Leo. O Paulina,

We honour you with trouble; but we came

To fee the ftatue of our Queen. Your gallery

Have we pafs'd through, not without much content,
In many fingularities; but we faw not

That, which my daughter came to look upon,
The ftatue of her mother.

Paul. As fhe liv'd peerless,

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

Or hand of man hath done; therefore I keep it
Lovely, apart. But here it is; prepare

To fee the life as lively mock'd, as ever
Still fleep mock'd death; behold, and fay, 'tis well!
[Paulina draws a curtain, and discovers Hermione
finading like a ftatue.

I like your filence, it the more shews off

Your wonder; but yet fpeak, first you, my Liege,
Comes it not fomething near?

Leo. Her natural pofture!

Chide me, dear ftone, that I may fay, indeed,
Thou art Hermione; or rather, thou art fhe,
In thy not chiding; for fhe was as tender
As infancy and grace. But yet, Paulina,
Hermione was not fo much wrinkled, nothing
So aged as this feems.

Pel. Oh, not by much.

Paul. So much the more our carver's excellence, Which lets go by fome fixteen years; and makes her, As the liv'd now.

Leo. As now he might have done,

So much to my good comfort, as it is

Now piercing to my foul. Oh, thus she stood;
Even with fuch life of majesty, (warm life,
As now it coldly ftands,) when first I woo'd her.
I am afham'd; do's not the ftone rebuke me,
For being more ftone than it? oh, royal piece!
There's magick in thy majefty, which has
My evils conjur'd to remembrance; and
From my admiring daughter took the fpirits,
VOL. III.

P

Standing

Standing like ftone with thee.

Per. And give me leave,

And do not lay 'tis fuperftition, that

1 kneel, and then implore her bleffing.-Lady, Dear Queen, that ended when I but began, Give me that hand of yours to kifs.

Paul. O, patience;

The ftatue is but newly fix'd; the colour's
Not dry.

Cam. My Lord, your forrow was too fore laid on, Which fixteen winters cannot blow away,

So many fummers dry: fcarce any joy

Did ever fo long live; no forrow,

But kill'd itself much fooner.

Pol. Dear my brother,

Let him, that was the caufe of this, have power
To take off fo much grief from you, as he
Will piece up in himself.

Paul. Indeed, my Lord,

If I had thought, the fight of my poor image
Would thus have wrought you, (for the stone is mine,)
I'd not have fhew'd it.

Leo. Do not draw the curtain.

Paul. No longer fhall you gaze on't, left your fancy May think anon, it move.

Leo. Let be, let be;

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

Pol. Masterly done!

The very life feems warm upon her lip.

Leo. The fixure of her eye has motion in't,

As we were mock'd with art.

Paul. I'll draw the curtain.

My Lord's almost so far transported, that

He'll think anon, it lives.

Leo. O fweet Paulina,

Make me to think fo twenty years together :
No fettled fenfes of the world can match

The pleasure of that madness. Let't alone.

Paul. I am forry, Sir, I have thus far ftir'd you; but

I could afflict you further.

Leo. Do, Paulina;

For this affliction has a tafte as fweet

As any cordial comfort. Still, methinks,

There is an air comes from her.

What fine chizzel

Could ever yet cut breath? let no man mock me,
For I will kifs her.

Paul. Good my Lord, forbear;

The ruddinefs upon her lip is wet;

You'll marr it, if you kits it; ftain your own
With oily painting; fhall I draw the curtain ?
Leo. No, not thefe twenty years.

Per. So long could I

Stand by, a looker on.

Paul. Either forbear,

Quit presently the chapel, or refolve you
For more amazement; if you can behold it,
I'll make the ftatue move, indeed; descend,

And take you by the hand; but then you'll think,
Which I proteft againft, I am affifted

By wicked powers.

Leo. What you can make her do,

I am content to look on; what to speak,

I am content to hear; for 'tis as ealy

To make her fpeak, as move.

Paul. It is requir'd,

You do awake your faith; then all ftand ftill:
And those, that think it is unlawful business
I am about, let them depart.

Leo. Proceed;

No foot fhall ftir.

[Mufick

Paul. Mufick; awake her: frike; 'Tis time, defcend; be fione no more; approach, Strike all that look upon with marvel. Come, I'll fill your grave up: ftir; nay, come away: Bequeath to death your numbnefs; for from him Dear life redeems you; you perceive, she stirs; [Hermione comes donun.

Start not; her actions fhall be holy, as,
You hear, my fpell is lawful; do not fhun her,
Until you fee her die again, for then

You kill her double. Nay, prefent your hand;
When he was young, you woo'd her; now in age,
Is fhe become the fuitor.

Leo. Oh, fhe's warm;

If this be magick, let it be an art
Lawful as eating.

Pol. She embraces him.

Cam. She hangs about his neck;

If the pertain to life, let her fpeak too.

[Embracing her.

Pol. Ay, and make it manifeft where fhe has liv'd, · Or how ftol'n from the dead?

Paul. That he is living,

Were it but told you, fhould be hooted at
Like an old tale; but it appears, she lives,
Tho' yet she speak not. Mark a little while.
Pleafe you to interpofe, fair Madam, kneel,
And pray your mother's bleffing; turn, good Lady:
Our Perdita is found.

[Prefenting Perdita, who kneels to Hermione.

Her. You Gods, look down,

And from your facred vials pour your graces
Upon my daughter's head; tell me, mine own,
Where haft thou been preferv'd? where liv'd? how found
Thy father's court? for thou shalt hear, that 1,
Knowing by Paulina that the oracle

Gave hope thou waft in being, have preferv'd
Myfelf, to fee the iffue.

Paul. There's time enough for that;
Left they defire, upon this pufh, 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 fome wither'd bough, and there
My mate, that's never to be found again,
Lament 'till I am loft.

Leo. O peace, Paulina:

Thou should'st a husband take by my confent,

As

T

As I by thine a wife. This is a match,

And made between's by vows. Thou haft found mine,
But how is to be queftion'd; for I faw her,

As I thought, dead; and have, in vain, faid many
A prayer upon her grave. I'll not feek far
(For him, I partly know his mind) to find thee
An honourable hufband. Come, Camillo,

And take her by the hand; whofe worth and honefty
Is richly noted; and here juftified

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 fufpicion: this, your fon-in-law,

And fon unto the King-whom heav'ns 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, fince first
We were diffever'd. Haftily lead away. [Exeunt omnes.