The Dramatic Works of William Shakspeare

As may dishonour him; take heed of that; But, Sir, such wanton, wild, and usual slips, As are companions noted and most known To youth and liberty.

Rey. As gaming, my lord,

Pol. Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing, quarrelling,

Drabbing:-You may go so far.

Rey. My lord, that would dishonour him.
Pol. 'Faith, no; as you may season it in the
charge.

You must not put another scandal on him,
That he is open to incontinency;

That's not my ending: but breathe his faults so quaintly,

That they may seem the taints of liberty;
The flash and out-break of a fiery mind;
A savageness in unreclaimed blood,
Of general assault.

Rey. But, ny good lord,-

Pol. Wherefore should you do this?
Rey. Ay, my lord,

I would know that.

Pol. Marry, Sir, here's my drift;

And, I believe, it is a fetch of warrant :
You laying these slight sullies on my son,
As 'twere a thing a little soil'd i'the working,
Mark you,

Your party in converse, him you would sound,
Having ever seen in the prenominate + crimes,
The youth you breathe of guilty, be assur'd,
He closes with you in this consequence;
Good Sir, or so; or friend, or gentleman,-
According to the phrase, or the addition,
Of man, and country.

Rey. Very good, my lord.

Pol. And then, Sir, does he this,-He doesWhat was I about to say?-By the mass, was about to say something :-Where did leave?

Rey. At, closes in the consequence.
Pol. At, closes in the consequence,-Ay,

marry:

He closes with you thus :-I know the gentleI saw him yesterday, or t'other day, [man; Or then, or then; with such, or such; and, as you say,

There was he gaming; there o'ertook in his

rouse;

There falling out at tennis: or, perchance,
I saw him enter such a house of sale,
(Videlicet, a brothel,) or so forth.-
See you now;

Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth:
And thus do we of wisdom and of reach,
With windlaces, and with assays of bias,
By indirections find directions out;

So, by former lecture and advice,

As if he had been loosed out of hell,

To speak of horrors, he comes before me. Pol. Mad for thy love?

Oph. My lord, I do not know; But, truly, I do fear it.

Pol. What said he?

Oph. He took me by the wrist, and held me bard;

Then goes he to the length of all his arm;
And, with his other hand thus o'er his brow,
He falls to such perusal of my face,

As he would draw it. Long stay'd he so;
At last, a little shaking of mine arm,
And thrice his head thus waving up and
down,-

He rais'd a sigh so piteous and profound,
As it did seem to shatter all his bulk, *
And end his being: That, done, he lets me go:
And, with his head over his shoulder turn'd,
He seem'd to find his way without his eyes;
For out o'doors he went without their helps,
And, to the last, bended their light on me.

Pol. Come, go with me; I will go seek the
This is the very ecstasy of love;
[king.
Whose violent property foredoes + itself,
And leads the will to desperate undertakings,
As oft as any passion under heaven,
That does afflict our natures. I am sorry ;-
What, have you given him any hard words of
late?

Oph. No, my good lord: but, as you did com mand,

I did repel his letters, and denied
His access to me.

Pol. That hath made him mad.

I am sorry, that with better heed and judgment,

I had not quoted him; fear'd he did but
tritte,
[jealousy!

Aud meant to wreck thee; but, beshrew my
It seems it is as proper to our age
To cast beyond ourselves in our opinions,
As it is common for the younger sort
To lack discretion. Come, go we to the king:
This must be known; which, being kept close,
might move

More grief to hide, than hate to utter love.
Come.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-A Room in the Castle. Enter KING, QUEEN, ROSENCRANTZ, GUILDENSTERN, and Attendants.

King. Welcome, dear Rosencrantz, and Guild

enstern!

Moreover that we much did long to see you,
The need, we have to use you did provoke
Our hasty sending. Something have you heard
Of Hamlet's transformation; so I call it,
Since not the exterior nor the inward man
Resembles that it was: What it should be,

Shall you, my son: You have me, have you not? More than his father's death, that thus hath put Rey. My lord, I have.

Pol. God be wi' you; fare you well.

Rey. Good my lord,-

Pol. Observe his inclination in yourself.
Rey. I shall, my lord.

Pol. And let him play his music.
Rey. Well, my lord.

Enter OPHELIA.

him

So much from the understanding of himself,

I cannot dream of: 1 entreat you both,
That,-being of so young days brought up with
him;
mour,-

And, since, so neighbour'd to his youth and hit[Exit. That you vouchsafe your rest here in our

Pol. Farewell!-How now, Ophelia? what's the matter;

Oph. O my lord, my lord, I have been so affrighted!

Pol. With what, in the name of heaven? Oph. My lord, as I was sewing in my clo set,

Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbrac'd;
No hat upon his head; his stockings foul'd,
Ungarter'd, and down-gyved to his ankle;
Pale as his shirt; his knees knocking each other;
And with a look so piteous in purport,

Your visitation shall receive such thanks
As fits a king's remembrance.

Ros. Both your majesties

Might, by the sovereign power you have of us,
Put your dread pleasures more into command
Than to entreaty.

Guil. But we both obey;

And here give up ourselves, in the full beut, *
To lay our service freely at your feet,
To be commanded.

King. Thanks, Rosencrantz, and gentle Guil-
denstern.

Queen. Thanks, Guildenstern,

Rosencrantz :

and gentle

And I beseech you instantly to visit
My too much changed son.-Go, some of you,
And bring these gentlemen where Hamlet is.
Guil. Heavens make our presence and our
practices

Pleasant and helpful to him!
Queen. Ay, amen!

[Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ, GUILDENSTERN,
and some Attendants.

Enter POLONIUS.

Go to your rest; at night we'll feast together:
Most welcome home!

[Exeunt VOLTIMAND and CORNELIUS.
Pol. This business is well ended.
My liege, and madam, to expostulate *
What majesty should be, what duty is,
Why day is day, night night, and time is time
Were nothing but to waste night, day, and
time.

Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit,
And tediousness the limbs and outward flog-
rishes,-

I will be brief: Your noble son is mad :
Mad call 1 it: for, to define true madness,
What is't, but to be nothing else but mad:
But let that go.

Queen. More matter, with less art.

Pol. Madam, I swear I use no art at all.
That he is mad, 'tis true: 'tis true, 'tis pity,
And pity 'tis, 'tis true: a foolish figure;
But farewell it, for I will use no art.
Mad let us grant him then and now remains,
That we find out the cause of this effect;
Or, rather say, the cause of this defect;
For this effect, defective, comes by cause:

Pol. The embassadors from Norway, my good Thus it remains, and the remainder thus.
lord,

Are joyfully return'd.

King. Thou still hast been the father of good

news.

Perpend.

I have a daughter; have, while she is mine;
Who, in her duty and obedience, mark,
Hath given me this: Now gather and surmise.

Pol. Have I, ny lord? Assure you, my good-To the celestial, and my soul's idol, the liege,

I hold my duty, as I hold my soul,

Both to my God, and to my gracious king:
And I do think, (or else this brain of mine
Hunts not the trail of policy so sure

As it hath us'd to do,) that I have found
The very cause of Hamlet's lunacy.

King. Oh! speak of that; that I do long to
hear.

Pol. Give first admittance to the embassadors; My news shall be the fruit to that great feast. King. Thyself do grace to them, and bring them in. [Exit POLONIUS. He tells me, my dear Gertrude, he hath found The head and source of all your son's distem. per.

Queen. I doubt, it is no other but the main;
His father's death, and our o'erhasty marriage.
Re-enter POLONIUS, with VOLTIMAND and
CORNELIUS.

King. Well, we shall sift him.-Welcome, my
good friends!
[way?
Say, Voltimand, what from our brother Nor-
Volt. Most fair return of greetings and desires.
Upon our first, he sent out to suppress
His nephew's levies; which to him appear'd
To be a preparation 'gainst the Polack; §
But, better look'd into, he truly found

It was against your highness: Whereat griev'd,—
That so his sickness, age, and impotence,
Was falsely borne in hand, sends out arrests
On Fortinbras, which he, in brief, obeys;
Receives rebuke from Norway, and, in fine,
Makes vow before his uncle, never more
To give the assay of arms against your majesty.
Whereon old Norway, overcome with joy,
Gives him three thousand crowns in annual fee;
And his commission to employ those soldiers,
So levied as before, against the Polack;
With an entreaty, herein further shown,

[Gives a Paper.
That it might please you to give quiet pass
Through your dominions for this enterprise;
On such regards of safety, and allowance,
As therein are set down.

King. It likes us well:

And, at our more consider'd time, we'll read,
Answer, and think upon this business.
Meantime, we thank you for your well-took
labour:

• Utmost exertion. Poland.

most beautified Ophelia,

That's an ill phrase, a vile phrase; beautified is

a vile phrase; but you shall hear,-Thus :
In her excellent white bosom, these, &c.
Queen. Came this from Hamlet to her?
Pol. Good madam, stay awhile; I will be
faithful.-

O dear Ophelia, I am ill at these numbers; I have not art to reckon my groans; but that I love thee best, O most best, believe it. Adieu.

Thine evermore, most dear lady, whilst
this machine is to him, Hamlet.

This, in obedience, hath my daughter shown me :
And more above, hath his solicitings,
As they fell out by time, by means, and place
All given to mine ear.

King. But how hath she
Receiv'd his love?

Pol. What do you think of me?

King. As of a man faithful and honourable.
Pol. I would fain prove so. But what might

you think,

When I had seen this hot love on the wing,
(As I perceiv'd it, I must tell you that,
Before my daughter told me,) what might you,
Or my dear majesty your queen here, think,
If I had play'd the desk, or table-book,
Or given my heart a working, mute and dumb,
Or look'd upon this love with idle sight:
What might you think? no, I went round + to

work,

And my young mistress thus did I bespeak;
Lord Hamlet is a prince out of thy sphere ;
This must not be and then I precepts gave

her,

That she should lock herself from his resort,
Admit no messengers, receive no tokens.
Which done, she took the fruits of my advice;
And he, repulsed, (a short tale to make)
Fell into a sadness; then into a fast;
Thence to a watch; thence into a weakness;
Thence to a lightness; and, by this declension,
Into the madness wherein now he raves,
And all we mourn for.

King. Do you think, 'tis this?

Queen. It may be, very likely.

I will leave him, and suddenly contrive the means of meeting between him and my daughter. my leave of you.

Pol. Hath there been such a time, (I'd fain-My honourable lord, I will most humbly take

know that,

That I bave positively said, 'Tis so,
When it prov'd otherwise?

King. Not that I know.

Pol. Take this from this, if this be otherwise : [Pointing to his Head and Shoulder.

If circumstances lead me, I will find

Where truth is hid, though it were hid indeed Within the centre.

King. How may we try it further?

Pol. You know, sometimes he walks for hours together,

Here in the lobby.

Queen. So he docs, indeed.

Pol. At such a time I'll loose my daughter to

him:

Ham. Let her not walk i'the sun: conception is a blessing; but as your daughter may conceive, § -friend, look to't.

Pol. How say you by that? [Aside.] Still harping on my daughter --yet he knew me not at first; he said, I was a fishmonger: He is far gone, far gone; and truly, in my youth, I suffered much extremity for love; very near this. P'il speak to him again.-What do you read, my lord?

Ham. Words, words, words!

Pol. What is the matter, my lord?
Ham. Between who?

Pol. I mean the matter that you read, my lord.

Ham. Slanders, Sir: for the satirical rogne says here, that old men have grey beards; that their faces are wrinkled; their eyes purging thick amber, and plum-tree gum; and that they have a plentiful lack of wit, together with most weak hams: All of which, Sir, though most powerfully and potently believe, yet I hold it not honesty to have it thus set down; for yourself, Sir, shall be as old as I am, if, like a crab, you could go backward.

Pol. Though this be madness, yet there's method in it. [Aside.] Will you walk out of, the air, my lord ?

Ham. Into my grave?

Ham. You cannot, Sir, take from me any thing, that I will more willingly part withal; except my life, except my life, except my life. Pol. Fare you well, my lord. Ham. These tedious old fools!

Enter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN. Pol. You go to seek the lord Hamlet; there he is.

Ros. God save you, Sir!

Guil. My honour'd lord !— Ros. My most dear lord!

[To POLONIUS. [Exit POLONIUS.

Ham. My excellent good friends! How dost thou, Guildenstern? Ah! Rosencrantz! Good lads, how do ye both?

Ros. As the indifferent children of the earth. Guil. Happy, in that we are not overhappy; On fortune's cap we are not the very button. Ham. Nor the soles of her shoe?

Ros. Neither, my lord.

Ham. Then you live about her waist, or in the middle of her favours?

Guil. 'Faith her privates we.

Ham. In the secret parts of fortune? Oh! most true; she is a strumpet. What news?

Ros. None, my lord; but that the world is grown honest.

Ham. Then is doomsday near: But your news is not true. Let me question more in particular: What have you, my good friends, deserved at the hands of fortune, that she sends you to prison hither?

Guil. Prison, my lord!

Ham. Denmark's a prison.
Ros. Then is the world one.

Ham. A goodly one; in which there are many confines, wards, and dungeons; Denmark being one of the worst.

Ros. We think not so, my lord.

Ham. Why, then 'tis none to you; for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so to me it is a prison.

Ros. Why, then your ambition makes it one; 'tis too narrow for your mind.

Ham. O God! I could be bounded in a nutshell, and count myself a king of infinite space; were it not that I have bad dreams.

Guil. Which dreams, indeed, are ambition; for the very substance of the ambitious is merely the shadow of a dream.

Ham. A dream itself is but a shadow,

Ros. Truly, and I hold ambition of so airy and light a quality, that it is but a shadow's shadow.

Ham. Then are our beggars, bodies; and our monarchs and outstretch'd heroes the beggars' shadows: Shall we to the court? for, by my fay, I cannot reason.

- Ros. Guil. We'll wait upon you.

Ham. No such matter: 1 will not sort you with the rest of my servants; for, to speak to you like an honest man, I am most dreadfully attended. But, in the beaten way of friendship, what make you at Elsinore?

Ros. To visit you, my lord; no other occasion.

Ham. Beggar that I am, I am even poor in thanks; but I thank you: and sure, dear friends, my thanks are too dear, a halfpenny. Were you not rent for? Is it your own inclining? Is it a free visitation? Come, come: deal justly with me: come, come; nay, speak.

Guil. What should we say, my lord?

Ham. Any thing-but to the purpose. You were sent for; and there is a kind of confession in your looks, which your modesties have not craft enough to colour: I know, the good king and queen have sent for you.

Ros. To what end, my lord?
Ham. That you must teach me.

But let me

conjure you, by the rights of our fellowship, by the consonancy of our youth, by the obligation of our ever-preserved love, and by what more dear a better proposer could charge you withal, be even and direct with me, whether you were sent for, or no?

Ros. What say you?

[To GUILDENSTERN. Ham. Nay, then I have an eye of you; [Aside.] -if you love me, hold not off.

Guil. My lord, we were sent for. Ham. I will tell you why; so shall my anticipation prevent your discovery, and your secrecy to the king and queen moult no feather. I have of late (but, wherefore, I know not,) lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises; and, indeed, it goes so heavily with my disposition, that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a steril promontory; this most excellent canopy, the air, look you, this brave o'erhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire,why, it appears no other thing to me, than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours. What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! how infinite in faculties! in form and moving, how express and admirable! in action, how like an angel! in apprehension, how like a god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals! And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust? man delights not me, nor woman neither; though, by your smiling, you seem to say so.

Ros. My lord, there is no such stuff in my thoughts.

Ham. Why did you laugh then, when I said, Man delights not me?

Ros. To think, my lord, if you delight not in man, what lenten entertainment the players shall receive from you: we coted them on the way; and hither are they coming, to offer you

service.

Ham. he that plays the king, shall be welcome; his majesty shall have tribute of me: the adventurous knight shall use his foil, and target; the lover shall not sigh gratis; the humorous man shall end his part in peace; the clown shall make those laugh, whose lungs are tickled o'the sere? and the lady shall say her mind freely, or the blank verse shall halt for't, -What players are they?

Ros. Even those you were wont to take such delight in, the tragedians of the city.

Ham. How chances it, they travel? residence, both in reputation and profit, better both ways.

Ros. I think their inhibition comes by means of the late innovation.

their

a while, no money bid for argument, unless the poet and the player went to cuffs in the question.

Ham. Is it possible?

Guil. Oh! there has been much throwing about of brains.

Ham. Do the boys carry it away?

Ros. Ay, that they do, my lord; Hercules and his load too.

Ham. It is not very strange: for my uncle is king of Denmark, and those that would make mouths at him while my father lived give twenty, forty, fifty, a hundred ducats a-piece, for his picture in little. 'Sblood, there is something in this more than natural, if philosophy could find it out.

[Flourish of Trumpets within. Guil. There are the players Ham. Gentlemen, you are welcome to Elsinore. Your hands. Come then the apurtenance of welcome is fashion and ceremony: let me comply with you in this garb; lest my extent to the players, which I tell you, must show fairly outward, should more appear like entertainment than yours. You are welcome : But my uncle-father, and aunt-mother, are deceived.

Guil. In what, my dear lord?

Ham. I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a hand-saw.

Ham. Then came each actor on his ass.-Pol. The best actors in the world, either for tragedy, comedy, history, pastoral, pastoralwas comical, historical-pastoral, [tragical-historical, tragical-comical-historical-pastoral,] scene indi vidable, or poem unlimited: Seneca cannot be two heavy, nor Plautus too light. For the law of writ, and the liberty, these are the only men.

the

Ham. Do they hold the same estimation they did when I was in the city? Are they so followed?

Ros. No, indeed they are not.

Ham. How comes it? Do they grow rusty ? Ros. Nay, their endeavour keeps in the wonted pace: But there is, Sir, an aiery of children, little eyases, that cry out on the top of question, and are most tyrannically clapped for't: these are now the fashion; and so berattle the common stages, (so they call them) that many, wearing rapiers, are afraid of goose quills, and dare scarce come thither.

Ham. What, are they children? who maintains them? how are they escoted?¶ Will they pursue the quality ** no longer than they can sing? will they not say afterwards, if they should grow themselves to common players, (as it is most like, if their means are no better,) their writers do them wrong, to make them ex-. claim against their own succession ?

Ham. O Jephthah, judge of Israel,-what a

treasure hadst thou !

Pol. What a treasure had he, my lord?
Ham. Why-One fair daughter, and no more,
The which he loved passing well.
Pol. Still on my daughter.
[Asi e.

Ham. Am I not i'the right, old Jephthah? Pol. If you call me Jephthah, my lord, I have daughter, that I love passing well.

Ham. Nay, that follows not.

Pol. What follows then, my lord?

Ham. Why, As by lot, God wot, and then, you know, It came to pass, As most like it was,-The first row of the pious chanson || will show you more; for, look, my abridgment comes.

Enter Four or Five PLAYERS. You are welcome, masters; welcome, all:-1 Ros. 'Faith, there has been much to do on am glad to see thee well-welcome, good both sides; and the nation holds it no sin, to friends.-O old friend! Why, thy face is valantarre them on to controversy: there was, forced since I saw thee last; Com'st thou to

sword

Now falls on Priam !—

Igeds Out, out, thou strumpet, Fortune! All you In general synod, take away her power; Break all the spokes and fellies from her wheel,

beard me in Denmark?-What! my young | With less remorse than Pyrrhus' bleeding lady and mistress! By-'r-lady, your ladyship is nearer to heaven, than when I saw you last, by the altitude of a chopine. + Pray God, your voice, like a piece of uncurrent gold, be not cracked within the ring.-Masters, you are all welcome. We'll e'en to't like French falconers, fly at any thing we see: We'll have a speech straight: Come, give us a taste of your quality; Come, a passionate speech.

1 Play. What speech, my lord? Ham. I heard thee speak me a speech once, --but it was never acted; or, if it was, not above once for the play, I remember, pleased not the million; 'twas caviare to the general: but it was (as I received it, and others, whose judgments in such matters, cried in the top of mine,) an excellent play; well digested in the scenes, set down with as much modesty as cunning. 1 remember, one said there were no sallads in the lines, to make the matter savoury; nor no matter in the phrase, that might indite ** the author of affection: ++ but called it, an honest method, as wholesome as sweet, and by very much more handsome than fine. One speech in it I chiefly loved 'twas Æneas' tale to Dido; and thereabout of it especially, where he speaks of Priam's slaughter: If it live in your memory, begin at this line; let me see, let me see ;

The rugged Pyrrhus, like the Hyrcanian beast-'tis not so; it begins with Pyrrhus.

The rugged Pyrrhus,-he, whose sable arms, Black as his purpose, did the night resemble When he lay couched in the ominous horse, Hath now this dread and black complexion smear'd

With heraldry more dismal; head to foot Now is he totul gules; ‡‡ horribly trick'd §§ With blood of fathers, mothers, daughters,

sons;

Bak'd and impasted with the parc..ing streets, That lend a tyrannous and a damned light To their lord's murder: Roasted in wrath and fire,

And bowl the round nave down the hill of heaven, As low as to the fiends!

Pol. This is too long.

Ham. It shall to the barber's, with your beard.-Pr'ythee, say on:-He's for a jig, or a tale of bawdry, or he sleeps:-say on come to Hecuba.

1 Play. But who, ah woe! had seen the mobled queen

Ham. The mobled queen?

Pol. That's good; mobled queen is good. 1 Play. Run barefoot up and down, threat'ning the flames With bisson rheum; a clout upon that head, Where late the diadem stood; and, for a robe, About her lank and all o'er-teemed loins, A blanket, in the alarm of fear caught up; Who this had seen, with tongue in venom steep'd,

'Gainst Fortune's state would treason have pronounc'd:

But if the gods themselves did see her then, When she saw Pyrrhus make malicious sport In mincing with his sword her husband's limbs ;

The instant burst of clamour that she made, (Unless things mortal move them not at all,) Would have made milch the burning eye of And passion in the gods. [heaven,

Pol. Look, whether he has not turn'd his colour, and has tears in's eyes.-Prythee, no

more.

Ham. 'Tis well; I'll have thee speak out the rest of this soon.-Good my lord, will you see the players well bestowed? Do you hear, let them be well used; for they are the abstract and brief chronicles of the time: After your death

And thus o'er-sized with coagulate gore,
With eyes like carbuncles, the hellish Pyr-you were better have a bad epitaph, than their

rhus

But with the whiff and wind of his fell sword The unnerved father falls. Then senseless Ilium,

Seeming to feel this blow, with flaming top
Stoops to his base; and with a hideous crash
Takes prisoner Pyrrhus' ear: for, lo! his
sword,

Which was declining on the milky head
Of reverend Priam, seem'd i'the air to stick ;
So, as a painted tyrant, Pyrrhus stood;
And, like a neutral to his will and matter,
Did nothing.

But, as we often see, against some storm,
A silence in the heavens, the rack stand
still,

The bold winds speechless, and the orb below As hush as death: anon the dreadful thunder Doth rend the region: So, after Pyrrhus'

pause,

A roused vengeance sets him new-a-work;
And never did the Cyclops' hammers fall
On Mars' armour, forg'd for proof eterne ¶¶

ill report while you live.

Pol. My lord, I will use them according to their desert.

Ham. Odd's bodikin, man, much better: Use every man after his desert, and who shall scape whipping? Use them after your own honour and dignity: The less they deserve, the more merit is in your bounty. Take them in.

Pol. Come, Sirs.

[Exit POLONIUS, with some of the PLAYERS. Ham. Follow him, friends: we'll hear a play to-morrow.-Dost thou hear me, old friend; can you play the murder of Gonzago ? 1 Play. Ay, my lord.

Ham. We'll have it to-morrow night. You could, for a need, study a speech of some dozen or sixteen lines, which I would set down, and insert in't? could yon not?

Convict. Blazoned.

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The Dramatic Works of William Shakspeare, Nide 9