Since nature cannot choose his origin,) Oft breaking down the pales and forts of reason; 3 Shall in the general censure take corruption Hor. Enter Ghost. Look, my lord, it comes! Ham. Angels and ministers of grace, defend us! Be thou a spirit of health, or goblin damned, Bring with thee airs from heaven, or blasts from hell, Be thy intents wicked, or charitable, Thou com'st in such a questionable shape, 1 Complexion for humor. 2 i. e. the influence of the planet supposed to govern our birth, &c. 3 i. e. judgment, opinion. 4 The last paragraph of this speech stands in the quarto editions thus: The dram of base Doth all the noble substance often dout [i. e. do out] Malone proposed: There seems to be no reason why dout should be substituted for doubt. Mr. Boswell has justly observed, that to doubt may mean to bring into doubt or suspicion; many words similarly formed are used by Shakspeare and his contemporaries. We have ventured to read bale (i. e. evil) instead of base, as nearer to the reading of the first edition. 5 Questionable must not be understood in its present acceptation of doubtful, but as conversable, inviting question. That I will speak to thee. I'll call thee, Hamlet, With thoughts beyond the reaches of our souls? To you alone. Mar. Look, with what courteous action It waves you to a more removed ground! But do not go with it. Hor. No, by no means. Ham. It will not speak; then I will follow it. 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, It waves me forth again;-I'll follow it. Hor. What if it tempt you toward the flood, my lord, Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff, That beetles1 o'er his base into the sea? And there assume some other horrible form, Which might deprive your sovereignty of reason,5 1 Quarto 1603-interred. 2 It appears, from Olaus Wormius, cap. vii., that it was the custom to bury the Danish kings in their armor. 3 Frame of mind. 4 i. e. overhangs his base. 5" To deprive your sovereignty of reason," signifies to take from you or dispossess you of the command of reason. 1 The very place puts toys of desperation, Hor. Be ruled; you shall not go. My fate cries out, And makes each petty artery in this body [Ghost beckons. Still am I called ;-unhand me, gentlemen ; 2 [Breaking from them. By Heaven, I'll make a ghost of him that lets me: I say, away;-go on, I'll follow thee. [Exeunt Ghost and HAMLET. Hor. He waxes desperate with imagination. Mar. Let's follow; 'tis not fit thus to obey him. Hor. Have after.-To what issue will this come? Mar. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. Hor. Heaven will direct it. Mar. Nay, let's follow him. [Exeunt. SCENE V. A more remote Part of the Platform. Enter Ghost and HAMLET. Ham. Whither wilt thou lead me? speak, I'll go no further. My hour is almost come, When I to sulphurous and tormenting flames 1 i. e. whims. 2 To let, in old language, is to hinder, to stay, to obstruct. Ham. Alas, poor ghost! Ghost. Pity me not, but lend thy serious hearing To what I shall unfold. Ham. Speak; I am bound to hear. Ghost. So art thou to revenge, when thou shalt hear. Ham. What? Ghost. I am thy father's spirit; Doomed for a certain term to walk the night; I could a tale unfold, whose lightest word But this eternal blazon must not be To ears of flesh and blood.-List, list, O, list!- Ham. O Heaven! Ghost. Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder Ham. Murder? Ghost. Murder most foul, as in the best it is; But this most foul, strange, and unnatural. Ham. Haste me to know it; that I, with wings as swift As meditation, or the thoughts of love, May sweep to my revenge. Ghost. I find thee apt; And duller shouldst thou be than the fat weed That roots itself in ease on Lethe wharf,3 1 The first quarto reads :— "Confined in flaming fire." 2 Vide note on The Comedy of Errors, Act iii. Sc. 2. It is porpentine in the old editions in every instance. Fretful is the reading of the folio. the quartos read fearful. 3 The folio reads rots itself, &c. Beaumont and Fletcher, we have :— In the Humorous Lieutenant, by "This dull root plucked from I.ethe's flood." Wouldst thou not stir in this. Now, Hamlet, hear. Rankly abused. But know, thou noble youth, Ham. O my prophetic soul! my uncle! Ghost. Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast, With witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts, O 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 decline Upon a wretch, whose natural gifts were poor To those of mine! But virtue, as it never will be moved, Though lewdness court it in a shape of heaven; And prey on garbage. But soft! methinks I scent the morning air; Upon my secure 2 hour thy uncle stole, 1 Quarto, 1603-heart. 2 This is also a Latinism; securus, quiet, or unguarded. 3 Hebenon may probably be derived from henbane, the oil of which, according to Pliny, dropped into the ears, disturbs the brain; and there is sufficient evidence that it was held poisonous by our ancestors. |