Will have fulfill'd their fecret purposes: For has not the divine Apollo faid, That king Leontes fhall not have an heir, And come again to me; who, on my life, Did perish with the infant. 'Tis your counsel, Left his to the worthieft; fo his fucceffor Was like to be the best. 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'st truth. No more fuch wives; therefore, no wife: one worse, Again poffefs her corps; and, on this ftage, (P-Were we offenders now) appear foul-vext, And begin, why? to me. Paul. Had fhe such power, She had just cause. • as monstrous to our human reafon,]-as improbable. P (Were we offenders now)]-Were we to be guilty of fo grofs an offence.-(Where we offend her now.) ¶ why? to me.]—to call me to account. Leo. Leo. She had; and would incense me To murder her I married. Paul. I fhould fo: Were I the ghost that walk'd, I'd bid you mark You chofe her: then I'd fhriek, that even your ears Leo. Stars, stars, And all eyes else, 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! Yet, if my lord will marry,-if you will, fir; As, walk'd your firft queen's ghost, it should take joy We shall not marry, 'till thou bid'ft us. Paul. That Shall be, when your firft queen's again in breath; Enter a Gentleman. Gent. One that gives out himself prince Florizel, Leo. What with him? he comes not Gent. But few, And those but mean. Leo. His princefs, fay you, with him? Gent. Ay; the most peerless piece of earth, I think, That e'er the fun fhone bright on. Paul. Oh Hermione, As every present time doth boaft itself Above a better, gone; fo muft "thy grave Give way to what's feen now. Sir, you yourself W Have faid, and writ fo; but your writing now Nor was not to be equall'd,-thus your verse Gent. Pardon, madam : The one I have almost forgot; (your pardon) Of who the but bid follow. thy grave]-the beauties therein contained. * writ fo;]-the following fentence; though your zeal on that sub ject is now fomewhat abated. Paul, Paul. How? not women? Gent. Women will love her, that she is a woman Leo. Go, Cleomenes; Yourself, affifted with your honour'd friends, [Exit Cleomenes. Bring them to our embracement.-Still 'tis ftrange, He thus fhould steal upon us. Paul. Had our prince, (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, Enter Florizel, Perdita, Cleomenes, and others. His very air, that I should call you brother, my life Flo. Sir, by his command Have I here touch'd Sicilia; and from him Give you all greetings, that a king, at friend, Can fend his brother: and, but infirmity (Which waits upon worn times) hath something seiz'd His wifh'd ability, he had himself The lands and waters 'twixt your throne and his Leo. Oh, my brother! (Good gentleman) the wrongs I have done thee, ftir Afresh within me; and these thy offices, So rarely kind, are as interpreters Of my behind-hand flackness !-Welcome hither, Flo. Good my lord, She came from Libya. Leo. Where the warlike Smalus, That noble honour'd lord, is fear'd, and lov'd? Flo. Moft royal fir, from thence; from him, whofe daughter His tears proclaim'd his, parting with her thence I have from your Sicilian fhores dismiss'd; * at friend,]-upon friendly terms, living at friendship with another. Y proclaim'd his, parting with her :]-to be his indeed, being thed fo abundantly at parting with her. Who |