He rais'd a sigh so piteous and profound, Whose violent property foredoes itself, 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 com mand, I did repel his letters, and denied His access to me. Pol. That hath made him mad. I am sorry, that with better heed and judgment, I had not quoted 10 him: I fear'd, he did but trifle, 8 i. e. his breast. The bulke or breast of a man, Thorax, la poitrine.'-Baret. Thus in King Richard III. Act i. Sc. 4, Clarence says: but still the envious flood Kept in my soul, and would not let it forth, But smothered it within my panting bulk.' Malone cites this and the following passage, and yet explains it all his body! her heart Beating her bulk, that his hand shakes withal.' Rape of Lucrece. 9 To foredo and to undo were synonymous. Thus in Othello :That either makes me or fordoes me quite.' 10 To quote is to note, to mark. Thus in The Rape of Lu crece: 'Yea, the illiterate Will quote my loathed trespass in my looks.' This word in the quarto is written coted, which was the old orthography of quoted. And meant to wreck thee; but, beshrew my jealousy! To cast beyond ourselves in our opinions, To lack discretion 11. Come, go we to the king: move More grief to hide, than hate to utter love 12. Come 13 [Exeunt. 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, 2 I cannot dream of: I entreat you both, 11 This is not the remark of a weak man. It is always the fault of a little mind made artful by long commerce with the world. The quartos read, ‹ By heaven it is as proper,' &c. 12 This must be made known to the king, for (being kept secret) the hiding Hamlet's love might occasion more mischief to us from him and the queen, than the uttering or revealing it will occasion hate and resentment from Hamlet.' Johnson, whose explanation this is, attributes the obscurity to the poet's affectation of concluding the scene with a couplet.' There would surely have been more affectation in deviating from the universally established custom. 13 Folio omits come. 1 Quarto-sith n nor. 2 Folio-deem. That,-being of so young days brought up with him: And, since, so neighbour'd to his youth and humour3, That you vouchsafe your rest here in our court Queen. Good gentlemen, he hath much talk'd of you; And, sure I am, two men there are not living, Both your majesties Ros. Guil. But we both obey; And here give up ourselves, in the full bent9, To be commanded. King. Thanks, Rosencrantz, and gentle Guilden stern: 3 Quarto-haviour. 4 This line is omitted in the folio. 5 Gentry for gentle courtesy. 'Gentlemanlinesse or gentry, kindness, or natural goodness. Generositas.'-Baret. 6 Supply and profit is aid and advantage. 7 i. e. over us. 8 Folio omits but. 9 There is no ground for the assertion that this metaphorical expression is derived from bending a bow. See Much Ado About Nothing, Act ii. Sc. 3. Hamlet in a future scene says:They fool me to the very top of my bent.' i. e. to the utmost of my inclination or disposition. Queen. Thanks, Guildenstern, and gentle Rosen crantz ; And I beseech you instantly to visit My too much changed son.-Go, some of you, Pleasant and helpful to him! Queen. Ay, Amen! [Exeunt Ros. GUIL. and some Attendants. Enter POLONIUS. Pol.The embassadors from Norway, my good lord, Are joyfully return'd. King: Thou still hast been the father of good news. 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; King. O, speak of that; that do I long to hear. in. 10 i. e. the trace or track. Vestigium. It is that vestige, whether of footmarks or scent, which enables the hunter to follow the game. Folio-as I have. 12 Folio-news. By fruit dessert is meant. VOL. X. U Re-enter POLONIUS, with VOLTIMAND and King. Well, we shall sift him.-Welcome, my good friends! Say, Voltimand, what from our brother Norway? Vol. Most fair return of greetings and desires. It was against your highness: Whereat griev'd,- To give the assay 14 of arms against your majesty. Gives him three thousand crowns in annual fee 15; [Gives a Paper. That it might please you to give quiet pass 13 i. e. deluded, imposed on, deceived by false appearances. It is used several times by Shakspeare, Macbeth, Act iii. Sc. 1; Much Ado about Nothing, Act iv. Sc. 1; Cymbeline, Sc. ult. 14 Malone refers to the custom of taking the assay of wine, &c. before it was drunk by princes and other great persons, to ascertain that it was not poisoned. But the expression in the text has nothing to do with that custom. To give the assay of arms is to attempt or essay any thing in arms, or by force. Accingi armis.' I have to request the reader's patience for this superfluous note, but it is really sometimes impossible to resist exposing such mistakes. 15 That is, the king gave his nephew a feud or fee in land of that annual value. The quartos read three score thousand. |