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Pol. Affection? puh! you speak like a green girl, Unsifted' in such perilous circumstance. Do you believe his tenders, as you call them? Oph. I do not know, my lord, what I should think.

Pol. Marry, I'll teach you: think yourself a baby; That you have ta'en these tenders for true pay, Which are not sterling. Tender yourself more dearly;

Or (not to crack the wind of the poor phrase,
Wronging it thus,) you'll tender me a fool.
Oph. My lord, he hath impórtun'd me with love,
In honourable fashion.

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, springes to catch woodcocks. I do know, When the blood burns, how prodigal the soul Lends the tongue vows: these blazes, daughter, Giving more light than heat,-extinct in both, Even in their promise, as it is a making,You must not take for fire. From this time, Be somewhat scanter of your maiden presence; Set your entreatments at a higher rate, Than a command to parley. For lord Hamlet, Believe so much in him, That he is young; And with a larger tether may he walk, Than may be given you: In few, Ophelia, Do not believe his vows: for they are brokers," Not of that die which their investments show, But mere implorators of unholy suits, Breathing like sanctified and pious bonds, The better to beguile. This is for all,I would not, in plain terms, from this time forth Have you so slander any moment's leisure, As to give words or talk with the lord Hamlet. Look to't, I charge you; come your ways. Oph. I shall obey, my lord. SCENE IV.-The platform. Enter Hamlet, Horatio, and Marcellus.

[Exeunt.

Ham. The air bites shrewdly; it is very cold.
Hor. It is a nipping and an eager" air.
Ham. What hour now?
Hor.

I think, it lacks of twelve.
Mar. No, it is struck.
Hor. Indeed? I heard it not; it then draws near

the season,

Wherein the spirit held his wont to walk.

A flourish of trumpets, and ordnance shot off, within.

What doth this mean, my lord? Ham. The king doth wake to-night, and takes his rouse

Keeps wassel, and the swaggering up-spring 10 reels;

(1) Untempted. (2) Manner. (3) Company. Longer line; a horse fastened by a string to a stake, is tethered. (5) Pimps.

VOL. II.

(6) Implorers. (7) Sharp.

And, as he drains his draughts of Rhenish down,
The kettle-drum and trumpet thus bray out
The triumph of his pledge.

Is it a custom?
Ham. Ay, marry, is't:

But to my mind,-though I am native here,
And to the manner born,-it is a custom
More honour'd in the breach, than the observance.
This heavy-headed revel, east and west,
Makes us traduc'd, and tax'd of other nations:
They clepe' us, drunkards, and with swinish phrase
Soil our addition; and, indeed, it takes
From our achievements, though perform'd at height,
The pith and marrow of our attribute.
So, oft it chances in particular men,
That, for some vicious mole of nature in them,
As, in their birth (wherein they are not guilty,
Since nature cannot choose his origin,)
By the o'ergrowth of some complexion,'2
Oft breaking down the pales and forts of reason;
Or by some habit, that too much o'er-leavens
The form of plausive manners;-that these men,-
Carrying, I say, the stamp of one defect;
Being nature's livery, or fortune's star,-
Their virtues else (be they as pure as grace,
As infinite as man may undergo,)
Shall, in the general censure, take corruption
From that particular fault: The dram of base
Doth all the noble substance often dout, 13
To his own scandal.

Hor.
Look, my lord, it comes!
Ham. Angels and ministers of grace defend us!-
Be thou a spirit of health, or goblin damn'd,
Bring with thee airs from heaven, or blasts from hell,
Be thy intents wicked or charitable,

Thou com'st in such a questionable14 shape,
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,
Why thy canoniz'd bones, hearsed in death,
Have burst their cerements! why the sepulchre,
Wherein we saw thee quietly in-urn'd,
Hath op'd his ponderous and marble jaws,
To cast thee up again! What may this mean,
That thou, dead corse, again, in complete steel,
Revisit'st thus the glimpses of the moon,
Making night hideous; and we fools of nature,
So horridly to shake our disposition,15
With thoughts beyond the reaches of our souls?
Say, why is this? wherefore? what should we do?
As if it some impartment did desire
Hor. It beckons you to go away with it,
To you alone.

Look, with what courteous action It waves you to a more removed16 ground: But do not go with it.

I

Hor.

No, by no means.

Ham. It will not speak; then I will follow it.
Hor. Do not, my lord.
Ham.

.17

Why, what should be the fear?
do not set my life at a pin's fee;
And, for my soul, 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 summit of the cliff,

(8) Jovial draught. (9) Jollity. (10) A dance.
(11) Call.
(12) Humour.
(13) Do out. (14) Conversable. (15) Frame.
(16) Remote. (17) Value.

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Ghost. I am thy father's spirit:
Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night;
And, for the day, confin'd to fast in fires,
Till the foul crimes, done in my days of nature,
Are burnt and purg'd away. But that I am forbid
To tell the secrets of my prison-house,
I could a tale unfold, whose lightest word
Would harrrow up thy soul; freeze thy young blood;
Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their
spheres;

Thy knotted and combined locks to part,
And each particular hair to stand an-end,
Like quills upon the fretful Porcupine:
But this eternal blazon must not be

To ears of flesh and blood:-List, list, O list!-
If thou didst ever thy dear father love,--
Ham. O heaven!

Ghost. Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.

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I find thee apt;

And duller should'st thou be than the fat weed
That rots itself in ease on Lethe wharf,

Would'st thou not stir in this. Now, Hamlet, hear:
'Tis given out, that, sleeping in mine orchard,'
A serpent stung me; so the whole ear of Denmark
Is, by a forged process of my death,
Rankly abus'd: but know, thou noble youth,
The serpent that did sting thy father's life,
Now wears his crown.

Ham. O, my prophetic soul! my uncle!

Ghost. Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast,
With witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts
(O wicked wit, and gifts, that have the power
So to seduce!) won to his shameful lust
The will of my most seeming-virtuous queen:
O, Hamlet, what a falling off was there!
From me, whose love was of that dignity,
That it went hand in hand even with the vow
I made to her in marriage; and to decline
Upon a wretch, whose natural gifts were poor
To those of mine!

But virtue, as it never will be mov'd,
Though lewdness court it in a shape of heaven;
So lust, though to a radiant angel 'link'd,
Will sate itself in a celestial bed,
And prey on garbage.

But, soft! methinks, I scent the morning air;
Brief let me be :-Sleeping within mine orchard,
My custom always of the afternoon,
Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole,
With juice of cursed hebenon' in a vial,
And in the porches of mine ears did pour
The leperous distilment: whose effect
Holds such an enmity with blood of man,
That, swift as quicksilver, it courses through,
The natural gates and alleys of the body;
And, with a sudden vigour, it doth posset
And curd, like eager droppings into milk,
The thin and wholesome blood: so did it mine:
And a most instant tetter bark'd about,
Most lazer-like, with vile and loathsome crust,
All my smooth body.

18

Thus was I, sleeping, by a brother's hand,
Of life, of crown, of queen, at once despatch'd:
Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin,
Unhousel'd," disappointed, 12 unanel'd;"
No reckoning made, but sent to my account
With all my imperfections on my head:
O, horrible! O, horrible! most horrible'
If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not;
Let not the royal bed of Denmark be
A couch for luxury and damned incest.
But, howsoever thou pursu'st this act,
Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive
Against thy mother aught; leave her to heaven,
And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge,
To prick and sting her. Fare thee well at once!
The glow-worm shows the matin to be near,
And gins to pale his uneffectual fire:
Adieu, adieu, adieu! remember me.

[Exit.

Ham. O all you host of heaven! O earth! what

else?

And shall I couple hell?-O fie!-Hold, hold, my

heart;

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And you, my sinews, grow not instant old,
But bear me stiffly up!-Remember thee?
Ay, thou ponr ghost, while memory holds a seat
In this distracted globe. Remember thee?
Yea, from the table of my memory
I'll wipe away all trivial fond records,

All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past,
That youth and observation enpied there;
And thy commandment all alone shall live
Within the book and volume of my brain,
Unmix'd with baser matter: yes, by heaven.
O most pernicious woman!

O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain!
My tables,'-meet it is, I set it down,
That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain;
At least, I am sure, it may be so in Denmark:

[Writing.

So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word; It is, Adieu, adieu! remember me.

I have sworn't.

Hor. [Within.] My lord, my lord,Mar. Within.] Lord Hamlet,Hor. [Within.[

Ham.

Heaven secure him!

So be it.

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Hor. Mar.
Ay, by heaven, my lord.
Ham. There's ne'er a villain, dwelling in all
Denmark,

But he's an arrant knave.

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come.

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
But come;

Here, as before, never, so help you mercy!
How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself,
As I, perchance, hereafter shall think meet
To put an antic disposition on,-

That you, at such times, seeing me, never shall,
With arms encumber'd thus, or this head-shake,
Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase,
As, Well, well, we know ;-or, We could, an if we
would;-or, If we list to speak ;-or, There be, an

Or such ambiguous giving out, to note

That you know aught of me:-This do you swear, So grace and mercy at your most need help you! Ghost. [Beneath.] Swear.

Hor. There needs no ghost, my lord, come from if they might ;-
the grave,
To tell us this.
Ham. Why, right; you are in the right;
And so, without more circumstance at all,
I hold it fit, that we shake hands, and part:
You, as your business, and desire, shall

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point

Hor. These are but wild and whirling words, my lord.

Ham. am sorry they offend you, heartily; yes, 'Faith, heartily. Hor. Ham. Yes, by Saint Patrick, but there is, Horatio, And much offence too. Touching this vision here,

There's no offence, my lord.

It is an honest ghost, that let me tell you;

For your desire to know what is between us,

Ham. Rest, rest, perturbed spirit! So, gentlemen, With all my love I do commend me to you: And what so poor a man as Hamlet is May do, to express his love and friending to you, God willing, shall not lack. Let us go in together; And still your fingers on your lips, I pray. The time is out of joint;-O cursed spite, That ever I was born to set it right! Nay, come, let's go together.

ACT II.

[Exeunt.

O'er-master it as you may. And now, good friends, SCENE I-A room in Polonius's house. Enter As you are friends, scholars, and soldiers,

Give me one poor request.

Hor.

We will.

What is't, my lord?

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Of his behaviour.

Rey.
My lord, I did intend it.
Pol. Marry, well said: very well said.
you, sir,

Look

Inquire me first what Danskers' are in Paris;
And how, and who, what means, and where they
keep,

What company, at what expense; and finding,
By this encompassment and drift of question,
That they do know my son, come you more nearer
Than your particular demands will touch it:
Take you, as 'twere, some distant knowledge of
him ;

As thus,-I know his father, and his friends,
And, in part, him ;—Do you mark this, Reynaldo?
Rey. Ay, very well, my lord.

Pol. And, in part, him;-but, you may say, not well:

But, if't be he I mean, he's very wild;
Addicted so and so ;-and there put on him
What forgeries you please; marry, none so rank
As may dishonour him; take heed of that;
But, sír, such wanton, wild, and usual slips,
As are companions noted and most known
To youth and liberty.

Rey.

As gaming, my lord.

Pol. Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing, relling,

Drabbing:-You may go so far.

Rey. My lord, that would dishonour him.

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matter?

Oph. O, my lord, my lord, I have been so affrighted!

Pol. With what, in the name of heaven?

Oph. My lord, as I was sewing in my closet,
Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbrac'd;
No hat upon his head; his stockings foul'd,
Ungarter'd, and down-gyved' to his ancle;
Pale as his shirt; his knees knocking each other;
And with a look so piteous in purport,
quar-As if he had been loosed out of hell,
To speak of horrors, he comes before me.
Pol. Mad for thy love?

Oph.

Pol. 'Faith, no; as you may season it in the But, truly, I do fear it.

charge.

You must not put another scandal on him, That he is open to incontinency;

Pol.

My lord, I do not know;

What said he?

Oph. He took me by the wrist, and held me hard;

That's not my meaning: but breathe his faults so Then goes he to the length of all his arm;

quaintly,

That they may seem the taints of liberty:

The flash and out-break of a fiery mind;

A savageness in unreclaimed blood,

Of general assault.

Rey.

But, my good lord,

Rey.

Pol. Wherefore should you do this?

I would know that.

Ay, my lord,
Pol.
Marry, sir, here's my drift;
And, I believe, it is a fetch of warrant:
You laying these slight sullies on my son,
As 'twere a thing a little soil'd i'the working,
Mark you,

Your party in converse, him you would sound,
Having ever seen in the prenominate crimes,
The youth you breathe of, guilty, be assur'd,
He closes with you in this consequence;
Good sir, or so; or friend, or gentleman,-
According to the phrase, or the addition,
Of man, and country.

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And, with his other hand thus o'er his brow,
He falls to such perusal of my face,

As he would draw it. Long stay'd ́he so;

At last, a little shaking of mine arm,

And thrice his head thus waving up and down,-
He rais'd a sigh so piteous and profound,
As it did seem to shatter all his bulk,
And end his being: That done, he lets me go:
And, with his head over his shoulder turn'd,
He seem'd to find his way without his eyes;
For out o'doors he went without their helps,
And, to the last, bended their light on me.

Pol. Come, go with me; I will go seek the king. This is the very ecstacy of love;

Whose violent property foredoes' itself.
And leads the will to desperate undertakings,
As oft as any passion under heaven,

That does afflict our natures. I am sorry,

What, have you given him any hard words of late? Oph. No, my good lord; but, as you did command,

I did repel his letters, and denied
His access to me.

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SCENE II-A room in the castle. Enter King, Queen, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and Attendants.

King. Welcome, dear Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern!

Moreover that we much did long to see you,
The need we have to use you, did provoke
Our hasty sending. Something have you heard
Of Hamlet's transformation; so I call it,
Since not the exterior nor the inward man
Resembles that it was: What it should be,

King. Thyself de grace to them, and bring them in. [Exit Polonius. He tells me, my dear Gertrude, he hath found The head and source of all your son's distemper. Queen. I doubt, it is no other but the main; His father's death, and our o'er-hasty marriage. Re-enter Polonius, with Voltimand and Cornelius. King. Well, we shall sift him.-Welcome, my good friends!

More than his father's death, that thus hath put him Upon our first, he sent out to suppress

So much from the understanding of himself,
I cannot dream of: I entreat you both,
That,-being of so young days brought up with him;
And, since, so neighbour'd to his youth and hu-

mour,

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Are joyfully return'd.

news.

King. Thou still hast been the father of good Pol. Have I, my lord? Assure you my good liege,

I hold my duty, as I hold my soul,
Both to my God, and to my gracious king:
And I do think (or else this brain of mine
Hunts not the trail' of policy so sure
As it hath us'd to do,) that I have found
The very cause of Hamlet's lunacy.
King. O, speak of that; that do I long to hear.
Pol. Give first admittance to the embassadors;
My news shall be the fruit' to that great feast.

(1) Complaisance. (2) Utmost exertion.
(3) Scent.
(4) Dessert.

Say, Voltimand, what from our brother Norway?
Volt. Most fair return of greetings, and desires.
His nephew's levies; which to him appear'd
But, better look'd into, he truly found
To be a preparation 'gainst the Polack;
It was against your highness: Whereat griev'd,--
That so his sickness, age, and impotence,
Was falsely borne in hand,-sends out arrests
On Fortinbras; which he, in brief, obeys;
Receives rebuke from Norway; and, in fine,
Makes vow before his uncle, never more
To give the assay of arms against your majesty.
Gives him three thousand crowns in annual fee;
Whereon old Norway, overcome with joy,
And his commission, to employ those soldiers,
So levied as before, against the Polack:
With an entreaty, herein further shown,

[Gives a paper.

That it might please you to give quiet pass
Through your dominions, for this enterprise;
On such regards of safety, and allowance,
As therein are set down.

King.
It likes us well:
And, at our more consider'd time, we'll read,
Answer, and think upon this business.

Mean time, we thank you for your well-took labour:
Go to your rest; at night we'll feast together:
Most welcome home!

Pol.

[Exeunt Voltimand and Cornelius,
This business is well ended.

My liege, and madam, to expostulate
Why day is day, night, night, and time is time,
What majesty should be, what duty is,
Were nothing but to waste night, day and time.
Therefore,-since brevity is the soul of wit,
And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,-
I will be brief: Your noble son is mad:
Mad call I it; for, to define true madness,
What is't, but to be nothing else but mad?
But let that go.
Queen.

More matter, with less art.
Pol. Madam, I swear I use no art at all.
That he is mad, 'tis true: 'tis true, 'tis pity;
And pity 'tis, 'tis true: a foolish figure;
Mad let us grant him then: and now remains,
But farewell it, for I will use no art.
That we find out the cause of this effect;
For this effect, defective, comes by cause:
Or, rather say, the cause of this defect;
Thus it remains, and the remainder thus.
Perpend.

I have a daughter; have, while she is mine;
Who, in her duty and obedience, mark,
Hath given me this: Now gather and surmise.
-To the celestial, and my soul's idol, the most beau
tified Ophelia,-

That's an ill phrase, a vile phrase; beautified is a vile phrase; but you shall hear.-Thus:

In her excellent white bosom, these, &c.

Queen. Came this from Hamlet to her?

(5) Poland. (6) Imposed on. (7) Discuss.

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