Unworthy thee, if ever, henceforth, thou
These rural latches to his entrance open,
Or hoop his body more with thy embraces,
I will devife a death as cruel for thee,
As thou art tender to it.

Per. Even here undone !

[Exit.

I was not much afeard: for once, or twice,
I was about to speak; and tell him plainly,
The felf-fame fun, that fhines upon his court,
Hides not his vifage from our cottage, but
Looks on alike-Wilt please you, fir, be gone?
[To Florizel.
I told you, what would come of this: 'Befeech you,
Of your own state take care: this dream of mine,-
Being now awake, I'll queen it no inch farther,
But milk my ewes, and weep.

Cam. Why, how now, father?
Speak, ere thou dieft.

Shep. I cannot fpeak, nor think,

Nor dare to know that which I know.-O, fir,

[To Florizel.
You have undone a man of fourfcore three 3,
That thought to fill his grave in quiet; yea,
To die upon the bed my father dy'd,

To lie close by his honeft bones: but now
Some hangman muft put on my fhrowd, and lay me

2 I was not much afeard, &c.]

The character is here finely fuftained. To have made her quite aftonished at the king's difcovery 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.

3 You have undone a man of fourfcore three, &c.] These fentiments, which the poet has heighten'd by a strain of ridicule that runs through them, admirably characterize the fpeaker; whofe selfishness is seen in concealing the adventure of Perdita; and here supported, by fhewing no regard for his fon or her, but being taken up entirely with himself, though fourfcore three. WARBURTON.

Where

Where no priest shovels-in duft 4.-O curfed wretch! [To Perdita. That knew'ft this was the prince, and would'ft ad

venture

To mingle faith with him.-Undone! undone!
If I might die within this hour, I have liv'd
To die when I defire.

Flo. Why look you fo upon me?

I am but forry, not afeard; delay'd,

But nothing alter'd: What I was, I am :

[Exit.

More ftraining on, for plucking back; not following My leafh unwillingly.

Cam. Gracious my lord,

You know your father's temper: at this time
He will allow no fpeech,-which, I do guefs,
You do not purpose to him;-and as hardly
Will he endure your fight as yet, I fear:
Then, 'till the fury of his highness settle,
Come not before him.

Flo. I not purpose it.

I think, Camillo.

Cam. Even he, my lord.

Per. How often have I told you, 'twould be thus ? How often faid, 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 fides o'the earth together, 5 And mar the feeds within!-Lift up thy looks :From my fucceffion wipe me, father! I

Am heir to my affection.

This

4 Where no priest shovels-in duft.- -]

part of the priest's office might be remembered in Shakespeare's time: it was not left off till the reign of Edward the VI.

5 And mar the feeds within!

So, in Macbeth:

FARMER,

"And nature's germins tumble all together." STEEVENS.

Cam.

Cam. Be advis'd.

Flo. I am; and by my fancy: if my reafon Will thereto be obedient, I have reafon;

If not, my fenfes, better pleas'd with madness,

Do bid it welcome.

Cam. This is desperate, fir.

Flo. So call it: but it does fulfil my vow;
I needs must think it honefty. Camillo,
Not for Bohemia, nor the pomp
that may

Be thereat glean'd; for all the fun fees, or

The close earth wombs, or the profound fea hides
In unknown fathoms, will I break my oath
To this my fair belov'd: Therefore, I pray you,
As you have ever been my father's friend,
When he fhall miss me, (as, in faith, I mean not
To fee him any more) cast your good counfels
Upon his paffion; Let myfelf, and fortune,
Tug for the time to come. This you may know,
And fo deliver,-I am put to fea

With her, whom herè I cannot hold on fhore;
And, moft opportune to our need, I have
A veffel rides faft by, but not prepar'd

For this defign. What courfe I mean to hold,
Shall nothing benefit your knowledge, nor
Concern me the reporting.

Cam. O my lord,

I would your spirit were easier for advice,
Or ftronger for your need.

Flo. Hark, Perdita.

I'll hear you by and by.

Cam. [Afide.] He's irremoveable,

[To Camillo.

Refolv'd for flight: Now were I happy, if

His going I could frame to ferve my turn;

and by my fancy}

It must be remembered that fancy in our author very often, as in this place, means leve. JOHNSON.

So, in the Midfummer Night's Dream:

"Fair Helena in fancy following me." STEEVENS.

Save him from danger, do him love and honour;
Purchase the fight again of dear Sicilia,

And that unhappy king, my master, whom
I fo much thirft to fee.

Flo. Now, good Camillo,

I am fo fraught with curious bufinefs, that
I leave out ceremony.

Cam. Sir, I think,

You have heard of my poor fervices, i'the love
That I have borne your father?

Flo. Very nobly

Have you deferv'd: it is my father's mufick,
To speak your deeds; not little of his care
To have them recompenc'd as thought on.
Cam. Well, my lord,

If you may please to think I love the king;
And, through him, what is nearest to him, which is
Your gracious felf; embrace but my direction,
(If your more ponderous and fettled project
May fuffer alteration) on mine honour,

I'll point you where you fhall have fuch receiving
As fhall become your highness; where you may
Enjoy your mistress; from the whom, I fee,
There's no disjunction to be made, but by
(As heavens forefend!) your ruin: Marry her;
And (with my best endeavours in your absence)
Your discontenting father I'll ftrive to qualify,
And bring him up to liking.

Flo. How, Camillo,

May this, almoft a miracle, be done?

That I may call thee fomething more than man,
And, after that, truft to thee.

Cam. Have you thought on

A place, whereto you'll go?
Flo. Not any yet:

But as the unthought-on accident is guilty

To what we wildly do; fawe profefs

VOL. IV.

Dd

Our

Ourselves to be the flaves of chance, and flies Of every wind that blows.

Cam. Then lift to me:

This follows,--if you will not change your purpose,
But undergo this flight;-Make for Sicilia;
And there present yourself, and your fair princess,
(For fo, I fee, the muft be) 'fore Leontes;
She shall be habited, as it becomes

The partner of your bed. Methinks, I fee
Leontes, opening his free arms, and weeping
His welcomes forth: afks thee, the fon, forgiveness,
As 'twere i'the father's perfon: kiffes the hands
Of your fresh princefs: o'er and o'er divides him
"Twixt his unkindness and his kindness; the one
He chides to hell, and bids the other grow,
Fafter than thought, or time.

Flo. Worthy Camillo,

What colour for my vifitation fhall I
Hold up before him?

Cam. Sent by the king your father

To greet him, and to give him comforts. Sir,
The manner of your bearing towards him, with
What you, as from your father, fhall deliver,
Things known betwixt us three, I'll write you down":

The

7 Ourselves to be the flaves of chance, and flies] As chance has driven me to these extremities, fo I commit myself to chance to be conducted through them. JOHNSON. 8 Things known betwixt us three, I'll write you The which shall point you forth at every fitting, What you must faz; - -]

doron:

Every fitting, methinks, gives but a very poor idea. Every fitting, as I have ventur'd to correct the text, means every convenient opportunity every juncture, when it is fit to fpeak of fuch or fuch a point. THEOBALD.

The which shall point you forth at every fitting,] Every fitting, fays Mr. Theobald, methinks, gives us but a very poor idea. But a poor idea is better than none; which it comes to, when he has alter'd it to every fitting. The truth is, the common reading is very expreffive; and means, at every audience

you