The leperous distilment ; whose effect
Holds such an enmity with blood of man,
That, swift as quicksilver, it courses through
The natural gates and alleys of the body ;
And, with a sudden vigour, it doth posset
And curd, like eager droppings into milk,
The thin and wholesome blood : so did it mine ;
And a most instant tetter bark'd about,
Most lazar-like, with vile and loathsome crust,
All my smooth body.

Thus was I, sleeping, by a brother's hand,
Of life, of crown, and queen, at once dispatch'd;
Cuť off even in the blossoms of my sin,
Unhousel'd, disappointed, unanel'd :
No reckoning made, but sent to my account
With all my imperfections on my head :
0, horrible ! O, horrible ! most horrible !
If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not ;
Let not the royal bed of Denmark be
A couch for luxury and damned incest.
But, howsoever thou pursu'st this act,
Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive
Against thy mother aught ; leave her to heaven,
And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge,
To prick and sting her. Fare thee well at once!
The glow-worm shows the matin to be near,
And gins to pale his uneffestual fire :
Adieu, adieu, Hamlet ! remember me. [Erit.
Ham. O all you host of heaven ! O earth !

What else?
And shall I couple hell ?-O fie !-Hold, my
And you, my sinews, grow not instant old,
But bear me stiffly up !-Remember thee?
Ay, thou poor ghost, while memory holds a seat
In this distracted globe. Remember thee?

heart;

Yea, from the table of my memory
I'll wipe away all trivial fond records,
All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past,
That youth and observation copied there ;
And thy commandment all alone shall live
Within the book and volume of my brain,
Unmix'd with baser matter : yes, yes, by

heaven !
O most pernicious woman!
O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain !
My tables, my tables,-meet it is I set it down,
That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain;
At least I'm sure it may be so in Denmark ;

[Writing
So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word ;
It is, Adieu, adieu ! remember me.
I have sworn't.

Hor. [within.] My lord, my lord,-
Mar. [within.] Lord Hamlet,-
Hor. [within.] Heaven secure him !
Mar. [within.]

So be it !
Hor. [within.) Illo, ho, ho, my lord !
Ham. Hillo, ho, ho, boy ! come, bird, come.

Enter HORATIO and MARCELLUS.
Mar. How is't, my noble lord ?
Hor.

What news, my lord ?
Ham. O, wonderful !
Hor.

Good my lord, tell it. Ham. No; you'll reveal it. Hor. Not I, my lord, by heaven. Mar.

Nor I, my lord. Ham. How say you then ; would heart of

man once think it? But you'll be secret, Hor., Mar.

Ay, by heaven, my lord. my lord.

Ham. There's ne'er a villain, dwelling in all

Denmark, But he's an arrant knave. Hor. There needs no ghost, my lord, come

froin the grave, To tell us this.

Ham. Why, right ; you are i' the right ;
And so, without more circumstance at all,
I hold it fit that we shake hands, and part ;
You, as your business and desire shall point

you, —
For every man has business and desire,
Such as it is, -and for mine own poor part,
Look you, I'll go pray.

Hor. These are but wild and hurling words,

Ham. I'm sorry they offend you, heartily ;
Yes, 'faith, heartily.
Hor.

There's no offence, my lord. Ham. Yes, by Saint Patrick, but there is, my

lord. And much offence too. Touching this vision

here,
It is an honest ghost, that let me tell you ;
For your desire to know what is between us,
O’ermaster it as you may.

And now, good
friends,
As you are friends, scholars, and soldiers,
Give me one poor request.
Hor.

What is't, my lord? We will. Ham. Never make known what you have

seen to-night. Hor., Mar. My lord, we will not. Ham.

Nay, but swear't. Hor.

In faith, My lord, not I.

Mar.

Nor I, my lord, in faith. Ham. Upon my sword. Mar. We have sworn, my lord, already. Ham. In deed, upon my sword, in deed. Ghost. [beneath.] Swear. Ham. Ha, ha, boy! say'st thou so ? art thou

there, truepenny ? Come on,--you hear this fellow in the cellar

age, Consent to swear. Hor.

Propose the oath, my lord. Ham. Never to speak of this that you have

seen,
Swear by my sword.

Ghost. [beneath.] Swear.
Ham. Hic et ubique ? then we'll shift our

ground:
Come hither, gentlemen,
And lay your hands again upon my sword :
Never to speak of this that you have heard,
Swear by my sword.

Ghost. [beneath.] Swear.
Ham. Well said, old mole ! can'st work i?

the ground so fast ? A worthy pioneer !-Once more remove, good

friends. Hor. O day and night, but this is wondrous

strange ! Ham. And therefore as a stranger give it

welcome. There are more things in heaven and earth,

Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in our philosophy.

But come;

Here, as before, never, so help you mercy!
How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself,

As I, perchance, hereafter shall think meet
To put an antic disposition on-
That you, at such times seeing me, never shall
With arms encumber'd thus, or this head-shake,
Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase,
As, Well, well, we know ;-or, We could, an if

we would ;Or, If we list to speak ;-or, There be, an if there

might;
Or such ambiguous giving out, to note
That you know aught of me :-this not to do,
So grace and mercy at your most need help you,
Swear.

Ghost. [beneath.] Swear.
Ham. Řest, rest, perturbed spirit! [They

swear.] So, gentlemen,
With all my love I do commend me to you :
And what so poor a man as Hamlet is
May do, to express his love and friending to you,
God willing, shall not lack. Let us go in to-

gether;
And still your fingers on your lips, I pray.
The time is out of joint ;-0 cursèd spite !
That ever I was born to set it right !
Nay, come, let's go together.

[Exeunt.