moult no feather. I have of late-but wherefore I know not -lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises; and indeed it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory; this most excellent canopy, the air, look you, this brave o'erhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire,why, it appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours. What a piece of work is man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! 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; no, nor woman neither, though by your smiling you seem to say so. 304 Rosencrantz. My lord, there was no such stuff in my thoughts. Hamlet. Why did you laugh then, when I said 'man delights not me?' Rosencrantz. To think, my lord, if you delight not in man, what lenten entertainment the players shall receive from you; we coted them on the way, and hither are they coming to offer you service. 312 Hamlet. He that plays the king shall be welcome; his majesty shall have tribute of me; the adventurous knight shall use his foil and target; the lover shall not sigh gratis ; the humorous man shall end his part in peace; the clown shall make those laugh whose lungs are tickle o' the sere; and the lady shall say her mind freely, or the blank verse shall halt for 't. What players are they? Rosencrantz. Even those you were wont to take delight in, the tragedians of the city. 321 Hamlet. How chances it they travel? their residence, both in reputation and profit, was better both ways. Rosencrantz. I think their inhibition comes by the means of the late innovation. Hamlet. Do they hold the same estimation they did when I was in the city? are they so followed? Rosencrantz. No, indeed, are they not. Hamlet. How comes it? do they grow rusty? 329 Rosencrantz. Nay, their endeavour keeps in the wonted pace; but there is, sir, an aery of children, little eyases, that cry out on the top of question, and are most tyrannically clapped for 't: these are now the fashion, and so berattle the common stages—so they call them-that many wearing rapiers are afraid of goose-quills, and dare scarce come thither. 336 Hamlet. What, are they children? who maintains 'em? how are they escoted? Will they pursue the quality no longer than they can sing? will they not say afterwards, if they should grow themselves to common players—as it is most like, if their means are no better-their writers do them wrong, to make them exclaim against their own succession? Rosencrantz, Faith, there has been much to-do on both sides, and the nation holds it no sin to tarre them to controversy; there was for a while no money bid for argument, unless the poet and the player went to cuffs in the question. Hamlet. Is 't possible? 349 Guildenstern. O, there has been much throwing about of brains. Hamlet. Do the boys carry it away? Rosencrantz. Ay, that they do, my lord; Hercules and his load too. Hamlet. It is not very strange; for mine uncle is king of Denmark, and those that would make mows at him while my father lived give twenty, forty, fifty, an hundred ducats apiece for his picture in little. 'Sblood, there is something in this more than natural, if philosophy could find it out. 359 [Flourish of trumpets within. Guildenstern. There are the players. Hamlet. Gentlemen, you are welcome to Elsinore. Your hands, come; the appurtenance of welcome is fashion and ceremony: let me comply with you in this garb, lest my extent to the players, which, I tell you, must show fairly outward, should more appear like entertainment than yours. You are welcome; but my uncle-father and aunt-mother are deceived. Guildenstern. In what, my dear lord? Hamlet. I am but mad north-north-west; when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw. Enter POLONIUS. Polonius. Well be with you, gentlemen! Hamlet. Hark you, Guildenstern; and you too; 370 at each ear a hearer: that great baby you see there is not yet out of his swaddling-clouts. Rosencrantz. Happily he's the second time come to them; for they say an old man is twice a child. Hamlet. I will prophesy he comes to tell me of the players; mark it. You say right, sir: o' Monday morning; 't was so indeed. Polonius. My lord, I have news to tell you. Hamlet. My lord, I have news to tell you. When Roscius was an actor in Rome,— Polonius. The actors are come hither, my lord. Hamlet. Buz, buz! Polonius. Upon mine honour, Hamlet. Then came each actor on his ass, 380 Polonius. The best actors in the world, either for tragedy, comedy, history, pastoral, pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral, tragical-historical, tragical-comical-historical-pastoral, scene individable, or poem unlimited; Seneca cannot be too heavy, nor Plautus too light. For the law of writ and the liberty, these are the only men. 390 Hamlet. O Jephthah, judge of Israel, what a treasure hadst thou! Polonius. What treasure had he, my lord? Hamlet. Why, 'One fair daughter, and no more, The which he loved passing well.' Polonius. [Aside] Still on my daughter. Hamlet. Am I not i' the right, old Jephthah? Polonius. If you call me Jephthah, my lord, I have a daugh ter that I love passing well. Hamlet. Nay, that follows not. Polonius. What follows, then, my lord? 400 Hamlet. Why, 'As by lot, God wot,' and then, you know, It came to pass, as most like it was,' the first row of the pious chanson will show you more; for look, where my abridgments come. Enter four or five Players. 408 You are welcome, masters; welcome, all. I am glad to see ye well. Welcome, good friends.-—O, my old friend! thy face is valanced since I saw thee last; comest thou to beard me in Denmark?-What, my young lady and mistress! By'r lady, your ladyship is nearer to heaven than when I saw you last, by the altitude of a chopine. Pray God, your voice, like a piece of uncurrent gold, be not cracked within the ring.— Masters, you are all welcome. We'll e'en to 't like French falconers, fly at any thing we see; we 'll have a speech straight. Come, give us a taste of your quality; come, a passionate speech. I Player. What speech, my lord? 420 Hamlet. I heard thee speak me a speech once, but it was never acted; or, if it was, not above once, for the play, I remember, pleased not the million; 't was caviare to the gen eral; but it was-as I received it, and others, whose judg ments in such matters cried in the top of mine--an excellent • play, well digested in the scenes, set down with as much modesty as cunning. I remember, one said there were no sallets in the lines to make the matter savoury, nor no matter in the phrase that might indict the author of affectation; but called it an honest method, as wholesome as sweet, and by very much more handsome than fine. One speech in it I chiefly loved: 't was Æneas' tale to Dido; and thereabout of it especially, where he speaks of Priam's slaughter. If it live in your memory, begin at this line; let me see, let me see The rugged Pyrrhus, like the Hyrcanian beast,— 't is not so:-it begins with 'Pyrrhus.' The rugged Pyrrhus, he whose sable arms, When he lay couched in the ominous horse, Hath now this dread and black complexion smear'd Now is he total gules; horridly trick'd With blood of fathers, mothers, daughters, sons, Bak'd and impasted with the parching streets, That lend a tyrannous and damned light To their lord's murther. Roasted in wrath and fire, And thus o'er-sized with coagulate gore, With eyes like carbuncles, the hellish Pyrrhus Old grandsire Priam seeks. So, proceed you. 435 450 Polonius. Fore God, my lord, well spoken, with good ac cent and good discretion. I Player. Anon he finds him Striking too short at Greeks; his antique sword, Repugnant to command: unequal match'd, But with the whiff and wind of his fell sword |