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Dramatis Perfonæ.

LEONTES, King of Sicilia.
Polixenes, King of Bohemia.
Mamillius, young Prince of Sicilia.

Florizen, Prince of Bohemia.

Camillo,

Antigonus,

Cleomenes,

Dion,

Sicilian Lords.

Another Sicilian Lord.

Archidamus, a Bohemian Lord.

Rogero, a Sicilian Gentleman.

An Attendant on the young Prince Mamillius.

Officers of a Court of Judicature.

Old Shepherd, reputed Father of Perdita.

Clown, bis Son.

A Mariner.

Goaler.

Servant to the old Shepherd.

Autolicus, a Rogue.

Time, as Chorus.

Hermione, Queen to Leontes.

T

Perdita, Daughter to Leontes and Hermione.

Paulina, Wife to Antigonus.

Emilia, a Lady.

Two other Ladies.

Dorcas,

Mopia,

Shepherdesses.

Satyrs for a Dance, Shepherds, Shepherdesses, Guards,

and Attendants.

SCENE, Sometimes in Sicilia; Sometimes in Bohemia.

WINTER'S TALE (1).

ACT I.

SCENE Ι.

I

An Antichamber in Leontes's Palace.

Enter Camillo, and Archidamus.

ARCHIDAMUS.

F you shall chance, Camillo, to visit Bohemia, on the like occafion whereon my services are now on foot; you shall fee, as I have faid, great difference betwixt our Bohemia and your Sicilia.

Cam. I think, this coming summer, the King of Sicilia means to pay Bohemia the vifitation, which he justly owes him.

Arch Wherein our entertainment shall shame us (2), we will be justified in our love; for, indeed,

Cam. 'Beseech you

Arch. Verily, I speak it in the freedom of my knowledge; we cannot with fuch magnificence-in fo rare-I know not what to fay-we will give you fleepy drinks, that your senses unintelligent of our infufficience, may, tho' they cannot praise us, as little accuse us.

(1) The Winter's Tale.] This play, throughout, is written in the very spirit of its author. And in telling this homely and simple tho' agreeable, country tale.

Our Sweetest Shakespeare, Fancy's child,
Warbles his native wood-notes wild.

Milton.

This was necessary to observe in mere justice to the Play, as the meanness of the fable, and the extravagant conduct of it, had misled fome of great name into a wrong judgment of its merit; which, as far as it regards fentiment and character, is scarce

inferior to any in the whole collection.

WARBURTON.

(2) - our entertainment, &c.] Though we cannot give you equal entertainment, yet the confciousness of our good-will

mall justify us.

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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 shew himself over-kind to Bohemia; they were trained together in their childhoods; and there rooted betwixt them then such an affection, which cannot chuse but branch now. Since their more mature dignities and royal necessities made feparation of their fociety, their incounters, though not personal, have been royally attornied (3) with interchange of gifts, letters, loving embassies; that they have feem'd to be together, tho' absent; shook hands, as over a Vast; and embrac'd, 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.fid

Cam. I very well agree with you in the hopes of him: it is a gallant child; one that, indeed, physicks the fubject (4), makes old hearts fresh; they, that went on crutches, ere he was born, defire yet their life to fee him a man.

Arch. Would they else be content to die?

Cam. Yes, if there were no other excufe why they should defire to live.

Arch. If the King had no son, they would defire to live on crutches 'till he had one.

SCENE II.

Opens to the Presence.

Enter Leontes, Hermione, Mamillius, Polixenes, and

Attendants.

Pol. Nine Changes of the watry star hath been The shepherd's note, fince we have left our Throne

(3) -royally attornied] Nobly supplied by substitution of embaflies, &c. (4) - physicks the subject,] Affords a cordial to the itate; has the power of affuaging the sense of misery.

Without

E

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