Imatges de pàgina
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Hor. You might have rhym'd.

Ham. Oh, good Horatio, I'll take the Ghoft's word for a thousand pounds. Didit perceive?

Hor. Very well, my Lord.

Ham. Upon the talk of the poisoning?

Hor. I did very well note him.

Ham. Oh, ha! come, fome mufick. Come, the recorders.

For if the King like not the comedy;
Why, then, belike,He likes it not, perdy.

Enter Rofincrantz and Guildenstern.

Come, fome musick,

Guil. Good my Lord, vouchfafe me a word with

you.

Ham. Sir, a whole history.

cock, Paicocke, and Pajocke. I
fubftitute Paddock as nearest to
the traces of the corrupted read-
ing. I have, as Mr. Pope fays,
been willing to fubftitute any
thing in the place of his Pea-
cock. He thinks a fable alluded
to, of the birds chufing a King;
inftead of the eagle, a peacock. I
suppose, he must mean the fable
of Barlandus, in which it is faid,
the birds being weary of their
ftate of anarchy, moved for the
fetting up
of a King: and the
Peacock was elected on account of
his gay feathers. But, with fub-
miffion, in this paffage of our
Shakespeare, there is not the leaft
mention made of the eagle in an
tithefis to the peacock; and it
must be by a very uncommon
figure, that Jove himself ftands
in the place of his bird. I think,

Hamlet is fetting his father's and uncle's characters in contrast to each other and means to fay, that by his father's death the ftate was flripp'd of a godlike monarch, and that now in his stead reign'd the most despicable poifonous animal that could be: a meer paddock, or toad.``P AD, bufo, rubeta major; a toad. This word, I take to be of Hamlet's own fubftituting. The verses, repeated, feem to be from fome old bailad; in which, rhyme being neceffary, I doubt not but the laft verfe ran thus;

A very, very, Afs.

THEOBALD.

8 Why, then, belike,] Hamlet was going on to draw the confequence when the courtiers entered.

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Guit. The King, Sirode Hadi sWreck Ham. Ay, Sir, what of him?tva yog svelt Guil. Is, in his retirement, marvellous diftemper'd-eam Withdrink, Sir? of To? H JGD meGuilt No, my Lord, with cholera Food) 2. Ham. Your wifdomfhould fhew itfelf more rich, to fignify this to his Doftor; for, for me to put him her to his purgation, would, perhaps, plunge him into more choler. woy nadw and set no wo

AGA Guil. Good my Lord, put your difcourfe into fome frame, and ftare not fo wildly from my affair. Ham. I am tame, Sir.

Pronounce.zoote

Guil. The Queen your mother, in moft great affiction of fpirit, hath fent me to you.

Ham. You are welcome.

Guil. Nay, good my Lord, this Courtefy is not of the right Breed. If it fhall please you to make me a wholefome anfwer, I will do your mother's commandment; if not, your pardon and my return fhall be the end of my bufinefs..

Ham. Sir, I cannot.

Guil. What, my Lord?

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Ham. Make you a wholefome anfwer: my wit's difeas'd. But, Sir, fuch answer as I can make, you fhall command; or rather, as you fay, my mother. Therefore no more but to the matter. My mother, you fay

Raf. Then

ftruck her into amazement, and admiration.

Ham. Of us fhe fays. Your behaviour hath

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Ham. Oh wonderful fon, that can fo aftomifh a mother! But is there no fequél at the heels of this mother's admiration?

Rof. She defires to fpeak with you in her clofet, ere you go to bed.

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9 With drink, Sir?] Hamlet unkle's love of drink thall not be takes particular care that his forgotten.

Ham.

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Ham. We shall obey, were the ten times our mother. Have you any further trade with us? A Your moH Rof. My Lord, you once did love me I le Ham. So I do ftill, by thefe pickers and stealers. Rof. Good my Lord, what is your caufe of diftemper? You do, furely, bbar thendbar of your own liberty, if you deny your gefilte your friend

Ham. Sir, Flack advancement. nobjegung un o Rof. How can that be, when you have the voice of the King himself, for your fucceffion in Denmark? Ham. Ay, but while the grass grows the Proverb is fomething mufty?: 1- 12 amat me? mnd mnisdtoy woy Ass Hd in Enter one, with a Recorder.

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Oh, the Recorders; let me fee one. To withdraw with you-Why do you go about to recover the wind of me, as if you would drive me into a toile? 24 3

Guil. Oh my Lord, if my duty be too bold, my love is too unmannerly.

Ham. I do not well underftand that. Will you play upon this pipe?

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Guil. My Lord, I cannot.
Ham. I pray you.

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I cannot

1913 Guil. Believe me, 15d10am. I do befeech you.

Guil. I know no touch of it, my Lord.

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led Ham. 'Tis as eafy as lying. Govern thefe venta ges with your fingers and thumb, give it breath with your mouth, and it will difcourfe most eloquent muofick, Look you, these are the ftops.

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Guil. But thefe cannot I command to any utterance of harmony; I have not the skill.

Ham. Why, look you now, how unworthy a thing you would make of me; you would play upon me, you would feem to know my stops; you would pluck out the heart of my mystery; you would found me from my lowest note, to the top of my compafs; and there is much mufick, excellent voice, in this little organ, yet cannot you make it speak. Why, do you think, that I am easier to be play'd on than a pipe? Call me what inftrument you will, though you can fret me, you cannot play upon me.God bless you, Sir.

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Enter Polonius.

Pol. My Lord, the Queen would speak with you, and prefently.

Ham. Do you fee yonder cloud, that's almost in fhape of a Camel?

Pol. By the mafs, and it's like a Camel, indeed.
Ham. Methinks it is like an Ouzle.

Pol. It is black like an Ouzle.

Ham. Or, like a Whale?

Pol. Very like a Whale.

Ham. Then will I come to my mother by and by5 they fool me to the top of my bent.I will come by and by.

Pol. I will fay fo.

Ham. By and by is eafily faid. Leave me, friends.

[Exeunt. 'Tis now the very witching time of night, When church-yards yawn, and hell itself breathes

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And do fuch bitter business as the day

Would quake to look on. Soft, now to my mother

;

O heart, lofe not thy nature; let not ever
The Soul of Nero enter this firm bofom
Let me be cruel, but not unnatural;
I will speak daggers to her, but use none.
My tongue and foul in this be hypocrites ;
How in my words foever fhe be fhent,
? To give them feals never my foul confent!

SCENE

VIII.

Enter King, Rofincrantz, and Guildenstern.

King. I like him not, nor ftands it safe with us To let his madnefs range. Therefore, prepare you;

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your Commiffion will forthwith dispatch,

And he to England fhall along with you.
The terms of our eftate may not endure
Hazard fo near us, as doth hourly grow

6 And do fuch BITTER business as the day Would quake to look on] The expreffion is almoft burlesque. The old quarto reads, And do fuch bufinefs as the BIT TER day

Would quake to loak on. This is a little corrupt indeed, but much nearer Shakespear's words, who wrote,

BETTER day, which gives the fentiment great force and dignity. At this very

time (fays he) hell breathes out contagion to the world, whereby night becomes polluted and execrable; the horror therefore of this feafon fits me for a deed, which the pure and facred dy would quake to look on, This is faid with great claffical propriety. According to ancient fuperftition, night was prophane and execrable; and day, pure and holy.. WARBURTON.

7 To give them feals-] i. e. put them in execution. WAKB.

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