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Come here in grace of our solemnity.

But speak Egeus, is not this the day

That Hermia should give answer of her choice?

Egeus. It is, my lord.

Thes. Go bid the huntsmen wake them with their horns

AIR.

Hark, ba.k, how the bounds and born,

Chearly rouse the slumb'ring morn:
From the side of yon boar bill,

Thro' the bigh wood echoing shrill.

[They wake.

Thes. Good-morrow friends; saint Valentine is past.

Begin these wood-birds but to couple now?
How comes this concord in the world
That hatred is so far from jealousy,
To sleep by hate, and not fear enmity?
Lys. My lord, I shall reply amazedly
Half sleep, half waking; but, as I do think,
I came with Hermia hither. Our intent
Was to be gone from Athens, where we might be
Free from the peril of th' Athenian law.

Egeus. Enough, enough, my lord, you have enough
I beg the law, the law upon his head:

They would have stoll'n away, they would, Den.etrius,
Thereby to have defeated you and me.

Deme. My lord, the joy and pleasure of mine eye,
Is only Helena. To her, my lord,

Was I betrothed ere 1 Hermia saw;

But like a sickness did I loath this food;

But now in health come to my natural taste.

Thes. Egeus, I will overbear your will,

For in the temple, by and by with us,
These couples shall eternally be knit;

And, for the morning now is something worn,

Our purpos'd hunting shall be set aside.

Deme. These things seem small and undistinguishable,

Like far-off mountains turned into clouds.

AIR.

HELENA.

Love's a tempest, life's the ocean,
Passion crost, the deep deform;
Rude and raging tho' the motion,
Virtue fearless, braves the storm :
Storms and tempests may blow over
And subside to gentle gales;
So the poor despairing lover,

When least boping, oft prevails.

Thes. Come now (to Love and Hymen, let us pay
Our vows, and then with mirth conclude the day)
A fortnight hold we this solemnity,

In nightly revel, and new jollity.

CHORU S.

Hail to love, and welcome joy
Hail to the delicious boy!

See the sun from love returning,

Love's the flame in which he's burning :

Hail to love, the softest pleasure ;

Love and beauty reign for ever.

[Exeunt.

FINIS.

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HE Gods send him safe passage to us, for he seems embarked in a tempestuous season..

ТЕНЕ

Gent. I pray thee, lord Camillo, instruct me, what concealed matter there is in the coming of Leontes to Bobemia, shou'd so wrap our king in astonishment?

Cam. Good sign your knowledge in the court is young if you make that your question.

Gent. I wou'd not be thought too curious, but I prithee, be my tutor in this matter.

Cam. To be short then-Give it thy hearing, for my tale is well worthy of it; these two ki ags, Leontes of Sicily, and

Polixenes

Polixenes went to repay Sicily the visitation that he justly ow'd him. Most royally, and with the utmost freedom of society, was he entertain'd both by Leontes, and his queen Hermione; a lady, whose bodily accomplishments were unparellel'd, but by those of her own mind. The free strokes of youth and gaiety, in her extended civility to Polixenes (pleas'd as she was to see her lord delighted) bred in him suspicion of her conduct.

Gent. And that is an evil weed, that once taking root, needs no manure.

Cam. I then waited about the person of Leontes, and was alone thought worthy the participation of his jealousy. Into my bosom he disgorg'd his monstrous secret, with no tenderer an injunction than to take off his innocent, abused guest, by poison.

Gent. To kill Polixenes!

Cath. Even so.-What cou'd I do? What ran evenest with the grain of my honesty I did, and have not since repented me ;-whisper'd Polixenes of the matter-left my large fortunes, and my larger hopes in Sicily, and on the very wing of occasion flew with him hither, no richer than my honour; and have since been ever of his bosom.

Gent. I tremble for the poor queen, left to the injuries of a powerful king, and jealous husband.

Cam. Left too in her condition! for she had some while promis'd an heir to Sicily, and now, mark me,-for the occasion..

Gent. Cannot surpass my attention.

Cam. Scarcely settled in Bobemia here, we are alarm'd with the arrival of Paulina (that excellent matron, and true friend of her unhappy queen) from whom we too soon learn how sad a tradgedy had been acted in Sicily-the dishonor'd Hermione clapp'd up in prison, where she gave the king a princess-the child (the innocent milk yet in her innocent mouth) by the king's command, expos'd; expos'd even on the desarts of the kingdom;our Polixenes being falsly deemed the father.

Gent. Poor babe; unhappy queen! tyrant Leontes! Cam, what blacker title will you fix upon him, when you shall hear that Hermione, in her weak condition (the childbed privilege deny'd, which belongs to women of all fashion) was haul'd out to an open mockery of trial; that on this inhuman outrage (her fame being kill'd before) she VOL. I.

L

died

died;-in the very prison where she was deliver'd, died; and that on her deceasc, Paulina (whose free tongue was the king's living scourge, and perpetual remembrancer to him of his dead queen) fled with her effects, for safety of her life, to Bebemia; hereI tire you.

Gen. My king concern'd, I am too deeply interested in the event, to be indifferent to the relation.

Cam. All this did Leontes, in defiance of the plain answer of the oracle, by him consulted at Delphi; which now, after sixteen years occurring to his more sober thoughts, he first thinks it probable, then finds it true, and his penitence thereupon is as extreme, as his suspicions had been fatal. In the course of his sorrows, as we are inform'd, twice attempted on his life; and this is now his goad to the present expedition; to make all possible atonement to his injur'd brother Bobemia, and to us the fellow-sufferers in his wrongs:-we must break off- -the king and good Paul

ina

Enter POLIXINES and PAULINA.

Polix. Weep not now, Paulina, so long-gone-by my fortunes; this strange and unexpected visit, from Leontes oalls all your sorrows upa-new : but good Paulina,be satisfied that heav'n has will'd it so. That sixteen years að

-I am amaz'd

sence shou'd pass unnotic'd by this king, without exchange or gifts, letters, or embassies: and now!as thou art; but not griev'd

Paul. Grudge me not a tear to the memory of my queen, my royal mistress; and there dies my resentment; now, Leontes, welcome..

Polix. Nobody resolv'd: of him think we no more of 'till he arrives.

Cath. Hail, royal sir. If the king of Sicily escape this dreadful tempest, I shall esteem him a favourite of the gods, and his penitence effectual.

Polix. Of that fatal country Sicily, and of its penitent (as we must think him) and reconcil'd king, my brother, (whose loss of his most precious queen and child are even now a fresh lamented) I prithee, speak no more ;-say to me, when saw'st thou prince Florizel, my son? Fathers are no less unhappy their issue not being gracious, than they are in losing 'em, when they have approv'd their virtues.

Cam.

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