It waves you to a more removed ground: 61
But do not go with it.

Hor.
No, by no means.
Ham. It will not speak; then I will follow it.
Hor. Do not, my lord.

Ham. Why, what should be the fear?

I do not set my life at a pin's fee;

And for my soul, what can it do to that,

Being a thing immortal as itself?

It waves me forth again: I'll follow it. Hor. What if it tempt you toward the flood, my lord,

4 Waves, beckons

With witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts,

Of wicked wit and gifts, that have the power
So to seduce!-won to his shameful lust
The will of my most seeming-virtuous queen:
O Hamlet, what a falling-off was there!
From me, whose love was of that dignity,
That it went hand in hand even with the vow
I made to her in marriage; and to decline1
Upon a wretch, whose natural gifts were poor
To those of mine!

[But virtue, as it never will be mov'd,

52

Though lewdness court it in a shape of heaven;
So lust, though to a radiant angel link'd,
Will sate itself in a celestial bed,
And prey on garbage.]

60

But, soft! methinks I scent the morning air;
Brief let me be.-Sleeping within my orchard,
My custom always in the afternoon,
Upon my sécure2 hour thy uncle stole,
With juice of cursed hebenon in a vial,
And in the porches of mine ears did pour
The leperous distilment; whose effect
Holds such an enmity with blood of man,
That, swift as quicksilver, it courses through
The natural gates and alleys of the body;
And, with a sudden vigour, it doth posset
And curd, like eager3 droppings into milk,
The thin and wholesome blood: so did it mine;
[And a most instant tetter bark'd about, 71
Most lazar-like, with vile and loathsome crust
All my smooth body.]

Thus was I, sleeping, by a brother's hand
Of life, of crown, of queen, at once dispatch'd: 4
Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin,
Unhousell'd, disappointed, unanel'd;7
No reckoning made, but sent to my account
With all my imperfections on my head:
O, horrible! O, horrible! most horrible!
If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not;
Let not the royal bed of Denmark be

80

But bear me stiffly up. Remember thee!
Ay, thou poor ghost, while memory holds a

seat

99

In this distracted globe. Remember thee!
Yea, from the table of my memory
I'll wipe away all trivial fond1 records,
All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past,
That youth and observation copied there;
And thy commandment all alone shall live
Within the book and volume of my brain,
Unmix'd with baser matter: yes, by heaven!-
O most pernicious woman!

O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain!
My tables,-meet it is I set it down,
That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain;
At least I'm sure it may be so in Denmark:
[Writing.
Now to my word;

So, uncle, there you are.
It is, "Adieu, adieu! remember me."

I have sworn 't.

Hor. [Within] My lord, my lord!

111

Mar. [Within]

Lord Hamlet!

Hor. [Within]

Heaven secure him!

Ham. So be it!

Mar. [Within] Illo, ho, ho, my lord!

Ham. Hillo, ho, ho, boy! come, bird, come.

Enter HORATIO and MARCELLUS,

Mar. How is 't, my noble lord?

Hor.

What news, my lord?

Good my lord, tell it.

Nor I, my lord.

Ham. O, wonderful!
Hor.
Ham. No; you'll reveal it.
Hor. Not I, my lord, by heaven.
Mar.
Ham. How say you, then; would heart of

man once think it?

But you'll be secret?

Hor. Mar.

We have sworn, my lord, already. Ham. Indeed, upon my sword, indeed. Ghost. [Beneath] Swear.

Ham. Ah, ha, boy! say'st thou so? art thou

Ay, by heaven, my lord.

Ham. There's ne'er a villain dwelling in

Propose the oath, my lord.

Rey. Ay, very well, my lord.

Pol. "And in part him; but," you may say, "not well:

But, if 't be he I mean, he 's very wild;
Addicted so and so;" and there put on him
What forgeries you please; marry, none so rank
As
may dishonour him; take heed of that; 21
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;

30