tenance, as it were the day
Of celebration of that nuptial which
We two have sworn shall come.

PERDITA.
O lady Fortune,
Stand you auspicious!

FLORIZEL.
See, your guests approach:
Address yourself to entertain them sprightly,
And let's be red with mirth.

[Enter Shepherd, with POLIXENES and CAMILLO, disguised; CLOWN,
MOPSA, DORCAS, with others.]

SHEPHERD.
Fie, daughter! When my old wife liv'd, upon
This day she was both pantler, butler, cook;
Both dame and servant; welcom'd all; serv'd all;
Would sing her song and dance her turn; now here
At upper end o' the table, now i' the middle;
On his shoulder, and his; her face o' fire
With labour, and the thing she took to quench it
She would to each one sip. You are retir'd,
As if you were a feasted one, and not
The hostess of the meeting: pray you, bid
These unknown friends to us welcome, for it is
A way to make us better friends, more known.
Come, quench your blushes, and present yourself
That which you are, mistress o' the feast: come on,
And bid us welcome to your sheep-shearing,
As your good flock shall prosper.

PERDITA.
[To POLIXENES.] Sir, welcome!
It is my father's will I should take on me
The hostess-ship o' the day:--
[To CAMILLO.] You're welcome, sir!
Give me those flowers there, Dorcas.--Reverend sirs,
For you there's rosemary and rue; these keep
Seeming and savour all the winter long:
Grace and remembrance be to you both!
And welcome to our shearing!

POLIXENES.
Shepherdess--
A fair one are you!--well you fit our ages
With flowers of winter.

PERDITA.
Sir, the year growing ancient,--
Not yet on summer's death nor on the birth
Of trembling winter,--the fairest flowers o' the season
Are our carnations and streak'd gillyvors,
Which some call nature's bastards: of that kind
Our rustic garden's barren; and I care not
To get slips of them.

POLIXENES.
Wherefore, gentle maiden,
Do you neglect them?

PERDITA.
For I have heard it said
There is an art which, in their piedness, shares
With great creating nature.

POLIXENES.
Say there be;
Yet nature is made better by no mean
But nature makes that mean; so, o'er that art
Which you say adds to nature, is an art
That nature makes. You see, sweet maid, we marry
A gentler scion to the w