To be full 18 like me: yet, they say, we are
Almost as like as eggs; women say so,
That will say any thing: But were they false
As o'er-dyed blacks 19, as wind, as waters; false
As dice are to be wish'd, by one that fixes
No bourn 'twixt his and mine; yet were it true
To say this boy were like me.-Come, sir page,
Look on me with your welkin 20 eye: Sweet villain!
Most dear'st! my collop 21!-Can thy dam?-may't

be?

Affection! thy intention stabs the centre 22:
Thou dost make possible, things not so held;
Communicat'st with dreams;-(How can this be?)—
With what's unreal thou coactive art,

And fellow'st nothing: Then, 'tis very credent 23, Thou may'st cojoin with something; and thou dost; (And that beyond commission, and I find it;)

And that to the infection of my brains,

And hardening of my brows.

Pol.

What means Sicilia?

Her. He something seems unsettled.
Pol.

How, my lord?

What cheer? how is't with you, best brother?

18 i. e. entirely.

19 i. e. old faded stuffs of other colours dyed black.

20 Welkin is blue, i. e. the colour of the welkin or sky. Tooke says, a rolling eye, from the Saxon wealcan, volvere; but the sense in which Shakspeare always uses the word is against him. 21 In King Henry VI. Part I. we have

'God knows, thou art a collop of my flesh.'

It is given as a proverbial phrase in Heywood's Epigrams, 1566. 'For I have heard saie it is a deere collup That is cut out of th' owne flesh.'

22 Affection here means imagination. Intention is earnest consideration, eager attention. It is this vehemence of mind which affects Leontes, by making him conjure up unreal causes of disquiet; and thus, in the poet's language, 'stabs him to the centre.' 23 Credent, credible.

VOL. IV.

C

Her.

You look,

As if you held a brow of much distraction :

Are you mov'd, my lord?

Leon.

No, in good earnest.

How sometimes nature will betray its folly,

Its tenderness, and make itself a pastime

To harder bosoms! Looking on the lines
Of my boy's face, methought I did recoil
Twenty-three years; and saw myself unbreech'd,
In my green velvet coat; my dagger muzzled,
Lest it should bite its master, and so prove,
As ornaments oft do, too dangerous.

How like, methought, I then was to this kernel,
This squash 24, this gentleman :- Mine honest friend,
Will you take eggs for money 25?

Mam. No, my lord, I'll fight.

Leon. You will? why, happy man be his dole 26!

My brother,

Are you so fond of your young prince, as we
Do seem to be of ours?

Pol.

If at home, sir,

He's all my exercise, my mirth, my matter:
Now my sworn friend, and then mine enemy;
My parasite, my soldier, statesman, all :
He makes a July's day short as December;
And, with his varying childness, cures in me
Thoughts that would thick my blood.

Leon.

So stands this squire

Offic'd with me: We two will walk, my lord,

And leave you to your graver steps.-Hermione, How thou lov'st us, show in our brother's welcome;

Let what is dear in Sicily be cheap:

Next to thyself, and my young rover, he's

Apparent 27 to my heart.

Her.

If you would seek us,

We are yours i' the garden; Shall's attend you there. Leon. To your own bents dispose you: you'll be

found,

Be you beneath the sky :-I am angling now,
Though you perceive me not how I give line.
Go to, go to!

[Aside. Observing POLIXENES and HERMIONE. How she holds up the neb 28, the bill to him! And arms her with the boldness of a wife To her allowing 29 husband! Gone already! Inch-thick, knee-deep, o'er head and ears a fork'd one 30

[Exeunt POL. HER. and Attendants.

Go, play, boy, play ;-thy mother plays, and I Play too; but so disgrac'd a part, whose issue Will hiss me to my grave; contempt and clamour Will be my knell.-Go, play, boy, play. There

have been,

Or I am much deceiv'd, cuckolds ere now;
And many a man there is, even at this present,
Now, while I speak this, holds his wife by the arm,
That little thinks, she has been sluic'd in his absence,
And his pond fish'd by his next neighbour, by
Sir Smile, his neighbour: nay, there's comfort in't,
Whiles other men have gates; and those gates open'd,
As mine, against their will: Should all despair,
That have revolted wives, the tenth of mankind
Would hang themselves. Physick for't there is none;
It is a bawdy planet, that will strike

28 i. e. mouth.

27 Heir apparent, next claimant.
29 i. e. approving. 30 i. e. a horned one, a cuckold.

Where 'tis predominant; and 'tis powerful, think it, From east, west, north, and south: Be it concluded, No barricado for a belly; know it;

It will let in and out the enemy,

With bag and baggage: many a thousand of us Have the disease, and feel't not.-How now, boy?

Mam. I am like you, they say.

Leon.

Why, that's some comfort.

What! Camillo there?

Cam. Ay, my good lord.

Leon. Go play, Mamillius; thou'rt an honest [Exit MAMILLIUS.

man.

Camillo, this great sir will yet stay longer.
Cam. You had much ado to make his anchor hold:
When you cast out, it still came home 31.

Leon.

Didst note it?

Cam. He would not stay at your petitions; made

His business more material 32.

Leon.

Didst perceive it?

They're here with me already 33: whispering, round

ing 34,

Sicilia is a so-forth: 'Tis far gone,

When I shall gust 35 it last. -How came't, Camillo,

That he did stay?

Cam.

At the good queen's entreaty.

Leon. At the queen's, be't: good, should be per

tinent;

But so it is, it is not. Was this taken
By any understanding pate but thine?

For thy conceit is soaking, will draw in
More than the common blocks :-Not noted, is't,
But of the finer natures? by some severals,
Of head-piece extraordinary? lower messes 36,
Perchance, are to this business purblind: say.

Cam. Business, my lord? I think, most understand

Bohemia stays here longer.

Leon.

Cam.

Leon. Ay, but why?

Ha?

Stays here longer.

Cam. To satisfy your highness, and the entreaties

Of our most gracious mistress.

Leon.

Satisfy

satisfy?

The entreaties of your mistress?
Let that suffice. I have trusted thee, Camillo,
With all the nearest things to my heart, as well
My chamber-councils: wherein, priestlike, thou

Hast cleans'd my bosom; I from thee departed

Thy penitent reform'd: but we have been

Deceiv'd in thy integrity, deceiv'd

In that which seems so.

Cam.

Be it forbid, my lord!

Leon. To bide upon't:--Thou art not honest: or, If thou inclin'st that way, thou art a coward; Which hoxes 37 honesty behind, restraining From course requir'd: Or else thou must be counted A servant, grafted in my serious trust, And therein negligent; or else a fool,