To hear the rest untold.-Sir, lead the way. [Exe.

Enter Gower.

Gow. In Antioch,' and his daughter, you have heard

Of monstrous lust the due and just reward:
In Pericles, his queen and daughter, seen
(Although assail'd with fortune fierce and keen,)
Virtue preserv'd from fell destruction's blast,
Led on by heaven, and crown'd with joy at last.
In Helicanus may you well descry

A figure of truth, of faith, of loyalty:
In reverend Cerimon there well appears,
The worth that learned charity aye2 wears.
For wicked Cleon and his wife, when fame
Had spread their cursed deed, and honour'd name
Of Pericles, to rage the city turn;

That him and his they in his palace burn.
The gods for murder seemed so content

To punish them; although not done, but meant.
So on your patience evermore attending,

New joy wait on you! Here our play has ending.

[Exit Gower.

(1) i. e. The king of Antioch.

(2) Ever.

That this tragedy has some merit, it were vain to deny; but that it is the entire composition of Shakspeare, is more than can be hastily granted. I shall not venture, with Dr. Farmer, to determine that the hand of our great poet only visible in the last act, for I think it appears in several passages dispersed over each of these divisions. find it difficult, however, to persuade myself that he was the original fabricator of the plot, or the author of every dialogue, chorus, &c.

STEEVENS.

The story is of great antiquity; and is related by various ancient authors in Latin, French, and English.

END OF VOL. VII.