As soft as dove's down, and as white as it;
Or Ethiopian's tooth, or the fann'd snow,
That’s bolted by the northern blasts twice o'er.

Pol. What follows this ?-
How prettily the young swain seems to wash
The hand, was fair before! I have put you out;-
But, to your protestation ; let me hear
What

you profess. Flo.

Do, and be witness to't.
Pol. And this my neighbour too?
Flo.

And he, and more
Than he, and men; the earth, the heavens, and all :
That,—were I crown'd the most imperial monarch,
Thereof most worthy; were I the fairest youth
That ever made eye swerve; had force, and knowledge,
More than was ever man's,-I would not prize them,
Without her love: for her, employ them all ;
Commend them, and condemn them, to her service,
Or to their own perdition.
Pol.

Fairly offer'd.
Cam. This shows a sound affection.
Shep.

But my daughter,
Say you the like to him?
Per.

I cannot speak
So well, nothing so well; no, nor mean better;
By the pattern of mine own thoughts I cut out
The purity of his.
Shep.

Take hands, a bargain :
And, friends unknown, you shall bear witness to't:
I give my daughter to him, and will make
Her portion equal his.
Flo.

O, that must be
I'the virtue of your daughter: one being dead,
I shall have more than you can dream of yet :
Enough then for your wonder : But, come on,
Contract us 'fore these witnesses.

m

or the fann'd snow, That's bolted, &c.] The fine sieve used by millers to separate lower from bran is called a bolting cloth.-HARRIS.

Shep.

Come, your hand;
And, daughter, yours.
Pol.

Soft, swain, awhile, 'beseech you ; Have you

a father? Flo.

I have : But what of him?
Pol. Knows he of this?
Flo.

He neither does, nor shall.
Pol. Methinks, a father
Is, at the nuptial of his son, a guest
That best becomes the table. Pray you, once more;
Is not your father grown incapable
Of reasonable affairs ? Is he not stupid
With age, and altering rheums? Can he speak? hear?
Know man from man ? dispute his own estate ?n
Lies he not bed-rid ? and again does nothing,
But what he did being childish ?
Flo.

No, good sir;
He has his health, and ampler strength, indeed,
Than most have of his age.
Pol.

By my white beard,
You offer him, if this be so, a wrong
Something unfilial : Reason, my son
Should choose himself a wife; but as good reason,
The father, (all whose joy is nothing else
But fair posterity,) should hold some counsel
In such a business.
Flo.

I yield all this;
But, for some other reasons, my grave sir,
Which 'tis not fit you know, I not acquaint
My father of this business.
Pol.

Let him know't.
Flo. He shall not.
Pol.

Pr’ythee, let him.
Flo.

No, he must not. Shep. Let him, my son; he shall not need to grieve At knowing of thy choice.

dispute his own estate?] Perhaps for dispute we might read compute : but dispute his estate may be the same with talk over his affairs. Johnson. It probably means "can he vindicate his right to his own property."-M. MASON.

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 To be acknowledg’d: Thou a scepter's heir, That thus affect'st a sheep-hook !Thou old traitor, I am sorry, that, by hanging thee, I can but Shorten thy life one week.And thou, fresh piece Of excellent witchcraft; who, of force, must know The royal fool thou cop'st with; 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 never see this knack, (as never
I mean thou shalt,) we'll bar thee from succession;
Not hold thee of our blood, no, not our kin,
Faro than Deucalion off ;-Mark thou my words;
Follow us to the court.-Thou churl, for this time,
Though full of our displeasure, yet we free thee
From the dead blow of it. And you, enchantment,-
Worthy enough a herdsman; yea, him too,
That makes himself, but for our honour therein,
Unworthy thee,-if ever, henceforth, thou
These rural latches to this entrance

open,
Or hoop his body more with thy embraces,
I will devise a death as cruel for thee,
As thou art tender to't.

[Exit Per.

Even here undone!
I was not much afeard :P for once, or twice,
I was about to speak; and tell him plainly,
The selfsame sun, that shines upon his court,
Hides not his visage from our cottage, but

• Far~] i. e. Further, the ancient comparative of fer was ferrer, which was softened into ferre, in the time of Chaucer.—TYRWHITT.

P 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.

Looks on alike.-Will't please you, sir, be gone?

[To FLORIZEL. I told

you, what would come of this : 'Beseech you,
Of your own state take care: this dream of mine,-
Being now awake, I'll queen it no inch further,
But milk my ewes, and weep.
Cam.

Why, how now, father?
Speak, ere thou diest.
Shep.

I cannot speak, nor think, Nor dare to know that which I know.-0, sir,

[To FLORIZEL. You have undone a man of fourscore three, That thought to fill his grave in quiet; yea, To die upon the bed my father died, To lię close by his honest bones : but now Some hangman must put on my shroud, and lay me Where no priest shovels-in dust.–O cursed wretch!

[To PERDITA. That knew'st this was the prince, and would'st adventure To mingle faith with him.-Undone! undone! If I might die within this hour, I have liv'd To die when I desire.

[Exit. Flo.

Why look you so upon me?
I am but sorry, not afeard; delay'd,
But nothing alter'd: What I was, I am :
More straining on, for plucking back; not following
My leash unwillingly.
Cam.

Gracious my lord,
You know your father's temper: at this time
He will allow no speech,-which, I do guess,
You do not purpose to him ;-and as hardly
Will he endure your sight 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 said, my dignity would last
But till 'twere known?

reason

$

that may

Flo.

It cannot fail, but by
The violation of my faith; And then
Let nature crush the sides o’the earth together,
And mar the seeds within !-Lift up thy looks :-
From my succession wipe me, father! I
Am heir to my affection.
Cam.

Be advis'd.
Flo. I am; and by my fancy :9 if my
Will thereto be obedient, I have reason;
If not, my senses, better pleased with madness,
Did bid it welcome.
Cam.

This is desperate, sir.
Flo. So call it: but it does fulfil my vow ;
I needs must think it honesty. Camillo,
Not for Bohemia, nor the

pomp
Be thereat glean’d; for all the sun sees, or
The close earth wombs, or the profound seas hide
In unknown fathoms, will I break my oath
To this my fair belov'd: Therefore, I pray you,
As you have e'er been my father's honour'd friend,
When he shall miss me, (as, in faith, I meant not
To see him any more,) cast your good counsels
Upon his passion ; Let myself and fortune,
Tug for the time to come. This you may know,
And so deliver,-I am put to sea
With her, whom here I cannot hold on shore;
And, most opportune to our need, I have
A vessel rides fast by, but not prepar'd
For this design. What course 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 stronger for your need. .
Flo.

Hark, Perdita.

[Takes her aside. I'll hear you by and by.

[To CAMILLO. Cam.

He's irremovable,

and by my fancy :) It must be remembered that fancy in our author very often, as in this place, means love.--Johnson.