And from his mother's closet hath he dragg'd him: [Exeunt Ros. and Guil. Come, Gertrude, we'll call up our wisest friends; Transports his poison'd shot, may miss our name, SCENE II. Another Room in the same. Enter HAMLET. [Exeunt. Ham. -Safely stowed, -[ROSEN. &c. within. Hamlet! lord Hamlet!] But soft, what noise? who calls on Hamlet? O, here they come. Enter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN. Ros. What have you done, my lord, with the dead body? Ham. Compounded it with dust, whereto 'tis kin. Ros. Tell us where 'tis; that we may take it thence, And bear it to the chapel. Ham. Do not believe it. Ros. Believe what? Ham. That I can keep your counsel, and not mine own. Besides, to be demanded of a sponge!-what replication should be made by the son of a king? Ros. Take you me for a sponge, my lord? Ham. Ay, sir; that soaks up the king's countenance, his rewards, his authorities. But such officers do the king best service in the end: He keeps them, like an ape,' in the corner of his jaw; first mouthed, to be last swallowed: : blank,] i. e. The white mark in the centre of the target. When he needs what you have gleaned, it is but squeezing you, and, sponge, you shall be dry again. Ros. I understand you not, my lord. Ham. I am glad of it: A knavish speech sleeps in a foolish ear. Ros. My lord, you must tell us where the body is, and go with us to the king. Ham. The body is with the king, but the king is not with the body. The king is a thingGuil. A thing, my lord? Ham. Of nothing: bring me to him. Hide fox, and all after." SCENE III. Another Room in the same. Enter King, attended. [Exeunt. King. I have sent to seek him, and to find the body. Who like not in their judgment, but their eyes; Enter ROSENCRANTZ. Or not at all. -How now? what hath befallen? We cannot get from him. Ros. Without, my lord; sure. But where is he? Of nothing:] Should it not be, Or nothing? When the courtiers remark that Hamlet has contemptuously called the king a thing, Hamlet defends himself by observing, that the king must be a thing or nothing.-JOHNSON. u Hide for, &c.] There is a play among children, called Hide for, and all after.-HANMER. King. Bring him before us. Enter HAMLET and GUILDENSTERN. King. Now, Hamlet, where's Polonius? King. At supper? where? Ham. Not where he eats, but where he is eaten: a certain convocation of politick worms are e'en at him. Your worm is your only emperor for diet: we fat all creatures else, to fat us; and we fat ourselves for maggots: Your fat king, and your lean beggar, is but variable service; two dishes, but to one table; that's the end. King. Alas, alas! Ham. A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king; and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm. King. What dost thou mean by this? Ham. Nothing, but to show you how a king may go a progress' through the guts of a beggar. King. Where is Polonius? Ham. In heaven; send thither to see: if your messenger find him not there, seek him i'the other place yourself. But, indeed, if you find him not within this month, you shall nose him as you go up the stairs into the lobby. King. Go seek him there. [To some Attendants. Ham. He will stay till you come. [Exeunt Attendants. King. Hamlet, this deed, for thine especial safety, Which we do tender, as we dearly grieve For that which thou hast done,-must send thee hence With fiery quickness: Therefore, prepare thyself; The bark is ready, and the wind at help,* The associates tend, and every thing is bent For England. Y Ham. King. Ham. For England? Ay, Hamlet. Good. go a progress-] Alluding to the royal journeys of state, always styled progresses; a familiar idea to those who, like our author, lived during the reigns of queen Elizabeth and king James I.-STEEVENS. at help,] i. e. At hand, ready to assist you,-RITSON. King. So is it, if thou knew'st our purposes. Ham. I see a cherub, that sees them. But, come; for England!-Farewell, dear mother. King. Thy loving father, Hamlet. Ham. My mother: Father and mother is man and wife; man and wife is one flesh; and so, my mother. Come, for England. [Exit. King. Follow him at foot; tempt him with speed aboard; Delay it not, I'll have him hence to-night : Away; for every thing is seal'd and done That else leans on the affair: Pray you, make haste. [Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUIL DENSTERN. And, England, if my love thou hold'st at aught, SCENE IV. A Plain in Denmark. Enter FORTINBRAS, and Forces, marching. For. Go, captain, from me greet the Danish king; Tell him, that, by his licence, Fortinbras We shall express our duty in his eye, And let him know so. a ■ Howe'er my haps,] i. e. Whatever befall me. [Exit. in his eye,] i.e. In his presence. The phrase appears to have been Cap. formularly. STEEVENS. I will do't, my lord. For. Go softly on. [Exeunt FORTINBRAS and Forces. Enter HAMLET, ROSENCRANTZ, GUILDENSTERN, &c. Cap. The nephew to old Norway, Fortinbras. Ham. Goes it against the main of Poland, sir, Or for some frontier? Cap. Truly to speak, sir, and with no addition, We go to gain a little patch of ground, That hath in it no profit but the name. Nor will it yield to Norway, or the Pole, A ranker rate, should it be sold in fee. Ham. Why, then the Polack never will defend it. Cap. Yes, 'tis already garrison'd. Ham. Two thousand souls, and twenty thousand ducats, Will not debate the question of this straw : Why the man dies. I humbly thank you, sir. Cap. God be wi'you, sir. [Exit Captain. Will't please you go, my lord? Ham. I will be with you straight. Go a little before. [Exeunt Ros. and GUIL. How all occasions do inform against me, And spur my dull revenge! What is a man, If his chief good, and market of his time, Be but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more. Sure, he, that made us with such large discourse, b e -market-] i. e. Profit. large discourse,] Such latitude of comprehension, such power of re viewing the past, and anticipating the future.-Johnson. VOL. VIII. Y |