Never to rife again; thy mother's poifon'd;

I can no more

the King, the King's to blame.

Ham. The point envenom'd too?

Then venom do thy work.

All. Treafon, treason.

[Stabs the King.

King. O yet defend me, friends, I am but hurt.

Ham. Here, thou inceftuous, murd'rous, damned Dane, Drink off this potion: is the Union here?

Follow my mother.

Laer. He is justly ferved.

It is a poifon temper'd by himfelf,

[King dies

Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet;
Mine and my father's death come not on thee,
Nor thine on me!

[Diese

Ham. Heav'n make thee free of it! I follow thee. I'm dead, Horatio; wretched Queen, adieu! You that look pale, and tremble at this chance, That are but mutes or audience to this act, Had I but time, (as this fell ferjeant death Is ftrict in his arreft) oh, I could tell youBut let it be-Horatio, I am dead; Thou liv'ft, report me and my caufe aright

To the unfatisfied.

Hor. Never, believe it,

I'm more an antique Roman than a Dane;
Here's yet fome liquor left.

Ham. As th' art a man,

Give me the cup; let go; by heav'n, I'll have't.
Oh good Horatio, what a wounded name,

Things ftanding thus unknown, fhall live behind me ?

If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart,

Absent thee from felicity a while,

And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain,'

To tell my tale.

[March afar off, and fhout within.

What warlike noife is this?

Enter

Ofr. Young Fortinbras, with conqueft come from

Polana,

2136 67 Re

To the Amballadors of England gives
This warlike volley.

Ham. O, I die, Horatio:

n

The potent poifon quite o'er-grows my spirit;
I cannot live to hear the news from England.
But I do prophefy, th' election lights
On Fortinbras; he has my dying voice;
So tell him, with th' occurrents more or lefs,
Which have follicited.-The reft is filence.

[Dies.

Hor. Now cracks a noble heart; good-night, fweet

Prince ;

And flights of angels fing thee to thy reft!

Why does the drum come hither?

Enter Fortinbras, and English Ambassadors, with drum, colours, and attendants.

Fort. Where is this fight?

Hor. What is it you would fee?

If aught of woe or wonder, cease your fearch.

Fort. This quarry cries on havock. O proud death! What feaft is towr'd in thy infernal cell,

That thou fo many Princes at a fhot

So bloodily haft ftruck?

Amb. The fight is difmal,

And our affairs from England come too late :

The ears are fenfelefs, that should give us hearing;
To tell him, his commandment is fulfill'd,

That Rofincrantz and Guildenftern are dead:
Where fhould we have our thanks ?

Hor. Not from his mouth,

Had it th' ability of life to thank you :
He never gave commandment for their death.
But fince fo jump upon this bloody queftion,
You from the Palack wars, and you from England,

Are

Are here arriv'd; give order, that these bodies,
High on a stage be placed to the view,

And let me fpeak to th' yet unknowing world,
How these things came about. So fhall you hear
Of cruel, bloody, and unnatural acts

Of accidental judgments, cafual flaughters 10
Of deaths put on by cunning, and forc'd cause
And, in this upfhot, purposes miftook,

Fall'n on th' inventors' heads. All this
Truly deliver.

3

Fort. Let us hafte to hear it,
And call the Nobleffe to the audience.

can f

For me, with forrow I embrace my fortune.
I have fome rights of memory in this kingdom,
Which, now to claim my vantage doth invite me.
Hor. Of that I fhall have alfo caufe to fpeak,
And from his mouth whofe voice will draw on more:
But let this fame be prefently perform'd,

(35)

Even while men's minds are wild, left more mischance On plots and errors happen.

Fort. Let four captains,

Bear Hamlet, like a foldier, to the stage;

For he was likely, had he been put on,

To have prov'd moft royally. And for his paffage,

This

(35) And from bis Mouth, whofe Voice will draw no more. is the Reading of the old Quarto's, but certainly a mistaken one. We fay, a Man will no more draw Breath; but that a Man's Voice will draw no more, is, I believe, an Expreffion without anyc Authority. I chufe to espouse the Reading of the Elder Folio. Veh

And from his Mouth, whose Voice will draw on mòrè."

And this is the Poet's Meaning. Hamlet, just before his Death, had faid;

But I do prophefy, th' Election lights

On Fortinbras: He has my dying Voice';
So tell him, &c.

Accordingly, Horatio here delivers that Meffage, and very juftly infers, that Hamlet's Voice will be feconded by others, and procure them in Favour of Fortinbras's Succeffion.

21 4

tt mot The.

The foldier's mufick, and the rites of war
Speak loudly for him

Take up the body

such a fight as this

Becomes the field, but here fhews much amifs.
Go, bid the foldiers fhoot.

[Exeunt, marching: after awhich, a peal of
Ordnance is foot off.

OTHELLO,

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOR, LENOX AND
TILDEN FOUNDATIONS,