SCENE III.

PAULINA'S House.

[Trumpets sound.]

Enter POLIXENES, CAMILLO, PAULINA, LEONtes, PERDITA, FLORIZEL, ARCHIDAMUS, EMILIA, PHOCION, HERO, CLEOMENES, LAMIA, DION, and THASIUS.

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 con-
tracted

Heirs of your kingdoms, my poor house to visit,
It is a surplus of your grace, which never
My life may last to answer.

Leon. O, Paulina,

We honour you with trouble: But we came

To see the statue of our queen: your gallery

Have we pass'd through, not without much content

In many singularities: But we saw not
That which my daughter came to look upon,
The statue of her mother.

Paul. As she liv'd peerless,

So her dead likeness, I do well believe,
Excels whatever yet you look'd upon.-
Prepare

To see the life as lively mock'd as ever

Still sleep mock'd death:-Behold, and say, 'tis well.

PAULINA undraws a Curtain, and discovers a Statue.

I like your silence; it the more shows off

Your wonder: But yet speak; first, you, my liege :Comes it not something near?

Leon. 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.-

O, thus she stood,

Even with such life of majesty,

When first I woo'd her!

I am asham'd.—

O, royal piece,

There's magic in thy majesty; which has
My evils conjur'd to remembrance; and
From thy admiring daughter took the spirits,
Standing like stone with thee!

Per. And give me leave;

And do not say, 'tis superstition, that
I kneel, and then implore her blessing.

Leon. O, masterpiece of art! nature's deceiv'd
By thy perfection, and at every look

My penitence is all afloat again.

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 sight of my poor image
Would thus have wrought you,

I'd not have show'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?

Paul. I'll draw the curtain;

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

Leon. 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.

Shall I draw the curtain?

Leon. No, not these twenty years.

Per. So long could I Stand by, a looker-on.

Paul. 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. Proceed:

No foot shall stir.

Paul. Music,-awake her,-strike.

"Tis time; descend; be stone no more: approach; Strike all that look upon with marvel.--Come.— [Music.-HERMIONE turns towards LEONTES.

Leon. Heavenly powers!

[Music.-HERMIONE descends from the Pe

destal.

Paul. Start not; her actions shall be holy, as, You hear, my spell is lawful.

Nay, present your hand.

Leon. Support me, Heaven!

If this be more than visionary bliss,

My reason cannot hold.-My queen? my wife?— But speak to me, and turn me wild with transport.

I cannot hold me longer from those arms.

She is warm, she lives!

Per. O Florizel!

Leon. Her beating heart meets mine, and fluttering

owns

Its long-lost half: these tears, that choke her voice, Are hot and moist,-it is Hermione!

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

Or, how stolen from the dead.

Paul. Mark a little while,

Please you to interpose, fair madam; kneel,

And pray your mother's blessing.--Turn, good lady;

Our Perdita is found :

[Presents PERDITA. HERMIONE catches her in her Arms.

And with her found

A princely husband; whose instinct of royalty,
From under the low thatch where she was bred,
Took his untutor❜d queen.

[PERDITA and FLORIZEL kneel.

Her. You gods, look down,

And from your sacred phials pour your graces
Upon their princely heads!

Leon. Hark, hark! she speaks

O, pipe, through sixteen winters dumb! then deem'd
Harsh as the raven's throat; now musical

As nature's song, tun'd to the according spheres!
Her. My lord, my king,-there's distance in those

names,

My husband!

-

Leon. O, my Hermione !-have I deserv'd That tender name?-Be witness, holy powers, If penitence may cleanse the soul from guilt, Leontes' tears have wash'd his crimes away. If thanks unfeign'd be all that you require, Most bounteous gods, for happiness like mine, Read in my heart, your mercy's not in vain!Her. No more, my best lov'd lord:- be all that's pass'd

Buried in this enfolding, and forgiven.

Leon. Thou matchless saint!-Thou paragon of virtue!

Per. Thus let me bow, and kiss that honour'd hand.

Her. Thou, Perdita, my long-lost child, that fill'st My measure up of bliss,-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,—