and fhew our strange fights; he must know, 'tis none of your daughter, nor my fifter; we are gone elfe. Sir, I will give you as much as this old man does, when the bufinefs is perform'd; and remain, as he fays, your pawn 'till it be brought you. Aut. I will truft you, walk before toward the feafide, go on the right hand; I will but look upon the hedge, and follow you. Clo. We are blefs'd in this man, as I may fay,even blefs'd. Shep. Let's before, as he bids us: he was provided to do us good. [Exeunt Shepherd and Clown. Aut. If I had a mind to be honest, I fee, Fortune would not fuffer me; fhe drops booties in my mouth. I am courted now with a double occafion: gold, and a means to do the Prince my matter good; which, who knows how that may turn back to my advancement? I will bring thefe two moles, these blind ones, aboard him; if he think it fit to fhoar them again, and that the complaint they have to the King concerns him nothing, let him call me rogue, for being fo far officious; for I am proof againft that title, and what fhame elfe belongs to't to him will I prefent them, there may be matter in it. [Exit. A CT V. SCENE changes to Sicilia.. Enter Leontes, Cleomines, Dion, Paulina, and Servants. CLEOMINE S.. IR, you have done enough, and have perform.'d A faint-like forrow: no fault could you make, Which you have not redeem'd; indeed, paid down More penitence, than done trefpafs. At the laff, Do as the heavens have done, forget your evil; With them, forgive yourfelf.. Lea Leo. Whilft I remember Her and her virtues, I cannot forget My blemishes in them, and fo ftill think of Paul. True, too true, my Lord; If one by one you wedded all the world, Kill'd? fhe I kill'd ? I did fo, but thou strik’st me Upon my tongue, as in my thought. Now, good now, Cleo. Not at all, good Lady; You might have fpoke a thoufand things, that would Paul. You are one of those, You pity not the State, nor the remembrance (3c; Defirey'd the fweet'ft companion, that e'er man Bred his hopes out of, true. Paul. Too true, my Lord.] A very flight examination will convince ev'ry intelligent reader, that, true, here has jump'd out of its place in all the editions. What the King would fay, is abfolutely complete without it: and the placing it, where the printed copies have done, is an embarrassment to the fenfe. These two reafons, I hope, will be fufficient to justify my tranfpofition. With a fweet fellow to't? Paul. There is none worthy, Refpecting her that's gone; befides, the gods Will have fulfill'd their fecret purposes: Is't not the tenor of his oracle, That King Leontes fhall not have an heir, 'Till his loft child be found? which, that it fhall, And come again to me; who, on my life, Care not for iffue; The Crown will find an heir. Great Alexander Leo. Good Paulina, Who haft the memory of Hermione, I know, in honour: O, that ever I Had fquar'd me to thy counfel! then, even now Paul. And left them More rich, for what they yielded. Leo. Thou ípeak'ft truth: No more fuch wives, therefore no wife; one worse, (31) would make her fainted Spirit Again poffefs her corps, and on this flage (Where we offenders now appear) foul-vext, And begin, &c.] 'Tis obvious, that the grammar is defective; and the fenfe confequently wants fupporting. The flight change I have made cures both: and, furely, 'tis an improvement to the fentiment for the King to fay, that Paulina and he offended his dead wife's ghoft with the fubject of a fecond match; rather than in general terms to call themfelves offenders, finners. Paul. Paul. Had fhe fuch power, She had juft fuch cause. Leo. She had, and would incenfe me To murder her I married. Paul. I fhould fo: Were I the ghoft that walk'd, I'd bid you mark You chofe her; then I'd fhriek, that even your ears Leo. Stars, ftars, And all eyes elfe, dead coals: fear thou no wife :: Paul. Will you fwear Never to marry, but by my free leave? Leo. Never, Paulina; fo be blefs'd my spirit! Paul. Unless another, As like Hermione as is her picture, Affront his eye. Cleo. Good Madam, pray, have done.. Paul. Yet, if my Lord will marry; if you will, Sir; No remedy, but you will; give me the office To chufe you a Queen; fhe fhall not be fo young As, walk'd your firft Queen's ghoft, it should take joy Leo. My true Paulina, We fhall not marry, 'till thou bid'st us. Paul. That Shall be, when your firft Queen's again in breath :: Enter a Gentleman. Gent. One that gives out himfelf Prince Florizel, Son of Polixenes, with his Princefs (fhe, The fairest I have yet beheld) defires accefs To your high prefence.. Leo. What with him? he comes not Like to his father's greatnefs; his approach, So out of circumftance and fudden, tells us, 'Tis not a vifitation fram'd, but forc'd By need and accident. Gent. But few, And those but mean. What train? Leo. His Princefs, fay you, with him? Gent. Yes; the moft peerless piece of earth, I think, That e'er the fun fhone bright on. Paul. Oh Hermione, As every prefent time doth boaft itself Above a better, gone; so muft thy grave Give way to what's feen now. Sir, you yourself Gent. Pardon, Madam; The one I have almoft forgot, (your pardon) Will have your tongue too. This is a creature, Would the begin a fect, might quench the zeal Of who the but bid follow. Paul. How? not women? Gent. Women will love her, that fhe is a woman Leo. Go, Cleomines; Yourfelt, (affifted with your honour'd friends) Bring them to our embracement. Still 'tis ftrange, He thus fhould fteal upon us. Paul. Had our Prince [Exit Cleomines. (Jewel of children) feen this hour, he had pair'd Well with this Lord; there was not full a month Between their births. Leo. Pr'ythee, no more; ceafe; thou know'ft, He dies to me again, when talk'd of: sure, When I fhall fee this gentleman, thy speeches Will |