The portraiture of his; I'll court his favour; Hor. Peace, who comes here? Enter Ofrick. Ofr. Your lordship 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 beaft be lord of beasts, 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 leisure, I fhould impart a thing to you from his Majefty. Ham. I will receive it with all diligence of fpirit: 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 befeech you, remember Ofr. Nay, in good faith, for mine eafe, in good faith: lieve (32) Sir, here is newly come to Court Laertes.] I have reflor'd here feveral speeches from the elder Quarto's, which were omitted in the Folie 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 Vo L. VIII. K and lieve me, an abfolute Gentleman, full of most excellent Differences, of very foft fociety, and great fhew: indeed, to speak feelingly of him, he is the card or kalendar of gentry; for you fhall find in him the continent of what part a gentleman would fee. 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 refpect of his quick fail: But, in the verity of extolment, I take him to be a Soul of great article; and his infufion of fuch dearth and rareness, as, to make true diction of him, his Semblable is his mirrour; and, who elfe would trace him, his umbrage, nothing more. Ofr. Your Lordship speaks most infallibly of him. Ham. The Concernancy, Sir? Why do we wrap 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 La ertes 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 Im and Affectation of Ofrick, and the Humour and Address of Hamlet in accosting the other at once in his own Vein and Style. putation putation 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. 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, e'er you had done. [afide. Ofr. The carriages, Sir, are the hangers. 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 Danish; 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 shall not exceed you three hits; he hath laid on twelve for nine, and it would come to immediate tryal, if your lorship would vouchfafe the anfwer. Ham. How if I answer, no? Ofr. I mean, my lord, the oppofition of your perfon in tryal. 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 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 flourish your' nature will. Ofr. I commend my duty to your lordfhip. [Ex. K 2 Ham, Ham. Yours, yours; he does well to commend it himfelf, there are no tongues elfe for's turn. Hor. This lapwing runs away with the fhell on his head. Ham. He did fo, Sir, with his dug before he fuck'd it: thus has he (and many more of the fame breed, that, I know, the droffy age dotes on) only got the tune of the time, and outward habit of encounter, kind of yesty collection, which carries them through and through the moft fond and winnowed opinions; and do but blow them to their tryals, the bubbles are out. Enter a Lord. Lord. My lord, his Majefty 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 pleafure; 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 ufe 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 shall 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 gaingiving 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 it be be not now, yet it will come; the readiness is all. Since no man has aught of what he leaves, what is't to leave betimes? Enter King, Queen, Laertes and lards, Ofrick, with other attendants with foils, and gantlets. A table, and flaggons of wine on it. King. Come, Hamlet, come, and take this hand from me. Ham. Give me your pardon, Sir; I've done you wrong; But pardon't, as you are a gentleman. This prefence knows, and you must needs have heard, What I have done, That might your Nature, Honour, and Exception And, when he's not himself, does wrong Laertes, Laer. I am fatisfied in nature, Whose motive, in this cafe, fhould stir me most But till that time, I do receive your offer'd 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. |