I must be cruel, only to be kind: Thus bad begins, and worse remains behind.- Queen. What shall I do? Ham. Not this, by no means, that I bid you do: Or padling in your neck with his damn'd fingers, That I essentially am not in madness, But mad in craft. "Twere good, you let him know: Unpeg the basket on the house's top, And break your own neck down. Queen. Be thou assur'd, if words be made of breath, And breath of life, I have no life to breathe Ham. I must to England; you know that? Let the bloat king-] This again hints at his intemperance. He had already drank himself into a dropsy. BLACKSTONE. 4 his mouse;] Mouse was once a term of endearment. 5reechy kisses,] Reechy is smoky. The author meant to convey a coarse idea, and was not very scrupulous in his choice of an epithet. 6 a gib,] Gib was a common name for a cat. 7 To try conclusions,] i. e. experiments. 8 I must to England;] Shakspeare does not inform us how Hamlet came to know that he was to be sent to England. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were made acquainted with the King's intentions for the first time in the very last scene; and they do not appear to have had any communication with the Prince since that time. Queen. Alack, I had forgot; 'tis so concluded on. Ham. There's letters seal'd: and my two schoolfellows, Whom I will trust, as I will adders fang'd,'— I'll lug the guts into the neighbour room :- [Exeunt severally; HAMLET dragging in Po LONIUS. adders fang'd,] That is, adders with their fangs or poisonous teeth, undrawn. 1 Hoist, &c.] Hoist, for hoised; as past, for passed. 2 When in one line two crafts directly meet.] Still alluding to a countermine." 3 Come, sir, to draw toward an end with you:] Shakspeare has been unfortunate in his management of the story of this play, the most striking circumstances of which arise so early in its formation, as not to leave him room for a conclusion suitable to the importance of its beginning. After this last interview with the Ghost, the character of Hamlet has lost all its consequence. STEEVENS. ACT IV. SCENE I. The same. Enter King, Queen, ROSENCRANTZ, and GUIL DENSTERN. King. There's matter in these sighs; these profound heaves; You must translate: 'tis fit we understand them: Queen. Bestow this place on us a little while. Ah, my good lord, what have I seen to-night! Which is the mightier: In his lawless fit, King. O heavy deed! It had been so with us, had we been there: His liberty is full of threats to all; To you yourself, to us, to every one. Alas! how shall this bloody deed be answer'd? 4 Act IV.] This play is printed in the old editions without any separation of the Acts. The division is modern and arbitrary; and is here not very happy, for the pause is made at a time when there is more continuity of action than in almost any other of the scenes. JOHNSON. Should have kept short, restrain'd, and out of haunt," Shows itself pure; he weeps for what is done. The sun no sooner shall the mountains touch, Enter ROSENCRANTZ and Guildenstern. Friends both, go join you with some further aid: [Exeunt Ros. and GUIL. Transports his poison'd shot,-may miss our name, 5 out of haunt,] i. e. out of company. 6 Among a mineral-] Minerals are mines. 7 [Exeunt. cannon to his blank,] The blank was the white mark at which shot or arrows were directed. SCENE II. Another Room in the same. Enter HAMlet. Ham.--Safely stowed,-[Ros. &c. within. Hamlet! lord Hamlet!] But soft,-what noise? who calls on Hamlet? O, here they come. Enter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTErn. Ros. What have you done, my lord, with the dead body? Ham. Compounded it with dust, whereto 'tis kin. Ros. Tell us where 'tis; that we may take it thence, And bear it to the chapel. Ros. Believe what? Ham. That I can keep your counsel, and not mine own. Besides, to be demanded of a sponge! -what replication should be made by the son of a king? Ros. Take you me for a sponge, my lord? Ham. Ay, sir; that soaks up the king's countenance, his rewards, his authorities. But such officers do the king best service in the end: He keeps them, like an ape, in the corner of his jaw; first mouthed, to be last swallowed: When he needs what you have gleaned, it is but squeezing you, and, sponge, you shall be dry again. Ros. I understand you not, my lord. Ham. I am glad of it: A knavish speech sleeps in a foolish ear. 8 like an ape,] i. e. as an ape does an apple. |