Pol. Ham. Pol. Ham. Pol. Ham. Ham. Pol. Ham. What is the matter, my lord? Between who? I mean the matter that you read, my lord. Slanders, sir; for the satirical rogue says here, that old men have grey beards, that their faces are wrinkled, their eyes purging thick amber, and plum-tree gum, and that they have a plentiful lack of wit, together with most weak hams, and gouty legs; all which, sir, though I most powerfully and potently believe, yet I hold it not honesty to have it thus set down; for yourself, sir, shall grow old as I am : if like a crab you could go backward. [Aside] Though this be madness, yet there is method in't. -Will you walk out of the air, my lord? Indeed, that is out of the air. [Aside] How pregnant You cannot take from me any thing that I will not more Fare you well, my lord. [Aside] These tedious, doting old fools! Enter ROSENCRantz and Guildenstern You go to seek the Lord Hamlet; there he is. [To Polonius] God save you, sir. Pol. Ros. Guil. My honour'd lord. [Exit Polonius] Ros. Guil. Ham. Ros. Ham. Guil. Ham. Ros. Ham. Guil. Ham. Ros. Ham. Ros. Ham. Ros. Ham. How dost thou, Guilden Good lads, how do you As the indifferent children of the earth. Happy, in that we are not ever happy on Fortune's lap : we are not the very button. Nor the soles of her shoe? Neither, my lord. Then you live about her waist, or in the middle of her favours? Faith, in her privates we. In the secret parts of Fortune? Oh, most true; she is a strumpet. What news? None, my lord, but that the world's grown honest. Let Then is doomsday near; but your news is not true. Prison, my lord ? Denmark's a prison. Then is the world one. A goodly one; in which there are many confines, wards, and dungeons; Denmark being one o' the worst. We think not so, my lord. Why, then 'tis none to you; for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so; to me it is a prison. Why, then your ambition makes it one; 'tis too narrow for your mind. O God, I could be bounded in a nut-shell, and count myself a king of infinite space; were it not that I have bad dreams. Guil. Ham. Ros. Ham. Ros. Ham. Ros. Ham. Guil. Ham. Ros. Ham. Ros. Which dreams indeed are ambition: for the very substance of the ambitious, is merely the shadow of a dream. A dream itself is but a shadow. Truly, and I hold ambition of so airy and light a quality, that it is but a shadow's shadow. Then are our beggars bodies; and our monarchs and outstretched heroes the beggars' shadows: shall we to the court for, by my fay, I cannot reason. We'll wait upon you. No such matter: I will not sort you with the rest of my servants for to speak to you like an honest man: I am most dreadfully attended; but, in the beaten way of friendship. What make you at Elsinore ? To visit you, my lord; no other occasion. Beggar that I am, I am even poor in thanks; but I thank you; and sure, dear friends, my thanks are too dear a halfpenny. Were you not sent for? Is it your own inclining? Is it a free visitation? Come, come, deal justly with me; come, come; nay, speak. What should we say, my lord? Any thing but to th' purpose: you were sent for; and there is a kind of confession in your looks, which your modesties have not craft enough to colour: I know the good king and queen have sent for you. To what end, my lord? That you must teach me but let me conjure you, by the rights of our fellowship, by the consonancy of our youth, by the obligation of our ever-preserved love; and by what more dear a better proposer can charge you withal; be even and direct with me, whether you were sent for, or no. [Aside to Guildenstern] What say you? Ham. Guil. Ham. Ros. Ham. Ros. Ham. Ros. [Aside] Nay then, I have an eye of you! [Aloud] If My lord, we were sent for. I will tell you why; so shall my anticipation prevent My lord, there was no such stuff in my thoughts. ye laugh then, when I said "man delights not To think, my lord, if you delight not in man, what He that plays the king shall be welcome; his majesty Even those you were wont to take such delight in; the tragedians of the city. Ham. Ros. Ham. Ros. Ham. Ros. Ham. Ros. Ham. Guil. Ham. Ros. How chances it they travel? their residence, both in reputation, and profit, was better both ways. I think their inhibition comes by the means of the late innovation. Do they hold the same estimation they did when I was in the city; are they so followed ? No, indeed, are they not. How comes it? do they grow rusty? Nay, their endeavour keeps in the wonted pace; but there is, sir, an eyrie of children, little eyases, that cry out on the top of question; and are most tyrannically clapped for't these are now the fashion, and so berattle the common stages (so they call them) that many wearing rapiers, are afraid of goose-quills, and dare scarce come thither. What, are they children? who maintains 'em? how are 'Faith, there has been much to-do on both sides and Oh, there has been much throwing about of brains. Ay, that they do, my lord; Hercules and his load too. It is not very strange, for my uncle is King of Denmark, and those, that would make mouths at him while my father lived, give twenty, forty, fifty, a hundred ducats |