Enter King, Queen, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern. 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| contend Which is the mightier: In his lawless fit, King. O heavy deed! It had been so with us, had we been there: 15 20 To you yourself, to us, to every one. 30 35 Shews itself pure; he weeps for what is done. [Exeunt Ros. and Guil. 1 Out of haunt, means out of company. Base metals have ore no less than precious. As level as the cannon to his blank, Ham. -Safely stow'd. But soft,- Enter Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern. Ham. Compounded it with dust, whereto 'tis Ros. Tell us where 'tis; that we may take it thence, And bear it to the chapel. Ham. Do not believe it. 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? coun Ros. Take you me for a spunge, my lord? Ham. Ay, sir; that soaks up the king's cou tenance, his rewards, his authorities. But such officers do the king best service in the end: He 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. 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: 2 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.' 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 childrencalled, Hide fox, and all after. He's He's lov'd of the distracted multitude, Or not at all. How now? what hath befallen? Enter Rosencrantz. 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 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. What dost thou mean by this? Ham. In heaven; send thither to see: if your messenger find him not there, seek him the other place yourself. But, indeed, if you find him not within this month, you shall nose him as you go up the stairs into the lobby. King. Go seek him there. 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. 35 40 SCENE IV. The Frontiers of Denmark. Enter Fortinbras, with an Army. [Exit. For. Go, captain, from me greet the Danish Capt. I will do't, my lord. [Exeunt Fortinbras, &c. Enter Hamlet, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, &c. Ham. Good sir, whose powers are these? Capt. They are of Norway, sir. Hum. How purpos'd, sir, I pray you? Hum. Who commands them, sir? Capt. The nephew of old Norway, Fortinbras. Capt. Truly to speak, and with no addition, 50 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, 1 Dr. Johnson supposes it should be read, The bark is ready, and the wind at helm. an expression taken from the gaming-table. 3 U 2 How all occasions do inform against me, [And botch the words up fit to their own thoughts; Which, as her winks, and nods, and gestures yield 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. [Exit. Queen. I will not speak with her. Her mood will needs be pity'd. Hor. She speaks much of her father; says, she 20 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; 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. With true-love showers. King. How do you, pretty lady? Oph. Well, God'ield you! They say, the owl 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 4 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, King. Pretty Ophelia! 3 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 conse quences 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 of, put off. To dup, 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: Ile answers, An thou hadst not come to my bed. 10 Oph. I hope, all will be well. We must be When sorrows come, they come not single spies, Caps, hands, and tongues, applaud it to the clouds, Queen. How cheerfully on the false trail they cry! [Noise within. Enter Laertes, with others. Laer. Where is this king?-Sirs, stand you all without. King. What is the cause, Laertes, For good Polonius' death; and we have done but 30 In hugger-mugger' to inter him: Poor Ophelia, Queen. Alack! what noise is this? King. Attend. Where are my Switzers? Let What is the matter? Gent. Save yourself, my lord; The ocean, over-peering of his list", Eats not the flats with more impetuous haste, 35 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 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? Luer. None but his enemies. Laer. To his good friends thus wide I'll ope my [foe, King. Will you know them then? [arms; 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. This is a corruption of the sacred name. See note, page 48. 2 That is, without maturity 1i. e. in private to inter him. Such a piece as assassins use, with many similitude, "The lists are of judgement. i. e. of every one of those Hounds run counter when they That That I am guiltless of your father's death, Crowd, within. Let her come in. Laer. How now! what noise is that? O heat, dry up my brains! tears, seven times salt, O heavens! is 't possible, a young maid's wits Oph. They bore him bare-fac'd on the bier; And on his grave ruin'd many a tear; Fare you well, my dove! [revenge, Laer. Hadst thou thy wits, and didst persuade It could not move thus. 10 15 [self, Laer. Thought, and affliction, passion, hell it- His beard was as white as snow, All flaxen was his poil: He is gone, he is gone, And we cast away moan: God a' mercy on his soul! And of all christian souls! I pray God. God be wi' you. Laer. Do you see this, O God? [Exit Oph. King. Laertes, I must commune with your grief, Or you deny me right. Go but apart, Make choice of whom your wisest friends you will, 20 And they shall hear and judge 'twixt you and me: If by direct or by collateral hand O, how the wheel becomes it! It is the false stew- Laer. This nothing's more than matter. Laer. A document in madness; thoughts and remembrance fitted. Oph. There's fennel for you, and columbines 6.35 There's rue for you;-and here's some for me; -we may call it, herb of grace o' Sundays:you may wear your rue with a difference'.--There's a daisy:-1 would give you some violets; but they wither'd all, when my father died :-They 40 say, he made a good end, For bonny sweet Robin is all my joy", This is an elision of the yerb to appear. They find us touch'd, we will our kingdom give, Be you content to lend your patience to us, Laer. Let this be so: And, where the offence is, let the great ave fall. pray you, go with me. SCENE VI, Another Room, Enter Horatio, with a Sercant. [Exeunt. Hor. What are they, that would speak with me? 2 Dr. Johnson explains this passage thus: "Love (says Laertes) is the passion by which nature is most exalted and refined: and as substances, refined and subtilised, easily obey any impulse, or follow any attraction, some part of nature, so purified and refined, flies off after the attracting object, after the thing it loves." 3 Mr. Steevens says, the wheel may mean no more than the burthen of the song, which she had just repeated, and as such was formerly used.-Dr. Johnson says, “The story alluded to I do not know; but perhaps the lady stolen by the steward was reduced to spin." * Rosemary was anciently supposed to strengthen the memory, and was not only carried at funerals, but worn at weddings. Pansies is for thoughts, because of its name, Pensées. "Mr. Steevens says, Greene, in his Quip for an Upstart Courtier, 1620, calls fennel women's weeds: “ fit generally for that sex, sith, while they are maidens, they wish wantonly."-Mr. Steevens adds, that he knows not of what columbines were supposed to be emblematical; but that Gerard, and other herbalists, impute few, if any, virtues to them: and they may therefore be styled thankless, because they appear to make no grateful return for their creation. 7 Dr. Warburton says, that herb of grace is the name the country-people give to rue; and the reason is, because that herb was a principal ingredient in the potion which the Romish priests used to force the possessed to swallow down when they exorcised them. Now, these exorcisms being performed generally on a Sunday, in the church before the whole congregation, is the reason why she says, we may call it herb of grace o' Sundays. Mr. Steevens believes there is a quibble meant in this passage; rue anciently signifying the same as Ruth, i. e. sorrow. Ophelia giyes the queen some, and keeps a proportion of it for herself. There may, however, he adds, be somewhat more implied here than is expressed. You, madam, (says Ophélia to the queen,) may call your RUE by its Sunday name, HERB OF GRACE, and so wear it with a difference to distinguish it from mine, which can never be any thing bat merely RUE, i. e. sorrow. This is part of an old song. They |