Re-enter POLONIUS, with VOLTIMAND, and CORNE

LIUS.

King. Well, we fhall fift him.-Welcome, my good friends!

Say, Voltimand, what from our brother Norway?
Volt. Moft fair return of greetings, and defires.
Upon our first, he sent out to fupprefs

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 fo his ficknefs, age, and impotence,
Was falfely born in hand,-fends 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 effay of arms against your majesty.
Whereon old Norway, overcome with joy,
Gives him threefcore thousand crowns in annual fee;
And his commiffion to employ these foldiers,
So levied as before, against the Polack :
With an entreaty, herein further fhewn,
That it might please you to give quiet pafs
Through your dominions for this enterprise;
On fuch regards of fafety and allowance,
As therein are fet down.

King. It likes us well;

And, at our more confider'd time, we'll read,
Anfwer, and think upon this business.

Meantime, we thank you for your well-took labour:
Go to your reft; at night we'll feast together;
Moft welcome home ! [Exeunt VOLT. and COR.
Pol. This bufinefs is well ended.

My liege, and madam, to expoftulate
What majefty fhould be, what duty is,

Why day is day, night night, and time is time,
Were nothing but to waste night, day, and time.
Therefore, fince brevity is the foul of wit,
And tedioufnefs the limbs and outward flourishes,-
I will be brief: Your noble fon is mad:
Mad call I it; for to define true madness,
What is't, but to be nothing else but mad :
But let that go.

Queen More matter, with lefs 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 ufe no art. Mad let us grant him then and now remains, That we find out the cause of this effect; Or rather fay, the cause of this defect; For this effect, defective, comes by cause : Thus it remains, and the remainder thus perpend. I have a daughter; have, whilst she is mine; Who, in her duty and obedience, mark,

Hath given me this: Now gather, and furmise.
To the celestial, and my foul's idol, the most beau-
tified Ophelia-

That's an ill phrase, a vile phrafe; beautify'd
Is a vile phrase; but you fhall hear :

Thefe in her excellent white bofom, thefe, &c.
Queen. Came this from Hamlet to her?

Pol. Good madam, stay a while: I will be faith-
ful-

Doubt thou, the fars are fire;
Doubt, that the fun doth move;

Doubt

Doubt truth to be a liar;

But never doubt I love.

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

Thine evermore, moft dear lady, whilft

this machine is to him, Hamlet.

This, in obedience, hath my daughter fhewn me;
And, more above, hath his folicitings,

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 fo. But what might you
think,

When I had seen this hot love on the wing
(As I perceiv'd it, I muft 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 fight?
What might you think? no, I went round to work,
And my young miftrefs thus I did befpeak;
Lord Hamlet is a prince :-out of thy Sphere;
This must not be: and then I precepts gave her,
That the fhould lock herself from his refort,
Admit no meffengers, receive no tokens.
Which done, fhe took the fruits of my
And, he, repulfed (a fhort tale to make),
Fell into a sadness; then into a fast;
Thence to a watch; thence into a weakness;

D 3

advice:

Thence

Thence to a lightness; and, by this declenfion,
Into the madnefs wherein now he raves,
And all we mourn for.

King. Do you think, 'tis this?

Queen. It may be, very likely.

Pol. Hath there been such a time (I'd fain know That I have pofitively faid, 'Tis fo,

When it prov'd otherwise?

King. Not that I know.

[that),

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, fometimes he walks four hours Here in the lobby.

Queen. So he does, indeed.

[together.

Pol. At fuch a time I'll loofe my daughter to him: Be you and I behind an arras then;

Mark the encounter: If he love her not,

And be not from his reason fallen thereon,
Let me be no affiftant for a ftate,

But keep a farm and carters.

King. We will try it.

Enter HAMLET, reading.

Queen. But look, where fadly the poor wretch comes reading.

Pol. Away, I do befeech you, both away;

I'll board him prefently :-Ö, give me leave.

[Exeunt King, and Queen.

How does my good lord Hamlet?

Ham. Well, God a'-mercy.

Pol.

Pol. Do you know me, my lord?
Ham. Excellent well;

You are a fishmonger.

Pol. Not I, my lord.

Ham. Then I would you were so honest a man. Pol. Honeft, my lord?

Ham. Ay, fir; to be honeft as this world goes, Is to be one man pick'd out of ten thousand. Pol. That's very true, my lord.

Ham. For if the fun breeds maggots in a dead dog, Being a god, kiffing carrion-Have you a daughter? Pol. I have, my lord.

Ham. Let her not walk i' the fun

conception is a bleffing; but not as your daughter may conceive friend, look to't.

Pol. How fay you by that? [Afide.] Still harping on my daughter:-yet he knew me not at first; he faid I was a fishmonger: He is far gone, far gone: and, truly, in my youth I fuffered much extremity for love: very near this. I'll 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, fir; for the fatirical rogue fays 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 which fir, though I moft powerfully and potently believe, yet I hold it not honefty to have it thus fet down; for yourself, fir, shall be as old as I am, if, like a crab, you could go backward.