Will sate itself'in a celestial bed,

And prey on garbage.

But, soft methinks, I scent the morning air :
Brief let me be.-Sleeping within mine orchard,
My custom always of the afternoon,

Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole,

With juice of cursed hebenon 1 in a vial,
And in the porches of mine ears did pour
The leperous distilment; whose effect
Holds such an enmity with blood of man,
That, swift as quicksilver, it courses through
The natural gates and alleys of the body;•
And, with a sudden vigor, it doth posset

2

And curd, like eager droppings into milk,

The thin and wholesome blood: so did it mine;

And a most instant tetter 3 bark'd about,

Most lazar-like, with vile and loathsome crust,

All my smooth body.

Thus was I, sleeping, by a brother's hand,

Of life, of crown, of queen at once despatch'd;
Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin,
Unhousel'd,5 disappointed, unaneled ; 7
No reckoning made, but sent to my account
With all my imperfections on my head.
O, horrible! O, horrible! most horrible!
If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not;

1 Henbane.

4 Most like a leper.

2 Sour, acid.

Without having received the sacrament.
Unappointed, unprepared.

• Scurf.

7 Without extreme unction.

Let not the royal bed of Denmark be
A couch for luxury and damned incest.
But, howsoever thou pursuest this act,
Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive
Against thy mother aught; leave her to Heaven,
And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge,
To prick and sting her. Fare thee well at once?
The glow-worm shows the matin to be near,
And 'gins to pale his uneffectual fire.

Adieu, adieu, adieu! remember me.

[Exit.

Ham. O, all you host of heaven! O, earth!

What else?

And shall I couple hell?-O, fie!-Hold, hold, my

heart;

And you, my sinews, grow not instant old,
But bear me stiffly up!-Remember thee?
Ay, thou poor ghost, while memory holds a seat
In this distracted globe.1-Remember thee?
Yea, from the table of my memory

I'll wipe away all trivial fond records,

All saws 2 of books, all forms, all pressures past,
That youth and observation copied there;
And thy commandment all alone shall live
Within the book and volume of my brain,
Unmix'd with baser matter: yes, by heaven.
O most pernicious woman!

O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain!
My tables: 3-meet it is, I set it down,

1 Head.

Memorandums.

2 Sayings, sentences.

'That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain; At least, I am sure, it may be so in Denmark.

So, uncle, there you are.

[writing

Now to my word;

It is, 'Adieu, adieu! remember me.'

Mar. [within.] Illo, ho, ho, my lord!
Ham. Hillo, ho, ho, boy! come, bird, come.

Enter HORATIO and MARCELLUS.

Mar. How is 't, my noble lord?

Ham. How say you then? Would heart of man

once think it?

But you'll be secret?

Ho. Mar.

Ay, by heaven, my lord.

Ham. There's ne'er a villain, dwelling in ail Denmark,

But he 's an arrant knave.

Ho. There needs no ghost, my lord, come from

the grave,

To tell us this.

Ham.

Why, right; you are in the right;

And so, without more circumstance at all,

I hold it fit that we shake hands and part:

You, as your business and desire shall point you ;— For every man hath business and desire,

Such as it is;-and, for my own poor part,

Look you, I will go pray.

Ho. These are but wild and whirling words, my

lord.

Ham. I am sorry they offend you, heartily; yes, Faith, heartily.

Ho.

There's no offence, my lord.

Ham. Yes, by saint Patrick, but there is, Horatio, And much offence too. Touching this vision here,

It is an honest ghost, that let me tell you:
For your desire to know what is between us,
O'ermaster it as you may. And now, good friends,
As you are friends, scholars, and soldiers,

Give me one poor request.

Ho. What is 't, my lord? we will.

Ham. Never make known what you have seen

Ham. Indeed, upon my sword, indeed.
Ghost. [beneath.] Swear.

Ham. Ha, ha, boy! say'st thou so? art thou there, true-penny?

Come on ;-you hear this fellow in the cellarage.
Consent to swear.

Ho.

Propose the oath, my lord.

Ham. Never to speak of this that you have seen, Swear by my sword.

Ghost. [beneath.] Swear.

Ham. Hic et ubique ?1 then we'll shift our ground.

Come hither, gentlemen,

And lay your hands again upon my sword:

Swear by my sword,

Never to speak of this that you have heard.

Ghost. [beneath.] Swear by his sword.

Ham. Well said, old mole! canst work i' the earth so fast?

A worthy pioneer!-Once more remove, good

friends.

Ho. O day and night, but this is wondrous

trange!

Ilam. And therefore

welcome.

as a stranger give it

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.