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They had begun the Play :) I fate me down,
Devis'd a new commiflion, wrote it fair!
(I once did hold it, as our Statists do,

A bafenefs to write fair; and labour'd much
How to forget that learning; but, Sir, now
It did me yeoman's fervice;) wilt thou knów
Th' effect of what I wrote ?

Hor. Ay, good my Lord.

Ham. An earneft conjuration from the King, As England was his faithful tributary,

As love between them, like the palm, might flourish, As peace fhould still her wheaten garland wear, (31) And ftand a Commere 'tween their amities;

This Paffage is certainly corrupt both in the Text and Pointing. Making a Prologue to his Brains is fuch a Phrafe as SHAKESPEARE would never have us'd, to mean, ere I could form my Thoughts in making a Prologue. I communicated my Doubts to my two ingenious Friends Mr. Warburton and Mr. Bishop, and by their Affiftance, I hope, I have reform'd the whole to the Author's Intention. The Senfe is, plainly, this "Being thus in their Snares, ere I could "make a Prologue (take the leaft previous Step) to ward off Danger, "they had begun the Play (put their Schemes in Action) which was to terminate in my Destruction."

(31) As Peace fhould fill her wheaten Garland wear,

And fand a Comma 'tween their Amities, &c.]

Peace is finely and properly perfonaliz'd here, as the Goddefs of good League and Friendship: but what Ideas can we form of her ftanding as a Comma, or Stop, betwixt their Amities? I am fure, the stands rather like a Cypher, in this Reading. I have no Doubt, but the Poet wrote;

And ftand a Commere 'tween their Amities;

i. c. a Guarantee, à Common Mother. Nothing can be more picturefque than this Image of Peace's ftanding dreft in her wheaten Garland between the two Princes, and extending a Hand to each. In this Equipage and Office we frequently fee her on Roman Coins: particularly, on two exhibited by Baron Spanheim; one of Augufius, and the other of Vefpafian. The Poets likewife imagine to us Peace holding an Ear of Corn, as an Emblem of Plenty. Tibull, lib. I. Eleg. x.

At nobis, Pax alma, veni, fpicamque; teneto.

Mr. Warburton.

And

And many fuch like As's of great charge;
That on the view and knowing these contents,
Without debatement further, more or less,
He fhould the bearers put to fudden death.
Not fhriving-time allow'd.

Hor. How was this feal'd?

Ham. Why, ev'n in that was heaven ordinant ;
I had my father's Signet in my purfe,
Which was the model of that Danish feal:

I folded the Writ up in form of th' other,
Subfcrib'd it, gave th' impreffion, plac'd it fafely,
The changeling never known; now, the next day
Was our fea-fight, and what to this was fequent
Thou know't already.

Hor. So, Guildenstern and Rofincrantz go to't.

Ham. Why, man, they did make love to this employment.

They are not near my confcience; their defeat
Doth by their own infinuation grow:

'Tis dangerous when the bafer nature comes
Between the pafs, and fell incenfed points,
Of mighty oppofites.

Hor. Why, what a King is this!

Ham. Does it not, think'st thou, ftand me now upon ? He that hath kill'd my King, and whor'd my mother, Popt in between th' election and my hopes,

Thrown out his angle for my proper life,

And with fuch cozenage; is't not perfect confcience, To quit him with this arm? and is't not to be damn'd, To let this canker of our nature come

In further evil?

Hor. It must be fhortly known to him from England, What is the iffue of the bufinefs there.

Ham. It will be short.

The Interim's mine; and a man's life's no more
Than to fay, one.

But I am very forry, good Horatio,
That to Laertes I forgot myself;

For by the image of my cause I fee

The

The portraiture of his; I'll court his favour;
But, fure, the bravery of his grief did put me
Into a tow'ring paffion.

Hor. Peace, who comes here?

Enter Ofrick.

Ofr. Your Lord fhip is right welcome back to Denmark. Ham. I humbly thank you, Sir. Doft know this water-fly?

Hor. No, my good Lord.

Ham. Thy ftate is the more gracious; for 'tis a vice to know him: he hath much land, and fertile; let a beast be Lord of beafts, and his crib fhall stand at the King's meffe; 'tis a chough; but, as I fay, fpacious in the poffeffion of dirt.

Ofr. Sweet Lord, if your Lordship were at leifure, I fhould impart a thing to you from his Majesty.

Ham. I will receive it with all diligence of spirit: your bonnet to his right use, 'tis for the head. Ofr. I thank your Lordship, 'tis very hot. Ham. No, believe me, 'tis very cold; the wind is northerly.

Ofr. It is indifferent cold, my Lord, indeed.

Ham. But yet, methinks, it is very fultry, and hot. for my complexion.

Ofr. Exceedingly, my Lord, it is very fultry, as 'twere, I cannot tell how:-My Lord, his Majefty bid me fignify to you, that he has laid a great wager on your head: Sir, this is the matter

Ham. I beseech you, remember

Or. Nay, in good faith, for mine eafe, in good faith: Sir, here is newly come to Court, Laertes; (32) believe

(2) Sir, bere is newly come to Court, Laertes.] I have reftor'd here feveral fpeeches from the elder Quarto's, which were omitted in the Folio Editions, and which Mr. Pope has likewife thought fit to fink upon us. They appear to me very well worthy not to be loft, as they throughly fhew the Foppery and Affectation of Ofrick, and the Humour and Addrefs of Hamlet in accofting the other at once in his own Vein and Style,

VOL. VIII.

K

me,

me, an abfolute Gentleman, full of moft excellent Differences, of very soft fociety, and great fhew: indeed, to fpeak feelingly of him, he is the card or kalendar of gentry; for you thall find in him the continent of what part a gentleman would fee.

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Ham. Sir, his definement fuffers no perdition in you, tho' I know, to divide him inventorially would dizzy the arithmetick of memory; and yet but raw neither in respect of his quick fail: But, in the verity of extolment, I take him to be a foul of great article; and his infufion of fuch dearth and rarenefs, as, to make true diction of him, his femblable is his mirrour; and, who elfe would trace him, his umbrage, nothing more.

Ofr. Your Lordfhip speaks moft infallibly of him." Ham. The concernancy, Sir? Why do we wrap

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the Gentleman in our more rawer breath?

Ofr. Sir,

[To Horatio.

Hor. Is't not poffible to understand in another tongue? you will do't, Sir, rarely.

Ham. What imports the nomination of this gentleman? Ofr. Of Laertes?

Hor. His purfe is empty already: all's golden words. are spent.

Ham. Of him, Sir.

Ofr. I know, you are not ignorant,

Ham. I would, you did, Sir; yet, in faith, if you did, it would not much approve me.-Well, Sir. Ofr. You are not ignorant of what excellence Laertes is.

Ham. I dare not confefs that, left I fhould compare with him in excellence: but to know a man well, were to know himself.

Ofr. I mean, Sir, for his weapon: but in the Imputation laid on him by them in his meed, he's unfellow'd.

Ham. What's his weapon?

Ofr. Rapier and dagger.

Ham. That's two of his weapons; but well.

Ofr.

Ofr. The King, Sir, has wag'd with him fix Barbary horfes, against the which he has impon'd, as I take it, fix French rapiers and poniards, with their affigns, as girdle, hangers, and fo: three of the carriages, in faith, are very dear to fancy, very refponfive to the hilts, moft delicate carriages, and of very liberal conceit. Ham. What call you the carriages?

Hor. I knew, you must be edified by the Margent, ere you had done.

Ofr. The carriages, Sir, are the hangers.

[Afide.

Ham. The phrafe would be more germane to the matter, if we could carry cannon by our fides; I would, it might be hangers till then. But, on; fix Barbary horfes against fix French fwords, their affigns, and three liberal-conceited carriages; that's the French bett against the Danifb; why is this impon'd, 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 Lordship would vouchfafe the answer.

Ham. How if I answer, no?

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

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

Ofr. Shall I deliver you fo?

Ham. To this effect, Sir, after what flourish 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. Hor. This lapwing runs away with the fhell on his head.

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