64 THE GHOST SCENE IN HAMLET. With servile souls this mill we fed," The Mill grinds on! God lets it grind ! THE GHOST SCENE IN HAMLET.' SHAKESPEARE. In the following scene-from which is omitted some of the dialogue--the young orator will find excellent opportunities for practising himself in attitude, gesture and expression. Hamlet's whole appearance should denote a solemn awe, his voice should be tremulous-particularly when he addresses the visitant from the other world as father; then his whole frame should tremble with emotion, and his voice break, as if overcome by the flood of painful recollections. The "Ghost's" part should be delivered in a low, impressive, guttural tone, suggestive of the hollow echoes of the tomb: Enter GHOST. Hamlet. Angels and ministers of grace defend us !— Bring with thee airs from heaven, or blasts from hell, Be thy intents wicked, or charitable, Thou comest in such a questionable shape, That I will speak to thee; I'll call thee, Hamlet, King, father; Royal Dane, O, answer me: THE GHOST SCENE IN HAMLET. Let me not burst in ignorance! but tell, Hath ope'd his ponderous and marble jaws, With thoughts beyond the reaches of our souls? Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night: Till the foul crimes, done in my days of nature, Are burnt and purged away. But that I am forbid I could a tale unfold, whose lightest word Would harrow up thy soul; freeze thy young blood; Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres; And each particular hair to stand an-end, Like quills upon the fretful porcupine: But this eternal blazon must not be To ears of flesh and blood:-List, list, O list! If thou didst ever thy dear father love,— Ham. O heaven! Ghost. Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder." Ham. Murder? Ghost. Murder most foul, as in the best it is; But this most foul, strange, and unnatural. Ham. Haste me to know it; that I, with wings as swift As meditation, or the thoughts of love, May sweep to my revenge. Ghost. I find thee apt; And duller shouldst thou be than the fat weed That rots itself in ease on Lethe wharf, Wouldst thou not stir in this. Now, Hamlet, hear: 'Tis given out, that, sleeping in mine orchard, A serpent stung me; so the whole ear of Denmark Is by a forged process of my death Rankly abused: but know, thou noble youth, The serpent, that did sting thy father's life, Ham. O, my prophetic soul! my uncle! Ghost, Ay, that incestuous, that adulterous beast 65 66 THE GHOST SCENE IN HAMLET. With witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts, But virtue, as it never will be moved, Though lewdness court it in a shape of heaven; And prey on garbage. But, soft! methinks I scent the morning air; Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole Thus was I, sleeping, by a brother's hand, Of life, of crown, of queen, at once dispatch'd: No reckoning made, but sent to my account, OUR HEROES SHALL LIVE. And 'gins to pale his uneffectual fire! 67 Adieu, adieu, adieu! remember me. [Exit. Ham. O all you host of heaven! O earth! What else? And shall I couple hell ?-O fy!--Hold, hold, my heart; And you, my sinews, grow not instant old, But bear me stiffly up!-Remember thee? Ay, thou poor ghost, while memory holds a seat I'll wipe away all trivial fond records, All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past, O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain! My tables,-meet it is, I set it down, That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain ! At least, I am sure, it may be so in Denmark: (writing) It is, Adieu, adieu! remember mo. I have sworn't. OUR HEROES SHALL LIVE. HENRY WARD BEECHER. This brief extract from a splendid oration should be spoken in clear, defined tones, rather high pitch, the utterance slow, with a rather long pause after each question : Oh, tell me not that they are dead-that generous host, that airy army of invisible heroes. They hover as a cloud of witnesses above this nation. Are they dead that yet speak louder than we can speak, and a more universal language? Are they dead that yet act? Are they dead that yet move upon society, and inspire the people with nobler motives, and more heroic patriotism? Ye that mourn, let gladness mingle with your tears. It was your son, but now he is the nation's. He made your household bright: now his example inspires a thousand households. Dear to his brothers and sisters, he is now brother to every generous youth in the land. Before, he was narrowed, appropriated, shut up to you. 'Now he is augmented, set free, and given to all. Before, he was yours he is ours. He has died from the family, that he might live to the nation. Not one name shall be forgotten or neglected: and it shall by and by be confessed of our modern heroes, as it is of an ancient hero, that he did more for his country by his death than by his whole life. 68. KATHERINE'S DEFENCE. KATHERINE'S DEFENCE. SHAKESPEARE. In the beginning of this speecn Queen Katherine speaks in a low, subdued tone, in a kneeling posture. When she speaks of her conduct as a wife and mother her eyes suffuse with tears--her voice grows tremulous with agitation; but as she replies to the cutting insinuation of her enemies, her form grows erect and dilates with all the power of conscious rectitude, and her lip curls with haughty disdain. Meanwhile her tones become sharp and biting: Q. Kath. Sir, I desire you do me right, and justice; I am a most poor woman, and a stranger, And take your good grace from me? Heaven witness At all times to your will conformable: Ever in fear to kindle your dislike, Yea, subject to your countenance; glad, or sorry, I ever contradicted your desire, Or made it not mine too? Or which of your friends He were mine enemy? what friend of mine, He was from thence discharged? Sir, call to mind, |