The father, (all whose joy is nothing else But fair posterity,) should hold some counsel But, for some other reasons, my grave sir, My father of this business. Shep. Let him, my son; he shall not need to grieve At knowing of thy choice. Flo. Come, come, he must not : Mark our contract. Pol. Mark your divorce, young sir, [Discovering himself.] Whom son I dare not call; thou art too base Shorten thy life one week.-And thou, fresh piece Shep. O, my heart! Pol. I'll have thy beauty scratch'd with briars, and made More homely than thy state.-For thee, fond boy, If I may ever know, thou dost but sigh, That thou no more shalt see + this knack, (as never Mr. Malone reads, "shalt never see.” Worthy enough a herdsman; yea, him too, Per. [Exit [TO FLORIZEL. I told you, what would come of this: 'Beseech you, Speak, ere thou diest. Shep. weep. Why, how now, father? I cannot speak, nor think, Nor dare to know that which I know.-O, sir, [TO FLORIZEL. You have undone a man of fourscore three, To lie close by his honest bones: but now [TO PERDITA. That knew'st this was the prince, and would'st ad venture To mingle faith with him.-Undone! undone! 7 I was not much afeard: &c.] The character is here finely sustained. To have made her quite astonished at the king's discovery of himself had not become her birth; and to have given her presence of mind to have made this reply to the king, had not become her education. WARBURTON. If I might die within this hour, I have liv'd Flo. Why look you so upon me? I am but sorry, not afeard; delay'd, But nothing alter'd: What I was, I am : [Exit. More straining on, for plucking back; not following My leash unwillingly. Cam. Gracious my lord, You know your father's temper: at this time Flo. I think, Camillo. Cam. I not purpose it. Even he, my lord. Per. How often have I told you, 'twould be thus ? How often said, my dignity would last But till 'twere known? Flo. It cannot fail, but by The violation of my faith; And then Let nature crush the sides o'the earth together, Am heir to my affection. Cam. Be advis'd. Flo. I am; and by my fancy: if my reason If not, my senses, better pleas'd with madness, Cam. This is desperate, sir. Flo. So call it but it does fulfil my vow; I needs must think it honesty. Camillo, 8 and by my fancy:] It must be remembered that fancy in our author very often, as in this place, means love. Not for Bohemia, nor the pomp that may Be thereat glean'd; for all the sun sees, or To this my fair belov'd: Therefore, I pray you, With her, whom here I cannot hold on shore; For this design. What course I mean to hold, Cam. O, my lord, I would your spirit were easier for advice, Or stronger for your need. Resolv'd for flight: Now were I happy, if And that unhappy king, my master, whom You have heard of my poor services, i'the love That I have borne your father? Flo. Very nobly Have you deserv'd: it is my father's musick, [Going. To speak your deeds; not little of his care Well, my lord, If you may please to think I love the king; And, through him, what is nearest to him, which is (If your more ponderous and settled project I'll point you where you shall have such receiving Flo. How, Camillo, May this, almost a miracle, be done? That I may call thee something more than man, And, after that, trust to thee. Cam. A place, whereto you'll go? Flo. Have you thought on Not any yet: But as the unthought-on accident is guilty Ourselves to be the slaves of chance, and flies Cam. Then list to me: This follows,-if you will not change your purpose, "Your discontenting father strive to qualify,] Discontenting is in our author's language the same as discontented. 1 But as the unthought-on accident is guilty To what we wildly do ;] Guilty to, though it sounds harsh to our ears, was the phraseology of the time, or at least of Shakspeare; and this is one of those passages that should caution us not to disturb his text merely because the language appears different from that now in use. MALONE. |