Ofr. The carriages, Sir, are the hangers. Ham. The phrale would be more germane to the matter, if we could carry cannon by our fides; £ would it might be hangers till then. But, on; fix Barbary horfes againit fix French fwords, their affigus, and three liberal-conceited carriages; that's the French bett against the Danish; why is this imponed, as you call it?

Ofr. The King, Sir, hath laid, that in a dozen paffes between you and him, he fhall not exceed you three hits; he hath laid on twelve for nine; and it would come to immediate trial, if your Lordfhip would vouchfafe the anfwer..

Ham. How if I anfwer, no?

Ofr. I mean, my Lord, the oppofition of your perion in trial.

Ham. Sir, I will walk here in the hall: if it pleafe his Majefty, 'tis the breathing time of day: with me; let the foils be brought, the gentleman willing, and the King hold his purpofe, I will win for him if I can: if not, I'll gain nothing but my fhame, and the odd hits.

Ofr. Shall I deliver you fo?

Ham. To this effect, Sir, after what flourifh your

nature will.

Ofr. I commend my duty to your Lordship.

[Exit. Ham. Yours yours; he does well to commend it himself, there are no tongues elfe for's turn. Hon This lapwing runs away with the shell on: his head:

Ham. He did fo, Sir, with his dig before he fucked it: thus has he (and many more of the fanie breed, that, I know, the drolly age deats on) only got the tune of the time, and outward habit of en counter, a kind of yefty collection, which carries

them through and through the most fond and win. nowed opinions; and do but blow them to their trials, the bubbles are out..

Enter a Lord.

Lord. My Lord, his Majesty commended him to you by young Ofrick, who brings back to him, that you attend him in the hall; he fends to know if your pleasure hold to play with Laertes, or that you will take longer time?

Ham. I am conftant to my purposes, they follow the King's pleasure; if his fitnefs fpeaks, mine is ready, now, or whenfoever, provided I be fo able

as now.

Lord. The King, and Queen, and all are coming down.

Ham. In happy time..

Lord. The Queen defires you to use fome. gentle entertainment to Laertes, before you fall to play. Ham. She well inftructs me. [Exit Lord Hor. You will lofe this wager, my Lord.

Ham. I do not think fo; fince he went into France, I have been in continual practice; I fhall. win at the odds. But thou wouldst not think how ill all's here about my heart—but it is no

matter.

Hor. Nay, my good Lord.

Ham. It is but foolery; but it is fuch a kind of gain-giving as would, perhaps, trouble a woman, Hor. If your mind diflike any thing, obey it. I will foreftal their repair hither, and fay you are not fit.

Ham. Not a whit, we defy augury; there is a fpecial providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come, if it be not to come, it will be now: if be not now, yet it will come; the readi

1

nefs is all.

Since no man has aught of what he

leaves, what is't to leave betimes?

Enter King, Queen, LAERTES and Lords, OSRICK, with other Attendants, with

oils, and Gantlets.

A table, and flaggons of wine on it.

King. Come, Hamlet,. come and take this hand from me.

you

Ham. Give me your pardon, Sir; I've done
But pardon't, as you are a gentleman.
[wrong;
This prefence knows, and you muft needs have heard,
How I am punifhed with a fore distraction.,
What I have done,

That might your nature, honour and exception
Roughly awake, I here proclaim was madnefs:
Was't Hamlet wronged Laertes? never Hamlet.
If Hamlet from himself be tà'en away,
And, when he's not himfelf, does
wrong
Laertes,
Then Hamlet does it not; Hamlet denies it:
Who does it then? his madness. If't be fo,
Hamlet is of the faction that is wronged;
His madness is poor Hamlet's enemy.
Let my difclaiming from a purposed evil,
Free me fo far in your most generous thoughts,
That I have fhot mine arrow o'er the house,
And hurt my brother.

Laer. I am fatisfied in nature,

Whofe motive, in this cafe, thould stir me most
To my revenge: but in my terms of honour
I ftand aloof, and will no reconcilement,
"Till by fome elder masters of known honour
I have a voice, and precedent of peace,

To keep my name ungored. But till that time,
I do receive your offered love like love,
And will not wrong it.

Ham. I embrace it freely,

And will this brother's wager frankly play.

Give us the foils.

Laer, Come, one for me.

Ham. I'll be your foil, Lacrtes; in mine ignorance
Your fkill thall like a star i' th' darkest night
Stick fiery off, indeed.

Laer. You mock me, Sir.
Ham No, by this hand.

King. Give them the foils, young Ofrick.
Hamlet, you know the wager.

Ham. Well, my Lord;

Your Grace hath laid the odds o' th' weaker fide..

King. I do not fear it, I have feen you both: But fince he's bettered, we have therefore odds. Laer. This is too heavy, let me fee another. Ham. This likes me well; these foils have all a length? [Prepares to play.

Ofr. Ay, my good Lord.

King. Set me the ftoups of wine upon that table: If Hamlet gives the first or fecond hit,

Or quit in answer of the third exchange,
Let all the battlements their ordnance fire;
The King fhall drink to Hamlet's better breath:
And in the cup an Union fhall he throw, (74)

(74) And in the cup an onyx shall be throw

Kicher than that which four jucceffiue Kings

I Denmark's crown have worn.] This is a varions reading in feveral of the old copies; but union feems to me to be the true word, for several reafons. The onvx is a species of lucid stone, of which the ancients made both columns and pavements for ornaments, and in which they likewife cutfeals, &c. but, if I am not mistaken, neither the onyx, not fardonyx, are jewels which ever found place in an imperial crown. On the other hand, an anion is the ineft fort of pearl, and has its place in all crowns and coronets. Multam enim intereft wirum unio ftatuatur in cœno, an vero fitus ef infertus in corona reiplensent, fays Theodoret upon St Matthew. Befides, let us confider what the King lays on HâmJet's giving Laertes the faft hit:

Richer than that which four fucceffive Kings
In Denmark's crown have worn. Give me the cups;
And let the kettle to the trumpets speak,

The trumpets to the cannoneer without,

The cannons to the heavens, the heavens to earth: Now the King drinks to Hamlet.-Come, begin, And you the Judges bear a wary eye.

Ham. Come on, Sir.

Laer. Come, my Lord.

Ham. One..

Laer. No.

Ham. Judgment.

Ofr. A hit, a very palpable hit.

Laer. Well-again---

[They play

King. Stay, give me drink. Hamlet, this pearl

is thine,

Here's to thy health. Give him the cup.

[Trumpets found. Shot goes off. Ham. I'll play this bout firft, fet it by a while.

[They play

Come--another hit------what say you ?

Laer. A touch, a touch, I do confefs.
King. Our fon fhall win.

Queen. He's fat and fcant of breath.

Here, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows; The Queen caroufes to thy fortune, Hamlet. Ham. Good Madam,----

King. Gertrude, do not drink.

Queen. I will, my Lord; I pray you, pardon me.
King. It is the poifoned cup, it is too late [Afide..
Stay, give me drink; Hamlet, this pearl is thine;
Here's to thy health.

The terms upon which the King was to throw a jewel into the cup, were, if Hamlet gave Laertes the first hit, which. Hamlet does. Therefore, if an union be a pearl, and an onyx a gem or ftone quite differing in its nature from pearls; the King faying, that Hamlet has earned the pearl, I think, amounts to a demonftration that it was an union-pearl which he meant to throw into the cup.