Seem to me all the uses of this world! Fye on't O fye! 'tis an unweeded garden, That grows to seed; things rank, and gross in nature, Hyperion to a satyr:2 so loving to my mother, By what it fed on: And yet, within a month,- O heaven! a beast, that wants discourse of reason, Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears She married;-O most wicked speed, to post It is not, nor it cannot come to, good: But break, .my beart; for I must hold my tongue! Enter HORATIO, BERNARDO, and MARCELLUS. Ham. I am glad to see you well: Horatio, or I do forget myself. Hor. The same, my lord, and your poor servant ever. Ham. Sir, my good friend.; I'll change that name with you. And what make you from Wittenberg, Horatio ?— Mar. My good lord, Ham. I am very glad to see you ;--good even, sir. [2] This similitude at first sight seems to be a little far-fetched; but it has an exquisite beauty. By the Satyr is meant Pan, as by Hyperion, Apollo. Fan and Apollo were brothers, and the allusion is to the contention between those gods for the preference in music. WARBURTON. [3] Beteem occurs in the tenth book of Arthur Golding's version of Ovid's Metamorphosis, 1587, and from the corresponding latin, must necessarily aignify, to vouchsafe, deign, permit, or suffer: "Yet could he not beteeme "The shape of anie other bird than egle for to seeme." nulla tamen alite verti Dignatur, nisi quæ possit sua fulmina fere." Sign. R. 1. b. V. 157. STEEV. But what, in faith, make you from Wittenberg? We'll teach you to drink deep, ere you depart. Hor. Indeed, my lord, it follow'd hard upon. Ham. Thrift, thrift, Horatio! the funeral bak'd meats4 Did coldly furnish forth the marriage-tables. 'Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven 5 Or ever I had seen that day, Horatio !— My lord? Ham. In my mind's eye, Horatio. Hor. I saw him once, he was a goodly king. I shall not look upon his like again. Hor. My lord, I think I saw him yesternight. Hor. My lord, the king your father. Ham. The king my father! Hor. Season your admiration for a while With an attent ear; till I may deliver, This marvel to you. Ham. For God's love, let me hear. Hor Two nights together had these gentlemen, Marcellus and Bernardo, on their watch, In the dead waist and middle of the night, Been thus encounter'd. A figure like your father, Appears before them, and, with solemn march, thrice he walk'd, By their oppress'd and fear-surprized eyes, [4] It was anciently the general custom to give a cold entertainment to mourners at a funeral. In distant counties this practice is still continued among the yeomanry. See Romeo and Juliet, p. 73. COLLINS. [5] Dearest, for direst, most dreadful, most dangerous. JOHNSON. Dearest signifies, most consequential, important. See Timon of Athens. act 5. sc. ii. STEEVENS. Within his truncheon's length; whilst they, distill'd And I with them, the third night kept the watch: Form of the thing, each word made true and good, These hands are not more like. Ham. But where was this? Mar. My lord, upon the platform where we watch'd. Ham. Did you not speak to it? Hor. My lord, I did; But answer made it none : yet once, methought, It lifted up its head, and did address Itself to motion, like as it would speak : But, even then, the morning cock crew loud ; Ham. 'Tis very strange. Hor. As I do live, my honour'd lord, 'tis true; Ham. Indeed, indeed, sirs, but this troubles me. All. We do, my lord. Ham. Arm'd, say you? All. Arm'd, my lord. Ham. From top to toe? All. My lord, from head to foot. Ham. Then saw you not His face? Hor. O, yes, my lord; he wore his beaver up. Hor. A countenance more In sorrow than in anger. Ham. Pale, or red? Hor. Nay, very pale. Ham. And fix'd his eyes upon you? Hor. Most constantly. Ham. I would, I had been there. Hor. It would have much amaz'd you. Ham. Very like, Very like: Staid it long? Hor. While one with moderate haste might tell a hundred. Mar. Ber. Longer, longer. Hor. Not when I saw it. Ham. His beard was grizzl'd? no? Ham. I will watch to-night; Ham. If it assume my noble father's person,. All. Our duty to your honour. Ham. Your loves, as mine to you: Farewell. [Exe. HORATIO, MARCELLUS, and BERNARDO. My father's spirit in arms ! all is not well; I doubt some foul play: 'would, the night were come! Till then sit still, my soul: Foul deeds will rise, Though all the earth o’erwhelm them, to men's eyes. SCENE III. [Exit. A Room in POLONIUS' House. Enter LAERTES and OPHELIA. Laer. My necessaries are embark'd; farewell: And, sister, as the winds give benefit, And convoy is assistant, 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 permament, sweet, not lasting, Oph. No more but so? Laer. Think it no more: For nature, crescent, does not grow alone [6] The perfume, and suppliance of a minute; what is supplied to us for a minute. The idea seem to be taken from the short duration of vegetable perfume. STEEVENS. In thews, and bulk; but, as this temple waxes, Carve for himself; for on his choice depends Whereof he is the head: Then if he says he loves you, It fits your wisdom so far to believe it, As he in his particular act and place May give his saying deed; which is no further, Or lose your heart; or your chaste treasure open 8 Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister; Oph. I shall the effect of this good lesson keep, Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven ; [7] The virtue of his will means his virtuous intentions. Cautel means craft. So Coriolanus says: "Be caught by cautelous baits and practice." [8] Unmaster'd-i. e. licentious. JOHNSON. MASON. [9] Do not advance so far as your affection would lead you. JOHNSON. [1] That is, heeds not his own lessons. POPE. |