eyes. There was speech in their dumbnefs, language in their very gefture; they look'd, as they had heard of a world ranfom'd, or one deftroy'd: A notable paffion of wonder appear'd in them: but the wisest beholder, that knew no more but feeing, could not fay if the importance were joy or forrow; but in the extremity of the one, it must needs be.

Enter another Gentleman.

Here comes a gentleman, that, haply, knows more : The news, Rogero?

2 Gent. Nothing but bonfires. The oracle is fulfill'd; the king's daughter is found: fuch a deal of wonder is broken out within this hour, that balladmakers cannot be able to express it.

Enter another Gentleman.

Here comes the lady Paulina's steward, he can deliver you more. How goes it now, fir? this news, which is call'd true, is fo like an old tale, that the verity of it is in trong fufpicion: Has the king found his heir?

3 Gent. Moft true; if ever truth were pregnant by circumftance: That which you hear, you'll fwear you fee, there is fuch unity in the proofs. The mantle of queen Hermione ;-her jewel about the neck of it;the letters of Antigonus found with it, which they know to be his character;-the majefty of the creature, in refemblance of the mother;the affection of noblenefs, which nature fhews above her breeding, and many other evidences proclaim her with all certainty to be the king's daughter. Did you fee the meeting of the two kings?

2 Gent. No.

3 Gent. Then have you loft a fight, which was to be feen, cannot be fpoken of. There might you have beheld one joy crown another; fo, and in fuch man

ner,

ner, that it seem'd, forrow wept to take leave of them; for their joy waded in tears. There was cafting up of eyes, holding up of hands; with countenance of fuch diftraction, that they were to be known by garment, not by favour. Our king, being ready to leap out of himfelf, for joy of his found daughter; as if that joy were now become a lofs, cries, oh, thy mother, thy mother! then afks Bohemia forgiveness; then embraces his fon-in-law; then again worries he his daughter, with clipping her. Now he thanks the old fhepherd, who ftands by, like a weather-beaten conduit of many kings' reigns. I never heard of fuch another encounter, which lames report to follow it, and undoes defcription to do it.

2 Gent. What, pray you, became of Antigonus, that carry'd hence the child?

3 Gent. Like an old tale ftil!, which will have matters to rehearse, tho' credit be afleep, and not an ear open: He was torn to pieces with a bear: this avouches the fhepherd's fon, who has not only his innocence, which feems much to juftify him, but a handkerchief, and rings, of his, that Paulina knows.

1 Gent. What became of his bark, and his followers ?

3. Gent. Wreck'd, the fame inftant of their master's death, and in the view of the fhepherd; fo that all the inftruments, which aided to expofe the child, were even then loft, when it was found. But, oh, the noble combat, that 'twixt joy and forrow was fought in Paulina! She had one eye declin'd for the lofs of her hufband; another elevated that the oracle was fulfill'd. She lifted the princefs from the earth; and fo locks her in embracing, as if he would pin her to her heart, that the might no more be in danger of lofing.

Gent. The dignity of this act was worth the au

dience of kings and princes; for by fuch was it acted.

3 Gent. One of the prettiest touches of all, and that which angled for mine eyes, (caught the water, though not the fish) was, when at the relation of the queen's death, with the manner how fhe came to it, (bravely confefs'd, and lamented by the king) how attentiveness wounded his daughter: 'till, from one fign of dolour to another, fhe did, with an alas! I would fain fay, bleed tears; for, I am fure, my heart wept blood. Who was most marble, there changed colour; fome fwooned, all forrowed: if all the world could have seen it, the woe had been univerfal.

1 Gent. Are they returned to the court?

3 Gent. No. The princefs hearing of her mother's ftatue, which is in the keeping of Paulina, a piece many years in doing, and now newly perform'd by that rare Italian mafter, Julio Romano; who, had he

him

5 That rare Italian mafter Julio Romano ;] All the encomiums, put together, that have been conferred on this excellent artist in painting and architecture, do not amount to the fine praise here given him by our author. He was born in the year 1492, lived juft that circle of years which our Shakespeare did, and died eighteen years before the latter was born. Fine and generous, therefore, as this tribute of praife must be own'd, yet it was a ftrange abfurdity, fure, to thrust it into a tale, the action of which is fuppofed within the period of heathenifm, and whilst the oracles of Apollo were confulted. This, however, was a known and wilful anachronifm; which might have flept in obfcurity, perhaps Mr. Pope will fay, had I not animadverted on it.

THEOBALD.

That rare Italian mafter, Julio Romano; &c.] Mr. Theobald fays, All the encomiums put together, that have been conferred on this excellent artift in painting and architecture, do not amount to the fine praife bere given him by our author. But he is ever the unluckieft of all critics when he paffes judgment on beauties and defects. The paffage happens to be quite unworthy Shakespeare. 1. He makes his fpeaker fay, that was Julio Romano the God of Nature, he would outdo Nature. For this is the plain meaning of the words, bad be himself eternity, and could put breath into bis

αστής

kimfelf eternity, and could put breath into his work, would beguile nature of her cuftom, fo perfectly he is her ape: He fo near to Hermione hath done Hermione, that, they fay, one would speak to her, and ftand in hope of anfwer. Thither with all greediness of affection are they gone; and there they intend to fup.

2 Gent. I thought, fhe had fome great matter there in hand; for fhe hath privately twice or thrice a-day, ever fince the death of Hermione, vifited that removed houfe. Shall we thither, and with our company piece the rejoicing?

1 Gent. 7 Who would be thence, that has the benefit of accefs? every wink of an eye, fome new grace will be born; our abfence makes us unthrifty to our knowledge. Let's along. [Exeunt. Aut. Now, had I not the dash of my former life in me, would preferment drop on my head. I brought the old man and his fon aboard the prince; told him,

work, he would beguile nature of her cuftom. 2dly, He makes of this famous painter, a ftatuary; I fuppofe confounding him with Michael Angelo; but, what is worst of all, a painter of flatues, like Mrs. Salmon of her wax-work. WARBURTON.

Poor Theobald's encomium of this paffage is not very happily conceived or expreffed, nor is the paffage of any eminent excellence; yet a little candour will clear Shakespeare from part of the impropriety imputed to him. By eternity he means only immortality, or that part of eternity which is to come; fo we talk of eternal renown and eternal infamy. Immortality may fubfift without divinity, and therefore the meaning only is, that if Julio could always continue his labours, he would mimick nature. JOHNSON. 6 — of her cuftom,- -] That is, of her trade,—would draw her customers from her. JOHNSON. 7 Who would be thence, that has the benefit of accefs?] It was, I fuppofe, only to fpare his own labour that the poet put this whole scene into narrative, for though part of the transaction was already known to the audience, and therefore could not properly be shewn again, yet the two kings might have met upon the ftage, and af ter the examination of the old fhepherd, the young lady might have been recognised in fight of the fpectators. JOHNSON.

I heard

I heard them talk of a farthel, and I know not what : but he at that time, over-fond of the fhepherd's daughter, (fo he then took her to be) who began to be much fea fick, and himfelf little better, extremity of weether continuing, this mystery remained undiscovered. But 'tis all one to me: for had I been the finder out of this fecret, it would not have relifh'd among my other difcredits.

Enter Shepherd and Clown.

Here come thofe I have done good to against my will, and already appearing in the bloffoms of their fortune. Shep. Come, boy; I am past more children; but thy fons and daughters will be all gentlemen born.

Clo. You are well met, fir: You denied to fight with me this other day, becaufe I was no gentleman born: See you thefe clothes? fay, you fee them not, and think me ftill no gentleman born. You were best fay, thefe robes are not gentlemen born. Give me the lie; do; and try whether I am not now a gentleman born.

Aut. I know, you are now, fir, a gentleman born. Clo. Ay, and have been fo any time thefe four hours.

Shep. And fo have I, boy.

Clo. So you have: but I was a gentleman born before my father: for the king's fon took me by the hand, and call'd me brother; and then the two kings call'd my father, brother; and then the prince my brother, and the princefs my fifter, call'd my father, father; and fo we wept: and there was the first gentleman-like tears that ever we shed.

Shep. We may live, fon, to fhed many more. Clo. Ay; or elfe 'twere hard luck, being in fo prepofterous eftate as we are.

Aut. I humbly befeech you, fir, to pardon me all the faults I have committed to your worship, and to