I could a tale unfold, whofe lightest word
Would harrow up thy foul; freeze thy young blood;
Make thy two eyes, like ftars, ftart from their
spheres ;

Thy knotty and combined locks to part,
And each particular hair to ftand on end
Like quills upon the fretful porcupine:
But this eternal blazon must not be

That, fwift as quick-filver, it courfes through
The natural gates and alleys of the body;
And, with a fudden vigour, it doth poffet
And curd, like eager droppings into milk,
The thin and wholefome blood: fo did it mine;
And a moft inftant tetter bark'd about,

Moft lazar-like, with vile and loathfome cruft,
All my fmooth body.

To ears of flesh and blood:-Lift, lift, O lift !— Thus was I, fleeping, by a brother's hand,
If thou did't ever thy dear father love,-

Ham. O heaven !

Of life, of crown, of queen, at once difpatch'd 4: [der. Cut off even in the blotfoms of my fin,

Ghaft. Revenge his foul and most unnatural mur-
Ham. Murder?

Gbojl. Murder moft foul, as in the beft it is;
But this moft foul, ftrange, and unnatural.

Ham, Hafte me to know it; that I, with wings
as fwift

As meditation, or the thoughts of love,
May fweep to my revenge.

Ghoft. I find thee apt;

And duller fhould't thou be than the fat weed
That rots itfelf in eafe on Lethe's wharf,
Wouldst thou not ftir in this. Now, Hamlet, hear:
'Tis given out, that, fleeping in my orchard,

Unhoufell'd 5, difappointed 6, unaneal'a 7;
No reckoning made, but fent to my account
With all my imperfections on my head:
O horrible! O horrible! moft horrible!
If thou haft nature in thee, bear it not;
Let not the royal bed of Denmark be
A couch for luxury and damned inceft.
But, howfoever thou purfu'ft this act,

8

Taint not thy mind, nor let thy foul contrive
Against thy mother aught; leave her to heaven,
And to thofe thorns that in her bofom lodge,
To prick and fting her. Fare thee well at once!
The glow-worm fhews the matin to be near,

A ferpent ftung me; fo the whole ear of Den-And 'gins to pale his uneffectual fire 9:
Is by a forged procefs of my death
Adieu, adieu, adieu! remember me.

[mark

Rankly abus'd: but know, thou noble youth,
The ferpent, that did fting thy father's life,
Now wears his crown.

Ham. O, my prophetick foul! my uncle?
Ghaft. Ay, that inceftuous, that adulterate beaft,
With withcraft of his wit, with traiterous gifts,
(O wicked wit, and gifts, that have the power
So to feduce!) won to his fhameful luft
The will of my most seeming-virtuous queen :
O, Hamlet, what a falling-off was there!
From me, whofe love was of that dignity,
That it went hand in hand even with the vow
I made to her in marriage; and to decline
Upon a wretch, whofe natural gifts were poor
To thofe of mine!

But virtue, as it never will be mov'd,
Though lewdnefs court it in a fhape of heaven;
So luft, though to a radiant angel link'd,
Will fate itfelf in a celeftial bed,
And prey on garbage.

But, foft! methinks, I fcent the morning air-
Brief let me be :-Sleeping within mine orchard 2,
My cuftom always of the afternoon,
Upon my fecure hour thy uncle stole,
With juice of curfed hebenon 3 in a vial,
And in the porches of mine ears did pour

The leperous diftilment; whofe effect
Holds fuch an enmity with blood of man,

[Exit. [heart

Ham. O all you hoft of heaven! O earth! What elfe?

་

And fhall I couple hell?-O fie !-Hold, hold, my
And you, my finews, grow not instant old,
But bear me ftiffly up '--Remember thee?
Ay, thou poor ghost, while memory holds a feat
In this diftracted globe 12. Remember thee?
Yea, from the table of my memory
I'll wipe away all trivial fond records,
All faws of books, all forms, all preffures paft,
That youth and obfervation copied there;
And thy commandment all alone shall live
Within the book and volume of my brain,
Unmix'd with bafer matter: yes, by heaven.
O moft pernicious woman!

O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain !
My tables,-meet it is, I fet it down,
That one may fmile, and smile, and be a villain:
At least, I am fure, it may be fo in Denmark :

So, uncle, there you are.

[Writing.

Now to my word 11;

It is, Adieu, adieu! remember me.
I have fworn it.

Hor. My lord, my lord,-
Mar. Lord Hamlet,-

[Within.

[Within.

Hor. Heaven fecure him!
Ham. So be it!

[Within.

[Wabin.

Mar. Illo, ho, ho, my lord!

This fimilitude is extremely beautiful. The word meditation is confecrated, by the myftics, to gnify that itretch and flight of mind which aspires to the enjoyment of the fupreme good. So that Hamict, confidering with what to compare the twifinefs of his revenge, chooses two of the most rapid hings in nature, the ardency of divine and human paflion, in an enthufiaft and a lover. - 2 Orchard or garden. 3 That is, henbane. 4 D fpatch'd for bereft. 5 i. e. without the facrament aken; from the old Saxon word for the facrament, houfel. Difappointed is the fame as unapointed, and may be properly explained unprepared. 7i. e. unanointed, not having the extreme unction. i. e. for lewdness. 9 i.e. fire that is no longer feen when the light of morning approaches. Hamlet alludes to the watch-word given every

i. e. in this head confufed with thought.

ay in the military fervice, which at this time he fays is, Alicu, adicu, remember me.

Ham.

Ham. How fay you then; would heart of man Come hither, gentlemen,

[coa) Ham. And therefore as a stranger give aweThere are more things in heaven and earth, Horze you;-Than are dreamt of in your philofophy. But come ;

This is the call which falconers ufe to their hawk in the air when they would have him come down to them. z It was common to fwear upon the fword, that is, upon the crofs which the d 3 i. e. receive it to yourfelf; take it under your own root, & fwords always had upon the hilt.

much as to fay, Keep it fecret-alluding to the laws of hospitality.

w, and who, what means, and where they ((Videlicet, a brothel) or so forth.-See you now ;

keep,

ompa y, at what expence; and finding,
encompaffment and drift of question,
ey do know my fon, come you more nearer;
ur particular demands will touch it :
u, as't were, fome diftant knowledge of him;
-I know bis father, and bis friends,
part, him,-Do you mark this, Reynaldo?
Ay, very well, my lord.

[well: And, in part, bim;--but, you may say,—not t be be I mean, he's very wild;

d fo and fo ;—and there put on him
Orgeries you pleafe; marry, none fo rank
difhonour him; take heed of that;
fuch wanton, wild, and ufual flips,
companions noted and moft known
h and liberty.

As gaming, my lord.

Ay, or drinking, fencing, fwearing,
ling, drabbing :-You may go fo far.
My lord, that would difhonour him.
Faith, no; as you may feafon it in the charge.
uft not put another fcandal on him,
is open to incontinency;

[quaintly,
not my meaning: but breathe his faults fo
ey may feem the taints of liberty;
th and out-break of a fiery mind;
genefsin unreclaimed blood,
eral affault 2.

But, my good lord,

Wherefore thould you do this?
Ay, my lord,
know that.

Marry, fir, here's my drift;
believe, it is a fetch of warrant :
ving thefe flight fullies on my fon,
ere a thing a little foil'd i' the working,
you, Your party in converse, him you would
found,

ever feen, in the prenominate 3 crimes,
uth, you breathe of, guilty, be affur'd,
es with you in this confequence;
r, or fo+; or friend, or gentleman,—
ing to the phrafe, or the addition,
■, and country.

Very good, my lord.

Your bait of falihood takes this carp of truth:
Ard thus do we of wisdom and of reach,
With windlaces, and with affays of bias,
By indirections find directions out;
So, by my former lecture and advice,
Shall you my fon You have me; have you not ?
Rey. My lord, I have.

Pol. God be wi' you; fare you well.

Rey. Good my lord,

Pol. Obferve his inclination in yourself 5.
Rey. I fhall, my lord.

Pol. And let him ply his musick.
Rey. Well, my lord.

matter?

Enter Ophelia.

[Exit.

Pol. Farewel.-How now, Ophelia ? what's the
[frighted!
Oph. O, my lord, my lord, have been fo af-
Pol. With what, in the name of heaven?
Opb. My lord, as I was fewing in my closet,
Lord Hamlet,with his doublet all unbrac'd;
No hat upon his head; his stockings foul'd,
Ungarter'd, and down-gyved to his ancle ;
Pale as his thirt; his knees knocking each other
And with a look fo piteous in purport,
As if he had been loofed out of hell,

To fpeak of horrors, he comes before me.
Pol. Mad for thy love?

Oph. My lord, I do not know;

But, truly, I do fear it.

Pol. What faid he?

Opb. He took me by the wrist, and held me hard ;
Then goes he to the length of all his arm;
And, with his other hand thus o'er his brow,
He falls to fuch perufal of my face,

As he would draw it. Long ftaid he fo;
At laft,—a little shaking of mine arm,
And thrice his head thus waving up and down,-
He rais'd a figh so piteous and profound,
As it did feem to fhatter all his bulk,
And end his being: That done, he lets me go:
And, with his head over his thoulder turn'd,
He feem'd to find his way without his eyes;
For out o' doors he went without their helps,
And, to the laft, bended their light on me.

Pol. Come, go with me; I will go feek the king. [was I This is the very ecstasy of love;

And then, fir, does he this,-He does-What
to fay? I was about to say
ing: Where did I leave?

At, closes in the confequence.

At, clofes in the confequence,-Ay, marry; fes with you thus :-I know the gentleman; im yesterday, or other day,

, or then; with fuch, or fuch; and, as you fay, vas be gaming; there o'ertook in his roufe; alling out at tennis: or, perchance,

Sim enter fuch a boufe of fale,

vagenefs, for wildness.

Whofe violent property foredoes 7 itself,
And leads the will to defperate undertakings,
As oft as any passion under heaven,
That does afflict our natures. I am forry,-
What, have you given him any hard words of late?
Opb. No, my good lord; but, as you did command,
I did repel his letters, and deny'd
His accefs to me.

Pol. That hath made him mad.

I am forty, that with better heed, and judgment,

8

I had not quoted him: 1 fear'd, he did but trifle,

2 i. e. fuch as youth in general is liable to.

3 i. e. crimes al

named. 4 It is a common mode of colloquial language to use, or fo, as a flight intimamore of the fame, or a like kind, that might be mentioned. 5 i. e. in your own perfon, fpies. • Down-gyved means hanging down like the loose cincture which confines the fetters the ancles. 7 To foredo is to deftroy. 8 To quote here means to reckon, to take an

at of

And meant to wreck thee; but, befhrewmy jealousy! Pleasant and helpful to him!

It feems, it is as proper to our age

Attendants.

[Exeunt.

Pol. Have I, my lord? Affure you, my ga I hold my duty, as I hold my foul,

Both to my God, and to my gracious king:

Enter King, Queen, Rofencrantz, Guildenfiern, and And I do think (or elfe this brain of mine
Hunts not the trail 4 of policy fo fure
King. Welcome, dear Rofencrantz, and Guilden-As it hath us'd to do) that I have found

ftern!

Moreover that we much did long to fee you,
The need, we have to use you, did provoke
Our hafty fending. Something have you heard
Of Hamlet's transformation; fo I call it,
Since nor the exterior nor the inward man
Refembles that it was: What it should be,
More than his father's death, that thus hath put him
So much from the understanding of himself,
I cannot dream of: I entreat you both,
That,-being of fo young days brought up with him;
And, fince, fo neighbour'd to his youth and hu-

mour,

That you vouchsafe your rest here in our court
Some little time: fo by your companies
To draw him on to pleasures; and to gather,
So much as from occafion you may glean,

The very caufe of Hamlet's lunacy.

King. O, fpeak of that; that I do long to bear Pol. Give firft admittance to the embaladors; My news fhall be the fruit 5 to that great feat King. Thyfelf do grace to them, and brag them [Exit Par The head and fource of all your fon's diftere. He tells me, my dear Gertrude, he hath found

in.

Queen. I doubt, it is no other but the main; His father's death, and our o'er-hafty marriage Re-enter Polonius, with Voltimand, and Conta King. Well, we shall fift him.-Welcome,

good friends!

Say, Voltimand, what from our brother Norway
Volt. Mott fair return of greetings, and detre
Upon our first, he sent out to fupprefs

Whether aught, to us unknown, afflicts him thus, His nephew's levies; which to him appear'd That, open'd, lies within our remedy.

To be a preparation 'gainst the Polack;

Queen. Good gentlemen, he hath much talk'd But, better look'd into, he truly found

of you;

And, fure I am, two men there are not living,
To whom he more adheres. If it will please you
To fhew us fo much gentry 2, and good will,
As to expend your time with us a while,
For the fupply and profit of our hope, .
Your vifitation shall receive such thanks
As fits a king's remembrance.

Rof. Both your majesties

Might, by the fovereign power you have of us,
Put your dread pleafures more into command
Than to entreaty.

Guil. But we both obey;

And here give up ourselves, in the full bent 3,
To lay our fervice freely at your feet,
To be commanded.

ftern.

It was against your highnefs: Whereat griev'd-
That fo his fickness, age, and impotence,
Was falfely borne in hand 6,-sends out arrests
On Fortinbras; which he, in brief, cheys;
Receives rebuke from Norway; and, in fine,
Makes vow before his uncle, never more
To give the affay of arms against your majefty.
Whereon old Norway, overcome with joy,
Gives him threefcore thoufand crowns in a
fee 7;

And his commiflion, to employ thofe foldiers,
So levied as before, against the Polack:
With an entreaty, herein further fhewn,
That it might please you to give quiet pas
Through your dominions for this enterprize;
On fuch regards of fafety, and allowance,
As therein are fet down.

King. Thanks, Rofencrantz, and gentle Guilden-
[crantz : King. It likes us well;
Roten-And, at our more confider'd time, we'll read,
Answer, and think upon this bufinefs.
Mean time, we thank you for your well-took labor
Go to your reft; at night we'll feaft together:
Moft welcome home! [Exeunt Volt, and Cr
Pol. This bufinefs is well ended.

Queen. Thanks, Guildenstern, and gentle
And I beseech you instantly to visit
My too much changed fon.-Go, some of you,
And bring these gentlemen where Hamlet is.

Guil. Heavens make our prefence, and our
practices,

1i.e. This must be made known to the king, for (being kept fecret) the hiding Hamler's might occafion more mifchief to us from him and the queen, than the uttering or revcahing of a occafion hate and refentment from Hamlet.

2 Gentry, for complaifance animal pursued by the feent.

3 Bent, for ender=" 5 The defert a 7 Fee in this place fignifies reward, recompense.

Pol. Good madam, ftay a while; I will be Here in the lobby. faithful.

2 i. e. moreover, befides.

1 To expoftulate, for to enquire or discuss. conveyed intelligence between them, and been the confident of their amours, [play'd the desk or table-book] or had connived at it, only obferved them in fecret, without acquainting my daughter with my difcovery [given my heart a mute and dumb working]; or, laftly, had been negligent in obferv ing the intrigue, and overlooked it [looked upon this love with idle fight]; what would you have thought of me?