Page:William Hazlitt - Characters of Shakespear's Plays (1817).djvu/311

Rh, and in the last scene acted the painted statue to the life—with true monumental dignity and noble passion; Mr. Kemble, in Leontes, worked himself up into a very fine classical phrensy; and Bannister, as Autolycus, roared as loud for pity as a sturdy beggar could do who felt none of the pain he counterfeited, and was sound of wind and limb. We shall never see these parts so acted again; or if we did, it would be in vain. Actors grow old, or no longer surprise us by their novelty. But true poetry, like nature, is always young; and we still read the courtship of Florizel and Perdita, as we welcome the return of spring, with the same feelings as ever.

"Florizel. Thou dearest Perdita., With these forc'd thoughts, I pr'ythee, darken not The mirth o'the feast: or, I'll be thine, my fair, Or not my father's: for I cannot be Mine own, nor any thing to any, if I be not thine. To this I am most constant, Tho' destiny say, No. Be merry, gentle; Strangle such thoughts as these, with any thing That you behold the while. Your guests are coming: Lift up your countenance; as it were the day Of celebration of that nuptial, which We two have sworn shall come. Perdita. O lady fortune, Stand you auspicious!

Enter Shepherd, Clown,, , Servants; with , and , disguised. Florizel. See, your guests approach: