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. Or ever I had feen that day, Horatio! Ham. In my mind's eye, Horatio. Hor. I faw him once, he was a goodly King. Hor. My lord, I think, I faw him yesternight. Hor. My lord, the King your father. Hor. Seafon your admiration but a while, 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 waste and middle of the night, Been thus encountred: A figure like your father, Appears before them, and with folemn march Within his truncheon's length; whilft they (diftill'd And I with them the third night kept the watch; Ham. Ham. But where was this? Mar. My lord, upon the platform where we watcht. Ham. Did you not speak to it? Hor. My lord, I did; But anfwer made it none; yet once, methought, Itfelf to motion, like as it would speak: Ham. 'Tis very ftrange. 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. 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 fixt his eyes upon you? Hor. Moft conftantly. Ham. I would, I had been there! Hor. It would have much amaz'd you. Ham. Very like; ftaid it long? Hor. While one with moderate hafte might tell a hundred. Both. Longer, longer. Hor. Not when I faw't. Ham. His beard was grilly? Hor. It was, as I have feen it in his life, A fable filver'd. Ham. I'll watch to-night; perchance,'twill walk again. Hor. Hor. I warrant you, it will. Ham. If it affume my noble father's perfon, All. Our duty to your honour. Ham. Your loves, as mine to you: farewel. My father's spirit in arms! all is not well: [Exeunt. 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 changes to an Apartment in Polonius's Laer. And Houfe. Enter Laertes and Ophelia. neceffaries are imbark'd, farewel; M'And, fifter, as the winds give benefit, 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 prime nature, Forward, not permanent, tho' sweet, not lasting: 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 Grows wide withal. Perhaps, he loves you now; May give his faying deed; which is no further, Or lofe your heart, or your chafte treasure open Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear fifter; Oph. I fhall th' effects of this good leffon keep, Laer. Oh, fear me not. Enter Enter Polonius. I ftay too long;-but here my father comes: Occasion smiles upon a fecond leave. Pol. Yet here, Laertes! aboard, aboard for fhame; The wind fits in the fhoulder of your fail, (6) And you are ftaid for. There; My bleffing with you; [Laying his hand on Laertes's head. And these few precepts in thy memory See thou character. Give thy thoughts no tongue, Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar; Bear't that the oppofed may beware of thee. (6) The Wind fits in the Shoulder of your Sail, And you are ftaid for there. My Bleffing, &c.] There where in the Shoulder of his Sail? For to that muft this local Adverb relate, as 'tis fituated. Befides, it is a dragging idle Expletive, and feems of no Ufe but to fupport the Measure of the Verse. But when we come to point this Paffage right, and to the Poet's Intention in it, we fhall find it neither unneceffary, nor improper, in its Place. In the Speech immediately preceding this, Laertes taxes himself for staying too long; but feeing his Father approach, he is willing to ftay for a fecond Bleffing, and kneels down to that end: Polonius accordingly lays his hand on his Head, and gives him the fecond Bleffing. The manner, in which a Comic Actor behav'd upon this Occafion, was fure to raise a Laugh of Pleafure in the Audience: And the oldeft Quarto's, in the Pointing, are a Confirmation that thus the Poet intended it, and thus the Stage express'd it. Coftly |