King. It falls right. You have been talk'd of since your travel much, Laer. What part is that, my lord? King. A very ribband in the cap of youth, Yet needful too; for youth no less becomes The light and careless livery that it wears, Than settled age his sables, and his weeds, Importing health and graveness.-Two months since, Here was a gentleman of Normandy, I have seen myself, and serv'd against, the French, With the brave beast: so far he topp'd my thought, Come short of what he did. Laer. King. A Norman. A Norman, was't? Laer. Upon my life, Lamord. King. The very same. Laer. I know him well: he is the brooch, indeed, And gem of all the nation. King. He made confession of you; And gave you such a masterly report, That he cried out, 'twould be a sight indeed, Of the unworthiest siege.] Of the lowest rank. Siege, for seat, place. Importing health and graveness.] i. e. implying, denoting. in If one could match you: the scrimers' of their nation, That he could nothing do, but wish and beg Laer. What out of this, my lord? King. Laertes, was your father dear to you? Or are you like the painting of a sorrow, A face without a heart? Laer. Why ask you this? King. Not that I think, you did not love your father; Dies in his own too-much: That we would do, As there are tongues, are hands, are accidents; 6 8 5 the scrimers-] The fencers. From escrimeur, Fr. a fencer. love is begun by time;] This is obscure. The meanin may be, love is not innate in us, and co-essential to our nature, but begins at a certain time from some external cause, and being always subject to the operations of time, suffers change and diminution. JOHNSON. 7-passages of proof,] In transactions of daily experience. 8 And then this should is like a spendthrift sigh, That hurts by easing.] A spendthrift sigh is a sigh that makes an unnecessary waste of the vital flame. It is a notion very prevalent, that sighs impair the strength, and wear out the animal powers. JOHNSON. To show yourself in deed your father's son Laer. To cut his throat i'the church. King. No place, indeed, should murder sanctuarize; Revenge should have no bounds. But, good Laertes, Will you do this, keep close within your chamber: Hamlet, return'd, shall know you are come home: We'll put on those shall praise your excellence, And set a double varnish on the fame The Frenchman gave you; bring you, in fine, together, And wager o'er your heads: he, being remiss, Most generous, and free from all contriving, Will not peruse the foils; so that, with ease, Or with a little shuffling, you may choose A sword unbated, and, in a pass of practice,1 Requite him for your father. Laer. I will do't: Under the moon, can save the thing from death, It may 9 A sword unbated,] i. e. not blunted as foils are. I - a pass of practice,] Practice is often by Shakspeare, and other writers, taken for an insiduous stratagem, or privy treason, a sense not incongruous to this passage, where yet it may mean a thrust for exercise; or perhaps, a favourite pass, one he was well practised in. 2 It may be death.] It is a matter of surprise, that no one of Shakspeare's numerous and able commentators has remarked, with proper warmth and detestation, the villainous assassin-like treachery of Laertes in this horrid plot. There is the more occasion that he should be here pointed out an object of abhorrence, as he is a character we are, in some preceding parts of the play, led to respect and admire. RITSON. King. And that our drift look through our bad performance, When in your motion you are hot and dry, (As make your bouts more violent to that end,) If he by chance escape your venom'd stuck,8 Enter Queen. How now, sweet queen? Queen. One woe doth tread upon another's heel, So fast they follow:-Your sister's drown'd, Laertes, Laer. Drown'd! O, where? Queen. There is a willow grows ascaunt the brook, That shows his hoar leaves in the glassy stream; Therewith fantastick garlands did she make Of crow-flowers, nettles, daisies, and long purples, S May fit us to our shape:] May enable us to assume proper characters, and to act our part. 4 blast in proof.] A metaphor taken from the trying or proving fire-arms or cannon, which often blast or burst in the proof. 5 I'll have preferr'd him-] i. e. presented to him. 6 If he by chance escape your venom'd stuck,] i. e. your venom'd thrust. Stuck was a term of the fencing-school. 7 liberal-] Liberal is free-spoken, licentious in language. Clambering to hang, an envious sliver broke; Or like a creature native and indu'd Unto that element: but long it could not be, Laer. Alas then, she is drown'd? Queen. Drown'd, drown'd. Laer. Too much of water hast thou, poor Ophelia, And therefore I forbid my tears: But yet It is our trick; nature her custom holds, Let shame say what it will: when these are gone, [Exit. King. Let's follow, Gertrude: [Exeunt. ACT V. SCENE 1. A Church Yard. Enter Two Clowns, with Spades, &c. 1 Clo. Is she to be buried in christian burial, that wilfully seeks her own salvation? 8 As one incapable of her own distress,] As one having no understanding or knowledge of her danger. ? The woman will be out.] i. e. tears will flow. |