When that her golden couplets are disclos'd, His silence will sit drooping. Ham. Hear you, sir; We'll put the matter to the present push.- SCENE II.-A Hall in the Castle. Enter HAMLET and HORATIO. [Exeunt. I had my father's signet in my purse, Hor. So Guildenstern and Rosencrantz go to't. Hor. Why, what a king is this! Ham. Does it not, think thee, stand me now upon? He that hath kill'd my king, and whor'd my mother; Popp'd in between the election and my hopes; Thrown out his angle for my proper life, And with such cozenage; is't not perfect conscience, Ham. So much for this, sir: now shall you see the To quit him with this arm? and is❜t not to be damn'd, Ham. Sir, in my heart there was a kind of fighting, Hor. Ham. Up from my cabin, [us, That is most certain. My sea-gown scarf'd about me, in the dark Hor. Hor. Ay, 'beseech you. Ham. Being thus benetted round with villainies, A baseness to write fair, and labour'd much Hor. Har. In further evil? Hor. It must be shortly known to him from England, What is the issue of the business there. Ham. It will be short: the interim is mine; Peace; who comes here! Osr. Your lordship is right welcome back to Den mark. Ham. I humbly thank you, sir.-Dost know this water-fly? Hor. No, my good lord. Ham. Thy state is the more gracious; for 'tis a vice to know him: He hath much land, and fertile: let a beast be lord of beasts, and his crib shall stand at the king's mess: 'Tis a chough; but, as I say. spacious in the possession of dirt. Osr. Sweet lord, if your lordship were at leisure, I should impart a thing to you from his majesty. Ham. I will receive it, sir, with all diligence of spirit: Your bonnet to his right use; 'tis for the head. Osr. I thank your lordship, 'tis very hot. Ham. No, believe me, 'tis very cold; the wind is northerly. Osr. It is indifferent cold, my lord, indeed. Ham. But yet, methinks, it is very sultry and hot; or my complexion Osr. Exceedingly, my lord; it is very sultry, -as 'twere,-I cannot tell how.-My lord, his majesty bade me signify to you, that he has laid a great wager on your head: Sir, this is the matter,Ham. I beseech you, remember [HAMLET moves him to put on his hat. Osr. Nay, good my lord; for my ease, in good faith. Sir, here is newly come to court, Laertes: believe me, an absolute gentleman, full of most excellent differences, of very soft society, and grant showing; Indeed, to speak feelingly of him, he is the card or calendar of gentry, for you shall find in him the continent of what part a gentleman would see. Ham. Sir, his definement suffers no perdition in you-though, I know, to divide him inventorially, would dizzy the arithmetic of memory; and yet but raw neither, in respect of his quick sail. But, in the verity of extolment, I take him to be a soul of great article; and his infusion of such dearth and rareness, as, to make true diction of him, his semblable is his mirrour; and, who else would trace him, his umbrage, nothing more. it. Thus has he (and many more of the same breed, that, I know, the drossy age dotes on,) only got the tune of the time, and outward habit of encounter, a kind of yesty collection, which carries them through and through the most fond and winnowed opinions; and do but blow them to their trial, the bubbles are Osr. Your lordship speaks most infallibly of him.out. Ham. The concernancy, sir? why do we wrap the gentleman in our more rawer breath? Ham. What imports the nomination of this gentle[man? Hor. His purse is empty already; all his golden words are spent. Ham. Of him, sir. Osr. I know, you are not ignorant Ham. I would, you did, sir; yet, in faith, if you did, it would not much approve me ;-Well, sir. Osr. You are not ignorant of what excellence Laertes is Ham. I dare not confess that, lest I should compare with him in excellence; but, to know a man well, were to know himself. Osr. I mean, sir, for his weapon; but in the imputation laid on him by them, in his meed he's unfellowed. Ham. What's his weapon? Ham. That's two of his weapons: but, well. Osr. The king, sir, hath wagered with him six Barbary horses: against the which he has impawned, as I take it, six French rapiers and poniards, with their assigns, as girdle, hangers, and so: Three of the carriages, in faith, are very dear to fancy, very responsive to the hilts, most delicate carriages, and of very liberal conceit. Ham. What call you the carriages? Hor. I knew, you must be edified by the margent, ere you had done. Osr. The carriages, sir, are the hangers. Ham. The phrase would be more german to the matter, if we could carry a cannon by our sides; I would, it might be hangers till then. But, on: Six Barbary horses against six French swords, their assigns, and three liberal conceited carriages; that's the French bet against the Danish: Why is this impawned, as you call it ? Osr. The king, sir, hath laid, that in a dozen passes between yourself and him, he shall not exceed you three hits; he hath laid, on twelve for nine; and it would come to immediate trial, if your lordship would vouchsafe the answer. Ham. How, if I answer, no? Osr. I mean, my lord, the opposition of your person in trial. Ham. Sir, I will walk here in the hall; If it please his majesty, it is the breathing time of day with me: let the foils be brought, the gentleman willing, and the king hold his purpose, I will win for him, if I can; if not, I will gain nothing but my shame, and the odd hits. Osr. Shall I deliver you so? Ham. To this effect, sir; after what flourish your nature will. Osr. I commend my duty to your lordship. [Exit. Ham. Yours, yours.-He does well to commend it himself; there are no tongues else for's turn. Hor. This lapwing runs away with the shell on his head. Ham. He did comply with his dug, before he sucked Enter a Lord. Lord. My lord, his majesty commended him to you by young Osric, who brings back to him, that you attend him in the hall: He sends to know, if your pleasure hold to play with Laertes, or that you will take longer time." Ham. I am constant to my purposes, they follow the king's pleasure: if his fitness speaks, mine is ready; now, or whensoever, provided I be so able as now. Lord. The king, and queen, and all are coming down. Ham. In happy time. Lord. The queen desires you, to use some gentle entertainment to Laertes, before you fall to play. Ham. She well instructs me. [Exit Lord. Hor. You will lose this wager, my lord. Ham. I do not think so; since he went into France, I have been in continual practice; I shall win at the odds. But thou would'st not think, how ill all's here about my heart; but it is no matter. Hor. Nay, good my lord, Ham. It is but foolery; but it is such a kind of gain-giving, as would, perhaps, trouble a woman. Hor. If your mind dislike any thing, obey it: I will forestal their repair hither, and say, you are not fit. Ham. Not a whit, we defy augury; there is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: the readiness is all: Since no man, of aught he leaves, knows, what is't to leave betimes? Let be. Enter KING, QUEEN, LAERTES, Lords, OSRIC, and Attendants with foils, &c. King. Come, Hamlet, come, and take this hand from That might your nature, honour, and exception, Let my disclaiming from a purpos'd evil Laer. Ham. I embrace it freely; King. Set me the stoups of wine upon that table :If Hamlet give the first or second hit, Or quit in answer of the third exchange, Let all the battlements their ordnance fire; The king shall drink to Hamlet's better breath; And in the cup an union shall he throw, Richer than that which four successive kings In Denmark's crown have worn; Give me the cups; And let the kettle to the trumpet speak, The trumpet to the cannoneer without, The cannons to the heavens, the heaven to earth, Now the king drinks to Hamlet.-Come, begin ;And you, the judges, bear a wary eye. Ham. Come on, sir, Come, my lord. Laer. Ham. Laer. Ham. One. No. I am justly kill'd with mine own treachery. Ham. How does the queen? King. She swoons to see them bleed. Queen. No, no, the drink, the drink,—O my dear Hamlet!- The drink, the drink ;-I am poison'd! [Dies. Envenom'd too!-Then, venom, to thy work. [Stabs the KING. Osr.& Lords. Treason! treason! King. O, yet defend me, friends, I am but hurt. Ham. Here, thou incestuous, murd'rous, damned Drink off this potion:-Is the union here? [Dane, Follow my mother. [KING dies. Laer. He is justly serv'd; It is a poison temper'd by himself. Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet: Mine and my father's death come not upon thee; Nor thine on me! [Dies Hum. Heaven make thee free of it! I follow thee. Judgment. Osr. A hit, a very palpable hit. Laer. Well,-again. King. Stay, give me drink: Hamlet, this pearl is Here's to thy health.-Give him the cup. [thine; [Trumpets sound; and cannon shot off within. Ham. I'll play this bout first, set it by awhile. Come. Another hit; What say you? [They play. Laer. A touch, a touch, I do confess. King. Our son shall win. Queen. He's fat, and scant of breath. Here, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows: The queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet. Ham. Good madam, King. Gertrude, do not drink. Queen. I will, my lord ;-I pray you, pardon me. King. It is the poison'd cup; it is too late. [Aside. Ham. I dare not drink yet, madam; by and by. Queen. Come, let me wipe thy face. Luer. My lord, I'll hit him now. King. I do not think it. Laer. And yet it is almost against my conscience. [Aside. Ham. Come, for the third, Laertes: You do but I pray you, pass with your best violence; [dally; I am afeard, you make a wanton of me. Laer. Say you so? come on. Osr. Nothing neither way. Laer. Have at you now. [They play. Hor. Never believe it; And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain, Ham. O, I die, Horatio; And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest! [March within. Enter FORTINBRAS, the English Ambassadors, and others. [The QUEEN falls. Fort. Where is this sight? Osr. Look to the queen there, ho! Hor. They bleed on both sides :-How is it, my lord? Osr. How is't, Laertes? Hor. aught of woe, or wonder, cease your search. Fort. This quarry cries on havoc!-O proud death! Laer. Why, as a woodcock to my own springe, Osric; | What feast is toward in thine eternal cell, What is it, you would see? If That thou so many princes, at a shot, 1 Amb. Truly deliver. The sight is dismal; Hor. IF the dramas of Shakspeare were to be characterised, each by the particular excellence which distinguishes it from the rest, we must allow to the tragedy of Hamlet the praise of variety. The incidents are so numerous, that the argument of the play would make a long tale. The scenes are interchangeably diversified with merriment and solemnity: with merriment that includes judicious and instructive observations; and solemnity not strained by poetical violence above the natural sentiments of man. New characters appear from time to time in continual succession, exhibiting various forms of life, and particular modes of conversation. The pretended madness of Hamlet causes much mirth, the mournful distraction of Ophelia fills the heart with tenderness, and every personage produces the effect intended, from the apparition that in the first act chills the blood with horror, to the fop in the last, that exposes affectation to just contempt. The conduct is perhaps not wholly secure against objections. The action is indeed for the most part in continual progression, but there are some scenes which neither forward nor retard it Of the feigned madness of Hamlet there appears no adequate cause, for he does nothing which he might not have done with Let us haste to hear it, Let four captains Take up the bodies:-Such a sight as this the reputation of sanity. He plays the madman most, when he treats Ophelia with so much rudeness, which seems to be useless and wanton cruelty. Hamlet is, through the whole piece, rather an instrument than an agent. After he has, by the stratagem of the play, convicted the king, he makes no attempt to punish him; and his death is at last effected by an incident which Hamlet had no part in producing. The catastrophe is not very happily produced; the exchange of weapons is rather an expedient of necessity, than a stroke of art. A scheme might easily be formed to kill Hamlet with the dagger, and Laertes with the bowl. The poet is accused of having shewn little regard to poetical justice, and may be charged with equal neglect of poetical probability. The apparition left the regions of the dead to little purpose; the revenge which he demands is not obtained, but by the death of him that was required to take it: and the gratification, which would arise from the destruction of an usurper and a murderer, is abated by the untimely death of Ophelia, the young, the beautiful, the harmless, and the pious.-JOHNSON. OTHELLO. THIS tragedy, which Malone supposes to have been written so PERSONS REPRESENTED. DUKE OF VENICE. BRABANTIO, a Senator. Two other Senators. it came into the hands of the Venetians, (which was in the year 1473,) wherefore the time must fall in with some part of that interval. We learn from the play that there was a junction of the Turkish fleet at Rhodes, in order for the invasion of Cyprus, that it first came sailing towards Cyprus, then went to Rhodes, there met another squadron, and then resumed its way to Cyprus. These are real historical facts which happened when Mustapha, Selymus's general, attacked Cyprus in May, 1570, which therefore is the true period of this performance. See Knolles's History of the Turks, p. 838. 846.867." Off-capp'd to him :-and, by the faith of man, My mediators; for, certes, says he, Forsooth, a great arithmetician, A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife; More than a spinster; unless the bookish theoric, As masterly as he mere prattle, without practice, It is as sure as you are Roderigo, As when, by night and negligence, the fire Rod. What, ho! Brabantio! signior Brabantio, ho! Look to your house, your daughter, and your bags! BRABANTIO, above, at a window. Bra. What is the reason of this terrible summons? What is the matter there? Rod. Signior, is all your family within? lago. Are your doors lock'd? Bra. Why? wherefore ask you this? Iago. 'Zounds, sir, you are robb'd; for shame, put on your gown; Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul; The worse welcome: Rod. Sir, sir, sir, sir,- But thou must needs be sure, My spirit, and my place, have in them power Patience, good sir. Rod. [nice; Most grave Brabantio, In simple, and pure soul I come to you. lago. 'Zounds, sir, you are one of those, that will not serve God, if the devil bid you. Because we come to do you service, you think we are ruffians: You'll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse: you'll have your nephews neigh to you: you'll have coursers for cousins, and gennets for germans. Bra. What profane wretch art thou? Iago. I am one, sir, that comes to tell you, your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs. Bra. This thou shalt answer; I know thee, Ro- Rod. What a full fortune does the thick-lips owe, But with a knave of common hire, a gondolier, If he can carry't thus! lago. Rod. Here is her father's house; I'll call aloud. To the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor,-- I thus would play and trifle with your reverence: |