unlimited: Seneca cannot be too heavy, nor Plautus too light. For the law of writ,' and the liberty, these are the only men. Ham. O Jephthah, judge of Israel,'-what a treasure hadst thou! Po. What a treasure had he, my lord? Ham. Why-' One fair daughter, and no more, The which he loved passing well.' Po. Still on my daughter. Ham. Am I not i' the right, old Jephthah? [aside. Po. If you call me Jephthah, my lord, I have a daughter, that I love passing well. Ham. Nay, that follows not. Po. What follows then, my lord? Ham. Why, As by lot, God wot,' and then, you know, 'It came to pass, As most like it was,' -The first row of the pious chanson 2 will show you more; for look, my abridgment comes. Enter FOUR or FIVE PLAYERS. You are welcome, masters; welcome, all:-I am glad to see thee well: welcome, good friends.-0, old friend! Why, thy face is valanced 3 since I saw thee last; comest thou to beard me in Denmark ?– What! my young lady and mistress! By-'r lady, your ladyship is nearer to heaven, than when I saw you last, by the altitude of a chopine: pray God, 4 1 Writing. 2 The pious chansons were a kind of Christmas carols. A high shoe or clog. uncurrent gold, be rot Masters, you are all like French falconers, we'll have a speech your voice, like a piece of cracked within the ring. welcome. We'll ev'n to't fly at any thing we see: straight: come, give us a taste of your quality; 2 come, a passionate speech. 1 Play. What speech, my lord? Ham. I heard thee speak me a speech once,-but it was never acted; or, if it was, not above once : for the play, I remember, pleased not the million : 'twas caviare3 to the general: 4 but it was (as I received it, and others, whose judgments, in such matters, cried in the top of mine 5) an excellent play; well digested in the scenes, set down with as much modesty as cunning. I remember, one said, there were no sallets in the lines, to make the matter savory; nor no matter in the phrase, that might indite the author of affection : 6 but called it an honest method, as wholesome as sweet, and by very much more handsome than fine. One speech in it I chiefly loved: 'twas Æneas' tale to Dido; and thereabout of it especially, where he speaks of Priam's slaughter: if it live in your memory, begin at this line; let me see, let me see ; 1 This is said to a young player who acted the parts of 2 Profession. women. 3 An Italian dish made of the roes of fishes. 4 Multitude. 5 i. e. were higher than my own. 6 i. e. convict the author of being a fantastical, affected writer. The rugged Pyrrhus, like the Hyrcanian beast;' -'tis not so; it begins with Pyrrhus. • The rugged Pyrrhus ;-he, whose sable arms, smear'd 1 With heraldry more dismal; head to foot To their lord's murder: roasted in wrath and fire. Po. 'Fore God, my lord, well spoken; with good accent, and good discretion. 1 Play. 'Anon he finds him Striking too short at Greeks; his antique sword, Red; a term in heraldry. 2 Smeared. Stoops to his base, and with a hideous crash Of reverend Priam, seem'd i̇' the air to stick : But, as we often see, against some storm, Out, out, thou strumpet, Fortune! gods, In general synod, take away her power; All you Break all the spokes and fellies from her wheel, And bowl the round nave down the hill of heaven, As low as to the fiends!' Po. This is too long. Ham. It shall to the barber's, with your beard. Pr'ythee, say on: he's for a jig, or a tale of bawdry, or he sleeps. Say on: come to Hecuba. 1 Light clouds. 1 Play. But who, ah, woe! had seen the mobled Ham. The mobled queen? Po. That's good; mobled queen is good. 1 Play. Run barefoot up and down, threatening the flames With bisson 2 rheum; a clout upon that head, A blanket, in the alarm of fear caught up;— Who this had seen, with tongue in venom steep'd, 'Gainst Fortune's state would treason have pronounced: But if the gods themselves did see her then, When she saw Pyrrhus make malicious sport In mincing with his sword her husband's limbs ; The instant burst of clamor that she made, (Unless things mortal move them not at all) Would have made milch the burning eye of heaven, And passion in the gods.' Po. Look, whether he has not turned his color, and has tears in 's eyes.-Pr'ythee, no more. Ham. 'Tis well; I'll have thee speak out the rest of this soon.-Good my lord, will you see the players well bestowed? Do you hear? let them be 1 i. e. the queen attired in a coarse and careless headdress. 2 Blind. |