Hor. You might have rhym’d. Ham. Oh, good Horatio, I'll take the Ghost's word for a thousand pounds. Didst perceive? Hor. Very well, my Lord. recorders. Enter Rosincrantz and Guildenstern. Come, some musick, Guil. Good my Lord, vouchsafe me a word with you. Ham. Sir, a whole history. cock, Paicoke, and Pajocke. I Hamlet is setting his father's and substitute Paddock as nearest to uncle's characters in contralt to the traces of the corrupted read. each other : and means to say, ing. I have, as Mr. Pope says, that by his father's death the state been willing to substituie any was stripp'd of a godlike mothing in the place of his Pea- narch, and that now in his stead cock. He thinks a fable alluded reign'd the most despicable poito, of the birds chusing a King; sonous animal that could be: a instead of the eazle, a peacock. I meer padd ck, or toad. PAD, suppose, he must mean the fable bufo, rubeta major ; a toad. This of Barlandus, in which it is said, word, I cake to be of Hamlet's the birds being weary of their own fubftituting. The verses, State of anarchy, moved for the repeated, seem to be from some Setting up of a King: and the old bailad; in which, rhyme Peacock was elected on account of being necessary, I doubt not but his gay feathers. But, with sub- the last verse ran thus; million, in this passage of our A viry, very, Ass. Shakespeare, there is not the least THCOBA U. mention made of the eagle in an 8 Why, then, belike ] taniet tithesis to the peacock; and it was going on to draw ihe coninust be by a very uncommon sequence when the courtiers enfigure, that Jove himself ftands tered. in the place of his bird. I think, Q 2 Guil. Guil. The King, Sir . Is, in his recitement, marvellous diftemper’d-- Ham. Your wisdom should shew itself more rich, to signify this to his Doctor; for, for me to put him to his purgation, would, perhaps, plunge him into more choler. Guil. Good my Lord, put your discourse into fome frame, and start not fo wildly from my affair. Ham. I am tame, Sir.Pronounce. Guil. The Queen your mother, in most great afDiction of spirit, haih sent me to you. Flam. You are welcome. Guil. Nay, good my Lord, this Courtesy is not of the right Breed. If it shall please you to make me a wholesome answer, I will do your mother's commandment; if not, your pardon and my return shall be the end of my business. Ham. Sir, I cannot. Ham. Make you a wholesome answer : my wit's diseas’d. But, Sir, such answer as I can make, you fhall command; or rather, as you say, my mother. Therefore no more but to the matter. My mother, you say Rof. Then thus the says. Your behaviour hath struck her into amazement, and admiration. Ham. Oh wonderful son, that can so astonish a mother! But is there no fequel at the heels of this mother's admiration ? Rof. She desires to speak with you in her closes, ere you go to bed. ' 9 With drink, Sir?] Hamlet unkle's love of drink thail not be takas pulticular care that his forgotten. Ham. We shall obey, were she ten times our mother. Have you any further trade with us? Rof. My Lord, you once did love me. Rof. Good my Lord, what is your cause of distemper ? You do, furely, bar the door of your own li. berty, if you deny your griefs to your friend.' Ham. Sir, I lack advancement. Rof. How can that be, when you have the voice of the King himself, for your fuccession in Denmark? Ham. Ay, but while the grass grows--the Proverb is fomething musty. Enter one, with a Recorder. Oh, the Recorders; let me see one. To withdraw with you-Why do you go about to recover the wind of me, as if you would drive me into a toile ? Guil. : Oh my Lord, if my duty be too bold, niy love is too unmannerly. Ham. I do not well understand that. Will you play upon this pipe? Guil. My Lord, I cannot. Ham. 'Tis as easy as lying. Govern the e 4 ventages with your fingers and thumb, give it breath with your mouth, and it will discourse most eloquent mufick. Look you, these are the stops. 2 ' further trade] Further busic makes me press you a little, my nefs ; further dealing, love to you makes me it'll mare : by these pickeri, &c. ) By importunate. If that makes me there hands. bold, this makes me even 19° 3 Oh my lord, if ny dury le 100 mannerly. WARBUR: ON. lold, my love is to unmarner!..] 4 centage:] The holes of a i. c. if my dury to the King flure. Guil. Guil. But these cannot I command to any utterance of harmony; I have not the skill. Ham. Why, look you now, how unworthy a thing you would make of me; you would play upon me, you would seem to know my stops ; you would pluck out the heart of my mystery; you would sound mę from my lowest note, to the top of my compass; and there is much musick, excellent voice, in this little organ, yet cannot you make it speak. Why, do you think, that I am easier to be play'd on than a pipe? Call me what inftrument you will, though you can fret me, you cannot play upon me. -God bless you, Sir. Enter Polonius. Pol. My Lord, the Queen would speak with you, and presently. Ham. Do you see yonder cloud, that's almost in Thape of a Camel ? Pol. By the mass, and it's like a Camel, indeed. · Ham. Methinks it is like an Ouzle. Pol. It is black like an Ouzle. Ham. Or, like a Whale ? Pol. Very like a Whale. llam. Then will I come to my mother by and bythey fool me to the top of my bent. I will come by and by Pol. I will say fo. (Exeunt. 'Tis now the very witching time of night, When church-yards yawn, and hell itself breathes out Contagion to this world. Now could I drink hot blood, 5 Ibe fool me to the top of my te fool, will I can endure to do 6:°.] They cumpci mo !o play is no longer. And * And do such bitter business as the day ther- To give them seals never my soul consent! SCE N E VIII, Enter King, Rosincrantz, and Guildenstern. King. I like him not, nor stands it safe with us To let his madness range. Therefore, prepare you ;I your Commission will forthwith dispatch, And he to England shall along with you. The terms of our estate may not endure Hazard so near us, as doth hourly grow ☆ And do such BITTER business time (says he) hell breathes out as the day contagion to the world, whereby Would quake to look on - ] The night becomes polluted and exeexpression is almost burlesque. crable; the horror therefore of The old quarto reads, this season fits me for a deed, And do such business as the BIT which the pure and sacred diry TER day would quake to look on. This Would quake to look on. is said with great claslical propriThis is a little corrupt indeed, ety. According to ancient subut much nearer Shakespear's perstition, night was prophane words, who wrote, and execrable; and day, pure Better day, and holy. WARBURTON. which gives the sentiment great 7 To give them seals---] i. c. force and dignity. At this very put them in execution. WARB. Out Q_4 |