...raillery and sarcasm with some of the audience. 1 To this absurd custom Hamlet alludes when he says, " And let those that play your clowns speak no more...some quantity of barren spectators to laugh too." Several specimens, probably genuine, are related in the following pages. Doggrel verse was generally...

...attribute the following professional rebuke ?—" And let those who play your clowns (ie low comedians), speak no more than is set down for them ; for there...to laugh too, though in the meantime some necessary question of the play be then to be considered :—that's villainous, and shews a most pitiful ambition...

...judicious grieve; the censure of one of which, must in your allowance overweigh a whole theatre of others. "And let those that play your clowns speak no more...laugh too ; though in the meantime, some necessary part of the play be then to be considered. That's villainous, and shows a most pitiful ambition in...

...of Nature's journeymen had made men, and uot made them well ; they imitated humanity so abominably. And let those that play your clowns, speak no more...laugh too : though, in the meantime, some necessary question of the play be then to be considered : — that's villanous : and shows a most pitiful ambition...

...grieve; the censure of one of which, must in your allowance overweigh a whole theatre of others. " And let those that play your clowns speak no more...laugh too ; though in the meantime, some necessary part of the play be then to be considered. That's villainous, and shows a most pitiful ambition in...

...imputed by Shakespeare, in a well known passage of his " Hamlet," to actors of Kemp's description : " Let those that play your clowns speak no more than...quantity of barren spectators to laugh too, though in the mean time some necessary question of the play bo then to be considered : that's villainous, and shows...

...they imitated humanity so abominably. And let those, that play your clowns, speak no more than is put down for them : for there be of them, that will themselves...laugh too ; though, in the meantime, some necessary question of the play be then to be considered ; that's villainous ; and shows a most pitiful ambition...

...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...of barren spectators to laugh too; though, in the mean time, some necessary question * of the play be then to be considered. That's 1 Termagauni is the...

...Nature's journeymen had made them, and not made them well— they imitated humanity so abominably. And let those that play your clowns speak no more...laugh too ; though, in the meantime, some necessary question of the play be then to be considered : — that's villainous, and shows a most pitiful nbition...

...could have such a fellow whipped for o'erdoing terma-gant ; it out-herods Herod. Pray you, avoid it. And let those that play your clowns speak no more...spectators to laugh too ; though, in the meantime, name necessary question of the \>Vay be then to be cpna'dered :—that's villainous, and s\\ovre a...