King. Why, 'tis a loving and a fair reply; Be as ourself in Denmark. Madam, come; This gentle and unforce'd accord of Hamlet Sits fmiling to my heart; in grace whereof, No jocund health that Denmark drinks to-day, But the great cannon to the clouds fhall tell; And the King's rowse the heav'n fhall bruit again, Respeaking earthly thunder. Come, away. [Exeunt.

SCENE

III.

Manet Hamlet.

Ham. "Oh that this too-too-folid flesh would melt, "Thaw, and refolve itself into a dew! "Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd

"His cannon 'gainst felf-flaughter! Oh God! oh God! "How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable, "Seem to me all the ufes of this world! "Fie on't! oh fie! 'tis an unweeded garden, "That grows to feed; things rank, and grofs in nature, "Poffefs it merely. That it should come to this! "But two months dead! nay, not fo much; not two;→ "So excellent a King, that was, to this,

"Hyperion to a fatyr: fo loving to my mother, "That he permitted not the winds of heav'n "Vifit her face too roughly. Heav'n and earth! "Muft I remember-why, fhe would hang on him, "As if increase of appetite had grown

By what it fed on; yet, within a month,

"Let me not think - -Frailty, thy name is Woman! "A little month! or ere thofe fhoes were old, "With which fhe follow'd my poor father's body, "Like Niobe, all tears Why, fhe, ev'n fhe

46 (O heav'n,! a beast that wants difcourfe of reason, "Would have mourn'd longer-) married with mine

uncle,

My father's brother; but no more like my father, "Than I to Hercules. Within a month! "Ere yet the falt of moft unrighteous tears "ad left the flufhing in her gauled eyes, "She married. Oh, moft wicked speed, to poft With fuch dexterity * to incestuous sheets!

dexterity, for quickness fimply.

It is not, nor it cannot come to good.

But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue."

Enter Horatio, Bernardo, and Marcellus.

Hor. Hail to your Lordship!

Ham, I am glad to fee you well;

Horatio, or I do forget myself.

Hor. The fame, my Lord, and your poor fervant ever. Ham. Sir, my good friend; I'll change that name with you:

And what make you from Wittenberg, Horatio?
Marcellus !

Mar. My good Lord

Ham. I am very glad to fee you; good morning, Sir. But what, in faith, make you from Wittenberg? Hor. A truant difpofition, good my Lord. Ham. I would not hear your enemy fay fo; Nor fhall you do mine ear that violence, To make it trufter of your own report Against yourself. I know you are no truant; But what is your affair in Elfinoor?

We'll teach you to drink deep ere you depart.

Hor. My Lord, I came to fee your father's funeral.
Ham. I pr'ythee, do not mock me, fellow-ftudent;

I think it was to fee my mother's wedding.

Hor. Indeed, my Lord, it follow'd hard upon. Ham. Thrift, thrift, Horatio; the funeral bak'd meats Did coldly furnish forth the marriage-tables. 'Would I had met my dearest foe in heav'n,

Or ever I had feen that day Horatio!

My father methinks I fee my father.
Hor. Oh where, my Lord?

Ham. In my mind's eye, Horatio.

Hor. I faw him once, he was a goodly King.
Ham. He was a man, take him for all in all,

I fhall not look upon his like again.

Hor. My Lord, I think I faw him yefternight.
Ham. Saw! who?.

Hor. My Lord, the King your father.

Ham. The King my father!

Hor. Seafon *
your admiration but a while,
With an attentive ear; till I deliver,
Upon the witness of these gentlemen,
This marvel to you.

Ham. For heaven's love, let me hear.

Hor. Two nights together had thefe gentlemen,
Marcellus and Bernardo, on their watch,
In the dead wafte and middle of the night,
Been thus encountred: A figure, like your father,
Arm'd at all points exactly, cap-a-pe,

Appears before them, and with folemn, march
Goes flow and ftately by them; thrice he walk'd,
By their opprefs'd and fear-furprised eyes,
Within his truncheon's length; whilft they (diftill'd
Almoft to jelly with the effect of fear)

Stand dumb, and speak not to him. This to me
In dreadful fecrecy impart they did.

And I with them the third night kept the watch;
Where, as they had deliver'd both in time,
Form of the thing, each word made true and good,
The apparition comes. I knew your father:
Thefe hands are not more like.

Ham. But where was this?

Hor. My Lord, upon the platform where we watch'd, Ham. Did you not fpeak to it?

Hor. My Lord, I did;

But answer made it none.

Yet once methought

It lifted up its head, and did address

Itfelf to motion, like as it would speak:

But even then the morning-cock crew loud;
And at the found it fhrunk in hafte away,
And vanish'd from our fight.

Ham. 'Tis very strange.

Hor. As I do live, my honour'd lord, 'tis true; And we did think it writ down in our duty

To let you know of it

Ham. Indeed, indeed, Sirs, but this troubles me, Hold you the watch to-night?

Both. We do, my Lord,

Ham. Arm d, fay you?

Both. Arm'd, my Lord.

feafon, for moderate.

Ham. From top to toe?

Both. My Lord, from head to foot.
Ham. Then faw you not his face?

Hor. Oh, yes, my Lord; he wore his beaver up.
Ham. What, look'd he frowningly?

Hor. A count'nance more in forrow than in anger. Ham. Pale, or red?

Hor. Nay, very pale.

Ham. And fix'd his eyes upon you?

Hor. Moft constantly.

Ham. I would I had been there!

Hor. It would have much amaz'd you.

Ham. Very like. Staid it long?

Hor. While one with moderate hafte might tell a hundred.

Both. Longer, longer.

Her. Not when I faw't.

Ham. His beard was grifl'd? no.

Hor. It was, as I have seen it in his life,

A fable filver'd.

Ham. I'll watch to-night; perchance 'twill walk again.

Her. I warrant you, it will.

Ham. If it affume my noble father's perfon, I'll speak to it, tho' hell itself should

If

gape,

And bid me hold my peace. I pray you all,
you have hitherto conceal'd this fight,
Let it be ten'ble in your filence ftill:
And whatfoever shall befal to-night,
Give it an understanding, but no tongue;
I will requite your loves: fo fare

ye well. Upon the platform 'twixt eleven and twelve I'll vifit you.

All. Our duty to your Honour.

[Exeunt.

Ham. Your loves, as mine to you: farewel. My father's fpirit in arms! all is not well.

I doubt fome foul play: 'would the night were come! Till then fit ftill, my foul: foul deeds will rife (Tho' all the earth o'erwhelm them) to men's eyes.

[Exit.

SCENE

SCENE V.

Changes to an apartment in Polonius's houfe.
Enter Laertes and Ophelia.

Laer. My neceffaries are imbark'd, farewel;
And, fifter, as the winds give benefit,
And convoy is affiftant, do not sleep,
But let me hear from you.

Oph. Do you doubt that?

Laer. For Hamlet, and the trifling of his favour, "Hold it a fashion and a toy in blood;

"A violet in the youth of primy nature;

Forward, not permanent; tho' fweet, not lafting; "The perfume, and fuppliance of a minute; No more--

Oph. No more but fo?

Laer. Think it no more:

For nature crefcent does not grow alone
In thews and bulk; but, as this temple waxes,
The inward fervice of the mind and foul

;

Grows wide withal. Perhaps he loves you now
And now no foil of cautel doth befmerch
The virtue of his will: but you must fear,
His greatnefs weigh'd, his will is not his own;
For he himself is subject to his birth.
He may not, as unvalued perfons do,
Carve for himself; for on his choice depends
The fafety and the health of the whole state:
And therefore muft his choice be circumfcrib'd
Unto the voice and yielding of that body
Whereof he's head. Then, if he fays he loves you,
It fits your wifdom fo far to believe † it,
As he in his peculiar act and place

May give his faying deed; which is no further,
Than the main voice of Denmark goes withal.
Then weigh what lofs your honour may fuftain,
If with too credent ear you lift his fongs;

Or lofe your heart; or your chafte treasure open
To his unmafter'd importunity.

Fear it, Ophelia; fear it, my dear fifter;

gilding, for confent fimply.

1 to belong, for to a&i conformably

And