and so locks her in embracing, as if she would pin her to her heart, that she might no the be in danger of losing.

1 Gent. The dignity of this act was worth the audience of kings and princes; for by such was it acted.

1 Gent. I make a broken delivery of the busiBess;--But the changes I perceived in the king, and Camillo, were very notes of admiration: they seemned almost, with staring at one another, to tear the cases of their eyes; there was speech in the'r dumbness, language in their very gesture; they looked, as they had heard 3 Gent. One of the prettiest touches of all, of a world ransom'd, or one destroyed: A no- and that which angled for mine eyes (caught table passion of wonder appeared in them: but the water, though not the fish,) was, when at the wisest beholder, that knew no more but see-the relation of the queen's death, with the ing, could not say, if the importance were joy, or sorrow: but in the extremity of the one, it must needs be.

Enter another GENTLEMAN.

Here comes a gentleman, that, happily, knows
The news, Rogero ?
[more:
2 Gent. Nothing but bonfires: The oracle is
fulfilled; the king's daughter is found: such a
deal of wonder is broken out within this hour,
that ballad-makers cannot be able to express it.

Enter a third GENTLEMAN.

Here comes the lady Paulina's steward; he can deliver you more.-How goes it now, Sir? this news, which is called true, is so like an old tale, that the verity of it is in strong suspicion: Has the king found his heir ?

manner how she came to it, (bravely cunfessed, and lamented by the king,) bow attentiveness wounded his daughter: till, from one sign of dolour to another, she did, with an elas' ↑ would fain say, bleed tears; for, I am sare, my heart wept blood. Who was most marble there, changed colour; some swoofed, ali sorrowed; if all the world could have seed it, the woe had been universal.

1 Gent. Are they returned to the court? 3 Gent. No: the princess hearing of her mo ther's statue, which is in the keeping of Paulina, a piece many years in doing, and me newly performed by that rare Italian diastes, Julio Romano; who, had he himself eternity, and could put breath into his work, would be guile nature of her custom, so perfectly be is her ape: be so near to Hermione hatis done Hermione, that, they say, one would speak to her, and stand in hope of answer: thither, with all greediness of affection, are they gone, and there they intend to sup.

3 Gent. Most true; if ever truth were preg. nant by circumstance: that, which you hear, you'll swear you see, there is such unity in the proofs. The mantle of queen Hermione :-her jewel about the neck of it :-the letters of An- 2 Gent. I thought she had some great mattigonus, found with it, which they know to be ter there in hand; for she hath privately, twice his character:-the majesty of the creature, in or thrice a day, ever since the death of Herresemblance of the mother;-the affection of mione, visited that removed house. Shall we nobleness, which nature shows above her breed-thither, and with our company piece the reing, and many other evidences, proclaim her, with all certainty, to be the king's daughter. Did you see the meeting of the two kings? 2 Gent. No.

joicing?

1 Gent. Who would be thence, that has the benefit of access ? every wink of an eye, some new grace will be born: our absence makes us 3 Gent. Then have you lost a sight, which unthrifty to our knowledge. Let's along. was to be seen, cannot be spoken of. There [Exeunt GENTLEYEN. might you have beheld one joy crown another; Aut. Now, had I not the dash of my former so, and in such manner, that, it seemed, sorrow life in me, would preferment drop on my head. wept to take leave of them; for their joy waded I brought the old man and his son aboard the in tears. There was casting up of eyes, hold-prince; told him I heard him talk of a fardel, ing up of hands; with countenance of such and I know not what but he at that time, distraction, that they were to be known by garment, not by favour. 1 Our king, being ready to leap out of himself for joy of his found daughter; as if that joy were now become a loss, cries, O thy mother, thy mother! then asks Bohemia forgiveness; then embraces his son-in-law; then again worries he is daughter, with clipping her; now he thanks the old shepherd, which stands by, like a weatherbitten conduit of many kings' reigns. I never heard of such another encounter, which lames report to follow it, and undoes description to do it.

2 Gent. What, pray you, became of Antigonus, that carried hence the child?

over-fond of the shepherd's daughter, (so be then took her to be, who began to be much sea-sick, and himself,) little better, extremity of weather continuing, this mystery remained undiscovered. But 'tis all one to me: for had I been the finder-ont of this secret, it would not have relished among my other discredits.

Enter SHEPHERD and CLOWN, Here comes those I have done good to against my will, and already appearing in the blossoms of their fortune.

Shep. Come, boy; I am past more children; but thy sons and daughters will be all gentle

men born.

Aut. I know you are now, Sir, a gentleman

3 Gent. Like an old tale still; which will Clo. You are well met, Sir: You denied to have matter to rehearse, though credit be fight with me this other day, because I was no asleep, and not an ear open: he was torn to gentleman born; See you these clothes ↑ say) pieces with a bear; this avouches the shep-you see then not, and think me still no gen herd's son; who has not only his innocence tleman born: you were best say, these robes (which seems much,) to justify him, but a han-are not gentleman born. Give me the lie: do; kerchief and rings of his, that Paulina knows. and try whether I am not now a gentleman 1 Gent. What became of his bark and his born. followers? 3 Gent. Wrecked, the same instant of their master's death; and in the view of the shepherd so that all the instruments, which aided to expose the child, were even then lost, when it was found. But O the noble combat that, 'twixt joy and sorrow, was fought in Paulina She had one eye declined for the loss of her husband; another elevated that the oracle was fulfilled; She lifted the princess from the earth;

born.

Clo. Ay, and have been so any time these four hours.

Shep. And so have 1, boy.

Clo. So you have but I was a gentleman born before my father: for the king's son took me by the haud, and called me, brother; and then the two kings called my father, brother: and then the prince, my brother, and the prince cess, my sister, called my father, father; and

• Most pttrified with wonder. # Remote.

So we wept; and there was the first gentleman- | Which lets go by some sixteen years, and like tears that ever we shed.

Shep. We may live, son, to shed many more. Clo. Ay; or else 'twere hard luck, being in so preposterous estate as we are.

makes her

As she liv'd now.

Leon. As now she might have done, So much to my good comfort, as it is Aut. humbly beseech you, Sir, to pardon Now piercing to my soul. Ob thus she stood, me all the faults I have committed to your wor-Even with such life of majesty, (warm life, ship, and to give me your good report to the prince my master.

Shep. 'Pr'ythee, son, do; for we must be gentle, now we an gentlemen.

Clo. Thou wilt amend thy life?

Aut. Ay, an it like your good worship.

Clo. Give me thy hand: I will swear to the prince, thou art as honest a true fellow as any is in Bobenia.

Shep. You may say it, but not swear it.
Clo. Not swear it, now I am a gentleman ?
Let hoors and franklins say it, I'll swear it.
Shep. How if it be false, son?

..

Clo. If it be ue'er so false, a true gentleman may swear it, in the behalf of his friend :-And I'll swear to the prince, thou art a tall + fellow of thy bands, and that thou wilt not be drunk ; but I know, thou art no tall fellow of thy hands, and that thou wilt be drunk; but I'll swear it and I would, thou would'st be a tall fellow of thy hands.

Aut. I will prove so, Sir, to my power. Clo. Ay, by any means prove a tall fellow : If I do not wonder, how thou darest venture to be drunk, not being a tall fellow, trust me not.-Hark! the kings and the princes, our kindred, are going to see the queen's picture. Come, follow us: we'll be thy good masters.

་ཏྟཱ།

[Exeunt.

As now it coldly stands,) when first I woo'd
her!

I am asham'd: Does not the stone rebuke me,
For being more stone than it ?-O royal piece,
There's magic in thy majesty; which has
My evils conjur'd to remembrance; and
From thy admiring daughter took the spirits,
Standing like stone with thee!

Per. And give me leave;

And do not say, 'tis superstition, that

kneel, and then implore her blessing.-Lady,
Dear queen, that ended when I but began,
Give me that hand of your's, to kiss.
Paul. O patience,

L

The statue is but newly fix'd, the colour's, sal dut
Not dry.

SCENE III-The same.-A Room in PAUL-I'd not have show'd it.
INA'S House.

Enter LEONTES, POLIXENES, FLORIZEL, PER
DITA, CAMILLO, PAULINA, Lords, and At-
tendants.

Leon. O grave and good Paulina, the great That I have had of thee! [comfort

Paul. What, sovereign Sir,

I did not well, I meant well; All my services,
You have paid home: but that you have vouch-
41 sar'd
(contracted
With your crown'd brother, and these your
Heirs of your kingdoms, my poor house to
It is a surplus of your grace, which never [visit,
My life may last to answer.

Leon. Do not draw the curtain.

Paul. No longer shall you gaze on't; lest your fancy May think anon, it moves.

Leon, Let be, let be,

Would I were dead, but that methinks al-
ready-
[lord:
What was be, that did make it?-See, my
Would you not deem, it breath'd? and that
those veins
Did verily bear blood?
Pol. Masterly done:

The very life seems warm upon her lip.

As

Leon. The fixure of her eye bas motion iut +
we are mock'd with art.
Paul. I'll draw the curtain;

My lord's almost so far transported, that
He'll think anon, it lives.

Leon. O sweet Paulina,

Make me to think so twenty years together;
No settled senses of the world can match
The pleasure of that madness. Let't alone.
Paul. I am sorry, Sir, I have thus far stirr'd
you: but

I could afflict you further.
Leon. Do, Paulina;

For this affliction has a taste as sweet
As any cordial comfort.-Still, methinks,
There is an air comes from her: What fine
chisel
[me,

Could ever yet cut breath? Let no man mock
For I will kiss her.

Paul. Good my lord, forbear:
The ruddiness upon her lip is wet:
You'll mar it, if you kiss it; stain your own
With oily painting: Shall I draw the curtain ?
Leon. No, not these twenty years.

Per. So long could I
Stand by, a looker on.

Paul. Either forbear,

Quit presently the chapel; or resolve you
For more amazement: If you can behold it,
I'll make the statue move indeed; descend,

i

Pol. Ay, and make't manifest where she has | My ill suspicion.-This your son-in-law,

WARBURTON and Farmer have questioned the authenticity of this play; one declaring it to be certainly spuri. ous, and the other supposing that Shakspeare merely adapted it to the stage, with certain additions and cor rections. Malone, however, upon very satisfactory grounds, ranks it among the earliest efforts of Shakspeare's ** muse; as it abounds with the doggrel measure so common in the old comedies immediately preceding the time at which he commenced writing for the stage; and with a tiresome play upon words, which he took occasion to condemn in one of his subsequent comedies. The year 1549 is the probable date of its production. Yet Steevens discovers the hand of Shakspeare in almost every scene; and Johnson considers the whole play very popular, sprightly, and diverting. "The two plots (says the learned Doctor) are so well united, that they can hardly be called two, without injury to the art with which they are interwoven." That part of the story which suggests the title of the play, is probably a work of invention. The under-plot, which comprises the love-scenes of Lucentio, the pleasing incident of the pedant, with the characters of Vincentio, Tranio, Gremio and Biondello, is taken from a comedy of George Gascoigne's (an author of considerable popularity) called Supposes, translated from Ariosto's I Suppositi, and acted in 1566, by the gentlemen of Grey's Inn. The singular Induction to this piece is taken from Goulart's "Histories admirables de notre temps," in which its leading circumstance is related as a real fact, practised upon a mean artisan at Brussels, by Philip the Good duke of Burgundy. The Taming of the Shrew condensed within the compass of a modern after-piece invariably elicits considerable mirth; for the respective parts of Katharina and Petruchio are exceedingly spirited, ludicrous, and diverting. But, in its present form, many of the scenes are unpardonably tedious, and many of the incidents perplexingly involved. To those who look for "sermons in stones, and good in every thing," we cannot exactly point out the moral of this domestic occurrence; since the successful issue of Petruchio's experiment in one solitary instance, will scarcely warrant its practical repetition in any of the numerous cases which seem to call for a similar remedy.

SCENE, sometimes in Padua; and sometimes in Petruchio's House in the Country.

CHARACTERS IN THE INDUCTION

To the original Play of The Taming of a Shrew, entered on the Stationers' Books in 1594, and printed in quarto, in 1607.

And say, —Will't please your lordship cool your hands t

SCENE 1.-Before an Alehouse on a Heath. Some one be ready with a costly suit,