Enter an old Shepherd.

Shep. I would there were no age between ten and three and twenty, or that youth would fleep out the reft: for there is nothing in the between but getting wenches with child, wronging the ancientry, ftealing, fighting-hark you now!- would any but these boil'd brains of nineteen and two and twenty hunt this weather? they have fear'd away two of my beft sheep, which, I fear, the wolf will fooner find than the master; if any where I have them, 'tis by the fea-fide, brouzing of ivy. Good luck, an't be thy will! what have we here? [Taking up the child] Mercy on's, a barne! a very pretty barne! a boy, or a child, I wonder! a pretty one, a very pretty one; fure, fome 'scape: thơ' I am not bookish, yet I can read waiting-gentlewoman in the 'fcape. This has been fome ftair-work, some trunk-work, fome behind-door-work: they were warmer that got this, than the poor thing is here. I'll take it up for pity, yet I'll tarry 'till my fon come: he hollow'd but even now; Whoa, ho-hoa!

Clo. Hilloa, loa!

Enter Clown.

Shep. What, art fo near? if thoul't fee a thing to talk on when thou art dead and rotten, come hither. What ail'ft thou, man?

Clo. I have seen two fuch fights, by fea and by land; (18) but I am not to fay, it is a fea; for it is now the sky; betwixt the firmament and it you cannot thruft a bodkin's point.

Shep. Why, boy, how is it?

(18) But I am not to fay, it is a Sea; for it is now the Sky; betwixt the Firmament and it, you cannot thrust a Bodkin's Point.] I will not pretend to be pofitive, our Author had Don Quixote here in his Eye; bat Sancha facetioufly fays fomething very like this, upon the fudden Mutability of a Woman's Refolutions. Entre el fi y el no de la Muger no me atreveria yo à poner una punta d' alfiler. Between a Woman's ay and no I would not undertake to thrust a pin's point. This Changeableness our Author, in his Lear, has finely call'd, The undiftinguifh'd Space of Woman's Will.

Clo.

- -to

Cle. I would, you did but fee how it chafes, how it rages, how it takes up the fhore; but that's not to the point; oh, the moft piteous cry of the poor fouls, fometimes to fee 'em, and not to fee 'em: now the fhip boring the moon with her main-maft, and anon fwallow'd with yeft and froth, as you'd thruft a cork into a hogfhead. And then for the land-service, fee how the Bear tore out his fhoulder-bone, how he cry'd, to me for help, and faid his name was Antigonus, a Nobleman. But to make an end of the fhip, to fee how the fea flap-dragon'd it. But first, how the poor fouls roar'd, and the fea mock'd them. And how the poor gentleman roar'd, and the bear mock'd him, both roaring louder than the fea, or weather.

Shep. Name of mercy, when was this, boy?

Clo. Now, now, I have not wink'd fince I faw thefe fights; the men are not yet cold under water, nor the bear half din'd on the gentleman; he's at it now.

(19) Shep. Would, I had been by to have help'd the Nobleman.

Clo. I would, you had been by the fhip-fide, to have help'd her; there your charity would have lack'd footing.[Afide.

Shep. Heavy matters, heavy matters! but look thee here, boy. Now blefs thy felf; thou meet'ft with things dying, I with things new-born. Here's a fight for thee; look thee, a bearing-cloth for a fquire's child! look thee here; take up, take up, boy, open't; fo, let's fee it was told me, I fhould be rich by the fairies. This is fome changling; open't; what's within, boy?

(20) Clo. You're a made old man, if the fins of

your

youth

(19) Shep. Would, I had been by to have help'd the old Man] Tho' all the printed Copies concur in this Reading, I am perfuaded, we ought to reftore, Nobleman. The Shepherd knew nothing of Antigonus's Age; befides, the Clown had juft told his Father, that he faid, his Name was Antigonus a Nobleman, and no less than three times in this fhort Scene, the Clown, fpeaking of him, calls him the Gentleman.

(20) Kou're a mad old Man; if the Sins of your youth are forgiven you, you're well to live. Geld! all Gold!] This the Clown fays upon

youth are forgiven you, you're well to live. Gold! all gold!

Shep. This is fairy gold, boy, and will prove fo. Up with it, keep it clofe: home, home, the next way. We are lucky, boy; and to be fo ftill, requires nothing but fecrefie. Let my fheep go: come, good boy, the next way home.

Clo. Go you the next way with your findings, I'll go fee if the bear be gone from the gentleman, and how much he hath eaten they are never curft, but when they are hungry: if there be any of him left, I'll bury it.

Shep. That's a good deed. If thou may'st discern by that which is left of him, what he is, fetch me to th' fight of him.

Clo. Marry, will I; and you fhall help to put him i'th' ground.

Shep. 'Tis a lucky day, boy, and we'll do good deeds on't. [Exeunt.

Enter Time, as Chorus.

Time. I, that please some, try all, both joy and

terror

Of good and bad, that mask and unfold error; (21)

Now

his opening his Fardel, and difcovering the Wealth in it. But this is no Reason why he fhould call his Father a mad old Man. I have ventur'd to correct in the Text:- You're a made old Man: i. e. your Fortune's made by this adventitious Treasure. So our Poet, before, in his Midfummer-Night's Dream;

We had all been made Men:

And fo, again, in his Twelfth-night;

Go to, thou art made if thou defireft to be fo.

So Beaumont and Fletcher in their Elder Brother;

We're made for ever.

And in their Mad-Lover.

Siph. O happy I!

Chil. You're a made Man.

And in a hundred more Inftances, that might be quoted to prove the Ufe of the Expreffion.

(21) That make and unfold Error.] This does not in my Opinion take in the Poet's Thought. Time does not make mistakes, and discover them, at different Conjun&tures; but the Poet means, that

Now take upon me, in the name of Time,
To use my wings. Impute it not a crime
To me, or my fwift paffage, that I flide
O'er fixteen years, and leave the growth untry'd
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'ft Order was,
Or what is now receiv'd. I witness to

The times, that brought them in; fo fhall I do
To th' fresheft things now reigning, and make ftale
The gliftering of this prefent, as my Tale
Now feems to it: your Patience this allowing,
I turn my glass; and give my Scene fuch 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 Son o'th' King's, whom Florizel
I now name to you; and with speed so pace
To fpeak of Perdita, now grown in Grace
Equal with Wondring. What of her ensues,
I lift not prophefie. But let Time's news

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

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 fay,
He wishes earnestly, you never may.

[Exit.

Time often for a Seafon covers Errors, which he afterwards displays and brings to Light. I chufe therefore to read;

that maske and unfold Error.

To the like Purpose our Poet in Measure for Meafure.

Keep me in Patience; and with ripen'd Time

Unfold the Evil which is here wrapt up

In Countenance:

And, again, in his Lear.

Time ball unfold what plaited Cunning hides, Who covers Faults, at laft with Shame derides. VOL. III.

I

ACT

I

ACT
Ꭲ . IV.

SCENE, 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 faw my Country; though I have for the moft part been aired abroad, I defire to lay my bones there. Befides, the penitent King, my mafter, hath sent for me; to whofe feeling Sorrows I might be fome Allay, or I o'erween to think fo, which is another fpur to my departure.

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. Thou having made me bufineffes, which none, without thee, can fufficiently manage, muft either ftay to execute them thy felf, or take away with thee the very services thou haft done; which if I have not enough confidered, (as too much I cannot,) to be more thankful to thee fhall be my study; and my profit therein, the heaping friendships. 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 reconciled King my brother, whose 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 less unhappy, their iffue not being gracious, than they are in lofing 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