Of that wide gap; fince it is in my power
To o'erthrow law, and in one self-born hour
To plant and o'erwhelm cuftom. Let me pafs
The fame I am, ere ancient'st order was,

Or what is now receiv'd. I witness to

The times that brought them in; fo fhall I do
To the fresheft things now reigning, and make stale
The gliftering of this prefent, as my tale
Now feems to it: your patience this allowing,
I turn my glafs, and give my scene such growing,
As you had flept between. Leontes leaving
Th' effects of his fond jealoufies, so grieving
That he shuts up himself; imagine me,
Gentle spectators, that I now may be

In fair Bohemia; and remember well,

I mention here a fon o'th' King's, whom Flarizel
I now name to you; and with fpeed fo pace.
To fpeak of Perdita, now grown in grace
Equal with wond'ring. What of her enfues,
I lift not prophecy. But let Time's news

Be known, when 'tis brought forth. A fhepherd's daughter,

manner, who attends more to his ideas than to his words, The growth of the wide gap, is fomewhat irregular; but he means, the growth, or progreffion of the time which filled up the gap of the flory between Perdita's birth and her fixteenth year. To leave this growth untried, is to leave the paffages of the inter mediate years unnoted and unexamined. Untried is not, perhaps, the word which he would have

chofen, but which his rhyme required.

-fince it is in my power, &c.] The reafoning of Time is not very clear; he feems to mean, that he who has broke fo many laws may now break another; VOL. II.

that he who introduced every thing may introduce Perdita on her fixteenth year; and he intreats that he may pafs as of old, before any order or fucceffion of objects, ancient or modern, diftinguifhed her periods.

imagine me, Gentle jpectators, that I new may be In fair Bohemia;-1 Time is every where alike. I know not whether both fenfe and grammar may not dictate,

imagine we,
Gentle fpe&ators, that you now
may be, &c.

Let
us imagine that уси, who
behold thefe fcenes, are now in
Bohemia.
And

U

*

And what to her adheres, which follows after,
Is th' argument of time; of this allow,
If ever you have spent time worse ere now:
If never, yet that Time himself doth say,
He wishes earnestly, you never may 3.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.

[Exit.

I

The Court of Bohemia.

Enter Polixenes and Camillo.

POLIXENES.

PRAY thee, good Camillo, be no more importunate; 'tis a fickness denying thee any thing, a death to grant this.

Cam. It is fifteen years fince I saw my country; though I have for the most part been aired abroad, I defire to lay my bones there. Befides, the penitent King, my mafter, hath fent for me; to whofe feeling forrows I might be fame allay, or I o'erween to think fo, which is another fpur to my departure.

Thou

Pol. As thou lov'ft me, Camillo, wipe not out the reft of thy fervices by leaving me now; the need I have of thee, thine own goodness hath made: better not to have had thee, than thus to want thee. having made me bufineffes, which none, without thee, can fufficiently manage, muft either stay to execute them thyself, or take away with thee the very services thou haft done; which if I have not enough confider'd, (as too much I cannot) to be more thankful to thee fhall be my study; and my profit therein, the heap

concludes the third.

argument is the fame rather begins the fourth act than with fubject. 3 I believe this fpeech of Time

ing friendships 4. Of that fatal country Sicilia, pr'ythee, fpeak no more; whofe very naming punishes me with the remembrance of that penitent, as thou call❜ft him, and reconcil'd King my brother, whofe lofs of his most precious Queen and children are even now to be afresh lamented. Say to me when faw'ft thou the Prince Florizel my fon? Kings are no lefs unhappy, their iffue not being gracious, than they are in losing them, when they have approved their virtues.

Cam. Sir, it is three days fince I faw the Prince; what his happier affairs may be, are to me unknown; but I have miffingly noted, he is of late much retired from court, and is lefs frequent to his princely exercises than formerly he hath appear'd.

Pal. I have confider'd fo much, Camillo, and with fome care fo far, that I have eyes under my fervice, which look upon his removedness; from whom I have

heaping friendships. That is, I
will for the future be more liberal
of recompence, from which I shall
receive this advantage, that as I
heap benefits I fall heap friend-
hips, as I confer favours on thee,
Ifhall increase the friendship be-
tween us.

5 but I have (MISSINGLY) not-
ed,] We fhould read, but I have
(MISSING HIM) noted. This
accounts for the reafon of his
taking note, because he often
miffed him, that is, wanted his
agreeable company. For a com-
pliment is intended ; and, in that
fenfe, it is to be underfood.
The Oxford Editor reads, mu-
fingly noted.

WARBURTON.

I fee not how the fenfe is mended by Sir T. Hanmer's alteration, nor how it is at all changed by Dr. Warburton's.

this intelligence, that he is feldom from the house of a moft homely fhepherd; a man, they fay, that from very nothing, and beyond the imagination of his neighbours, is grown into an unfpeakable estate.

Cam. I have heard, Sir, of fuch a man, who hath a daughter of most rare note; the report of her is extended more than can be thought to begin from 'fuch a cottage.

6

Pol. That's likewife a part of my intelligence. But, I fear, the Angel that plucks our fon thither. Thou shalt accompany us to the place, where we will, not appearing what we are, have fome queftion with the fhepherd, from whofe fimplicity, I think it not uneasy to get the cause of my fon's resort thither. Pr'ythee, be my present partner in this business, and lay afide the thoughts of Sicilia.

Cam. I willingly obey your command.

Pol. My best Camille-we must disguise ourselves. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Changes to the Country.

Enter Autolycus finging.

HEN daffodils begin to peere,

WWith, beigh the doxy over the dale,

Why, then comes in the fweet o'th' year;
For the red blood reigns in the winter's pale".

But I fear the Angel.] Mr. Theobald reads; And I fear the Eagle.

7 Why, then COMES in the
fweet o' th' year;

For the red blood REIGNS in
the WINTER's pale.] I

The

The white sheet bleaching on the hedge,

With, bey! the fweet birds, O how they fing! Doth fet my pugging tooth on edge.

For a quart of ae is a dish for a king.

The lark, that tirra-lyra chaunts,

With bey! with hey! the thrush and the jay: Are fummer fongs for me and my aunts,

While we lie tumbling in the bay.

I have ferved Prince Florizel, and in my time wore three pile, but now I am out of fervice.

But fhall I go mourn for that, my dear?
The pale moon fhines by night:
And when I wander here and there,
I think do go moft right.

If tinkers may have leave to live,
And bear the fow-skin budget;
Then my account I well may give,
And in the ftocks avouch it.

My traffick is fheets; when the kite builds, look to My father nam'd me Autolycus, being litter'd

leffer linen.

i. e. Why then come in, or let us enjoy, pleasure, while the feafon ferves, before pale winter reins-in the red or youthful blood; as much as to fay, let us enjoy life in youth, before old age comes and freezes up the blood.

WARBURTON. Dr. Thirlby reads, perhaps rightly, certainly with much more probability, and eafinefs of construction;

For the red blood runs in the

winter pale.
That is, for the red blood runs
pale in the winter.

Sir T. Hanmer reads,
For the red blood reigns o'er the
winter's pale.

8

Pugging-isah] Sir T. Han

mer, and after him Dr. Warburton, reads, progging tooth. It is certain that pugging is not now understood. But Dr. Thirlby obferves, that this is the cant of gypfies.

My father nam'd me Autolycus, .] Mr. Theobald fays, the allufion is unquestionably 10 Ovid. He is mistaken. Not only the allufion, but the whole fpeech is taken from Lucian, who appears to have been one of our Poet's favourite authors, as may be collected from feveral places of his works. It is from his difcourfe on judicial Aftrology, where Autolycus talks much in the fame manner; and 'tis only on this account that he is called U 3

the