HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK.

LITERARY AND HISTORICAL NOTICE.

THIS tragedy is supposed to have been written in 1596. The principal incidents were probably drawn from a dramatic piece by one Thomas Ryd, and from a Historie of Hamblet, in black letter, adopted by Belleforest in his collection of novels (published 1564) from the narrative of Saxo-Grammaticus, the old Danish historian. The play has long been accounted a first-rate dramatic production, for, with some egregious blunders, it con tains a variety of unparalleled beauties. As originally written, it consumed four hours in the representation; persons, in Shakspeare's time, visiting the theatre so early as four o'clock, and regarding the quality less than the quantity obtained for their money: this will excuse some of those triffing interlocutions which yet remain. Perhaps none of our poet's undertakings have been subjected to so much erudite and ingenious criticism as this; and none, certainly, after its most severe exercise, have been left with so much to approve. For although it has been observed, with some appearance of justice, that in the management of the piece, Shakspeare has been rather unfortunate, all its most striking circumstances arising so early in the formation,

"not to leave him room for a conclusion suitable to the importance of its beginning;" yet this defect is amply recompensed by the sublimity of conception, the didactic morality of sentiment, the pathetic intenseness of feeling, the power and comprehensiveness of diction, and the delightful diversity of character, which are displayed in almost every scene. Indeed, were each drama of Shakspeare to be characterized by the particular quality which distinguishes it from the rest, the praise of variety must especially be given to the tragedy of Hamlet; as it is interchangeably contrasted "with merriment that includes judicious and instructive observations; and with solemnity not strained by poetical violence above the natural sentiments of man." To those, however, who are mentally capable of appreciating its excellences as a play, the charm of perusing it in the closet will probably be greater than the delight of witnessing its exhibition; since it is rich in the treasures of contemplative and philosophical speculation; divested of the glare and bustle which captivate or bewilder the senses; whilst the principal character, though furnished with abundant materials, is almost the only support of the piece, and seldom meets with a representative in whom the beauties of the original are effectively embodied. Of the plot it may be observed, that it teems with slaughter, and is justly obnoxious to eriticism in many of its parts; but the catastrophe is certainly its most disgusting feature, and can only be tolerated by the known partiality of an English audience for a multiplicity of deaths and bloodshed. "The manner of Hamlet's death (says Dr. Johnson) is not very happily produced; for the exchange of weapons is rather an expedient of necessity, than a stroke of art."

CLAUDIUS, King of Denmark.

HAMLET, Son to the former, and Nephew to REYNALDO, Servant to Polonius.

the present King.

POLONIUS, Lord Chamberlain.

HORATIO, Friend to Hamlet.

LAERTES, Son to Polonius.

VOLTIMAND,

CORNELIUS,

ROSENCRANTZ,

}

GUILDENSTERN,
OSRIC, a Courtier.
Another COURTIER.

A PRIEST.

Courtiers.

DRAMATIS PERSONE.

FRANCISCO, a Soldier.

A CAPTAIN. AN AMBASSADOR.
GHOST of Hamlet's Father.
FORTINBRAS, Prince of Norway.

to-night?

Ber. I have seen nothing.

Mar. Horatio says, 'tis but our fantasy;
And will not let belief take hold of him,
Touching this dreaded sight, twice seen of us :
Therefore I have entreated him, along
With us to watch the minutes of this night,
That, if again this apparition come,

He may approve our eyes, and speak to it.
Hor. Tush! tush! 'twill not appear.
Ber. Sit down awhile;

And let us once again assail your ears,
That are so fortified against our story,
What we two nights have seen.

Hor. Well, sit we down,

And let us hear Bernardo speak of this.

Ber. Last night of all,

When yon same star, that's westward from the
pole,

Had made his course to illume that part of heaven
Where now it burns, Marcellus, and myself,

The bell then beating one,

Hamlet

At least, the whisper goes so. Our last king,
Whose image even but now appear'd to us,
Was, as you know, by Fortinbras of Norway,
Thereto prick'd on by a most emulate pride,
Dar'd to the combat; in which our valiant
(bim,)
(For so this side of our known world esteem'd
Did slay this Fortinbras; who, by a seal'd com-
Well ratified by law and heraldry,
[pact,
Did forfeit, with his life, all those his lands
Which he stood seiz'd of, to the conquerer :
Against the which, a moiety competent
Was gaged by our king; which had return'd
To the inheritance of Fortinbras,

Had he been vanquisher; as, by the same co

mart, *

And carriage of the article design'd, +
His fell to Hamlet: Now, Sir, young Fortin-
Of unimproved mettle hot and full,
[bras,
Hath in the skirts of Norway, here and there,
Shark'd up a list of landless resolutes,
For food and diet, to some enterprise

That hath a stomach || in't: which is no other

Mar. Peace, break thee off-look, where it (As it doth well appear unto our state,) comes again I

Enter GHOST.

Ber. In, the same figure like the king that's

dead.

Mar. Thou art a scholar, speak to it, Horatio.
Ber. Looks it not like the king? mark it,
Horatio.

Hor. Most like:-it harrows me with

and wonder.

Ber. It would be spoke to.

Mar. Speak to it, Horatio.

fear,

Hor. What art thou, that usurp'st this time of night,

Together with that fair and warlike form

In which the majesty of buried Denmark

But to recover of us, by strong hand,
And terms compulsatory, those 'foresaid lands
So by his father lost: And this, I take it,
Is the main motive of our preparations;
The source of this our watch; and the chief
head

Of this post-haste and romage in the land.
[Ber. I think it be no other, but even so:
Well may it sort, that this portentous figure
Comes armed through our watch; so like the
king

That was, and is, the question of these wars.
Hor. A mote it is, to trouble the mind's eye.
In the most high and palmy ++ state of Rome,
A little ere the mightiest Julius fell,
[dead
The graves stood tenantless, and the sheeted

Did sometimes march?-By heaven I charge Did squeak and gibber in the Roman streets.

thee, speak!

Mar. It is offended.

Ber. See! it stalks away.

Hor. Stay; speak: speak I charge thee, speak.
[Erit GHOST.
Mar. 'Tis gone, and will not answer.
Ber. How now, Horatio? you tremble, and
look pale:

Is not this something more than fantasy ?
What think you of it?

Hor. Before my God, I might not this believe,
Without the sensible and true avouch
Of mine own eyes.

Mar. Is it not like the king ?

Hor. As thou art to thyself:

Such was the very armour he had on.

When he the ambitious Norway combated:
So frown'd he once, when, in angry parle, +
He smote the sledded Polack on the ice.
'Tis strange.

Mar. Thus, twice before, and jump || at this
dead hour,

With martial stalk hath he gone by our watch.

If thou hast any sound, or use of voice,
Speak to me:

If there be any good thing to be done,
That may to thee do ease, and grace to me,
Speak to me:

If thou art privy to thy country's fate,
Which happily foreknowing may avoid,
O speak !

Hor. In what particular thought to work, I Or, if thou hast uphoarded in thy life
know not;

But, in the gross and scope of mine opinion,
This bodes some strange eruption to our state.

Mar. Good now, sit down, and tell me, he

that knows,

For which, they say, you spirits oft walk in death,

Extorted treasure in the womb of earth,

[Cock crous.

An inhabitant of Poland.

Now for ourself, and for this time of meeting. Thus much the business is: We have here writ To Norway, uncle of young Fortinbras,Who, impotent and bed-rid, scarcely hears Of this his nephew's purpose, to suppress His further gait herein in that the levies, [Exit GHOST. The lists, and full proportions, are all made