Enter Time, the Chorus. Time. I, that please some, try all, both joy and terror Of good and bad, that makes and unfolds error, Now take upon me, in the name of Time, To use my wings. Impute it not a crime 5 To me or my swift passage, that I slide O'er sixteen years and leave the growth untried Of that wide gap, since it is in my power To o'erthrow law and in one self-born hour To plant and o'erwhelm custom. Let me pass 10 The same I am, ere ancient'st order was Or what is now received: I witness to The times that brought them in; so shall I do To the freshest things now reigning and make stale The glistering of this present, as my tale 15 Now seems to it. Your patience this allowing, I turn my glass and give my scene such growing As you had slept between: Leontes leaving, The effects of his fond jealousies so grieving That he shuts up himself, imagine me, 20 Gentle spectators, that I now may be In fair Bohemia; and remember well, I mentioned a son o' the king's, which Florizel I now name to you; and with speed so pace To speak of Perdita, now grown in grace 25 Equal with wondering: what of her ensues I list not prophesy; but let Time's news Be known when 'tis brought forth. A shepherd's daughter, And what to her adheres, which follows after, Is the argument of Time. Of this allow, 30 If ever you have spent time worse ere now; If never, yet that Time himself doth say He wishes earnestly you never may. [Exit.

LINENOTES:

Act IV. Scene I] Actus Quartus, Scena Prima. Ff. om. Warburton. Act IV. Capell. See note (xii).

[1-32] Spurious. Heath conj.

[2] makes and unfolds] Ff. make and unfold Rowe. mask and unfold Theobald.

[6] growth] gulf Warburton.

[7-9] gap, since ... custom. Let] gap. Since ... custom, let Lloyd conj.

[11] witness] witness'd Capell.

[17, 18, 19] leaving, ... jealousies ... himself, imagine] leaving,—jealousies ... himself;—imagine Staunton. leaving ... jealousies, ... himself. Imagine F1. leaving ... jealousies, ... himself, imagine F2 F3 F4.

[18] The] To the Keightley conj.

[19, 20] imagine me, ... that I] imagine we ... that you Johnson conj.

[22] I mentioned] F1. I mention here F2 F3 F4. There is Hanmer. I mention'd Capell.

which] whom Pope.