That you know aught of me :-this not to do,

So
Swear.

and grace

mercy

at your most need help you,

165

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

170

May do, to express his love and friending to you,

God willing, shall not lack. Let us go in together;

ACT II

SCENE I.-A Room in POLONIUS' House.

Enter POLONIUS and REYNALDO.

Pol. Give him his money, and these notes, Reynaldo.
Rey. I will, my lord.

Pol. You shall do marv'llous wisely, good Reynaldo,
Before you visit him, to make inquire

Of his behaviour.

My lord, I did intend it.

Rey.

5

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,

10

That they do know my son, come you more nearer

Than your particular demands will touch it :

Take you, as 'twere, some distant knowledge of him ;

As thus-'I know his father and his friends,

And, in part, him ;'-do you mark this, Reynaldo ?

15

Rey. Ay, very well, my lord.

Pol. And, in part, him ;—but,' you may say, 'not well :

But, if 't be he I mean, he's very wild ;

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;

Pol. Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing, quarrelling, Drabbing: you may go so far.

Rey. My lord, that would dishonour him.

Pol. Faith, no; but breathe his faults so quaintly

That they may seem the taints of liberty:

The flash and outbreak of a fiery mind;
A savageness in unreclaimed blood,

Of general assault.

Rey.

But, my good lord

Pol. Wherefore should you do this ?

Rey.

I would know that.

Pol.

Ay, my lord,

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 does—
What was I about to say? By the mass, I was
About to say something :-where did I leave?
Rey. At, 'closes in the consequence.'

At friend, or so,' and 'gentleman.'

Pol. At, closes in the consequence-ay, marry;

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

Or then, or then; with such, or such; and, as you say,
There was a' gaming; there o'ertook in his rouse :
There falling out at tennis ;'-

See you now;

-or so forth.

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 my former lecture and advice,

Shall you, my son. You have me, have you not?
Rey. My lord, I have.

Pol.

Rey. Good, my lord !—

55

60

God be wi' you; fare you well.

65

Oph. Alas, my lord, I have been so affrighted!
Pol. With what, i' the name of heaven?

Oph. My lord, as I was sewing in my chamber,

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;

75

Pale as his shirt; his knees knocking each other;

And with a look so piteous in purport,

As if he had been loosed out of hell,

To speak of horrors-he comes before me.

80

Pol. Mad for thy love?

Oph.

My lord, I do not know;

But, truly, I do fear it.

Pol.

What said he ?

Oph. He took me by the wrist, and held me

hard;

Then goes he to the length of all his arm;

And, with his other hand thus o'er his brow,

85

And thrice his head thus waving up and down-
He rais'd a sigh so piteous and profound,
That it did seem to shatter all his bulk,

90

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 help,
And, to the last, bended their light on me.

Pol. Come, go with me: I will go seek the king.
This is the very ecstasy of love;

Whose violent property fordoes itself,

And leads the will to desperate undertakings,
As oft as any passion under heaven

100

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

105

Pol.

His access to me.

I am sorry that with better heed and judgment,

That hath made him mad.

I had not quoted him: I fear'd he did but trifle,

And meant to wreck thee; but, beshrew my jealousy!

110

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: