That heirless it hath made my kingdom, and Paul. Too true, my lord: Leon. I think so. Kill'd! She I kill'd? I did so; but thou strik'st me Sorely, to say I did: it is as bitter Upon thy tongue, as in my thought. Now, good now, Say so but seldom. Cleo. Not at all, good lady: You might have spoken a thousand things that would Have done the time more benefit, and grac'd You pity not the state, nor the remembrance 5 Bred his hopes out of: TRUE.] We restore here the reading of all the old editions. Leontes, in grief and remorse, states a fact, and adds mournfully 66 true;" to which Paulina naturally adds that it is "too true.” All the modern editors, from the time of Theobald, have disturbed the authentic text, and have made Paulina say, "True, too true, my lord." The word "true," printed without a capital, could hardly have found its way into the preceding line by a mere error of the press. Of his most sovereign NAME.] Nearly all the modern editions, in opposition to all the old copies, have dame instead of "name;" as if the reference were to Hermione, and not the preservation of the name of Leontes, by marrying again, and having issue to succeed to the throne. Not the slightest notice is taken of the important and injurious change. In the folios " name is printed with a capital letter, as if to avoid the possibility of error. How the blunder came to be originally committed is, therefore, surprising, but more surprising still, how it came to be so often repeated, by those who professed to have printed from a new and careful collation of the old folios. The editor who passed the error first might plead that the compositor had accidentally taken up a wrong letter; but no such excuse can avail for those who, one after another, have reiterated the mistake, merely because they did not consult the authorities they affected to follow. What dangers, by his highness' fail of issue, With a sweet fellow to't? Paul. Respecting her that's gone. There is none worthy, Besides, the gods Will have fulfill'd their secret purposes; That king Leontes shall not have an heir, Leon. Good Paulina, Who hast the memory of Hermione, I know, in honour,-O, that ever I Had squar'd me to thy counsel!—then, even now, Have taken treasure from her lips,— Paul. More rich, for what they yielded. Leon. And left them Thou speak'st truth. No more such wives; therefore, no wife: one worse, And better us'd, would make her sainted spirit Again possess her corpse; and, on this stage, (Where we offenders now appear) soul-vex'd, Were I the ghost that walk'd, I'd bid you mark Her eye, and tell me for what dull part in't Leon. Stars, stars! And all eyes else dead coals.-Fear thou no wife; Paul. Will you swear Never to marry, but by my free leave? Leon. Never, Paulina; so be bless'd my spirit! (Where we offenders now appear) soul-vex'd, Begin, "And why to me?"] The old copies gave this passage thus: "and on this stage (Where we offenders now appear) soul-vex'd, And begin, why to me?" "And It was the source of much conflict and conjecture, but all that seems necessary is to transpose the words "And begin," and then the sense is clear. why to me?" means "And why such treatment to me, who deserved so much better, than one worse and better used?" Steevens made the judicious transposition. 8 She had just cause.] The two oldest editions insert such after "just," which is prejudicial to the meaning and to the metre: the necessary correction was made in the third folio. 9 Good madam,-I have done.] Steevens proposed to transfer "I have done to Paulina, who has anything but concluded. Malone adopted the change, which seems on every ground objectionable. Cleomenes endeavours to interpose, but finding it vain, he gives over the attempt with "I have done," and then Paulina continues. Mr. Knight rightly prefers the old reading. Paul. Yet, if my lord will marry,-if you will, sir, No remedy, but you will-give me the office To choose you a queen. She shall not be so young As was your former; but she shall be such As, walk'd your first queen's ghost, it should take joy To see her in your arms. Leon. My true Paulina, We shall not marry, till thou bidd'st us. Paul. That Shall be when your first queen's again in breath : Enter a Gentleman 10. Gent. One that gives out himself prince Florizel, The fairest I have yet beheld,) desires access Leon. What with him? he comes not Gent. And those but mean. Leon. But few, His princess, say you, with him? Gent. Ay; the most peerless piece of earth, I think, That e'er the sun shone bright on. O Hermione ! Paul. Above a better, gone, so must thy grace' Give way to what's seen now. Sir, you yourself 10 Enter a Gentleman.] In the old copies, the stage-direction is, "Enter a Servant;" but it is obvious from what he says, and is said to him, that he is above the rank of "a servant." 1 so must thy GRACE] The MS. corrector of Lord Francis Egerton's folio, 1623, has altered "grave" to grace, which seems the true reading, although Edwards says, Thy grave here means thy beauties, which are buried in the grave the continent for the contents." "Grace" is synonymous with beauty, as could easily be shown by a hundred instances. Have said and writ so, but your writing now Gent. Of whom she but did follow. Paul. How! not women? Gent. Women will love her, that she is a woman More worth than any man; men, that she is The rarest of all women. Leon. Go, Cleomenes; Yourself, assisted with your honour'd friends, Bring them to our embracement.-Still 'tis strange, [Exeunt CLEOMENES, Lords, and Gentleman. He thus should steal upon us. Paul. Leon. Pr'ythee, no more: cease! thou know'st, Re-enter CLEOMENES, with FLORIZEL, PERDITA, and Others. Your mother was most true to wedlock, prince, His very air, that I should call you brother, |