To see the life as lively mock'd, as ever

Still sleep mock'd death: behold; and say, 't is 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.-But yet, Paulina,
Hermione was not so much wrinkled; nothing
So aged, as this seems.

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

Leon.

As now she might have done,
So much to my good comfort, as it is

Now piercing to my soul. O, thus she stood,
Even with such life of majesty, (warm life,
As now it coldly stands,) when first I woo'd her!
I am asham'd: Does not the stone rebuke me,
For being more stone than it?—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 t' is superstition, that

I kneel, and then implore her blessing.-Lady,
Dear queen, that ended when I but began,

Give me that hand of yours to kiss.

Paul.

O, patience :

The statue is but newly fix'd, the colour's

Not dry.

Cam. My lord, your sorrow was too sore laid on ; Which sixteen winters cannot blow away,

So many summers dry: scarce any joy

Did ever so long live; no sorrow,

But kill'd itself much sooner.

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.

If I had thought the sight of my poor image
Would thus have wrought you (for the stone is mine),
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.

a_

Would I were dead, but that, methinks, already a_
What was he that did make it?—See, my lord,

Would you not deem it breath'd? and that those veins
Did verily bear blood?

The very life seems warm upon

her lip.

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

As we are mock'd with art.

Paul.

I'll draw the curtain;

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

Leon.
O sweet Paulina,
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

I could afflict you further.

For this affliction has a taste as sweet

As any cordial comfort.-Still, methinks,

you:

but

Tieck understands this-"Would I were dead," if that could reanimate Her. mione" but that—methinks—already”—the sculptor has done it-made her breathe-given her motion-" what was he that did make it?" It is scarcely necessary to conjecture how Leontes would have closed the sentence; for the abrupt breaking off is one of those touches of nature with which Shakspere knew how to give passion an eloquence beyond words.

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; 2

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 't is as easy

To make her speak, as move.

Paul.

It is requir'd

You do awake your faith': Then, all stand still:

On: Those that think it is unlawful business

a

I am about, let them depart.

Leon.

No foot shall stir.

Paul.

Proceed;

Music; awake her: strike. [Music.

'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,

a On. We understand this as, let us go on. The king immediately adds "proceed." This emphatic on has been changed into or :

"Or those that think it is unlawful business."

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,

Is she become the suitor!

Leon.

in

age,

O, she's warm! [Embracing her.

If this be magic, let it be an art

Lawful as eating.

Pol.

She embraces him.

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. [Presenting PER., who kneels to HER.
You gods, look down,

Her.

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 shouldst a husband take by my consent,
As I by thine, a wife: this is a match,
And made between 's by vows.

Thou hast found mine;

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.