(Unless things mortal move them not at all,) Would have made milch the burning eye of heaven, And passion in the gods. Pol. Look, whether he has not turn'd his colour, and has tears in's eyes.-Pr'ythee, 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 you were better have a bad epitaph, than their 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 tomorrow. 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 you not? 1 Play. Ay, my lord. Ham. Very well.-Follow that lord; and look you mock him not. [Exit Player.] My good friends, To Ros. and GUIL.] I'll leave you till night: you are welcome to Elsinore. Ros. Good my lord! [Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILdenstern. Ham. Ay, so, God be wi' you :-Now I am alone. O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I ! A broken voice, and his whole function suiting What's Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba, 8 That he should weep for her? What would he do, Yet I, A dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak, Why, I should take it for it cannot be, This the cue for passion,] The hint, the direction. phrase is theatrical, and occurs at least a dozen times in our author's plays. Like John a-dreams,] John a-dreams, i. e. of dreams, means only John the dreamer; a nick-name for any ignorant silly fellow. unpregnant of my cause,] not quickened with a new desire of vengeance; not teeming with revenge. 2 A damn'd defeat was made.] Defeat, for destruction. To make oppression bitter; or, ere this, A scullion! Fye upon't! foh! About my brains! Humph! I have heard, That guilty creatures, sitting at a play, For murder, though it have no tongue, will speak Before mine uncle: I'll observe his looks; 5 I'll tent him to the quick; if he do blench, 3 kindless-] Unnatural. About my brains!] Wits, to your work. Brain, go about the present business. 5 6 tent him-] Search his wounds. if he do blench,] If he shrink, or start. 7 More relative than this:] More nearly related, closely connected. ACT III. SCENE I. A Room in the Castle. Enter King, Queen, POLONIUS, OPHELIA, ROSEN- King. And can you, by no drift of conference Ros. He does confess, he feels himself distracted; But from what cause he will by no means speak. Guil. Nor do we find him forward to be sounded; But, with a crafty madness, keeps aloof, When we would bring him on to some confession Of his true state. Queen. Did he receive you well? Ros. Most like a gentleman. Guil. But with much forcing of his disposition. Ros. Niggard of question; but, of our demands, Most free in his reply. Queen. To any pastime? Did you assay him Ros. Madam, it so fell out, that certain players We o'er-raught on the way: of these we told him; And there did seem in him a kind of joy To hear of it: They are about the court; 'Tis most true: Pol. o'er-raught on the way:] O'er-raught is over-reached, that is, over-took. King. With all my heart; and it doth much content me To hear him so inclin'd. Good gentlemen, give him a further edge, King. [Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDenstern. For we have closely sent for Hamlet hither; Her father, and myself (lawful espials,)1 Will so bestow ourselves, that, seeing, unseen, If't be the affliction of his love, or no, Queen. I shall obey you: And, for your part, Ophelia, I do wish, That your good beauties be the happy cause Of Hamlet's wildness: so shall I hope, your virtues Will bring him to his wonted way again, To both your honours. Oph. Madam, I wish it may. Exit Queen. Pol. Ophelia, walk you here:-Gracious, so please you, We will bestow ourselves:-Read on this book; [TO OPHELIA. That show of such an exercise may colour Your loneliness.-We are oft to blame in this,'Tis too much prov'd,2 that, with devotion's visage, And pious action, we do sugar o'er The devil himself. 9 Affront Ophelia:] To affront, is only to meet directly. 1 espials,] i. e. spies. 2 'Tis too much prov'd,] It is found by too frequent experience. |