Lco. O Paulina,
We honour you with trouble; but we came
To see the statue of our Queen. Your gallery
Have we pafs'd through, not without much content,
In many fingularities, but we saw not
That, which my daughter came to look upon,
The statue of her mother.

Paul. As she 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 see the life as lively mock'd, as ever
Ştill sleep mock'd death; behold, and say, 'tis well!

[Paulina draws a curtain, and discovers Hermione

Anading like a ftatue.
I like your filence, it the more shews off
Your wonder; but yet speak, first you, my Liege,
Comes it not something near?

Leo. Her natural pofture!
Chide me, dear ftone, 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 wiinkled, nothing
So aged as this seems.

Pol. Oh, not by much.

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

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

soul. Oh, 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 ; do's not the stone rebuke mů,
For being more stone 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 spirits,
VOL. III,

P

Standing Standing like stone with thee.

Per. And give me leave,
And do not lay 'tis 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 kifs.
Paul. O, patience ;
The statue is but newly fix'd; the colour's
Not dry.

Cam. My Lord, your forrow 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.

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 shew'd it.

Leo. Do not draw the curtain,

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

Leo. Let be, let be;
Would I were dead, but that, methinks, already-
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 ?

Pol. Masterly done!
The
very

life seems 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 fo far transported, that
He'll think anon, it lives.

Leo. O sweet Paulina,
Make me to think so twenty years together :
No settled senses of the world can match

The

The pleasure of that madness. Let't alone.

Paul. I am sorry, Sir, I have thus far ftir'd you; but
I could affict you further.

Leo. Do, Paulina;
For this affliction has a taste 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 nock me,
For I will kiss her.

Paul. Good my Lord, forbear;
The ruddiness upon her lip is wet;
You'll marr it, if you kiss it; ftain your own
With oily painting ; shall I draw the curtain ?

Leo. No, not these twenty years.

Per. So long could I
Stand by, a looker on.

Paul. 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 allifted
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 speak, as move.

Paul. It is requir'd,
You do awake your faith ; then all stand ftill:
And those, that think it is unlawsul business
I am about, let them depart.

Leo. Proceed;
No foot shall ftir.

Paul. Mufick; awake her: Brike; [Nuficko
'Tis time, descend; be fione no more ; approach,
Strike all that look upon with marvel. Come,
I'll fill your grave up: tir; nay, come away:
Bequeath to death your numbness ; for from him
Dear life redeems you ; you perceive, Me ftirs ;

[Hermione comes douun.

Siart

P2

Start not; her actions shall be holy, as,
You hear, my spell is lawful; do not hun her,
Uotil

you see her die again, for then * ».
You kill her double. Nay, present your hand;
When she was young, you woo'd her ; now in age,
Is she become the suitor.
Leo. Oh, she's warm ;

[Embracing her.
If this be magick, 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 it manifeft where she has liv’d,
Or how ftol'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, the lives,
Tho' yet Me 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 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 preserv?d? where liv?d? how found
Thy father's court? for thou shali hear, that 1,
Knowing by Paulina that the oracle
Gave hope thou waft in being, have preserv'd
Myself, to see the issue.

Paul, There's time enough for that ;
Leit 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 riever to be found again,
Lament 'till I am loft.

Leo. O peace, Paulina:
Thou should'tt a husband take by my consent,

As

1

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 question'd; for I saw her,
As I thought, dead; and have, in vain, faid 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; whole 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 fufpicion: this, your son-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.