Y With thoughts beyond the reaches of our fouls? Say, why is this? wherefore? what fhould we do? [ Ghoft beckons Hamlet. Hor. It beckons you to go away with it, As if it fome impartment did defire Το you alone. Mar. Look, with what courteous action b It a waves you to a more removed ground: But do not go with it. Hor. No, by no means. [Holding Hamlet. Ham. It will not fpeak; then I will follow it. Hor. Do not, my lord. Ham. Why, what fhould be the fear? I do not fet my life at a pin's fee; And for my foul, what can it do to that, e Being a thing immortal * as itself? It waves me forth again.---I'll follow it.-- Hor. What if it tempt you f tow'rd the flood, my lord, Or to the dreadful & fummit of the cliff, That beetles o'er his bafe into the fea; And there affume fome other horrible form, Which might deprive your fov'reignty of reason, &c. y The fo's read, beyond thee; reaches, z Qu's omit gboft and Hamiet. a The fo's and R. read wafts. It waves you off to a removed ground. e The 3d q. like for as. f Second q. towards. Qu's, fomnet, fo's fennet. h Qu's, cleefe. i Fo's, affumes. k W. and H. read deprave. 1 The lines in Italic are omitted in the fo's and R. Without Without more motive, into ev'ry brain, That looks fo many fathoms to the fea, And hears it roar beneath. Ham. It waves me ftill.---Go on, I'll follow thee. Ham. Hold off your hands. • Hor. Be rul'd, you shall not go. Ham. My fate cries out, And makes each petty P artery in this body As hardy as the Nemean lion's nerve. Still am I call'd. Unhand ine, gentlemen -- [Breaking from them. By heaven, I'll make a ghoft of him that lets me --- t Exeunt Ghoft and Hamlet. Hor. He waxes defp'rate with imagination. Mar. Let's follow; 'tis not fit thus to obey him. 411 Mar. Something is rotten in the ftate of Denmark. Mar. Nay, let's follow him. Ham. Whither wilt thou lead me? fpeak, I'll go no further. Ghoft. Mark me. Ham. I will. Ghost. My hour is almost come, When I to fulphurous and tormenting flames Muft render up myself. Ham. Alas, poor ghost! Ghost. Pity me not, but lend thy serious hearing To what I fhall unfold. Ham. Speak, I am bound to hear. Ghoft. So art thou to revenge, when thou shalt hear. Ghoft. I am thy father's fpirit, Doom'd for a certain time to walk the night, a And for the day confin'd to faft 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 fecrets of my prifon-house, I could a tale unfold, whofe lightest word u This description first given by T. x The fo's and all after, except C. Where for Whither. y First f. bower; ad f. bonour. 2 Second q. bere. So S. but gives not the reading of the other qu's, vix. bear. a W. reads too, i. c. moft or very. Heath proposes, to lafting fires, &c. Would Would harrow up thy foul, freeze thy young blood, Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres, b с And each particular hair to stand on end Like quills upon the fearful porcupine; To ears of flesh and blood. Lift, lift, oh lift! Ham. O God! Ghaft. Revenge his foul and moft unnatural murder. Ham. Murder? Ghoft. Murder most foul, as in the best it is; But this moft foul, ftrange, and unnatural. Ham. Hafte me to know it, that I, with wings as fwift As meditation, or the thoughts of love, 'Tis given out, that, fleeping in m my orchard, knotty. The fo's, R. P. T. and H. read e The qu's, fo's, and R. an for en. d So the qu's. The fo's read fretful; and all the fubfequent editors follow them, without mentioning any other reading. eThe qu's and fo's read, porpentine. f The fo's and R. read, Lift Hamlet, ab lift, The fo's, and all the editions after, read, O beav'n! h The fo's read, Haste, baßte me to know it; qu's, know 't; P. omits it. i The fo's, R. P. and H. read rots. n P. omits fo. Is by a forged process of my death Rankly abus'd; but know, thou noble youth, Ham. Oh, my prophetic foul! my uncle? r So to feduce! won to his fhameful luft The will of my moft (feeming) virtuous queen, t From me, whofe love was of that dignity, But virtue, as it never will be mov'd, Though lewdness court it in a fhape of heaven; But, foft! methinks I fcent the morning air --- |