Ham. On him! on him! And when you are desirous to be blest, Look Ham. Why, look you there! look, how it steals My father, in his habit as he liv'd! Ham. Ecstacy! My pulse, as yours, doth temperately keep time, in twain. 15 Queen. What shall I do? Ham. Not this, by no means, that I bid you do: 20 But mad in craft. 'Twere good, you let him know. 25 30 [tue: 35 Ham. O, throw away the worser part of it, That monster, custom, who all sense doth eat, To the next abstinence: the next, more easy: 1 Unpeg the basket on the house's top, Let the birds fly; and, like the famous ape, Queen. Be thou assur'd, if words be made of breath, And breath of life, I have no life to breathe Ham. I must to England; you know that? Whom I will trust, as I will adders fang'd',— Hoist with his own petar: and it shall go hard, I'll lug the guts into the neighbour room :- you: [Exit the Queen, and Hamlet dragging in Polonius. 2 That is, Ecstacy in this place, and many others, means a temporary alienation of mind, a fit. bend and truckle. Fr. courber. 3 Mouse was once a term of endearment. 4 Reechy is smoky. 'i. e. experiments. 'That is, adders with their fangs, Gib was a common name for a cat. or poisonous teeth, undrawn. • Hoist for hoised; as past for passed. You must translate; 'tis fit we understand them: Queen. Bestow this place on us a little while. [To Ros. and Guil. who go out. 10| Ah, my good lord, what have I seen to-night?. King. What, Gertrude? How does Hamlet? Queen. Mad as the sea, and wind, when both contend Which is the mightier: In his lawless fit, He whips his rapier out, and cries, A rat! a rat! King. O heavy deed! It had been so with us, had we been there: 15 20 To you yourself, to us, to every one. As level as the cannon to his blank, Transports his poison'd shot, may miss our name, Another Room. Enter Hamlet. II. Ham. -Safely stow'd. But soft,- Enter Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern. And bear it to the chapel. Ham. That I can keep your counsel, and not mine own. Besides, to be demanded of a spunge! -what replication should be made by the son of a king? Ros. Take you me for a spunge, my lord? Ham. Ay, sir; that soaks up the king's countenance, his rewards, his authorities. But such officers do the king best service in the end: He 30 keeps them, like an ape', in the corner of his jaw; first mouth'd, to be last swallow'd: When he needs what you have glean'd, it is but squeezing you, and, spunge, you shall be dry again. 135 Shews itself pure; he weeps for what is done. Out of haunt, means out of company. Base metals have ore no less than precious. 2 Ros. I understand you not, my lord. Ham. I am glad of it: A knavish speech sleeps in a foolish ear. Ros. My lord, you must tell us where the body is, and go with us to the king. Ham. The body is with the king, but the king is not with the body. The king is a thing— Guil. A thing, my lord? Ham. Of nothing: bring me to him. Hide fox', and all after. [Exeunt. 50 How dangerous is it, that this man goes loose? Yet must not we put the strong law on him : Shakspeare seems to think ore to be or, that is, gold. Hanmer has illustrated this passage with the following note: "It is the way of monkeys, in eating, to throw that part of their food which they take up first, into a pouch they are provided with on the side of their jaw, and there they keep it till they have done with the rest." 4 This answer Dr. Johnson says he does not comprehend. Perhaps it should be, The body is not with the king, for the king is not with the body. There is a play among children called, Hide fox, and all after. He's He's lov'd of the distracted multitude, Who like not in their judgement, but their eyes; Or not at all.-How now? what hath befallen? 5 [Exit. my mother. Come, for England. Delay it not, I'll have him hence to-night; Ros. Where the dead body is bestow'd, my lord, 10 Since yet thy cicatrice looks raw and red We cannot get from him. King. But where is he? Ros. Without, my lord; guarded, to know your pleasure. King. Bring him before us. Ros. Ho, Guildenstern! bring in my lord. King. Now, Hamlet, where's Polonius? King. At supper? Where? After the Danish sword, and thy free awe 15 The present death of Hamlet. Do it, England; 20 Ham. Not where he eats, but where he is eaten: a certain convocation of politick worms are e'en at him. Your worm is your only emperor for diet: we fat all creatures else, to fat us; and we fat ourselves for maggots: Your fat king, and your 25 lean beggar, is but variable service; two dishes, but to one table; that's the end. King. Alas, alas! Ham. A man may fish with the worm that hath King. What dost thou mean by this? Ham. In heaven; send thither to see: if your Ham. He will stay 'till you come. Which we do tender, as we dearly grieve With fiery quickness: Therefore, prepare thyself; Ham. For England? King. So is it, if thou knew'st our purposes. Ham. I see a cherub, that sees them.-But, come; for England!-Farewell, dear mother. King. Thy loving father, Hamlet. 135 40 SCENE IV. The Frontiers of Denmark. [Exit. For. Go, captain, from me greet the Danish Capt. I will do 't, my lord. [Exeunt Fortinbras, &c. Ham. How purpos'd, sir, I pray you? Hum. Who commands them, sir? Capt. The nephew of old Norway, Fortinbras. Ham. Goes it against the main of Poland, sir, Or for some frontier? Capt. Truly to speak, and with no addition, We go to gain a little patch of ground, 45 That hath in it no profit but the name. 50 To pay, five ducats, five, I would not farm it; Nor will it yield to Norway, or the Pole, A ranker rate, should it be sold in fee. Ham. Why, then the Polack never will defend it. Capt. Yes, 'tis already garrison'd. Ham. Two thousand souls, and twenty thou- Will not debate the question of this straw: Ham. My mother:-Father and mother is man 60 and wife; man and wife is one flesh; and, so, * Dr. Johnson supposes it should be read, The bark is ready, and the wind at helm. 2 To set, is an expression taken from the gaming-table. 3 U 2 How How all occasions do inform against me, And botch the words up fit to their own thoughts; them, [thought, Indeed would make one think, there might be Sure, He, that made us with such large discourse', 5 Though nothing sure, yet much unhappily. Looking before, and after, gave us not To fust in us unus'd. Now, whether it be A thought, which, quarter'd, hath but one part Queen. "Twere good, she were spoken with; for she may strew Dangerous conjectures in ill-breeding minds: Let her come in. [Exit Horatio. 10 To my sick soul, as sin's true nature is, Each toy seems prologue to some great amiss: So full of artless jealousy is guilt, And, ever, three parts coward,-I do not know To all that fortune, death, and danger, dare, When honour's at the stake. How stand I then, SCENE V. Elsinour. A Room in the Palace. Enter Queen, and Horatio. Queen. I will not speak with her. [Exit. Hor. She is importunate; indeed, distract: Her mood will needs be pity'd. Hor. She speaks much of her father; says, she hears, [her heart; 201 it spills itself, in fearing to be spilt. Re-enter Horatio, with Ophelia. Oph. Where is the beauteous majesty of Den- [mark? Oph. How should I your true love know From another one? By his cockle hat, and staff, And by his sandal shoon. [Singing. Queen. Alas, sweet lady, what imports this song? Oph. Say you? nay, pray you, mark. 25 O, ho! 30 35 He is dead and gone, lady, He is dead and gone ; At his head a grass-green turf, At his heels a stone. Queen. Nay, but, Ophelia, Oph. Pray you, mark. White his shroud as the mountain snow. Queen. Alas, look here, my lord. King. How do you, pretty lady? Oph. Well, God'ield you! They say, the ow was a baker's daughter. Lord, we know what we are, but know not what we may be. God be 40 at your table! 45 There's tricks i' the world; and hems, and beats The hearers to collection 3; they aun 1 at it, King. Conceit upon her father. Oph. Pray, let us have no words of this; but when they ask you, what it means, say you this: To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day, All in the morning betime, And I a maid at your window, To be your Valentine: Then up he rose, and don'd' his clothes, Let in the maid, that out a maid King. Pretty Ophelia! 1i. e. such latitude of comprehension; such power of reviewing the past, and anticipating the future. 2 Continent, in our author, means that which comprehends or encloses. i. e. to deduce consequences from such premises. 4 To aim is to guess. i. e. Though her meaning cannot be certainly collected, yet there is enough to put a mischievous interpretation to it. This is the description of a pilgrim. While this kind of devotion was in favour, love intrigues were carried on under that mask. Hence the old ballads and novels made pilgrimages the subjects of their plots.— The cockle-shell hat was one of the essential badges of this vocation; for, the chief places of devotion being beyond sea, or on the coasts, the pilgrims were accustomed to put cockle-shells upon their hats, to denote the intention or performance of their devotion. "This alludes to a legendary story, where our Saviour, being refused bread by the daughter of a baker, is described as punishing her by turning her into an owl. To don, is to do on, to put on; as doff is to do off put off. To dus, is to do up; to lift the latch. Oph Oph. Indeed, without an oath, I'll make an end [They cry, Choose we; Laertes shall be king! on't. By Gis, and by Saint Charity, Young men will do 't, if they come to 't; You promis'd me to wed: He answers, Caps, hands, and tongues, applaud it to the clouds, Laertes shall be king, Laeries king! Queen. How cheerfully on the false trail they cry! 50, this is counter, you false Danish dogs'. King. The doors are broke. 10 Oph. I hope, all will be well. We must be patient: but I cannot choose but weep, to think, they should lay him i' the cold ground: My brother shall know of it, and so I thank you for your 15 good counsel. Come, my coach! Good night, ladies; good night, sweet ladies: good night, good night. [Exit. King. Follow her close; give her good watch, When sorrows come, they come not single spies, 25 For good Polonius' death; and we have done but 30 greenly, In hugger-mugger to inter him: Poor Ophelia, Queen. Alack! what noise is this? King. Attend. Where are my Switzers? Let them guard the door: What is the matter? 135 [Noise within. Enter Laertes, with others. Laer. Where is this king?-Sirs, stand you all without. Luer. I thank you:-Keep the door. O thou vile king, Give me my father. Queen. Calmly, good Laertes. Laer. That drop of blood, that's calm, proclaims me bastard; Cries, cuckold, to my father; brands the harlot Even here, between the chaste unsmirched brow Of my true mother. King. What is the cause, Laertes, That thy rebellion looks so giant-like? Let him go, Gertrude; do not fear our person; Speak, man. Laer. Where is my father? Queen. But not by him. King. Let him demand his fill. [with. Laer. How came he dead? I'll not be juggled To hell, allegiance! vows, to the blackest devil! Conscience, and grace, to the profoundest pit! I dare damnation: To this point I stand,That both the worlds I give to negligence, 40 Let come what comes; only I'll be reveng'd Most throughly for my father. King. Who shall stay you? Laer. My will, not all the world's: And, for my means, I'll husband them so well, 45 They shall go far with little. King. Good Laertes, If you desire to know the certainty of [venge, your dear father's death, is 't writ in your reThat, sweepstake, you will draw both friend and 50 Winner and loser? Laer. None but his enemies. Laer. To his good friends thus wide I'll ope my Gent. Save yourself, my lord; [foe, The ocean, over-peering of his list", Eats not the flats with more impetuous haste, King. Will you know them then? [arms; [lord; And, like the kind life-rend'ring pelican, 55 Repast them with my blood. King. Why, now you speak Like a good child, and a true gentleman.. 2 That is, without maturity 4 Such a piece as assassins use, with many "The lists are This is a corruption of the sacred name. See note, page 48. of judgement. 3i. e. in private to inter him, -barrels. It is necessary, to apprehend this, to see the justness of the the barriers which the spectators of a tournament must not pass. securities that nature and law place about the person of a king. trace the trail backwards. i. e. clean, not defiled. 3 U 3 similitude. i. e. of every one of those Hounds run counter when they That |