looker-on.

Paul.

So long could I

Either forbear,

Quit presently the chapel, or resolve you
For more amazement. If you can behold it,
I'll make the statue move indeed; descend,

And take you by the hand: but then you'll think (Which I protest against) I am assisted

By wicked powers.

Leon.

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:

Or those that think it is unlawful business

I am about, let them depart.

Leon.

No foot shall stir.

Proceed;

Paul.

Music, awake her: strike.

[Music

'Tis time: descend: be stone no more: approach:

Come;

Strike all that look upon with marvel.
I'll fill your grave up: stir; nay, come away:
Bequeath to Death your numbness; for from him
Dear life redeems you. You perceive she stirs:
[HERMIONE descends from the pedestal.

Start not; her actions shall be holy, as,

You hear, my spell is lawful: do not shun her,
Until you see her die again; for then
You kill her double. Nay, present your hand :
When she was young you woo'd her; now,
Is she become the suitor.

Leon.

in age,

O, she's warm! [Embracing her.

If this be magic, let it be an art

Lawful as eating.

Pol.

She embraces him.

Cam. She hangs about his neck;

If she pertain to life, let her speak too.

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

Or, how stol'n from the dead!

That she is living,

Paul. 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.

Her.

[Presenting PER., who kneels to HER. You gods, look down,

And from your sacred vials pour your graces
Upon my daughter's head! Tell me, mine own,
Where hast thou been preserv'd? where liv'd? how

found

Thy father's Court? for thou shalt hear, that I,

Knowing by Paulina that the Oracle

Gave hope thou wast in being, have preserv'd
Myself to see the issue.

Paul.
There's time enough for that;
Lest they desire, upon this push, to trouble
Your joys with like relation. Go together,
You precious winners all; your exultation
Partake to every one. I, an old turtle,

Will wing me to some wither'd bough, and there
My mate, that's never to be found again,
Lament, till I am lost.

Leon.
O, peace, Paulina !
Thou should'st a husband take by my consent,
As I, by thine, a wife: this is a match,
And made between 's by vows.

mine;

Thou hast found

But how, is to be questioned: for I saw her,
As I thought, dead; and have, in vain, said many
A prayer upon her grave. I'll not seek far
(For him, I partly know his mind) to find thee
An honourable husband. Come, Camillo,

And take her by the hand: whose worth, and hon

esty,

Is richly noted; and here justified

By us, a pair of Kings.

Let's from this place.

What? - Look upon my brother: — both your par

dons,

That e'er I put between your holy looks

My ill suspicion. This your son-in-law,

And son unto the King, (whom Heavens directing,)
Is troth-plight to your daughter. Good Paulina,
Lead us from hence; where we may leisurely
Each one demand, and answer to his part
Perform'd in this wide gap of time, since first
We were dissever'd. Hastily lead away.

[Exeunt.

NOTES ON THE WINTER'S TALE.

p. 278.

p. 279.

p. 280.

ACT FIRST.

SCENE I.

"as over a vast' :-i. e., void. So the dead vast and middle of the night," Hamlet, Act I. Sc. 2, and "the vast of night," Tempest, Act I. Sc. 2.

66

SCENE II.

That may blow," &c. :- This passage has been called nonsensical, or very obscure, because its parenthetical nature has hitherto not been indicated. Polixenes gives his fears as one reason of his departure, and before assigning the other, pauses to ejaculate a prayer that his apprehensions may not have been put forth, i. e., uttered, too truly. Mr. Collier's folio of 1632, by reading "put forth too early," really makes nonsense of the passage; and gives one of many proofs that its corrector lacked authority always, and understanding often. In this case he only looked back to the word 'neaping,' i. e., nipping, and conformed his reading to that.

"To let him there a month behind the gest," &c.:· that is, to detain him there a month behind the time appointed for his departure. " Gest,' from the French gist, to lie down, meant either the stopping places on a royal progress, or the schedule of the appointed stages on such a progress. Here, it has the latter sense.

"What lady she her lord": - Lord Ellesmere's folio of 1623 and Mr. Collier's folio of 1632 have," What lady should her lord," which is plausible, and which Mr. Collier adopted in his edition of 1848. But the original reading, with a great but neither obscure nor inelegant elision, means "whatever lady she may be who loves her lord," and has a quaint fascination, which is lost in the proposed emendation.