The thin and wholesome blood: so did it mine;
And a most instant tetter' bark'd' about,
Most lazar-like,3 with vile and loathsome crust,
All my smooth body.

Thus was I, sleeping, by a brother's hand,

Of life, of crown, of queen, at once despatched ;*
Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin,
Unhousel'd, disappointed, unanel'd;"

5

6

No reckoning made, but sent to my account
With all my imperfections on my head:
O, horrible! O, horrible! most horrible!
If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not.
But, howsoever thou pursu'st this act,
Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive
Against thy mother aught; leave her to heaven,
And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge,
To prick and sting her. Fare thee well at once!
The glow-worm shows the matin to be near,
And 'gins to pale his uneffectual fire:

Adieu, adieu, adieu! remember me.

[Exit. Ham. O all you host of heaven! O earth! What

else?

[heart;

And shall I couple hell?-O fye!-Hold, hold, my
And you, my sinews, grow not instant old,
But bear me stiffly up!-Remember thee?
Ay, thou poor ghost, while memory holds a seat
In this distracted globe. Remember thee?
Yea, from the table of my memory

I'll wipe away all trivial fond records,

9

All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past,
That youth and observation copied there;

And thy commandment all alone shall live

scurf.

2 spread.

3 beggar-like.

4 bereft.

5 Housel is the old word for the Sacrament. Unhousel'd is therefore without having received the Sacrament in the hour of death.

6 unprepared.

7 Not anointed, without extreme unction.

In this head confused with thought. 9 sentences, sayings.

C

Within the book and volume of my brain,
Unmix'd with baser matter: yes, by heaven.
O most pernicious woman!

O villain, villain!

My tables,'-meet it is, I set it down,

That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain;
At least, I am sure, it may be so in Denmark:

So, uncle, there you are.

[Writing.

Now to my word;

It is, Adieu, adieu! remember me.

Mar. [Within.] Illo, ho, ho, my lord!
Ham. Hillo, ho, ho, boy! come, bird, come."

Enter HORATIO and MARCellus.

Mar. How is't, my noble lord?

Hor.

What news, my lord?

Ham. O, wonderful!

Hor.

Good my lord, tell it.

Ham.

No;

You will reveal it.

Hor. Not I, my lord, by heaven.

Mar.

Ham. How say you then; would heart of man once

But you'll be secret,-
Hor. Mar.

Ham. There's ne'er a villain dwelling in all DenBut he's an arrant knave.

Hor. There needs no ghost, my lord, come from the

Nor I, my lord.

[think it?

Ay, by heaven, my lord.

[mark,

To tell us this.

[grave,

1 table-books.

This is the call which falconers use to their hawk in the air, when they would have him come down to them.-HANMER.

Ham.

Why, right; you are in the right;

And so, without more circumstance at all,

I hold it fit, that we shake hands, and part:

You, as your business, and desire, shall point you;—
For every man hath business, and desire,
Such as it is, and, for my own poor part,

Look you, I will go pray.

[lord.

Hor. These are but wild and whirling words, my Ham. I am sorry they offend you, heartily; yes, Faith, heartily.

Hor.

There's no offence, my lord.

Ham. Yes, by Saint Patrick, but there is, Horatio, And much offence too. Touching this vision here,It is an honest ghost, that let me tell you;

For your desire to know what is between us,
O'er-master it as you may. And now, good friends,
As you are friends, scholars, and soldiers,

Give me one poor request.

Hor.

We will.

What is't, my lord?

Ham. Never make known what you have seen

Hor. Mar. My lord, we will not.

Ham.

[to-night.

Nay, but swear't.

Hor.

In faith,

My lord, not I.

Mar.

Nor I, my lord, in faith.

Ham. Upon my sword.

Mar.

We have sworn, my lord, already.

Ham. Indeed, upon my sword, indeed.
Ghost. [Beneath.] Swear.

[true-penny? Ham. Ha, ha, boy! say'st thou so? art thou there, Come on, you hear this fellow in the cellarage,— Consent to swear.

Hor.

Propose the oath, my lord. Ham. Never to speak of this that you have seen, Swear by my sword.

Ghost. [Beneath.] Swear.

Ham. Hic & ubique? then we'll shift our ground:Come hither, gentlemen,

And lay your hands again upon my sword:
Swear by my sword,

Never to speak of this that you have heard.

Ghost. Beneath.] Swear by his sword. [so fast? Ham. Well said, old mole! can'st work i' th' earth A worthy pioneer!-Once more remove, good friends. Hor. O day and night, but this is wondrous strange! Ham. And therefore as a stranger give it welcome.' There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

But come;

Here, as before, never, so help you mercy!
How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself,
As I, perchance, hereafter shall think meet
To put an antick disposition on,-

That you, at such times seeing me, never shall,
With arms encumber'd thus, or this head-shake,
Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase, [would;—
As, Well, well, we know ;—or, We could, an if we
Or, If we list to speak; or, There be, an if they
Or such ambiguous giving out, to note [might ;-
That you know aught of me :-This do you swear,
So
grace and mercy at your most need help you!
Ghost. [Beneath.] Swear.

Ham. Rest, rest, perturbed spirit! So, gentlemen,
With all my love I do commend me to you:
And what so poor a man as Hamlet is

May do, to express his love and friending to you,
God willing, shall not lack. Let us go in together;
And still your fingers on your lips, I pray.

The time is out of joint;-O cursed spite!
That ever I was born to set it right!
Nay, come, let's go together.

[Exeunt.

Receive it to yourself; take it under your own roof; as

much as to say, keep it secret. Alluding to the laws of hospitality.

ACT II.

SCENE I.—A room in Polonius's house.

Enter POLONIUS and REYNAldo.

Pol. Give him this money, and these notes, Reynaldo. Rey. I will, my lord.

Pol. You shall do marvellous wisely, good Reynaldo, Before you visit him, to make inquiry

Of his behaviour.

Look you,

[sir;

Rey. My lord, I did intend it. Pol. Marry, well said: very well said. Inquire me first what Danskers' are in Paris; And how, and who, what means, and where they keep, What company, at what expense; and finding, By this encompassment and drift of question, That they do know my son, come you more nearer Than your particular demands will touch it: Take you, as 'twere, some distant knowledge of him; As thus,-I know his father and his friends, And, in part, him ;-Do you mark this, Reynaldo? Rey. Ay, very well, my lord.

[well: Pol. And, in part, him;-but, you may say, not

But, if't be he I mean, he's very wild;
Addicted so and so ;-and there put on him
What forgeries you please; marry none so rank
As may dishonour him; take heed of that;
But, sir, such wanton, wild, and usual slips,
As are companions noted and most known
To youth and liberty.

Řey.

As gaming, my lord.

ing:

Pol. Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing, quarrellYou may go so far.

Danes. Danske is the ancient name of Denmark.