Hor. E'en fo, my lord.

Ham. To what base uses we may return, Horatio! Why may not imagination trace the noble duft of Alexander, till he found it stopping a bung-hole?

Hor. 'Twere to confider too curiously, to confider fo.

m

Ham. No, 'faith, not a jot: But to follow him thither with modesty enough, and likelyhood to lead it; " Alexander died, Alexander was buried, Alexander returneth " to duft; the duft is earth; of earth we make lome; and why of that lome, whereto he was converted, might they not stop a beerbarrel?

• Imperious Cafar, dead and turn'd to clay,

Might ftop a hole to keep the wind away.

Oh, that the earth, which kept the world in awe,
Should patch a wall, t' expel the water's flaw!
But foft, but foft awhile!-here comes the king,

SCENE II.

Enter King, Queen, Laertes, and a Coffin, with Lords and
Priests, attendant.

The queen, the courtiers! Who is this they follow,
And with fuch maimed rites? This doth betoken,

The coarse they follow, did with defperate hand

• So the qu's; all the reft read, Im- Who is that they follow; the 2d, Who perial. is't that they follow; the 3d and 4th, P The 2d f. reads expel, omitting the and R, What is't that they follow; P. contracted to. and the reft, What is that they follow.

9 So the qu's; all the reft, winter's

M 2

Foredo

t

Foredo its own life. "Twas " of fome estate.

X

Ham. That is Laertes, a very noble youth; y markLaer. What ceremony else?

a

Prieft. Her obfequies have been as far enlarg'd
As we have warranty; her death b was doubtful;
And but that great command o'ersways the order,
She fhould in ground unfanctified & have lodg'd
"Till the laft trumpet. For charitable f prayers,

с

с

d

Shards, flints, and pebbles fhould be thrown on her;
Yet here fhe is allow'd her virgin rites,

Her maiden-ftrewments, and the bringing home
Of bell and burial.

Laer. Muft there no more be done?

Prieft. No more be done!

We fhould prophane the fervice of the dead,

k

To fing a requiem, and fuch reft to her
As to peace-parted fouls.

y The 3d q. omits mark; the 2d reads Crants; W, chants. See Heath's Rev.

make.

z 1.'s duodecimo alters as to fo; fol

lowed by W. and J.

a The 1ft f. warrantis.

R.'s 8vo reads were for was.

in loc. and Canons, p. 109.

i P. omits there; followed by the after-editors except C.

k The fo's and R. read sage for a.

I The 3d and 4th fo's read peace departed.

Laer.

Laer. Lay her i'th' earth;

And from her fair and unpolluted flesh

May violets fpring! I tell thee, churlish priest,

A miniftring angel fhall my fifter be,

When thou lieft howling.

Ham. What, the fair Ophelia?

Queen. Sweets to the fweet. Farewel! [Scattering flowers. I hop'd, thou" fhouldft have been my Hamlet's wife; I thought thy bride-bed to have deck'd, fweet maid, And not have ftrew'd thy grave.

Laer. O treble woe

Fall ten times P double on that curfed head, Whose wicked deed thy moft 9 ingenious fenfe Depriv'd thee of! Hold off the earth awhile, 'Till I have caught her once more in mine arms. [Laertes leaps into the grave.

Г

Now pile your duft upon the quick and dead,
'Till of this flat a mountain you have made,
T'o'ertop old Pelion, or the skyish head
Of blue Olympus.

S

Ham. [difcovering himself.] What is he, whofe grief Bears fuch an emphafis, whofe phrase of sorrow Conjures the wandring stars, and makes them stand

m The 2d and 3d fo's, R. P. and H, reft read treble; R. reads treble woes on

P So the qu's; the fo's and all the 4th, and all the other editions, griefs

Like wonder-wounded hearers? This is I,

Hamlet the Dane.

"[Hamlet leaps into the grave,

"[Grappling with him.

Laer. The devil take thy foul!

Ham. Thou pray'st not well.

I pr'ythee, take thy fingers from my throat —
For though I am not splenetive * and rash;
Yet have I in me fomething dangerous,

Which let thy wisdom fear,

King. Pluck them asunder.
Queen. Hamlet, Hamlet.

b All. Gentlemen.

Hor. Good my lord, be quiet,

* Hold off thy hand,

C

[The attendants part them.

Ham. Why, I will fight with him upon this theme,

Until my eyelids will no longer wag.

Queen. Oh my fon, what theme?

Ham. I lov'd Ophelia; forty thousand brothers
Could not with all their quantity of love

Make up my fum. What wilt thou do for her?
King. O, he is mad, Laertes.

Queen. For love of God, forbear him.

Ham.

'Swounds fhew me what thou'lt do:

с

Woo't weep? woo't fight? woo't faft? woo't tear thyself?

The 2d and 3d qu's read 'Tis I.
These directions by R.

w The fo's and R. read Sir inftead of For.

* First and 2d qu's omit and.

y The fo's and R. transpose the words thus, fomething in me.

The fo's and R. read wifenefa.

3

a The fo's and R. read, Away thy band.

b This fpeech is omitted in all but the qu's and C.

This direction by R.

d So the qu's and C; the reft read, Come fhew me, &c.

The fo's and R, omit, we't faft.

Woo't

Woo't drink up feifel, eat a crocodile ?
I'll do't.-Doft thou come here to whine?
To out-face me with leaping in her grave?
Be buried quick with her, and fo will I;
And if thou prate of mountains, let them throw
Millions of acres on us, 'till our ground,
Singing his pate against the burning zone,
Make Offa like a wart! Nay, an thou❜lt mouth,
I'll rant as well as thou.

i Queen. This is meer madness;

k

And thus awhile the fit will work on him;

Anon, as patient as 'the female dove,

When that her golden couplets are difclos'd, His filence will fit drooping.

Ham. Hear you, fir

What is the reason that

I lov'd you

you ufe me thus ?

0 ever; but it is no matter

Let Hercules himself do what he may,

The cat will mew, P and dog will have his day.

[Exit.

King. I pray thee, good Horatio, wait upon him. [Ex. Hor.

† Eifel, i. e. vinegar. T. The qu's and P. read Esill ; the fo's and R. Efile; C. Elfil; H. Nile, woot eat, &c.

g The 3d and 4th fo's and R. read hither; P. and thofe after him, except C. bitber but to whine.

h This reading is abfurd in all fenfes. We fhould read fun. W. But we are here to confider Hamlet as acting the madman,

does S. but gives not the reading of the 3d, thus.

1 The 2d q. reads the female doe; the 3d, a female doe.

m W. reads, Ere that, &c.
n Fo's, cuplet.

The 3d q. reads well for ever i
S. takes no notice of this reading.
P The 2d and 3d qu's and T.'s Svo
read, a dog, &c. T.'s duodecimo, W.

i The fo's, R. and P. give this fpeech and J. the dog, &c. to the king.

9 So the qu's and C; all the reft read

The sft and 2d qu's read this; so you for thee.
M 4

Strengthen