his dominions;" and my lord Herbert tells us, that De Luines the prime minister of France, when he was embassador there, demanded, whether Bohemia was an inland country, or lay "upon the fea?" There is a similar mistake in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, relative to that city and Milan. FARMER.

The Winter's Tale may be ranked among the historic plays of Shakspeare, though not one of his numerous criticks and commentators have difcovered the drift of it. It was certainly intended (in compliment to queen Elizabeth) as an indirect apology for her mother Anne Boleyn. The address of the poet appears no where to more advantage. The fubject was too delicate to be exhibited on the stage without a veil; and it was too recent, and touched the queen too nearly, for the bard to have ventured fo home an allusion on any other ground than compliment. The unreasonable jealousy of Leontes, and his violent conduct in) consequence, form a true portrait of Henry the Eighth who generally made the law the engine of his boisterous paffions. Not only the general plan of the story is most applicable, but several passages are so marked, that they touch the real history nearer than the fable. Hermione on her trial fays:

'Tis a derivative from me to mine,

"And only that I stand for."

This seems to be taken from the very letter of Anne Boleyn to the king before her execution, where the pleads for the infant princess his daughter. Mamillius, the young prince, an unnecefsary character, dies in his infancy; but it confirms the allufion, as queen Anne, before Elizabeth, bore a still-born son. But the most striking paffage, and which had nothing to do in the tragedy, but as it pictured Elizabeth, is, where Paulina, defcribing the newborn princess, and her likeness to her father, says: "She has the very trick of his frown." There is one fentence indeed so applicable, both to Elizabeth and her father, that I should susped the poet inserted it after her death. Paulina, speaking of the child, tells the king:

'Tis yours;

:

"And might we lay the old proverb to your charge,
"So like you, 'tis the worse.".

The Winter's Tale was therefore in reality a second part of Henry the Eighth. WALPOLE.

A

Leontes, King of Sicilia :

Mamillius, his fon.

Camillo,

Antigonus,

Cleomenes,

Dion,

Sicilian Lords.

Another Sicilian Lord.

Rogero, a Sicilian Gentleman.

An attendant on the young Prince Mamillius.

Officers of a Court of Judicature.

Polixenes, King of Bohemia:

Florizel, his fon.

Archidamus, a Bohemian Lord.

A Mariner.

Gaoler.

An old Shepherd, reputed Father of Perdita:

Clown, his Son.

Servant to the old Shepherd.

Autolycus, a Rogue.

Time, as Chorus.

Hermione, Queen to Leontes.

Perdita, Daughter to Leontes and Hermione.

Paulina, Wife to Antigonus.

Lords, Ladies, and Attendants; Satyrs for a dance; Shepherds, Shepherdeffes, Guards, &c.

SCENE, fometimes in Sicilia, Sometimes in Bohemia.

B SHAKSPEARE.

Winters Tales,

ACTII.SCENE III.

gestochen in Lörrach von I.I. von Mechel jur:

his shoulder bone; how he cry'd to me for help, and said, his name
was Antigonus, a nobleman: but to make an end of the ship:-
to see how the sea flap-dragon'd it but first, how the poor souts
roard, and the sea mock'd them:- and how the poor gentleman
roar'd, and the bear mock'd him, both roaring louder than
the sea, or weather.

ACT I. SCENEI..

Sicilia. An Antechamber in Leontes' Palace.

Enter CAMILLO, and ARCHIDAMUS,

ARCH. If you shall chance, Camillo, to visit Bohemia, on the like occafion whereon my services are now on foot, you shall fee, as I have said, great difference betwixt our Bohemia, and your Sicilia.

CAM. I think, this coming summer, the king of Sicilia means to pay Bohemia the visitation which he justly owes him.

2

ARCH. Wherein our entertainment shall shame us, we will be justified in our loves: for, indeed, CAM. 'Beseech you,

ARCH. Verily, I speak it in the freedom of my knowledge: we cannot with such magnificencein so rare-I know not what to say. --We will give you fleepy drinks; that your fenfes, unintelligent of our infufficience, may, though they cannot praise us, as little accuse us.

CAM. You pay a great deal too dear, for what's given freely.

2

our entertainment, &c.] Though we cannot give you equat entertainment, yet the consciousness of our good-will shall justify us. JOHNSON.