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 further.

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? 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; 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

Music, awake her: Strike!

"Tis time; descend; be stone no more: approach; Strike all that look upon with marvel. Come; 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 comes down 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, in age.
Is she become the suitor.

Leon. [Embracing her.] O, she's warm!

If this be magic, let it be an art

Lawful as eating.

Pol.

She embraces hun.

Cam. She hangs about his neck.

If she pertain to life, let her speak too.

Pol. Ay; and make't manifest where she has liv'd, Or how stol'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.

Her.

[PERDITA kneels to HERMIONE.
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 question'd; 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 honesty Is richly noted, and here justified

By us, a pair of kings. Let's from this place.

What!

look upon my brother:—both your pardons,

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.

ADDITIONAL NOTE.

So much has been said about the anachronisms in this play, that we must add a word touching them. We have already seen that the making of seaports and landing of ships in Bohemia were taken from Greene. Mr. Verplanck conjectures that by Bohemia was meant simply the land of the Boii, an ancient people several tribes of whom settled in the maritime parts of France: but we scarce think the Poet would have used the name with so much license at a time when the boundaries of that country were so well fixed, and so widely known. We have no notion, indeed that this breach of geography was a blunder: it was meant, no doubt, for the convenience of thought; and such is its effect, until one goes about to dissect and anatomize, thus viewing the parts with reference to ends never contemplated in the use here made of them. And the same may be said of several other liberties here taken with the order of facts; such as the making Whitsun pastorals, Christian burial, Julio Romano, and the Emperor of Russia, contemporary with the Oracle of Delphi; wherein actual things are but marshalled into an ideal order, thus rendering memory subservient to imagination, history to art. In these and such points it is enough that the materials be apt to combine among themselves, and that they draw together in working out the issue proposed, the end thus regulating the use of the means. For a work of art, as such, should be itself an object for the mind to rest upon, not a directory to guide it to something else. So that here we may justly say "the mind is its own place," and, provided the work be true to the laws and the order of this intellect ual whereabout, breaches of geography and chronology are of little consequence.

H