He should the bearers put to sudden death, Hor. How was this seal'd? Ham. Why, even in that was heaven ordinant ; Subscrib'd it; gave't the impression; plac'd it safely, Hor. So Guildenstern and Rosencrantz go to't. Ham. Why, man, they did make love to this employ ment; They are not near my conscience; their defeat Does by their own insinuation grow :* 'Tis dangerous, when the baser nature comes Between the pass and fell incensed points Of mighty opposites. Hor. Why, what a king is this! Ham. Does it not, think thee, stand me now upon? He that hath kill'd my king, and whor'd my mother; Popp'd in between the election and my hopes; Thrown out his angle for my proper life, And with such cozenage; is't not perfect conscience, To quit him with this arm ?5 and is't not to be damn'd, To let this canker of our nature come In further evil? Hor. It must be shortly known to him from England, What is the issue of the business there. Ham. It will be short: the interim is mine; And a man's life's no more than to say, one. But I am very sorry, good Horatio, That to Laertes I forgot myself; For by the image of my cause, I see The portraiture of his: I'll count his favours; Hor. Peace; who comes here? [3] A changeling is a child which the fairies are supposed to leave in the room of that which they steal. JOHNSON. Insinuation, for corruptly obtruding themselves into his service. WARBURT, Enter OSRIC. Osr. You lordship is right welcome back to Denmark. Ham. I humbly thank you, sir.-Dost know this water-fly ?6 Hor. No, my good lord. Ham. Thy state is the more gracious; for 'tis a vice to know him. He hath much land, and fertile let a beast be lord of beasts, and his crib shall stand at the king's mess: 'Tis a chough ; but, as I say, spacious in the possession of dirt. Osr. Sweet lord, if your lordship were at leisure, I should impart a thing to you from his majesty. Ham. I will receive it, sir, with all diligence of spirit: Your bonnet to his right use; 'tis for the head. Osr. I thank your lordship, 'tis very hot. Ham. No, believe me, 'tis very cold; the wind is northerly. Osr. It is indifferent cold, my lord, indeed. Ham. But yet, methinks it is very sultry and hot; or my complexion Osr. Exceedingly, my lord; it is very sultry,—as 'twere, I cannot tell how. My lord, his majesty bade me signify to you, that he has laid a great wager on your head: Sir, this is the matter,—— Ham. I beseech you remember [HAMLET moves him to put on his hat. Osr. Nay, good my lord; for my ease, in good faith, Sir, here is newly come to court, Laertes: believe me, an absolute gentleman, full of most excellent differences, of very soft society, and great showing: Indeed, to speak feelingly of him, he is the card or calendar of gentry, for you shall find in him the continent of what part a gentleman would see.' Ham. Sir, his definement suffers no perdition in you;though, I know, to divide him inventorially, would dizzy [6] A water-fly skips up and down upon the surface of the water, without any apDarent purpose or reason, and is thence the proper emblem of a busy trifler. JOHNS. [7] A kind of jackdaw. JOHNSON. [8] Full of distinguishing excellencies. JOHNSON. [9] The general preceptor of elegance; the card by which a gentleman is to direct his course, the calendar by which he is to choose his time, that what he does may be both excellent and seasonable, JOHNSON. [1] You shall find him containing and comprising every quality which a gentleman would desire to contemplate for imitation. JOHNSON. [2] This is designed as a specimen, and ridicule of the court jargon amongst the precieux of that time. The sense in English is, "Sir, he suffers nothing in your account of him, though to enumerate his good qualities particularly would be endless; yet when we had done our best, it would still come short of him. However, the arithmetic of memory; and yet but raw neither, in respect of his quick sail. But, in the verity of extolment, I take him to be a soul of great article; and his infusion of such dearth' and rareness, as, to make true diction of him, his semblable is his mirror; and, who else would trace him, his umbrage, nothing more. Osr. Your lordship speaks most infallibly of him. Ham. The concernancy, sir? why do we wrap the gentleman in our more rawer breath? Osr. Sir? Hor. Is't not possible to understand in another tongue ? You will do't, sir, really. Ham. What imports the nomination of this gentleman ? Osr. Of Laertes ? Hor. His purse is empty already; all his golden words are spent. Ham. Of him, sir. Osr. I know, you are not ignorant Ham. I would, you did, sir; yet, in faith, if you did, it would not much approve me ;-Well, sir. Osr. You are not ignorant of what excellence Laertes is Ham. I dare not confess that, lest I should compare with him in excellence ; but, to know a man well, were to know himself. Osr. I mean, sir, for his weapon; but in the imputation laid on him by them, in his meed he's unfellowed.* Ham. What's his weapon? Osr. Rapier and dagger. Ham. That's two of his weapons; but, well. : Osr. The king, sir, hath wagered with him six Barbary horses against the which he has impawned, as I take it, six French rapiers and poniards, with their assigns, as girdle, hangers," and so: Three of the carriages, in in strictness of truth, he is a great genius, and of a character so rarely to be met with, that to find any thing like him we must look into his mirror, and his imitators will appear no more than his shadows." [3] Dearth is dearness, value, price. WARBURTON. [4] I dare not pretend to know him, lest I should pretend to an equality: no man can completely know another, but by knowing himself, which is the utmost extent of human wisdom. JOHNSON. Under this term were comprehended four graduated straps, &c. that hung down in a belt on each side of its receptacle for the sword. I write this with a most gorgeous belt, at least as ancient as the time of James I. before me. It is of crimson velvet, embroidered with gold, and had belong to the Somerset family. STEEVENS. faith, are very dear to fancy, very responsive to the hilts, most delicate carriages, and of very liberal conceit. Ham. What call you the carriages? Hor. I knew you must be edified by the margent, ere you had done." Osr. The carriages, sir, are the hangers. Ham. The phrase would be more german to the matter, if we could carry a cannon by our sides; I would, it might be hangers till then. But, on: Six Barbary horses against six French swords, their assigns, and three liberalconceited carriages; that's the French bet against the Danish Why is this impawned, as you call it? Osr. The king, sir, hath laid, that in a dozen passes between yourself and him, he shall not exceed you three hits; he hath laid, on twelve for nine; and it would come to immediate trial, if your lordship would vouchsafe the answer. Ham. How, if I answer, no? Osr. I mean, my lord, the opposition of your person in trial. Ham. Sir, I will walk here in the hall: If it please his majesty, it is the breathing time of day with me: let the foils be brought, the gentleman willing, and the king hold his purpose, I will win for him, if I can; if not, I will gain nothing but my shame, and the odd hits. Osr. Shall I deliver you so? Ham. To this effect, sir; after what flourish your nature will. [Exit. Osr. I commend my duty to your lordship. Ham. Yours, yours. He does well, to commend it himself; there are no tongues else for's turn. Hor. This lapwing runs away with the shell on his head.9 Ham. He did comply with his dug,' before he sucked it. Thus has he (and many more of the same breed, that, I know, the drossy age dotes on,) only got the tune of the time, and outward habit of encounter; a kind of yesty [7] Dr. Warburton very properly observes, that in the old hooks the gloss or comment was usually printed on the margent of the leaf. STEEVENS. [8] More German---more akin. JOHNSON. 9 I see no peculiar propriety in the image of the lapwing. Ostic did not run till he had done his business. We may read--This lapwing ran away.---That is, this fellow was full of unimportant bustle from his birth. JOHNSON. [1] Shakespeare seems to have used comply in the sense in which we use the verb compliment. See before, Act II. sc. ii ; "--let me comply with you in this garb.” TYRWHITT. collection, which carries them through and through the most fond and winnowed opinions; and do but blow them to their trial, the bubbles are out. Enter a Lord. Lord. My lord, his majesty commended him to you by young Osric, who brings back to him, that you attend him in the hall: He sends to know, if your pleasure hold to play with Laertes, or that you will take longer time? Ham. I am constant to my purposes, they follow the king's pleasure if his fitness speaks, mine is ready; now, or whensoever, provided I be so able as now. Lord. The king, and queen, and all are coming down. Ham. In happy time. Lord. The queen desires you, to use some gentle entertainment' to Laertes, before you fall to play. Ham. She well instructs me. Hor. You will lose this wager, my lord. [Exit Lord. Ham. I do not think so; since he went into France, I have been in continual practice; I shall win at the odds.3 But thou would'st not think, how ill all's here about my heart but it is no matter. Hor. Nay, good my lord, Ham. It is but foolery; but it is such a kind of gaingiving, as would, perhaps, trouble a woman. 4 Hor. If your mind dislike any thing, obey it: I will forestall their repair hither, and say, you are not fit. Ham. Not a whit, we defy augury; there is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: the readiness is all: Since no man, of aught he leaves, knows, what is't to leave betimes? Let be. Enter King, Queen, LAERTES, Lords, OSRIC, and Attendants with foils, &c. King. Come, Hamlet, come, and take this hand from me. [The King puts the hand of LAERTES into that of HAMLET. Ham. Give me your pardon, sir: I have done you wrong; But pardon it, as you are a gentleman. JOHNSON. [2] Mild and temperate conversation. MALONE. |