HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK. Act V. matter, if we could carry a cannon by our sides; I Ham. The phrase would be more german1? to the would it might be hangers till then. But on: Six Osr. It is indifferent cold, my lord, indeed. Ham. But yet, methinks it is very sultry and hot; or my complexionOsr. Exceedingly, my lord; it is very sultry,-Barbary horses against six French swords, their asas '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 signs, and three liberal-conceited carriages; that's the French bet against the Danish: Why is this impawned, as you call it? [Hamlet moves him to put on his hat. passes between yourself and him, he shall not exOsr. The king, sir, hath laid, that in a dozen Osr. Nay, good my lord; for my ease, in good ceed you three hits; he hath laid, on twelve for faith. Sir, here is newly come to court, Laertes: nine; and it would come to immediate trial, if your believe me, an absolute gentleman, full of most || lordship would vouchsafe the answer. excellent differences,2 of very soft society, and great showing: Indeed, to speak feelingly of him, Ham. How, if I answer, no? he is the card3 or calendar of gentry, for you shall find in him the continent of what part a gentleman would see. person in trial. Ham. Sir, I will walk here in the hall: If it with me: let the foils be brought, the gentleman please his majesty, it is the breathing time of day willing, and the king hold his purpose, I will win for him, if I can; if not, I will gain nothing but my Ham. Sir, this 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.shame, and the odd hits. 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 mirror; and, who else would trace him, his umbrage, nothing more.5 Osr. Your lordship speaks most infallibly of him. Ham. The concernancy, sir? why do we wrap the gentleman in our more rawer breath? Osr. Sir? Hor. Is't not possible to understand in another tongue? You will do't, sir, really. Ham. What imports the nomination of this gentleman? Osr. Of Laertes? Osr. Shall I deliver you so? your nature will. Osr. I commend my duty to your lordship. it himself; there are no tongues else for's turn. Ham. Yours, yours.-He does well to commend [Exit. Hor. This lapwing runs away with the shell on his head. Ham. He did comply14 with his dug before he same breed, that, I know, the drossyl age dotes on,) sucked it. Thus has he (and many more of the only got the tune of the time, and outward habit of encounter; a kind of yestyle collection, which car Hor. His purse is empty already; all his golden ries them through and through the most fond17 and 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. Ösr. 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. winnowed opinions; and do but blow them to their trial, the bubbles are out. Enter a Lord. you by young Osric, who brings back to him, that Lord. My lord, his majesty commended him to your pleasure hold to play with Laertes, or that you you attend him in the hall: He sends to know, if will take longer time. Osr. I mean, sir, for his weapon; but in the im- the king's pleasure: if his fitness speaks, mine is Ham. I am constant to my purposes, they follow putation laid on him by them, in his meeds he's un-ready; now, or whensoever, provided I be so able fellowed. Ham. What's his weapon? Osr. Rapier and dagger. Ham. That's two of his weapons: but, well. 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 [Exit Lord. Ham. She well instructs me. Barbary horses: against the which he has impawn-entertainment to Laertes, before you fall to play. ed, as I take it, six French rapiers and poniards, with their assigns, as girdle, hangers, 10 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. France, I have been in continual practice; I shall Ham. I do not think so; since he went into win at the odds. But thou would'st not think, how ill all's here about my heart: but it is no mar-matter. (4) The country and pattern for imitation. (5) (6) Mentioning. (8) Praise. (7) Recommend. (9) Imponed, put down, staked. (10) That part of the belt by which the sword was suspended. Hor. Nay, good my lord, Ham. It is but foolery; but it is such a kind of gain-giving, 18 as would, perhaps, trouble a woman. Hor. If your mind dislike any thing, obey it: I (11) Margin of a book which contains explanatory notes. (12) Akin. (13) A bird which runs about immediately as it is hatched. (14) Compliment. (15) Worthless. will forestall their repair hither, and say, you are not fit. Let all the battlements their ordnance fire; 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 tendants, with foils, &c. King. Come, Hamlet, come, and take this hand [The King puts the hand of Laertes into Ham. Give me your pardon, sir: I have done you But pardon it, as you are a gentleman. heard, How I am punish'd with a sore distraction. That might your nature, honour, and exception, And, when he's not himself, does wrong Laertes, Sir, in this audience, Let my disclaiming from a purpos'd evil Free me so far in your most generous thoughts, Laer. I am satisfied in nature, Whose motive, in this case, should stir me most To keep my name ungor'd:3 But till that time, Ham. Laer. Come, one for me. You know the wager? Ham. If Hamlet give the first or second hit, (1) Prevent. (2) The king and queen's presence. (5) A precious pearl. VOL. II. (6) Handkerchief. Laer. Ham. Laer. Ham. Come, my lord. [They play. No. Judgment. Well,-again. Osr. A hit, a very palpable hit. is thine; Here's to thy health.-Give him the cup. [Trumpets sound; and cannon shot off within. King. Gertrude, do not drink. [Aside. I do not think it. Laer. And yet it is almost against my conscience. [Aside. Ham. Come, for the third, Laertes: you do but [Laertes wounds Hamlet; then, in scuffling, King. Part them, they are incens'd. Osr. How is't, Laertes? Laer. Why, as a woodcock to my own springe Osric; The drink, the drink ;-I am poison'd! [Dies. (7) Drinks good luck to you. (8) Boy. 4 A Hath turn'd itself on me; lo, here I lie, Envenom'd too!-Then, venom, to thy work. Osr.& Lords. Treason! treason! Where should we have our thanks? Not from his mouth, Had it the ability of life to thank you; Drink off this potion:-Is the union here? He is justly serv'd; [Dies. Fort. Ham. Heaven make thee free of it! I follow thee. You that look pale and tremble at this chance, Hor. Ham. And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain, [March afar off, and shot within. What warlike noise is this? Osr. Young Fortinbras, with conquest come To the ambassadors of England gives Ham. O, I die, Horatio; The potent poison quite o'er-crows my spirit; And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest! others. Fort. Where is this sight? What feast is toward in thine eternal cell, 1 Amb. I have some rights of memory in this kingdom, Hor. Of that I shall have also cause to speak, On plots and errors, happen. Take up the bodies:-Such a sight as this 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 The pretended madness of Hamlet causes much forms of life, and particular modes of conversation. 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 the reputation of sanity. He plays the (7) A word of censure when more game was (1) Mixed. (2) A sergeant is a sheriff's officer.destroyed than was reasonable. (3) O'ercomes. (4) Incidents. (5) Incited. (8) i. e. The king's. (10) Polish. (6) Heap of dead game. (9) By chance. easily be formed, to kill Hamlet with the dagger, and Laertes with the bowl. madman most, when he treats Ophelia with so much rudeness, which seems to be useless and wanton cruelty. The poet is accused of having shown little reHamlet is, through the whole piece, rather an in-gard to poetical justice, and may be charged with strument than an agent. After he has, by the strat-equal neglect of poetical probability. The appariagem 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. tion 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 The catastrophe is not very happily produced; destruction of a usurper and a murderer, is abated the exchange of weapons is rather an expedient of by the untimely death of Ophelia, the young, the necessity, than a stroke of art. A scheme might|| beautiful, the harmless, and the pious. JOHNSON. |