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James Boswell [1821], The plays and poems of William Shakspeare, with the corrections and illustrations of various commentators: comprehending A Life of the Poet, and an enlarged history of the stage, by the late Edmond Malone. With a new glossarial index (J. Deighton and Sons, Cambridge) [word count] [S10201].
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SCENE I. On board Pericles' Ship, off Mitylene. A close Pavilion on deck, with a Curtain before it; Pericles within it, reclined on a Couch. A Barge lying beside the Tyrian Vessel. Enter Two Sailors, one belonging to the Tyrian Vessel, the other to the Barge; to them Helicanus.

Tyr. Sail.
Where's the lord Helicanus? he can resolve you. [To the Sailor of Mitylene.
O here he is.—
Sir, there's a barge put off from Mitylene.
And in it is Lysimachus the governor,
Who craves to come aboard. What is your will?

Hel.
That he have his. Call up some gentlemen.

Tyr. Sail.
Ho, gentlemen! my lord calls.
Enter Two Gentlemen.

1 Gent.
Doth your lordship call?

Hel.
Gentlemen,
There is some of worth would come aboard; I pray you,
To greet them fairly1 note.
[The Gentlemen and the Two Sailors descend, and go on board the Barge.

-- 188 --

Enter, from thence, Lysimachus and Lords; the Tyrian Gentlemen, and the Two Sailors.

Tyr. Sail.
Sir,
This is the man that can, in aught you would,
Resolve you.

Lys.
Hail, reverend sir! The gods preserve you!

Hel.
And you, sir, to out-live the age I am,
And die as I would do.

Lys.
You wish me well.
Being on shore, honouring of Neptune's triumphs,
Seeing this goodly vessel ride before us,
I made to it, to know of whence you are.

Hel.
First, sir, what is your place?

Lys.
I am governor of this place you lie before.

Hel.
Sir,
Our vessel is of Tyre, in it the king;
A man, who for this three months hath not spoken
To any one, nor taken sustenance,
But to prorogue his grief2 note




.

Lys.
Upon what ground is his distemperature?

Hel.
Sir, it would be too tedious to repeat3 note;
But the main grief of all springs from the loss
Of a beloved daughter and a wife.

Lys.
May we not see him, then?

Hel.
You may indeed, sir,
But bootless is your sight; he will not speak
To any.

-- 189 --

Lys.
Yet, let me obtain my wish.

Hel.
Behold him, sir: [Pericles discovered4 note




.] this was a goodly person,
Till the disaster, that, one mortal night,
Drove him to this5 note

.

Lys.
Sir, king, all hail! the gods preserve you! Hail,
Hail, royal sir!

Hel.
It is in vain; he will not speak to you.

1 Lord.
Sir, we have a maid in Mitylene6 note, I durst wager,
Would win some words of him.

Lys.
'Tis well bethought.
She, questionless, with her sweet harmony
And other choice attractions, would allure,

-- 190 --


And make a battery through his deafen'd parts,
Which now are midway stopp'd7 note












:
She is all happy as the fairest of all,
And, with her fellow maids, is now upon
The leafy shelter that abuts against
The island's side8 note












. [He whispers one of the attendant Lords.— Exit Lord, in the Barge of Lysimachus9 note.

-- 191 --

Hel.
Sure, all's effectless; yet nothing we'll omit
That bears recovery's name. But, since your kindness

-- 192 --


We have stretch'd thus far, let us beseech you further,
That for our gold we may provision have,
Wherein we are not destitute for want,
But weary for the staleness.

Lys.
O, sir, a courtesy,
Which if we should deny, the most just God
For every graff would send a caterpillar,
And so inflict our province1 note.—Yet once more
Let me entreat to know at large the cause
Of your king's sorrow.

Hel.
Sit, sir2 note, I will recount it;—
But see, I am prevented.
Enter, from the Barge, Lord, Marina, and a young Lady.

Lys.
O, here is
The lady that I sent for. Welcome, fair one!
Is't not a goodly presence3 note




?

-- 193 --

Hel.
A gallant lady.

Lys.
She's such, that were I well assur'd she came
Of gentle kind, and noble stock, I'd wish
No better choice, and think me rarely wed.
Fair one, all goodness that consists in bounty
Expect even here, where is a kingly patient4 note


:
If that thy prosperous and artificial feat5 note








-- 194 --


Can draw him but to answer thee in aught,
Thy sacred physick shall receive such pay
As thy desires can wish.

Mar.
Sir, I will use
My utmost skill in his recovery,
Provided none but I and my companion
Be suffer'd to come near him.

Lys.
Come, let us leave her,
And the gods make her prosperous!
[Marina sings6 note



































.

-- 195 --

Lys.
Mark'd he your musick?

Mar.
No, nor look'd on us.

Lys.
See, she will speak to him.

Mar.
Hail, sir! my lord, lend ear:—

Per.
Hum! ha!

Mar.
I am a maid,
My lord, that ne'er before invited eyes,

-- 196 --


But have been gaz'd on like a comet7 note




: she speaks
My lord, that, may be, hath endur'd a grief
Might equal yours, if both were justly weigh'd.
Though wayward fortune did malign my state,
My derivation was from ancestors
Who stood equivalent with mighty kings8 note


:
But time hath rooted out my parentage,
And to the world and aukward casualties9 note


Bound me in servitude.—I will desist;
But there is something glows upon my cheek,
And whispers in mine ear, Go not till he speak. [Aside.

Per.
My fortunes—parentage—good parentage—
To equal mine!—was it not thus? what say you?

Mar.
I said, my lord, if you did know my parentage,
You would not do me violence1 note.

Per.
I do think so.
I pray you, turn your eyes again upon me.—

-- 197 --


You are like something that—What country-woman?
Here of these shores2 note


?

Mar.
No, nor of any shores:
Yet I was mortally brought forth, and am
No other than I appear.

Per.
I am great with woe, and shall deliver weeping3 note




.
My dearest wife was like this maid, and such a one
My daughter might have been4 note




: my queen's square brows;

-- 198 --


Her stature to an inch; as wand-like straight;
As silver-voic'd; her eyes as jewel-like,
And cas'd as richly5 note









: in pace another Juno6 note

;
Who starves the ears she feeds, and makes them hungry,
The more she gives them speech7 note






.—Where do you live?

Mar.
Where I am but a stranger: from the deck
You may discern the place.

Per.
Where were you bred?
And how achiev'd you these endowments, which
You make more rich to owe8 note




?

-- 199 --

Mar.
Should I tell my history,
'Twould seem like lies disdain'd in the reporting.

Per.
Pry'thee speak;
Falseness cannot come from thee, for thou look'st
Modest as justice, and thou seem'st a palace
For the crown'd truth to dwell in9 note









: I'll believe thee,
And make my senses credit thy relation,
To points that seem impossible; for thou look'st
Like one I lov'd indeed. What were thy friends?
Didst thou not say1 note, when I did push thee back,
(Which was when I perceiv'd thee,) that thou cam'st
From good descending?

Mar.
So indeed I did.

Per.
Report thy parentage. I think thou said'st
Thou hadst been toss'd from wrong to injury,
And that thou thought'st thy griefs might equal mine,
If both were open'd.

-- 200 --

Mar.
Some such thing indeed2 note
I said, and said no more but what my thoughts
Did warrant me was likely.

Per.
Tell thy story;
If thine consider'd prove the thousandth part
Of my endurance, thou art a man, and I
Have suffer'd like a girl3 note


: yet thou dost look
Like Patience, gazing on kings' graves4 note





, and smiling
Extremity out of act5 note






. What were thy friends?
How lost thou them? Thy name, my most kind virgin?
Recount, I do beseech thee; come, sit by me6 note


.

-- 201 --

Mar.
My name, sir, is Marina.

Per.
O, I am mock'd,
And thou by some incensed god sent hither
To make the world laugh at me.

Mar.
Patience, good sir,
Or here I'll cease.

Per.
Nay, I'll be patient;
Thou little know'st how thou dost startle me,
To call thyself Marina.

Mar.
The name Marina,
Was given me by one that had some power;
My father, and a king.

Per.
How! a king's daughter?
And call'd Marina?

Mar.
You said you would believe me;
But, not to be a troubler of your peace7 note



,
I will end here.

Per.
But are you flesh and blood?
Have you a working pulse? and are no fairy?
No motion8 note






?—Well; speak on. Where were you born?
And wherefore call'd Marina?

-- 202 --

Mar.
Call'd Marina,
For I was born at sea.

Per.
At sea? thy mother?

Mar.
My mother was the daughter of a king;
Who died the very minute I was born9 note


,
As my good nurse Lychorida hath oft
Deliver'd weeping.

Per.
O, stop there a little!
This is the rarest dream that e'er dull sleep1 note
Did mock sad fools withal: this cannot be.
My daughter's buried. [Aside.] Well:—where were you bred?

-- 203 --


I'll hear you more, to the bottom of your story,
And never interrupt you.

Mar.
You'll scarce believe me; 'twere best I did give o'er2 note





.

Per.
I will believe you by the syllable3 note




Of what you shall deliver. Yet, give me leave:—
How came you in these parts? where were you bred?

Mar.
The king, my father, did in Tharsus leave me;
Till cruel Cleon, with his wicked wife,
Did seek to murder me: and having woo'd
A villain to attempt it, who having drawn4 note














to do't,

-- 204 --


A crew of pirates came and rescued me;
Brought me to Mitylene. But, now good sir,
Whither will you have me? Why do you weep? It may be,
You think me an impostor; no, good faith;
I am the daughter to king Pericles,
If good king Pericles be.

Per.
Ho, Helicanus!

Hel.
Calls my gracious lord?

Per.
Thou art a grave and noble counsellor,
Most wise in general: Tell me, if thou canst,
What this maid is, or what is like to be,
That thus hath made me weep?

Hel.
I know not; but
Here is the regent, sir, of Mitylene,
Speaks nobly of her.

Lys.
She would never tell
Her parentage; being demanded that,
She would sit still and weep.

Per.
O Helicanus, strike me, honour'd sir;
Give me a gash, put me to present pain;

-- 205 --


Lest this great sea of joys rushing upon me,
O'erbear the shores of my mortality,
And drown me with their sweetness5 note



. O, come hither,
Thou that beget'st him that did thee beget;
Thou that wast born at sea, buried at Tharsus,
And found at sea again!—O Helicanus,
Down on thy knees, thank the holy gods, as loud
As thunder threatens us: This is Marina.—
What was thy mother's name? tell me but that,
For truth can never be confirm'd enough,
Though doubts did ever sleep6 note.

Mar.
First, sir, I pray,
What is your title?

Per.
I am Pericles of Tyre: but tell me now
My drowned queen's name, (as in the rest you said
Thou hast been godlike perfect,) the heir of kingdoms,
And a mother like to Pericles thy father7 note











.

-- 206 --

Mar.
Is it no more to be your daughter, than
To say, my mother's name was Thaisa?
Thaisa was my mother, who did end,
The minute I began8 note



.

Per.
Now, blessing on thee, rise; thou art my child.
Give me fresh garments. Mine own, Helicanus,
(Not dead at Tharsus, as she should have been,
By savage Cleon,) she shall tell thee all9 note:
When thou shalt kneel and justify in knowledge,
She is thy very princess.—Who is this?

Hel.
Sir, 'tis the governor of Mitylene,

-- 207 --


Who, hearing of your melancholy state,
Did come to see you.

Per.
I embrace you, sir.
Give me my robes; I am wild in my beholding.
O heavens bless my girl! But hark, what musick?—
Tell Helicanus, my Marina, tell him1 note



O'er, point by point2 note



, for yet he seems to doubt3 note,
How sure you are my daughter.—But what musick?

Hel.
My lord, I hear none.

Per.
None?
The musick of the spheres: list, my Marina.

Lys.
It is not good to cross him; give him way.

Per.
Rarest sounds!
Do ye not hear.

Lys.
Musick? My lord, I hear—

Per.
Most heavenly musick:
It nips me unto list'ning, and thick slumber
Hangs on mine eye-lids; let me rest4 note











. [He sleeps.

-- 208 --

Lys.
A pillow for his head; [The Curtain before the Pavilion of Pericles is closed.
So leave him all.—Well, my companion-friends,
If this but answer to my just belief,
I'll well remember you5 note






. [Exeunt Lysimachus, Helicanus, Marina, and attendant Lady.

-- 209 --

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James Boswell [1821], The plays and poems of William Shakspeare, with the corrections and illustrations of various commentators: comprehending A Life of the Poet, and an enlarged history of the stage, by the late Edmond Malone. With a new glossarial index (J. Deighton and Sons, Cambridge) [word count] [S10201].
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