Never to rife again; thy mother's poifon'd; I can no more -the King, the King's to blame. Ham. The point envenom'd too? Then venom do thy work. All. Treafon, treafon. [Stabs the King. King. O yet defend me, friends, I am but hurt. Ham. Here, thou inceftuous, murd'rous, damned Dane, Drink off this potion: is the Union here? Follow my mother. Laer. He is justly ferved. It is a poifon temper'd by himfelf, [King dies Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet; [Diese Ham. Heav'n make thee free of it! I follow thee. I'm dead, Horatio; wretched Queen, adieu ! You that look pale, and tremble at this chance, That are but mutes or audience to this act, Had I but time, (as this fell ferjeant death Is ftrict in his arreft) oh, I could tell you But let it be-Horatio, I am dead; Thou liv'ft, report me and my cause arightTo the unfatisfied. Hor. Never, believe it, I'm more an antique Roman than a Dane; Ham. As th' art a man, Give me the go; by heav'n, I'll have't. Oh good Horatio, what a wounded name, Things ftanding thus unknown, fhall live behind me ? If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart, Absent thee from felicity a while, And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain,' To tell my tale. [March afar off, and fhout within. What warlike noïfe is this? To the Amballadors of England gives This warlike volley. Ham. O, I die, Horatio: The potent poifon quite o'er-grows my fpirit; [Dies. Hor. Now cracks a noble heart; good-night, fweet Prince ; And flights of angels fing thee to thy reft! Why does the drum come hither? Enter Fortinbras, and English Ambassadors, with drum, colours, and attendants. Fort. Where is this fight? Hor. What is it you would fee ? If aught of woe or wonder, cease your fearch. Fort. This quarry cries on havock. O proud death! What feaft is towr'd in thy infernal cell, That thou fo many Princes at a fhot So bloodily haft ftruck? Amb. The fight is difmal, And our affairs from England come too late : That Rofincrantz and Guildenftern are dead : Hor. Not from his mouth, Had it th' ability of life to thank you: Are Are here arriv'd; give order, that these bodies, And let me fpeak to th' yet unknowing world, Of accidental judgments, cater Of deaths put on by cunning, and And, in this upfhot, purposes mistook, Caufe o Fall'n on th' inventors' heads. All this can 1 3 the audience. Fort. Let us hafte to hear it, And call the Nobleffe to the a For me, with forrow I embrace my fortune I have fome rights of memory in this kingdom, Which, now to claim my vantage doth invite me. Hor. Of that I fhall have alfo cause to speak, And from his mouth whofe voice will draw on more: (35) But let this fame be prefently perform'd, Even while men's minds are wild, left more mifchance On plots and errors happen, Fort. Let four captains Bear Hamlet, like a foldier, to the stage; For he was likely, had he been put on, To have prov'd moft royally. And for his paffage, (35) And from bis Mouth, whofe Voice will draw no more. [This is the Reading of the old Quarto's, but certainly a mistaken one. We fay, a Man will no more draw Breath; but that a Man's Voice will draw no more, is, I believe, an Expreffion without any Authority. I chufe to espouse the Reading of the Elder Folio. } } ༥་ And from his Mouth, whose Voice will draw on mòre." And this is the Poet's Meaning. Hamlet, just before his Death, had faid; But I do propbefy, th' Election lights On Fortinbras: He bas my dying Voiceb. So tell him, &c. Accordingly, Horatio here delivers that Message; and very juftly infers, that Hamlet's Voice will be feconded by others, and procure them in Favour of Fortinbras's Succeffion. 1 mot The |