Take each man's cenfure', but reserve thy judg-| ment. Coftly thy habit as thy purse can buy, And they in France, of the best rank and station, 5 Pol. Ay, fashion you may call it; go to, go to. Oph. And hath given countenance to his speech, my lord, With almost all the holy vows of heaven. Pol. Ay, fpringes to catch woodcocks 9. I do When the blood burns, how prodigal the foul Laer. Moft humbly do I take my leave, my 15 Believe fo much in him, That he is young; lord. [tend 4. Pal. The time invites you; go, your fervants Opb. 'Tis in my memory lock'd, [Exit Laertes. Pel. What is't, Ophelia, he hath said to you? Opb. So please you, something touching the lord Hamlet. Pol. Marry, well bethought: "Tis told me, he hath very oft of late Given private time to you; and you yourself And with a larger tether 11 may he walk, Breathing like fanctified and pious bonds, 25 As to give words or talk with the lord Hamlet. 30 And that in way of caution) I must tell you, Pol. Affection? puh! you speak like a green Unfifted in fuch perilous circumstance. [baby ; [Exeunt. Enter Hamlet, Horatio, and Marcellus. Ham. The air bites fhrewdly; it is very cold. Hor. I think, it lacks of twelve. Mar. No, it is ftruck. Hor. Indeed? I heard it not: it then draws near the season, 40 Wherein the fpirit held his wont to walk. [Noife of mufic within. What does this mean, my lord? Pol. Marry, I'll teach you think yourself a That you have ta'en these tenders for true pay, Which are not fterling. Tender yourself more 45 Keeps waffel 14, and the swaggering up-spring 15 dearly; Or (not to crack the wind of the poor phrase) 1 Cenfure is opinion. 6 2 Chief is an adjective used adverbially, a practice common to our author. Chiefly generous. 3 That is, infix it in such a manner as that it never may wear out. 4 i. e. your fervants are waiting for you. 5 The meaning is, that your counfels are as fure of remaining locked up in my memory, as if you yourself carried the key of it. Unfifted, for untried. Untried fignifies either not tempted, or not refined; unfifted, fignifies the latter only, though the fenfe requires the former. 7 That is, if you continue to go on thus wrong, She ufes fabion for manner, and he for a tranfient practice. 9 A proverbial faying. 10 Entreatments here means company, conversation, from the French entrétien. 11 Tether is that string by which an animal, fet to graze in grounds uninclofed, is confined within the proper limits. 12 Do not believe (fays Polonius to his daughter) Hamlet's amorous vows made to you; which pretend religion in them (the better to beguile) like thofe fanctified and pious vows [or bonds] made to beaven. 13 A roufe is a large dofe of liquor, a debauch. Macbeth, A& I. Is That is, the bluftering upstart, according to Dr. Johnson; but Mr. Steevens Lays, that up-fpring was a German dance; and that the fpring was also anciently the name of a tune. 14 See Ви But, to my mind,-though I am native here, That, for fome vicious mole of nature in them, Enter Ghoft. Hor. Look, my lord, it comes! ¡And for my foul, what can it do to that, Being a thing immortal as itself? It waves me forth again ;-I'll follow it. Hor. What, if it tempt you toward the flood, my lord? Or to the dreadful fummit of the cliff, That beetles o'er his bafe into the fea? And there affume some other horrible form, Which might deprive3 your sovereignty of reafon, 10 And draw you into madness? think of it: The very place puts toys 9 of desperation, Without more motive, into every brain, That looks fo many fathoms to the Tea, And hears it roar beneath. Ham. Angels and minifters of grace defend us! Thou com'ft in fuch a questionable shape 3, That I will speak to thee; I'll call thee, Hamlet, King, father, royal Dane: O, answer me! Let me not burst in ignorance! but tell, 35 Why thy canoniz'd bones, hearfed in death, Have burst their cearments? why the fepulchre, To caft thee up again? What may this mean, 40 [Exeunt Gbeft, and Hamle. Hor. He waxes defperate with imagination. Mar. Let's follow; 'tis not fit thus to obey him. Hor. Have after:-To what iffue will this come? Mar. Something is rotten in the state of Den Hor. Heaven will direct it. Mar. Nay, let's follow him. SCENE {mark. [Exeunt, V. A more remote Part of the Platform. Re-enter Ghost, and Hamlet. Ham. Whither wilt thou lead me? fpeak, I'l go no further. Gboft. Mark me. Ham. I will. Gboft. My hour is almoft come, When I to fulphurous and tormenting flames 45 Muft render up myself. Ham. Alas, poor ghost! Ghost. Pity me not, but lend thy serious hearing To what I fhall unfold. 1i.e. humour; as fanguine, melancholy, phlegmatic, &c. 2 The dram of base means the leaft alloy of bafeness or vice. To do a thing out, is to extinguish it, or to efface or obliterate any thing painted or written. 3 i.e. in a shape or form capable of being converfed with. To queftion, certainly, in our author's time fignified to converse. It was the custom of the Danish kings to be buried in that manner. 5 The expreffion is fine, as intimating we were only kept (as formerly, fools in a great family) to make sport for nature, who lay hid only to mock and laugh at us, for our vain fearches into her mysteries. Difpofition, for frame. 7. e. the value of a pin. 8 i, e. take away. Tys for whims. 10. e. binders, or prevents me. I could I could a tale unfold, whose lightest word Thy knotty and combined locks to part, To ears of flesh and blood:-Lift, lift, O lift!--- That, fwift as quick-filver, it courses through Moft lazar-like, with vile and loathsome cruft, Thus was I, fleeping, by a brother's hand, 150 horrible! O horrible! most horrible! 20 Taint not thy mind, nor let thy foul contrive A ferpent ftung me; fo the whole ear of Den-25 [mark Rankly abus'd: but know, thou noble youth, Ham. O, my prophetick foul! my uncle? But virtue, as it never will be mov'd, But, foft! methinks, I fcent the morning air- [Exit. And fhall I couple hell?-O fie!-Hold, hold, my 35 I'll wipe away all trivial fond records, O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain! [Writing. So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word 11; It is, Adieu, adicu! remember me. I have fworn it. 1 This fimilitude is extremely beautiful. The word meditation is confecrated, by the myftics, to fignify that stretch and flight of mind which afpires to the enjoyment of the fupreme good. So that Hamlet, confidering with what to compare the swiftnefs of his revenge, chooses two of the most rapid things in nature, the ardency of divine and human paffion, in an enthusiast and a lover. 2 Orchard for garden. 3 That is, benbane. 4 Difpatch'd for bereft. 5 i. e. without the facrament taken; from the old Saxon word for the facrament, bousel. Difat pointed is the fame as unappointed, and may be properly explained unprepared. 7 i. e. unanointed, not having the extreme unction. Lewdness. 9 i. e. fire that is no longer feen when the light of morning approaches. this head confufed with thought. 8 i. e. for 10 i. e. in Hamlet alludes to the watch-word given every day in the mili tary fervice, which at this time he fays is, Adicu, adieu, remember me. Ham. Ham. Hillo, ho, ho, boy! come, bird, come '. Enter Horatio, and Marcellus. Mar. How is 't, my noble lord? Hor. What news, my lord? Ham. O wonderful! Hor. Good my lord, tell it. Ham. No; you will reveal it. Hor. Not I, my lord, by heaven. Mar. Nor I, my lord. Ham. Hic & ubique then we'll shift our ground :~ Ham. How fay you then; would heart of man 10 Come hither, gentlemen, once think it ? But you'll be fecret, Ham. Why, right; you are in the right; And fo, without more circumstance at all, I hold it fit, that we shake hands, and part: You, as your business and defire, fhall point you ;For every man hath business and defire, Such as it is, and, for my own poor part, Look you, I will go pray. Hor. These are but wild and whirling words, my lord. Ham. I am forry they offend you, heartily; Yes 'faith, heartily. Hor. There's no offence, my lord. Ham. Yes, by Saint Patrick, but there is, Horatio, And much offence too. Touching this vifion here, It is an honeft ghost, that let me tell you: For your defire to know what is between us, [15] 20 And lay your hands again upon my fword: Never to fpeak of this that you have heard. Gheft. [beneath.] Swear by his fword. Ham. Well faid, old mole! can't work i'the earth fo faft? [friends. A worthy pioneer!-Once more remove, good Hur. O day and night, but this is wondrous [come. Ham. And therefore as a stranger give it wel There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. But come ; strange! Here, as before, never, fo help you mercy! 25 How ftrange or odd foe'er I bear myself,As I, perchance, hereafter shall think meet To put an antick difpofition on,————— That you, at fuch times feeing me, never shall, (With arms encumber'd thus; or this head-shake; 30 Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase, As, Well, well, we know ;—or, We could, an if w would-or, If we lift to speak ;—or, There be, an if they might Or fuch ambiguous giving out) denote O'er-mafter it as you may. And now, good friends, 35 That you know aught of me: This do ye fwear, As you are friends, scholars, and soldiers, Give me one poor request. Hor. What is 't, my lord? we will. Ham. Never make known what you have feen to-night. Both. My lord, we will not. Ham. Nay, but swear it. Hor. In faith, my lord, not I. Mar. Nor I, my lord, in faith. Ham. Upon my fword. Mar. We have fworn, my lord, already. Ham. Indeed, upon my fword, indeed. Gboft. [beneath] Swear. So grace and mercy at your most need help you! Swear. Gboft. [beneath] Swear. Ham. Reft, reft, perturbed spirit!-So, gentlemen, 45 The time is out of joint ;-O curfed fpight! » [Excunt. This is the call which falconers use to their hawk in the air when they would have him come down to them. 2 It was common to fwear upon the fword, that is, upon the cross which the old fwords always had upon the hilt. 3 i. c. receive it to yourself; take it under your own roof; as much as to fay, Keep it fecret-alluding to the laws of hospitality. 4 Danfe is the ancient name of Denmark. And A A And how, and who, what means, and where they keep, What company, at what expence; and finding, |(Videlicet, a brothel) or fo forth.---See you now; Your bait of falfhood takes this carp of truth: And thus do we of wisdom and of reach, With windlaces, and with affays of bias, 5 By indirections find directions out; So, by my former lecture and advice, [well10 Pol. And, in part, bim ;-but, you may fay,—not Rey. As gaming, my lord. Pol. Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing, A favageness in unreclaimed blood, Rey. But, my good lord, Pol. Wherefore should you do this? I would know that. 15 20 [quaintly, 25 Pol. Marry, fir, here's my drift ; found, Having ever feen, in the prenominate 3 crimes, Rey. Very good, my lord. [was I Pol. And then, fir,does he this,---He does---What Rey. At, clofes in the confequence. Pol. At, clofes in the confequence,---Ay, marry ; Or then, or then; with fuch, or fuch; and, as you fay, I saw him enter fuch a bouse of fale, Shall you my fon: You have me, have you not? Pol. God be wi' you; fare you well. Rey. Good my lord,-- Pol. Obferve his inclination in yourself 5. Rey. I fhall, my lord. Pol. And let him ply his mufick. Rey, Well, my lord. matter? Enter Ophelia. [Exit. Pol. Farewel.---How now, Ophelia? what's the Oph. My lord, I do not know; 30 But, truly, I do fear it. Pol. What faid he? Oph. He took me by the wrift, and held me hard; 35 He falls to fuch perufal of my face, As he would draw it. Long ftaid he fo; At laft,---a little fhaking of mine arm, And thrice his head thus waving up and down,--- 40 As it did seem to shatter all his bulk, And end his being: That done, he lets me go: Whofe violent property foredoes itself, That does afflict our natures. I am forry,-- 55 His accefs to me. Pol. That hath made him mad. am sorry, that with better heed, and judgment, 1 Savagenefs, for wildness. 2 i. e. fuch as youth in general is liable to. named. 3 i. e. crimes already 4 It is a common mode of colloquial language to ufe, or fo, as a flight intimation of more of the fame, or a like kind, that might be mentioned. 5 i. e. in your own perfon, not by fpies. 6 7 Down-gyved means hanging down like the loofe cincture which confines the fetters round the ancles. To foreda is to defroy. To quote here means to reckon, to take an account of, |