ACT II. SCENE I.-A Room in Polonius's House.

Rey.

Enter POLONIUS and REYNALDO.

Polonius.
D IVE_him this money, and these notes,

Reynaldo.
Rey. I will, my lord.

Pól. You shall do marvellous wisely,

good Reynaldo, Before you visit him, to make inquiry Of his behaviour.

My lord, I did intend it. Pol. Marry, well said : very well said. Look

you, sir, Inquire me first what Danskers are in Paris ; And how, and who, what means, and where

they keep, What company, at what expense; and finding, By this encompassment and drift of question, That they do know my son, come you more

nearer Than your particular demands will touch it : Take you, as 'twere, some distant knowledge of

him ; As thus, -í know his father, and his friends, And, in part, him, -do you mark this, Rey.

naldo? Rey. Ay, very well, my lord. Pol. And, in part, him ;-but, you may say,

not well: But if't be he I mean, he's very wild ; Addicted—so and so ;-and there put on him

nearer

Rey.

What forgeries you please ; marry, none so rank
As may dishonour him ; take heed of that ;
But, sir, such wanton, wild, and usual slips,
As are companions noted and most known
To youth and liberty.

As gaming, my lord.
Pol. Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing, quar-

relling,
Drabbing :-you may go so far.

Rey. My lord, that would dishonour him.
Pól. 'Faith, no; as you may season it in the

charge.
You must not put another scandal on him,
That he is open to incontinency ;
That's not my meaning : but breathe his faults

so quaintly,
That they may seem the taints of liberty :
The flash and outbreak of a fiery mind;
A savageness in unreclaimed blood,
Of general assault..
Rey.

But, my good lord, -
Pól. Wherefore should you do this?
Rey.

Ay, my lord, I would know that. Pol.

Marry, sir, here's my drift ; And, I believe, it is a fetch of warrant : You laying these slight sullies on my son, As 'twere a thing a little soil'd i' the working, Mark you, Your party in converse, him you would sound, Having ever seen, in the prenominate crimes, The youth you breathe of, guilty, be assured, He closes with you in this consequence; Good sir, or so; or friend, or gentleman, According to the phrase and the addition, Of man, and country.

Rey. Very good, my lord. · Pol. And then, sir, does he this,—he does-What was I about to say ? I was about to say something :—where did I

leave ? Rey. At closes in the consequence. At friend, or so, and gentleman.

Pol. At, closes in the consequence,-ay, marry; He closes with you thus :- I know the gentie

man; I saw him yesterday, or tother day, Or then, or then ; with such, and such; and, as

you say,
There was he gaming ; there o'ertook in his rouse;
There falling out at tennis; or, perchance,
I saw him enter such a house of sale,
(Videlicet, a brothel,) or so forth. -
See you now;
Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth :
And thus do we of wisdom and of reach,
With windlaces, and with assays of bias,
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,
Pól. Observe his inclination in yourself.
Rey. I shall, my lord.
Pol. And let him ply his music.
Rey.

Well, my lord. Pol. Farewell !

[Exit REYNALDO. Enter Ophelia. How now, Ophelia ? what's the matter? Oph. Alas, my lord, I have been so affrighted !

Pol. With what, in the name of heaven?
Oph. My lord, as I was sewing in my cham-

ber,
Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbraced ;
No hat upon his head ; his stockings foul'd,
Ungarter'd, and down-gyvéd to his ancle;
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.

My lord, I do not know ;
But, truly, I do fear it.
Pol.

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,
He falls to such perusal of my face,
As he would draw it. Long stay'd he so;
At last,—a little shaking of mine arm,
And thrice his head thus waving up and down,
He raised 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. Go with me; I will go seek the king.
This is the very ecstasy of love ;
Whose violent property fordoes 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? Oph. No, my good lord ; but, as you did

command,
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 him : I fear'd, he did but trifle,
And meant to wreck thee; but, beshrew my

jealousy! 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. 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.

(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, The need we have to use you did provoke Our hasty sending. Something have you heard Of Hamlet's transformation ; so I call'it, Since not the exterior nor the inward man 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,