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Which was the model of that Danish seal :

Folded the writ up in form of the other;

Subscrib'd it; gave 't the impression; plac'd it safely, The changeling never known: Now, the next day Was our sea-fight; and what to this was sequent Thou know'st already.

372

Hor. So Guildenstern and Rosencrantz go to't. Ham. Why, man, they did make love to this em ployment;

They are not near my conscience; their defeat
Doth 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!

880

Ham. Does it not, think thee, stand me now upon? He that hath kill'd my king, and whor'd my mother; Popt 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? 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 Eng

land,

What is the issue of the business there.

390

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

For by the image of my cause, I see

The portraiture of his : I'll count his favours:
But, sure, the bravery of his grief did put me
Into a towering passion.

Hor. Peace; who comes here?

Enter OSRICK.

Osr. Your lordship is right welcome back to Den

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Ham. I humbly thank you, sir.-Dost know this water-fly?

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: Put 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.

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Osr. It is indifferent cold, my lord, indeed. Ham. But yet, methinks, it is very sultry and hot; or my complexion

OST. Exceedingly, my lord; it is very sultry, -as 'twere,-I cannot tell how.-My lord, his majesty

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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 shewing: 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. 431

Ham. Sir, his definement suffers no perdition in you; though, I know, to divide him inventorially, would dizzy the arithmetic of memory; and yet but raw neither, in respect of his quick sail. verity of extolment, I take him to be a

But, in the

soul of great article; and his infusion of such dearth and rareness, as, to make true diction of him, his semblable is his mirrour; and, who else would trace him, his umbrage, nothing more.

440 Osr. Your lordship speaks most infallibly of him. Ham. The concernancy, sir? why do we wrap the gentleman in our more rawer breath ?

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Hor.. Is't not possible to understand in another tongue? You will do't, sir, really.

Ham. What imports the nomination of this gentle

"man?

Osr. Of Laertes?

Hør,

Hor. His purse is empty already; all's golden

words are spent.

Ham. Of him, sir.

Osr. I know, you are not ignorant

450

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.

460 Osr. I mean, sir, for his weapon: but in the imputation laid on him by them, in his meed he's unfellow'd.

Ham. What's his weapon?

Osr. Rapier and dagger. :

Ham. That's two of his weapons: but, well.

Osr. The king, sir, hath wager'd with him six Barbary horses: against the which he has impon'd, as I take it, six French rapiers and poniards, with their assigns, as girdle, hangers, and so: Three of the carriages, in 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?

473

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 germane to the matter, if we could carry a cannon by our sides; I

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would, it might be hangers 'till then. But, on: Six Barbary horses against six French swords, their assigns, and three liberal-conceited carriages; that's the French bett against-the Danish: Why is this impon'd, as you 484

call it ?

Osr. The king, sir, hath lay'd, that in a dozen passes between yourself and him, he shall not exceed you three hits he hath lay'd on twelve for nine; and it would come to immediate trial, if your lordship would vouchsafe the answer.

Ham. How if I answer, no?

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Osr. I mean, my lord, the opposition of your per. son 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.

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Osr. Shall I deliver you so?

Ham. To this effect, sir; after what flourish your nature will.

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Osr. I commend my duty to your lordship. [Exit. 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.

Ham. He did compliment with his dug, before he suck'd it. Thus has he (and many more of the same breed, that, I know, the drossy age doats on) only

got

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