* buy. O. C. throughout.

And thus do we of wisdom and of reach,
With windlaces, and with assays of bias,(4)
By indirections find directions out;

So, by my former lecture and advice,

Shall you my son: You have me," have you not?
REY. My lord, I have.

POL.

God be wi'*you; fare you well..

REY. Good my lord,

POL. Observe his inclination in yourself.(5)
REY. I shall, my lord.

POL. And let him ply his musick.

REY.

Well, my lord.

[Exit.

Enter OPHELIA.

+ 0, my lord, my lord. 4tos.

✰ closet. 4tos.

POL. Farewell!-How now, Ophelia? What's the matter?

ОPH. Alas, my lord,† my lord, I have been so affrighted!

POL. With what, in the name of heaven?

OPH. My lord, as I was sewing in my chamber,‡
Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbrac'd;
No hat upon his head; his stockings foul'd,
Ungarter'd, and down-gyved to his ancle; (6)
Pale as his shirt; his knees knocking each other;
And with a look so piteous in purport,

As if he had been loosed out of hell,

To speak of horrors,-he comes before me.
POL. Mad for thy love?

OPH.

But, truly, I do fear it.

POL.

My lord, I do not know;

What said he?

OPH. He took me by the wrist, and held me hard;
Then goes he to the length of all his arm;
And, with his other hand thus o'er his brow,

You have me] i, e. take, conceive, me; have my meaning.

He falls to such perusal of my face,

As he would draw it. Long staid he so;
At last, a little shaking of mine arm,
And thrice his head thus waving up and down,-
He rais'd a sigh so piteous and profound,
That it did seem to shatter all his bulk,"
And end his being: That done, he lets me go:
And, with his head over his shoulder turn'd,
He seem'd to find his way without his eyes;
For out o'doors he went without their help,
And, to the last, bended their light on me.

POL. Got with me; I will go seek the king.
This is the very ecstasy of love;
Whose violent property foredoes itself,

And leads the will to desperate undertakings,

As oft as any passion under heaven,

That does afflict our natures. I am sorry,

What, have you given him any hard words of late?

ОPH. 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.

* As. 4tos.

+ Come, go. 4tos.

crosse. 1603.

So 4tos.

1623,32.

I am sorry, that with better heed § and judgment,
I had not quoted him.") I fear'd, he did but trifle, speed.
And meant to wreck thee; but, beshrew my jea-
lousy!

It seems, it is as proper to our age

To cast beyond ourselves in our opinions,

As it is common for the younger sort

To lack discretion.(8) Come, go we to the king:
This must be known; which, being kept close,

might move

More grief to hide, than hate to utter love.(9)

Come.

[Exeunt.

his bulk] i. e. whole frame. See R. III. I. 4. Clar. bforedoes] i. e. brings to a premature end, destroys. See Haml. V. 1. Haml.

beshrew my jealousy] i. e. a mischief on! See M. N. Dr. II. 3. Hermia.

SCENE II.

A Room in the Castle.

Enter King, Queen, ROSENCRANTZ, GUILDENSTERN, and Attendants.

KING. Welcome, dear Rosencrantz, and Guilden-
stern!

Moreover that we much did long to see you,
The need, we have to use you, did provoke
Our hasty sending. Something have you heard
Of Hamlet's transformation; so I call it,

* sith nor. Since not* the exterior nor the inward man

4tos.

Resembles that it was: What it should be,
More than his father's death, that thus hath put him
So much from the understanding of himself,

+ dream. I cannot deeme† of: I entreat you both,

4tos.

haviour. 4tos.

That, being of so young days brought up with him;
And, since, so neighbour'd to his youth and hu-

mour,

That you vouchsafe your rest here in our court
Some little time: so by your companies

To draw him on to pleasures; and to gather, occasion. So much as from occasions § you may glean, [Whether aught, to us unknown, afflicts him thus,] That, open'd, lies within our remedy.

4tos.

QUEEN. Good gentlemen, he hath much talk'd
of you;

And, sure I am, two men there are not living,
To whom he more adheres. If it will please you
To show us so much gentry, and good will.

I cannot deeme of] i. e. the just estimate of himself I cannot

judge of, or comprehend.

b neighbour'd to] i. e. close familiarity with.

a

As to expend your time with us a while,
For the supply and profit of our hope,
Your visitation (10) shall receive such thanks
As fits a king's remembrance.

Ros.

Both your majesties
Might, by the sovereign power you have of us,"
Put your dread pleasures more into command
Than to entreaty.

GUIL.

We both obey;

And here give up ourselves, in the full bent,
To lay our services+ freely at your feet,

To be commanded.

KING. Thanks, Rosencrantz, and gentle Guil

denstern.

QUEEN. Thanks, Guildenstern, and gentle Rosencrantz :

And I beseech you instantly to visit

My too much changed son.

Go, some of you,

And bring these gentlemen where Hamlet is.

GUIL. Heavens make our presence, and our

POL. The embassadors from Norway, my good lord,

Are joyfully return'd.

KING. Thou still hast been the father of good news.d

* For the supply and profit] i. e. in aid and furtherance. of us] i. e. over us.

in the full bent] i. e. to the full stretch and range. It is a term derived from archery. See M. ado &c. II. 3. Bened.

d the father of good news] i. e. he, from whom it sprung or was derived.

But we. 4tos.

t service.

4tos.

& 1603.

POL. Have I, my lord? Assure you, my good

liege,

I hold my duty, as I hold my soul,

and. 4tos. Both to my God, one to my gracious king: And I do think, (or else this brain of mine + So 4tos. Hunts not the trail of policy(11) so sure I have. As it hath us'd to do,) that I have found The very cause of Hamlet's lunacy.

1623,

32.

depth.

1603.

fruit.

4tos.

a

KING. O, speak of that; that do I long to hear. POL. Give first admittance to the embassadors; My news shall be the news § to that great feast. KING. Thyself do grace to them, and bring them in. [Exit POLONIUS. He tells me, my sweet Queen, that he hath found Gertrude, The head and source of all your son's distemper. QUEEN. I doubt it is no other but the main ;(12) His father's death, and our o'erhasty marriage.

Il deere

he hath. 4tos.

Re-enter POLONIUS, with VOLTIMAND and CORNELIUS.

KING. Well, we shall sift him. Welcome, [my]
good friends!

Say, Voltimand, what from our brother Norway?
VOLT. Most fair return of greetings, and desires.
Upon our first, he sent out to suppress
His nephew's levies; which to him appear'd
To be a preparation 'gainst the Polack;
But, better look'd into, he truly found

It was against your highness: Whereat griev'd,
That so his sickness, age, and impotence,
Was falsely borne in hand,(13)-sends out arrests
On Fortinbras; which he, in brief, obeys;

a

My news shall be the news] Fruit is the reading of the quartos. By news must be meant the talk or leading topic at, &c.

b grace] i. e. the honours.

с

Upon our first] i. e. audience, or opening of our business.

d sends out arrests] i. e. he issues. See "drew," Lear, II. 4. Kent; where I is understood.