The extravagant and erring spirit hies Mar. It faded on the crowing of the cock. Hor. So have I heard, and do in part believe it. SCENE II. The same. A Room of State in the same. [Exeunt. Enter the King, Queen, HAMLET, POLONIUS, LAERTES, VOLTIMAND, CORNELIUS, Lords, and Attendants. King. Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother's death Yet so far hath discretion fought with nature, -extravagant and erring-] Extravagant means here, having got beyond his bounds; erring is wandering.-WARBURTON and STEEVENS. takes,] i. e. Strikes with lameness or diseases. This sense of take is conveniently.] So quarto, 1603. frequent in this author. --JOHNSON. Together with remembrance of ourselves. i Now follows, that you know, young Fortinbras, - Farewell; and let your haste commend your duty. h -- dole,] i. e. Lamentation. Colleagued with this dream of his advantage,] i. e. The imaginary advantage, which Fortinbras hoped to derive from the unsettled state of the kingdom.-M. MASON. k-gait-] i. e. Proceeding, passage; from the A. S. verb gae. A gate for a path, passage, or street, is still current in the north.-PERCY. - more than the scope-] More is comprized in the general design of these articles, which you may explain in a more diffused and dilated style.JOHNSON. dilated articles, &c.] i. e. The articles when dilated. : : Cor. Vol. In that, and all things, will we show our duty. King. We doubt it nothing; heartily farewell. [Exeunt VOLTIMAND and CORNELIUS. And now, Laertes, what's the news with you? You told us of some suit; What is't, Laertes? You cannot speak of reason to the Dane, And lose your voice: What would'st thou beg, Laertes, That shall not be my offer, not thy asking? The head is not more native to the heart, The hand more instrumental to the mouth, What would'st thou have, Laertes ? Laer. My dread lord, Your leave and favour to return to France; From whence though willingly I came to Denmark, To show my duty in your coronation; Yet now, I must confess, that duty done, My thoughts and wishes bend again toward France, King. Have you your father's leave? What says Polonius? Pol. He hath, my lord, [wrung from me my slow leave, By laboursome petition; and, at last, King. Take thy fair hour, Laertes; time be thine, And thy best graces: spend it at thy will.- Ham. A little more than kin, and less than kind. [Aside.. King. How is it that the clouds still hang on you? Than is the throne of Denmark to thy father.] i. e. He may do what he pleases with my kingly authority.-STEEVENS. • These lines between crotchets are omitted in the folio. P And thy best graces:] Johnson proposes to read, and my best graces. Ham. A little more than kin, and less than kind.] Kind is the Teutonick word for child. Hamlet therefore answers with propriety to the titles of cousin and son, which the king had given him, that he was something more than cousin, and less than son.-JOHNSON. And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark. Seek for thy noble father in the dust: Thou know'st, 'tis common; all, that live, must die, Passing through nature to eternity. Ham. Ay, madam, it is common. Why seems it so particular with thee? If it be, Ham. Seems, madam! nay, it is; I know not seems. 'Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, King. 'Tis sweet and commendable in your nature, Hamlet, To give these mourning duties to your father: To do obsequious sorrow: But to perséver vailed lids-] i. e. With downcast eyes. incorrect-] i. e. Ill-regulated, not sufficiently regulated by a sense of duty and submission to the dispensations of Providence. MALONE. To reason most absurd; whose common theme Queen. Let not thy mother lose her prayers, Hamlet; I pray thee, stay with us, go rot to Wittenberg. Ham. I shall in all my best obey you, madam. King. Why, 'tis a loving and a fair reply; Be as ourself in Denmark. --Madam, come; This gentle and unforc'd accord of Hamlet Sits smiling to my heart: in grace whereof, No jocund health, that Denmark drinks to-day, But the great cannon to the clouds shall tell; And the king's roused the heaven shall bruit again, Re-speaking earthly thunder. Come away. [Exeunt King, Queen, Lords, &c. POLONIUS, and LAERTES, * To reason most absurd;] Reason is here used in its common sense, for the faculty by which we form conclusions from arguments. - JOHNSON. nobility of love,] i. e. Eminence and distinction of love.-HEATH. * Do I impart toward you.] I believe impart is impart myself, communicate whatever I can bestow. -JOHNSON. Wittenberg,] In Shakspeare's time there was a university at Wit tenberg; which, however, was not founded till 1502, consequently did not exist in the time to which this play is referred. - MALONE. bbend you to remain-] i. e. Subdue your inclination to go from hence, and remain, &c.-STEEVENS. • No jocund health,] The king's intemperance is very strongly impressed; every thing that happens to him gives him occasion to drink.-JOHNSON. rouse] Rouse and carouse, like vye and revye, are but the reciprocation of the same action. A rouse was a large glass ("not past a pint," as lago says), in which a health was given, the drinking of which by the rest of the company formed a carouse. GIFFORD'S Massinger, vol. i. 239. |