The dramatic works of William Shakspeare, from the text of Johnson, Stevens [sic] and Reed, with glossarial notes, his life, and a critique on his genius & writings by N. Rowe

And, with a sudden vigour, it doth posset
And curd, like eager droppings into milk,
The thin and wholesome blood: so did it But he's an arrant knave.

Ham. There's ne'er a villain, dwelling in
all Denmark,

mine;

And a most instant tetter* bark'd about,
Most lazart-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 des-
patch'd:

Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin,
Unhousel'd, disappointed,|| unanel'd ;¶
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
A couch for luxury and damned incest.
But, howsoever thou pursu'st this act,
Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive
Against thy mother aught; leave her to heaven,
And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge,
To prick and sting her. Fare thee well at
once!

The glow-worm shows the matin to be near,
And gins to pale his uneffectual fire:
Adieu, adieu, adieu! remember me. [Exit.
Ham. O all you host of heaven! O earth!
What else?

And shall I couple hell?-O fie!-Hold, hold, my heart;

And you, my sinews, grow not instant old,
But bear me stiffly up!-Remember thee?
Ay, thou poor ghost, while memory holds a

seat

In this distracted globe.** Remember thee?
Yea, from the table of my memory

I'll wipe away all trivial fond records, [past,
All sawstt of books, all forms, all pressures
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 am sure, it may be so in Denmark:

[Writing.

So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word;
It is, Adieu, adieu! remember me.
I have sworn't.

Hor. [Within.] My lord, my lord,-
Mur. 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?

Ham. O wonderful!

Mar. Nor I, my lord.

Hor. There needs no ghost, my lord, come from the grave,

To tell us this.

But come ;

Ham. How say you then; would heart of Here, as before, never, so help you mercy!

man once think it?

How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself, As I, perchance, hereafter shall think meet To put an antic disposition on,

That you, at such times seeing me, never shall, With arms encumber'd thus, or this headshake,

♦ Here and every where.

Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase, As, Well, well, we know ;-or, We could, an if ace would-or, If we list to speak; or, There be, an if they might ;—

Or such ambiguous giving out, to note That you know aught of me:-This do you swear, [you! So grace and mercy at your most need help Ghost. [Beneath.] Swear.

Ham. Rest, rest, perturbed spirit! So, gentlemen,

With all my love I do commend me to you:
And what so poor a man as Hamlet is
May do, to express his love and friending to
you,
[ther;
God willing, shall not lack. Let us go in toge-
And still your fingers on your lips, I pray.
The time is out of joint ;-O cursed spite!
That ever I was born to set it right!
Nay, come, let's go together.

ACT II.

[Exeunt.

SCENE 1.-A Room in POLONIUS' House.

Enter POLONIUS and REYNALDO.

Pol. Marry, Sir, here's my drift;
And, I believe, it is a fetch of warrant :
You laying these slight sullies on my son,
As 'twere a thing a little soil'd i'the working,
Mark you,

Your party in converse, him you would sound,
Having ever seen in the prenominate crimes,
The youth you breathe of, guilty, be assur'd,
He closes with you in this consequence;
Good Sir, or so; or friend, or gentleman,-
According to the phrase, or the addition,
Of man, and country.

Rey. Very good, my lord.

Pol. And then, Sir, does he this,-He doesWhat was I about to say?-By the mass, was about to say something:-Where did I leave?

Rey. At, closes in the consequence.

Pol. At, closes in the consequence,-Ay,

murry;

He closes with you thus:-I know the gentleI saw him yesterday, or t'other day, [man;

Pol. Give him this money, and these notes, Or then, or then; with such, or such; and, as Reynaldo.

Rey. I will, my lord.

you say,

There was he gaming; there o'ertook in his rouse;

Pol. You shall do marvellous wisely, good There falling out at tennis: or, perchance,

Reynaldo,

Before you visit him, to make inquiry

Of his behaviour.

Rey. My lord, I did intend it.

Pol. Marry, well said: very well said. Look you, Sir,

Inquire me first what Danskers* are in Paris; And how, and who, what means, and where they keep,

What company, at what expense; and finding, By this encompassment and drift of question, That they do know my son, come you more

But, if't be he I meun, he's
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;
But, Sir, such wanton, wild, and usual slips,
As are companions noted and most known"
To youth and liberty.

Rey. As gaming, my lord.

I saw him enter such a house of sale,
(Videlicet,t a brothel,) or so forth.-
See you now;

Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth:
And thus do we of wisdom and of reach,
With windlaces, and with assays of bias,
By indirections find directions out;
So, by former lecture and advice,
Shall you my son: You have me, have you not?
Rey. My lord, I have.

Pol. God be wi' you; fare you well.
Rey. Good my lord,-

Pol. Observe his inclination in yourself.
Rey. I shall, my lord.

Pol. And let him play his music.
Rey. Well, my lord.

Enter OPHELIA.

[Exit.

Pol. Farewell!-How now, Ophelia? what's the matter;

Oph. O, my lord, my lord, I have been so affrighted!

Pol. With what, in the name of heaven?
Oph. My lord, as I was sewing in my clo-

set,

Lord Hamlet,—with his doublet all unbrac'd;
No hat upon his head; his stockings foul'd,
Ungarter'd, and down-gyved to his ankle;
Pale as his shirt; his knees knocking each
And with a look so piteous in purport, [other;

Pol. Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing, As if he had been loosed out of hell,

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.

To speak of horrors, he comes before me. Pol. Mad for thy love?

Oph. My lord, I do not know;

But, truly, I do fear it.

Pol. What said he?

+ Wildness.

+That is to say. Hanging down like fetters.

And thrice his head thus waving up and

down,

He rais'd a sigh so piteous and profound,
As it did seem to shatter all his bulk,*
And end his being: That done, he lets me go:
And, with his head over his shoulder turn'd,
He seem'd to find his way without his eyes;
For out o'doors he went without their helps,
And, to the last, bended their light on me.
Pol. Come, go with me; I will go seek the
This is the very ecstasy of love; [king.
Whose violent property foredoest itself,
And leads the will to desperate undertakings,
As oft as any passion under heaven,
That does afflict our natures. I am sorry,—
What, have you given him any hard words of
late?

Oph. No, my good lord; but, as you did command,

I did repel his letters, and denied
His access to me.

Pol. That hath made him mad. [ment, I am sorry, that with better heed and judgeI had not quoted him; I fear'd, he did but trifle, [jealousy! And meant to wreck thee; but, beshrew my It seems, it is as proper to our age To cast beyond ourselves in our opinions, As it is common for the younger sort To lack discretion. Come, go we to the king: This must be known; which, being kept close, might move

More grief to hide, than hate to utter love. Come. [Exeunt.

SCENE II-A Room in the Castle.

Enter KING, QUEEN, ROSENCRANTZ, GUILDENSTERN, and Attendants.

King. Welcome, dear Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern!

Moreover that we much did long to see you, The need, we have to use you, did provoke Our hasty sending. Something have you heard Of Hamlet's transformation; so I call it, Since not the exterior nor the inward man Resembles that it was: What it should be, More than his father's death, that thus hath put him

So much from the understanding of himself, I cannot dream of: I entreat you both, That,-being of so young days brought up with him; [humour,

And, since, so neighbour'd to his youth and That you vouchsafe your rest here in our

court

Some little time: so by your companies
To draw him on to pleasures; and to gather,
So much as from occasion you may glean,
Whether aught, to us unknown, afflicts him
That, open'd, lies within our remedy. [thus.
Queen. Good gentlemen, he hath much talk'd

of you; And, sure I am, two men there are not living, To whom he more adheres. If it will please you

To show us so much gentry, and good-will,
As to expend your time with us a while,
For the supply and profit of our hope,
Your visitation shall receive such thanks
As fits a king's remembrance.

Ros. Both your majesties

Might, by the sovereign power you have of us, Put your dread pleasures more into command Than to entreaty.

*Body. † Destroys 1 Observed, § Complaisance.

per.

Queen. I doubt, it is no other but the main; His father's death, and our o'erhasty marriage.

Re-enter POLONIUS, with VOLTIMAND and
CORNELIUS.

King. Well, we shall sift him.-Welcome,

my good friends! [way? Say, Voltimand, what from our brother NorVolt. Most fair return of greetings and deUpon our first, he sent out to suppress [sires. 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:

griev'd,

Whereat

That so his sickness, age, and impotence,
Was falsely borne in hand,||-sends 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 assay of arms against your majesty.
Whereon old Norway, overcome with joy,
Gives him three thousand crowns in annual fee;
And his commission, to employ those soldiers,
So levied as before, against the Polack;
With an entreaty, herein further shown,

[Gives a Paper.

That it might please you to give quiet pass Through your dominions for this enterprise; On such regards of safety, and allowance, As therein are set down.

King. It likes us well:

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

Meantime, we thank you for your well-took | That she should lock herself from his resort,

labour:

Go to your rest; at night we'll feast together:
Most welcome home!

[Exeunt VOLTIMAND and CORNELIUS.
Pol. This business is well ended.
My liege, and madam, to expostulate
What majesty should be, what duty is,
Why day is day, night night, and time is time,
Were nothing but to waste night, day, and
time.

Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit,
And tediousness the limbs and outward flour-
ishes,-

I will be brief: Your noble son 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 less 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 use no art.
Mad let us grant him then: and now remains,
That we find out the cause of this effect;
Or, rather say, 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, while she is mine;
Who, in her duty and obedience, mark,
Hath given me this: Now gather and surmise.
-To the celestial, and my soul's idol, the most
beautified Ophelia,-

That's an ill phrase, a vile phrase; beautified is
a vile phrase; but you shall hear,-Thus:
In her excellent white bosom, these, &c.
Queen. Came this from Hamlet to her?
Pol. Good madam, stay awhile; I will be
faithful.-

O dear Ophelia, 1 am ill at these numbers; 1 have not art to reckon my groans; but that I love thee best, O most best, believe it. Adieu.

Thine evermore, most dear lady, whilst
this machine is to him, Hamlet.

This, in obedience, hath my daughter shown
And more above, hath his solicitings, [me:
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 so. But what might
you think,

When I had seen this hot love on the wing,
(As I perceiv'd it, I must tell you that, [you,
Before my daughter told me,) what might
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 sight;
What might you think? no, I went roundt to

work,

And my young mistress thus did I bespeak;
Lord Hamlet is a prince out of thy sphere;
This must not be: and then I precepts gave her,

Admit no messengers, receive no tokens.
Which done, she took the fruits of my advice;
And he, repulsed, (a short tale to make,)
Fell into a sadness; then into a fast;
Thence to a watch; thence into a weakness;
Thence to a lightness; and, by this declension,
Into the madness 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,)

That I have positively said, 'Tis so,
When it prov'd otherwise?
King. Not that I know.

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, sometimes he walks for hours together,

Here in the lobby.

Queen. So he does, indeed.

Pol. At such a time I'll loose 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 assistant for a state,
But keep a farm, and carters.
King. We will try it.

Enter HAMLET, reading.

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

Pol. Away, I do beseech you, both away;
I'll board+ him presently:-Ö, give me leave.-
[Exeunt KING, QUEEN, and Attendants.
How does my good lord Hamlet?
Ham. Well, god-'a-mercy.

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

Pol. I have, my lord.

Ham. Let her not walk i'the sun: conception is a blessing; but as your daughter may conceive, friend, look to't.

Pol. How say you by that? [Aside.] Still harping on my daughter:-yet he knew me not at first; he said, I was a fishmonger: He is far gone, far gone: and, truly in my youth I suffered 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, Sir: for the satirical rogue says 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 of which, Sir, though I most powerfully and potently believe, yet I hold it not honesty to have it thus set down; for yourself, Sir, shall be as old as I am, if, like a crab, you could go backward.

Pol. Though this be madness, yet there's method in it. [Aside.] Will you walk out of the air, my lord?

Ham. Into my grave?

Pol. Indeed, that is out o'the air.-How pregnant sometimes his replies are! a happiness that often madness hits on, which reason and sanity could not so prosperously be delivered of. I will leave him, and suddenly contrive the means of meeting between him and my daughter.-My honourable lord, I will most humbly take my leave of you.

Ham. You cannot, Sir, take from me any thing that I will more willingly part withal; except my life, except my life, except my life. Pol. Fare you well, my lord. Ham. These tedious old fools!

Enter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN. Pol. You go to seek the lord Hamlet; there

he is.

[TO POLONIUS. [Exit POLONIUS.

Ros. God save you, Sir! Guil. My honour'd lord!Ros. My most dear lord!Ham. My excellent good friends! How dost thou, Guildenstern? Ah, Rosencrantz! Good lads, how do ye both?

Ros. As the indifferent children of the earth. Guil. Happy, in that we are not overhappy; On fortune's cap we are not the very button. Ham. Nor the soles of her shoe?

Ros. Neither, my lord.

Ham. Then are our beggars, bodies; and our monarchs, and outstretch'd heroes, the beggars' shadows: Shall we to the court? for, by my fay, I cannot reason

Ros. Guil. We'll wait upon you.

Ham. No such matter: I will not sort you with the rest of my servants; for, to speak to you like an honest man, I am most dreadfully attended. But, in the beaten way of friendship, what make you at Elsinore?

Ros. To visit you, my lord; no other occa

sion.

Ham. Beggar that I am, I am even poor in thanks; but I thank you: and sure, dear friends, my thanks are too dear, a halfpenny. Were you not sent for? Is it your own inclining? is it a free visitation? Come, come; deal justly with me: come, come; nay, speak.

Guil. What should we say, my lord? Ham. Any thing-but to the purpose. You were sent for; and there is a kind of confession in your looks, which your modesties have not craft enough to colour: I know, the good king and queen have sent for you.

Ros. To what end, my lord?

Ham. That you must teach me. But let me conjure you by the rights of our fellowship, by the consonancy of our youth, by the obliga tion of our ever-preserved love, and by what more dear a better proposer could charge you withal, be even and direct with me, whether you were sent for, or no?

Ros. What say you? [To GUILDENSTERN. Ham. Nay, then I have an eye of you; [Aside.]-if you love me, hold not off. Guil. My lord, we were sent for.

cipation prevent your discovery, and your Ham. I will tell you why; so shall my antisecrecy to the king and queen moult no feather. I have of late, (but, wherefore, I know not,) lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exer

Ham. Then you live about her waist, or in cises: and, indeed, it goes so heavily with my the middle of her favours?

Guil. 'Faith, her privates we.

Ham. In the secret parts of fortune? O, most true; she is a strumpet. What news?

Ros. None, my lord; but that the world is grown honest.

Ham. Then is doomsday near: But your news is not true. Let me question more in particular: What have you, my good friends, deserved at the hands of fortune, that she sends you to prison hither?

Guil. Prison, my lord!
Ham. Denmark's a prison.
Ros. Then is the world one.

Ham. A goodly one; in which there are many confines, wards, and dungeons; Denmark being one of the worst.

Ros. We think not so, my lord. Ham. Why, then 'tis none to you; for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so: to me it is a prison.

Ros. Why, then your ambition makes it one; 'tis too narrow for your mind.

Ham. O God! I could be bounded in a nutshell, and count myself a king of infinite space; were it not that I have bad dreams.

Guil. Which dreams, indeed, are ambition; for the very substance of the ambitious is merely

the shadow of a dream.

Ham. A dream itself is but a shadow. Ros. Truly, and I hold ambition of so airy and light a quality, that it is but a shadow's

shadow.

disposition, that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a steril promontory; this most excellent canopy, the air, look you, this brave o'erhanging firmament, this majestical roof other thing to me, than a foul and pestilent fretted with golden fire, why, it appears no work is man! How noble in reason! "how incongregation of vapours. What a piece of finite in faculties! in form, and moving, how express and admirable! in action, how like an angel! in apprehension, how like a god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals! And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust? man delights not me, nor woman neither; though, by your smiling, you seem to say so.

Ros. My lord, there is no such stuff in my thoughts.

Man delights not me?
Ham. Why did you laugh then, when I said,

Ros. To think, my lord, if you delight not in shall receive from you: we cotedt them on the man, what lenten entertainment the players way; and hither are they coming, to offer you

service.

Ham. He that plays the king, shall be welthe adventurous knight shall use his foil, and come; his majesty shall have tribute of me: target; the lover shall not sigh gratis; the humorous man shall end his part in peace; the tickled o'the sere; and the lady shall say her clown shall make those laugh, whose lungs are mind freely, or the blank verse shall halt-for't. -What players are they?

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The dramatic works of William Shakspeare, from the text of Johnson, Stevens ...