SCENE I. ACT V. Changes to Sicilia. Enter Leontes, Cleomines, Dion, Paulina, and STR 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 laft, Do as the heav'ns have done, forget your evil; With them, forgive yourself. 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, Or, from the * All that are, took fomething good, Leo. I think fo. Kill'd? Kill'd? fhe I kill'd? I did fo, but thou ftrik'st me Sorely, to fay I did; it is as bitter Upon thy tongue, as in my thought. Now, good now, Say fo but feldom. In former editions, Deftroy'd the feet'ft Companion, that e'er Man Bred his hopes out of, true. Paul. Too true, my Lord.] A very flight Examination will convince every intelligent Reader, that, true, here has jumped out its place in all the Editions. THEOBALD. This is a favourite thought; it was bestowed on Miranda and Rofalind before. Cleo. Cleo. Not at all, good Lady; You might have spoke a thousand things, that would Have done the time more benefit, and grac'd Your kindness better. Paul. You are one of thofe, You pity not the state, nor the remembrance Than to rejoice, the former Queen 13 WELL?] The fpeaker is here giving reafons why the King should marry again. One reafon is, pity to the State; another, regard to the continuance of the royal family; and the third, comfort and confolation to the King's affliction. All hitherto is plain, and becoming a Privycounsellor. But now comes in, what he calls, a holy argument for it, and that is a rejoicing that the former Queen is well and at ref. To make this argument of force, we must conclude that the speaker went upon this opinion, that a widower can never heartily rejoice that his former wife is at reft, till he has got another. Without doubt Shakespeare wrote, What were more bolj, Refpecting her that's gone. Befides, the Gods That King Leontes fhall not have an heir, The crown will find an heir. Care not for iffue; Great Alexander Left his to th' worthieft; fo his fucceffor 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 fpeak'ft truth: No more fuch wives, therefore no wife; one worse, 2 In the old copies, would make her fainted Spirit Again poflefs ber Corps, and on this Stage (Where we Offenders now appear) foul-vext. And begin, &c.] 'Tis obvious, that the Grammar is defective; and the Sense consequently wants fupporting. The flight Change, I have made, cures both: and, furely, 'tis an improvement to the Sentiment for the King to fay, that Paulina and he offended his dead Wife's Ghoft with the Subject of a fecond Match; rather than in general Terms to call themselves Offenders, Sinners. THEOBALD. And And begin, Why to me? Paul. Had the fuch power, She had just cause. Leo. She had, and would incense 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 Shou'd rift to hear me, and the words that follow'd Should be, Remember mine. Leo. Stars, stars, And all eyes elfe, dead coals. Fear thou no wife, Paul. Will you swear Never to marry, but by my free leave? Leo. Never, Paulina; fo be blefs'd my fpirit! Paul. Then, good my Lords, bear witnefs to his oath. Cleo. You tempt him over-mach. 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 so young As, walk'd your first Queen's ghost, 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: Never till then. To affront, is to meet. SCENE SCENE II. Enter a Gentleman. Gent. One that gives out himself prince Florizel, Leo. What with him? he comes not Gent. But few, And thofe but mean. Leo. His Princefs, fay you, with him? Gent. Yes; the most peerless piece of earth, I think, That e'er the fun fhone bright on. Paul. Oh Hermione, As every present time doth boast itself Above a better, gone; fo must thy grave Give way to what's feen now. Sir, you yourfelf' Have faid, and writ fo; (but your writing now Is colder than that theme) he had not been, Nor was he to be equall'd; thus your verse Flow'd with her beauty once; 'tis fhrewdly ebb'd, To fay, you've feen a better. Gent. Pardon, Madam; The one I have almoft forgot, (your pardon) Of who fhe but bid follow. |