be not now, yet it will come; the readiness is all. Since no man has aught of what he leaves, what is't to leave betimes ? Enter King, Queen, Laertes and lords, Ofrick, with other attendants with foils, and gantlets. A table, and flaggons of wine on it. King. Come, Hamlet, come, and take this hand from me. Ham, Give me your pardon, Sir; I've done you wrong; But pardon't, as you are a gentleman. This prefence knows, and you must needs have heard, What I have done, That might your Nature, Honour, and Exception And, when he's not himself, does wrong Laertes, Laer. I am fatisfied in nature, Ham. I embrace it freely, And will this brother's wager frankly play. K 3 Laer. Laer. Come, one for me. Ham. I'll be your foil, Laertes; in mine ignorance Your skill fhall like a ftar i'th' darkest night Stick fiery off, indeed. Laer. You mock me, Sir. Ham. No, by this hand. King. Give them the foils, young Ofrick. Hamlet, you know the wager. Ham. Well, my lord; Your Grace hath laid the odds o'th' weaker fide. King. I do not fear it, I have feen you both: But fince he's better'd, we have therefore odds. Laer. This is too heavy, let me fee another. Ham. This likes me well; thefe foils have all a length. [Prepares to play. Ofr. Ay, my good lord. King. Set me the ftoops of wine upon that table: (33) And in the Cup an Onyx shall he throw, Richer than that which four fucceffive Kings Richer In Denmark's Crown have worn.] This is a various Reading in feveral of the old Copies; but Union feems to me to be the true word, for feveral reafons. The Onyx is a fpecies of lucid Stone, of which the Antients made both Co. lumns and Pavements for Ornament, and in which they likewife cut Seals, &c. but, if I am not miftaken, neither the Onyx, nor Sardonyx, are Jewels which ever found Place in an Imperial Crown. On the other hand, an Union is the fineft fort of Pearl, and has its Place in all Crowns and Coronets. Befides, let us confider what the King fays on Hamler's giving Laertes the firft Hit. Stay, give me Drink: Hamlet, this Pearl is thine: Therefore, if an Union be a Pearl, and an Onyx a Gemm, or Richer than that which four fucceffive Kings The trumpets to the cannoneer without, The cannons to the heav'ns, the heav'ns to earth: Ham. Come on, Sir. Laer. Come, my lord. again [They play. King. Stay, give me Drink. Hamlet, this Pearl is thine, Here's to thy health. Give him the cup. Trumpets found, Shot goes off. Ham. I'll play this bout first, set it by a while. Come another hit Laer. A touch, a touch, King. Our fon shall win. [They play. Queen. He's fat, and scant of breath. Here, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows; Ham. Good Madam, King. Gertrude, do not drink. Queen. I will, my lord; I pray you, pardon me. [afide. King. I do not think't. Laer. And yet it is almost against my conscience. [Afide Ham. Come, for the third, Laertes, you but dally; ing, that Hamlet has earn'd the Pearl, I think, amounts to a Demonftration that it was an Union-Pearl, which he meant to throw into the Cup. K 4 I pray, I pray you, pafs with your best violence; Ofr. Nothing neither way. Laer. Have at you now. [Play. [Laertes wounds Hamlet; then, in Scuffling, they change rapiers, and Hamlet wounds Laertes. King. Part them, they are incens'd. Ham. Nay, come again. Ofr. Look to the Queen there, ho! Hor. They bleed on both fides. How is't, my lord? Ofr. How is't, Laertes? Laer. Why, as a woodcock to my own fprindge, Ofrick; I'm justly kill'd with mine own treachery. Ham. How does the Queen? King. She fwoons to fee them bleed. Oh my dear Hamlet, the drink, the drink, [Queen dies. Ham. Oh villany! ho! let the door be lock'd: Laer. It is here, Hamlet, thou art flain, (34) The treach'rous Instrument is in thy hand, Unbated and envenom'd.] The King in the fourth All, in the Scene betwixt him and Laertes, fays; So that with ease, Or with a little fhuffling, you may chufe A Sword unbaited, and in a Pass of Practife Require him for your Father. In which Paffage the old Folio's read, A Sword unbaited which makes Nonfenfe of the Place, and deftroys the Poet's Meaning. Unbated fignifies, unabated, umblunted, not charg'd with a Button as Foils are. Never to rife again; thy mother's poifon'd; I can no more the King, the King's to blame. Ham. The point envenom'd too? Then venom do thy work. All. Treason, treason. [Stabs the King. King. O yet defend me, friends, I am but hurt. Dane, Drink off this potion: is the Union here? Follow my mother. Laer. He is justly ferved. It is a poifon temper'd by himself. [King dies. Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet; [Dies.. Hor. Never believe it. I'm more an antique Roman than a Dane ; : Ham. As th' art a man, Give me the cup; let go; by heav'n, I'll hav't. Things ftanding thus unknown, shall live behind me ?? Absent thee from felicity a while, And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain, What warlike noife is this? |