3 WINTER'S TALE. PRELIMINARY REMARKS. THE story of this play is taken from The Pleasant History of Dorastus and Fawnia, by Robert Greene, which was first printed in 1588. The parts of Antigonus, Paulina, and Autolycus, are of the Poet's own creation; and many circumstances of the novel are omitted in the play. "A booke entitled A Winter's Night's Pastime," entered at Sta tioner's Hall, in 1594, but which has not come down to us, may have suggested the title, by which Shakspeare thought the romantic and extraordinary incidents of the play well characterized. He several times, in the course of the last act, makes one of his characters remark its similarity to an old tale. Schlegel has observed, that "The Winter's Tale is as appropriately named as the Midsummer Night's Dream. It is one of those tales, which are peculiarly calculated to beguile the dreary leisure of a long winter evening, which are even attractive and intelligible to childhood, and which, animated by fervent truth in the delineation of character and passion, invested with the decoration of a poetry lowering itself, as it were, to the simplicity of the subject, transport even manhood back to the golden age of imagination. The calculation of probabilities has nothing to do with such wonderful and fleeting adventures, ending at last in general joy; and, accordingly, Shakspeare has here taken the greatest liberties with anachronisms and geographical errors: he opens a free navigation between Sicily and Bohemia, makes Julio Romano the contemporary of the Delphic oracle, not to mention other incongruities." It is extraordinary that Pope should have thought only some single scenes of this play were from the hand of Shakspeare. It breathes his spirit throughout;-in the serious parts as well as in those of a lighter kind: and who but Shakspeare could have conceived that exquisite pastoral scene in which the loves of Florizel and Perdita are developed? Another Sicilian Lord. ROGERO, a Sicilian Gentleman. An Attendant on the young Prince Mamillius. Officers of a Court of Judicature. POLIXENES, King of Bohemia. FLORIZEL, his Son. ARCHIDAMUS, a Bohemian Lord. Jailer. An old Shepherd, Clown, his Son. reputed Father of Perdita. Servant to the old Shepherd. AUTOLYCUS, a Rogue. Time, as Chorus. HERMIONE, Queen to Leontes. PERDITA, Daughter to Leontes and Hermione. PAULINA, Wife to Antigonus. EMILIA, a Lady, Two other Ladies, attending the Queen. DORCAS,} Shepherdesses. Lords, Ladies, and Attendants; Satyrs for a Dance; Shepherds, Shepherdesses, Guards, &c. SCENE, sometimes in Sicilia, sometimes in Bohemia. 7 WINTER'S TALE. ACT I. SCENE I. Sicilia. An Antechamber in Leontes' Palace. Enter CAMILLO and ARCHIDAMUS. Archidamus. IF you shall chance, Camillo, to visit Bohemia, on the like occasion whereon my services are now on foot, you shall see, as I have said, great difference betwixt our Bohemia and your Sicilia. Cam. I think, this coming summer, the king of Sicilia means to pay Bohemia the visitation which he justly owes him. Arch. Wherein our entertainment shall shame us, we will be justified in our loves; for, indeed, Cam. Beseech you, Arch. Verily, I speak it in the freedom of my knowledge; we cannot with such magnificence-in so rare-I know not what to say.We will give you sleepy drinks; that your senses, unintelligent of our insufficience, may, though they cannot praise us, as little accuse us. Cam. You pay a great deal too dear for what's given freely. Arch. Believe me, I speak as my understanding instructs me, and as mine honesty puts it to utterance. Cam. Sicilia cannot show himself over-kind to Bohemia. They were trained together in their childhoods; and there rooted betwixt them then such an Since affection, which cannot choose but branch now. their more mature dignities and royal necessities made separation of their society, their encounters, though not personal, have been royally attorneyed,' with interchange of gifts, letters, loving embassies; that they have seemed to be together, though absent; shook hands, as over a vast; 2 and embraced, as it were, from the ends of opposed winds. The Heavens continue their loves! Arch. I think there is not in the world either malice, or matter, to alter it. You have an unspeakable comfort of your young prince Mamillius; it is a gentleman of the greatest promise, that ever came into my note. Cam. I very well agree with with you in the hopes of him. It is a gallant child; one that, indeed, physics the subject, makes old hearts fresh. They that went on crutches ere he was born, desire yet their life, to see him a man. Arch. Would they else be content to die? Cam. Yes; if there were no other excuse why they should desire to live. Arch. If the king had no son, they would desire to live on crutches till he had one. SCENE II. The same. [Exeunt. A Room of State in the Palace. Enter LEONTES, POLIXENES, HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS, CAMILLO, and Attendants. Pol. Nine changes of the watery star have been The shepherd's note, since we have left our throne Without a burden. Time as long again Would be filled up, my brother, with our thanks; 1 "Royally attorneyed." Nobly supplied by substitution of embassies. 2 i. e. over a wide, intervening space. 3 Physics the subject." Affords a cordial to the state; has the power of assuaging the sense of misery. And yet we should, for perpetuity, Go hence in debt. And therefore, like a cipher, With one we-thank-you, many thousands more Leon. Stay your thanks awhile; And pay them when you part. Pol. Sir, that's to-morrow. I am questioned by my fears, of what may chance, Or breed upon our absence: that' may blow 2 3 No sneaping winds at home, to make us say, Leon. We are tougher, brother, Than you can put us to't. Pol. No longer stay. Very sooth, to-morrow. Leon. We'll part the time between 's then; and in that I'll no gainsaying. Pol. Press me not, 'beseech you, so. There is no tongue that moves, none, none i'the world, So soon as yours, could win me; so it should now, Were there necessity in your request, although "Twere needful I denied it. My affairs Do even drag me homeward; which to hinder Were, in your love, a whip to me; my stay, To you a charge and trouble. To save both, Farewell, our brother. Leon. Tongue-tied, our queen? Speak you. Her. I had thought, sir, to have held my peace, until You had drawn oaths from him not to stay. You, sir, 1 That for Oh that! is not uncommon in old writers. 2 Sneaping, nipping. 3 i. e. to make me say, I had too good reason for my fears concerning what may happen in my absence from home. |