Oph. O, help him, you sweet heavens! lief the town-crier spoke my lines. Nor do not saw Ham. If thou dost marry, I'll give thee this the air too much with your hand, thus; but use all plague for thy dowry; Be thou as chaste as ice, as gently; for in the very torrent, tempest, and (as I pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny. Get may say) whirlwind of your passion, you must acthee to a nunnery; farewell: Or, if thou wilt needs quire and beget a temperance, that may give it marry, marry a fool; for wise men know well smoothness. O, it offends me to the soul, to hear enough, what monsters you make of them. To a a robustious periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to nunnery, go; and quickly too. Farewell. Oph. Heavenly powers, restore him! Ham. I have heard of your paintings too, well enough; God hath given you one face, and you make yourselves another: you jig, you amble, and you lisp, and nick-name God's creatures, and make your wantonness your ignorance: Go to; I'll no more of't; it hath made me mad. I say, we will have no more marriages: those that are married already, all but one, shall live; the rest shall keep as they are. To a nunnery, go. [Erit Hamlet. Oph. O, what a noble mind is here o'erthrown! The courtier's, soldier's, scholar's, eye, tongue, sword: The expectancy and rose of the fair state, To have seen what I have seen, see what I see! Re-enter King and Polonius. King Love! his affections do not that way tend! Nor what he spake, though it lack'd form a little, Was not like madness. There's something in his soul, O'er which his melancholy sits on brood; Thus set it down; He shall with speed to England, King. and certain Players. tatters, to very rags, to split the ears of the groundlings; who, for the most part, are capable of nothing but inexplicable dumb show, and noise: I would have such a fellow whipped for o'er-doing Termagant; it out-herods Herod: Pray you, avoid it. 1 Play. I warrant your honour. Ham. Be not too tame neither, but let your own discretion be your tutor: suit the action to the word, the word to the action; with this special observance, that you o'erstep not the modesty of nature: for any thing so overdone is from the purpose of playing, whose end, both at first, and now, was, and is, to hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to nature; to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own image, and the very age and body of the time, his form and pressure. Now this, overdone, or come tardy off, though it make the unskilful laugh, cannot but make the judicious grieve: the censure of which one, must, in your allowance," o'er-weigh a whole theatre of others. O, there be players, that I have seen play,-and heard others praise, and that highly,not to speak it profanely, that, neither having the accent of christians, nor the gait of christian, pagan, nor man, have so strutted, and bellowed, that I have thought some of nature's journeymen had made men, and not made them well, they imitated humanity so abominably. 1 Play. I hope we have reformed that indifferently with us. Ham. O, reform it altogether. And let those, that play your clowns, speak no more than is set down for them: for there be of them, that will themselves laugh, to set on some quantity of barren spectators to laugh too; though, in the mean time, some necessary questions of the play be then to be considered: that's villanous; and shows a most pitiful ambition in the fool that uses it. Go, make you ready.[Exeunt Players. Enter Polonius, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern. How now, my lord? will the king hear this piece of work? Pol. And the queen too, and that presently. Ham. Bid the players make haste.-[Ex. Pol. Will you two help to hasten them? Both. Ay, my lord. [Exeunt Ros, and Guil. Ham. What, ho; Horatio! Enter Horatio. Hor. Here, sweet lord, at your service. Ham. No, let the candied tongue lick absurd pomp ; (4) The meaner people then seem to have sat in the pit. (5) Herod's character was always violent. (6) Impression, resemblance. (7) Approbation. (8) Conversation, discourse. (9) Quick, read. Since my dear soul was mistress of her choice, As Vulcan's stithy. Give him heedful note: And, after, we will both our judgments join Hor. Well, my lord: Ham. They are coming to the play; I must be King. How fares our cousin Hamlet? Ham. Excellent, i'faith; of the chameleon's dish: I eat the air, promise-crammed: You cannot feed capons so. King. I have nothing with this answer, Hamlet; these words are not mine. Ham. No, nor mine now. My lord,-you played once in the university, you say? To Polonius. Pol. That did I, my lord; and was accounted a good actor. Ham. And what did you enact? Pol. I did enact Julius Cæsar: I was killed i'the Capitol; Brutus killed me. Ham. It was a brute part of him, to kill so capital a calf there.-Be the players ready? Ros. Ay, my lord, they stay upon your patience. Pol. O ho! do you mark that? [To the King. Oph. No, my lord. Ham. Do you think, I meant country matters? Ham. That's a fair thought to lie between maids' legs. Oph. What is, my lord? Ham. Nothing. Oph. You are merry, my lord. Ham. Who, I? Oph. Ay, my lord. Ham. O your only jig-maker. What should a (1) Secret. (2) Shop: stithy is a smith's shop. (3) Opinion. (4) Wait. (5) The richest dress. (6) Secret wickedness. man do, but be merry? for, look you, how cheerfully my mother looks, and my father died within these two hours. Oph. Nay, 'tis twice two months, my lord. Ham. So long? Nay, then let the devil wear black, for I'll have a suit of sables. O heavens! die two months ago, and not forgotten yet? Then there's hope, a great man's memory may outlive his life half a year: But, by'r-lady, he must build churches then: or else shall he suffer not thinking on, with the hobby-horse: whose epitaph is, For, O, for, O, the hobby-horse is forgot. Trumpets sound. The dumb show follows. Enter a King and a Queen, very lovingly; the Queen embracing him, and he her. She kneels, and makes show of protestation unto him. He takes her up, and declines his head upon her neck: lays him down upon a bank of flowers; she, seeing him asleep, leaves him. Anon comes in a fellow, takes off his crown, kisses it, and pours poison in the King's ears, and exit. The Queen returns; finds the King dead, and makes passionate action. The poisoner, with some two or three Mutes, comes in again, seeming to lament with her. The dead body is carried away. The poisoner woos the Queen with gifts; she seems loath and unwilling awhile, but, in the end, accepts his love. [Exeunt. Oph. What means this, my lord? Ham. Marry, this is miching mallecho ; it means mischief. Oph. Belike, this show imports the argument of the play. Enter Prologue. Ham. We shall know by this fellow: the players cannot keep counsel; they'll tell all. Oph. Will he tell us what this show meant ? Ham. Ay, or any show that you'll show him: Be not you ashamed to show, he'll not shame to tell you what it means. Oph. You are naught, you are naught; I'll mark the play. Pro. For us, and for our tragedy, Here stooping to your clemency, We beg your hearing patiently. Enter a King and a Queen. P. King. Full thirty times hath Phoebus' cart Neptune's salt wash, and Tellus" orbed ground: P. Queen. So many journeys may the sun and moon Make us again count o'er, ere love be done! (7) Short. (8) Car, chariot. (9) The earth's. (11) Magnitude, proportion. O, confound the rest! P. Queen. The instances,2 that second marriage Are base respects of thrift, but none of love; When second husband kisses me in bed. P. King. I do believe, you think what now you speak: But, what we do determine, oft we break. Of violent birth, but poor validity: Which now, like fruit unripe, sticks on the tree; To pay ourselves what to ourselves is debt: Their own enactures' with themselves destroy: For who not needs, shall never lack a friend; But, orderly to end where I begun,- Our thoughts are ours, their ends none of our own: But die thy thoughts, when thy first lord is dead. P. Queen. Nor earth to give me food, nor heaven Sport and repose lock from me, day and night! Ham. If she should break it now, [To Oph. P. King. 'Tis deeply sworn. Sweet, leave me My spirits grow doll, and fain I would beguile [Exit. Ham. Madam, how like you this play? (1) Active. (2) Motives. (3) Determinations. (6) -the thing In which he'll catch the conscience of the king. Ham. O, but she'll keep her word. King. Have you heard the argument? Is there no offence in't?' Ham. No, no, they do but jest, poison in jest; no offence i'the world King. What do you call the play? 6 Ham. The Mouse-trap. Marry, how? Tropically. This play is the image of a murder done in Vienna: Gonzago is the duke's name; his wife, Baptista: you shall see anon; 'tis a knavish piece of work: But what of that? your majesty, and we that have free souls, it touches us not: Let the galled jade wince," our withers are unwrung. Enter Lucianus. This is one Lucianus, nephew to the king. Oph. You are keen, my lord, you are keen. Oph. Still better, and worse. Ham. So you mistake your husbands.-Begin, murderer;-leave thy damnable faces, and begin. Come;- -The croaking raven Doth bellow for revenge. Luc. Thoughts black, hands apt, drugs fit, and Confederate season, else no creature seeing; [Pours the poison into the sleeper's ears. Ham. What! frighted with false fire? King. Give me some light:-away! Pol. Lights, lights, lights! [Exeunt all but Hamlet and Horatio Ham. Why, let the strucken deer go weep, For some must watch, while some must sleep: Thus runs the world away. Would not this, sir, and a forest of feathers (if the rest of my fortunes turn Turk° with me,) with two Provencial roses on my razed' shoes, get me a fellowship in a cry 12 of players, sir? Hor. Half a share. Ham. A whole one, I. For thou dost know, O Damon dear, Of Jove himself; and now reigns here A very, very-peacock. Hor. You might have rhymed. Ham. O good Horatio, I'll take the ghost's word for a thousand pound. Didst perceive? Hor. Very well, my lord. Ham. Upon the talk of poisoning, Hor. I did very well note him. Ham. Ah, ha!-Come, some music; come, the recorders." For if the king like not the comedy, Enter Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Come, some music. Guil. Good my lord, vouchsafe me a word with you. Ham. Sir, a whole history. Guil. The king, sir, Ham. Ay, sir, what of hum? 4 tages, with your fingers and thumb, give it breath Ham. Why, look you now, how unworthy a thing you make of me. You would play upon me; you would seem to know my stops: you would pluck out the heart of my mystery; you would sound me from my lowest note to the top of my compass: and Guil. Is, in his retirement, marvellous distem- there is much music, excellent voice, in this little pered. Ham. With drink, sir? Guil. No, my lord, with choler. Ham. Your wisdom should show itself more richer, to signify this to the doctor; for, for me to put him to his purgation, would, perhaps, plunge him into more choler. Guil. Good my lord, put your discourse into some frame, and start not so wildly from my affair. Ham. I am tame, sir :-pronounce. Guil. The queen, your mother, in most great affliction of spirit, hath sent me to you. Ham. You are welcome. Guil. Nay, good my lord, this courtesy is not of the right breed. If it shall please you to make me a wholesome answer, I will do your mother's commandment: if not, your pardon, and my return, shall be the end of my business. Ham. Sir, I cannot. Guil. What, my lord? Ham. Make you a wholesome answer; my wit's diseased: But, sir, such answer as I can make, you shall command; or, rather, as you say, my mother: therefore no more, but to the matter: My mother, you say, Ros. Then thus she says; Your behaviour hath struck her into amazement and admiration. Ham. O wonderful son, that can so astonish a mother!-But is there no sequel at the heels of this mother's admiration? impart. Ros. She desires to speak with you in her closet, ere you go to bed. Ham. We shall obey, were she ten times our mother. Have you any further trade2 with us? Ros. My lord, you once did love me. Ham. And do still, by these pickers and stealers. Ros. Good my lord, what is your cause of distemper? you do, surely, but bar the door upon your own liberty, if you deny your griefs to your friend. Ham. Sir, I lack advancement. Ros. How can that be, when you have the voice of the king himself for your succession in Denmark? Ham. Ay, sir, but, While the grass grows,-the proverb is something musty. Enter the Players, with recorders. O, the recorders :-let me see one.-To withdraw with you:-Why do you go about to recover the wind of me, as if you would drive me into a toil? Guil. O, my lord, if my duty be too bold, my love is too unmannerly. Ham. I do not well understand that. Will you play upon this pipe? Guil. My lord, I cannot. Ham. I pray you. Guil. Believe me, I cannot. Guil. I know no touch of it, my lord. Ham. 'Tis as easy as lying: govern these ven (1) Par Dieu. (2) Business. (3) Hands. (4) Holes. (5) Utmost stretch. (6) Reproved. organ; yet cannot you make it speak. 'Sblood, do you think, I am easier to be played on than a pipe? Call me what instrument you will, though you can fret me, you cannot play upon me. Enter Polonius. Contagion to this world: Nov could I drink hot blood, And do such business as the biter day I will speak daggers to her, but use none; King. I like him not; nor stands it safe with us Guil. Ros. The single and peculiar life is bound, (7) Authority to put them in execution. (8) Lunacies. With all his crimes broad-blown, as flush as May We will haste us. [Exeunt Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Enter Polonius. Pol. My lord, he's going to his mother's closet: Behind the arras' I'll convey myself, To hear the process; I'll warrant, she'll tax him home: And, as you said, and wisely was it said, Thanks, dear my lord. [Exit Polonius. O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven; Be soft as sinews of the new-born babe; Up, sword; and know thou a more horrid hent":" The King rises and advances. [Exit. King. My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words, without thoughts, never to heaven go. [Exit. SCENE IV.-Another room in the same. Enter Queen and Polonius. Pol. He will come straight. Look, you lay home to him: Tell him, his pranks have been too broad to bear with; And that your grace hath screen'd and stood be tween Much heat and him. I'll silence me e'en here. Queen. I'll warrant you; Fear me not:--withdraw, I hear him coming: Ham. Mother, you have my father much offended. Queen. Come, come, you answer with an idle tongue. Ham. Go, go, you question with a wicked tongue. What's the matter now? Queen. Have you forgot me? Ham. No, by the rood," not so: You are the queen, your husband's brother's wife; And,-'would it were not so!-you are my mother. Queen. Nay, then I'll set those to you that can speak. Ham. Come, come, and sit you down; you shall not budge; You go not, till I set you up a glass Where you may see the inmost part of you. Queen. What wilt thou do? thou wilt not murder me? [Retires and kneels. Help, help, ho! Enter Hamlet. Ham. Now might I do it, pat, now he is praying; Why, this is hire and salary," not revenge. (1) Tapestry. (2) Caught as with bird-lime. (4) Only. Pol. [Behind.] What, ho! help! Ham. How now! a rat? [Draws. Dead, for a ducat, dead. [Hamlet makes a pass through the arras. Pol. [Behind.] Queen. O me, Is it the king? O, I am slain. [Falls, and dies. Nay, I know not; what hast thou done? [Lifts up the arras, and draws forth Polonius. |