PERSONS REPRESENTE D.

CLAUDIUS, King of Denmark.

| Another Courtier. HAMLET, Son to be former, and Nepbeu to che A Priefi. esene King

MARCELLUS, } Oficers F)RTIN BRAS, Prince of Norw.ry.

BERNARDO, POLONTUS, Lord Chamberlain.

FRANCISCO, a So'dier. HORATIU, Friend en Hamlet.

REYNALDO, Servant 19 Polonius, LAERTES, Son to Puronius.

di Caplain; An embalador. VOLTIMAND,

Gboft of Humlei's Fatber. CORNELIUS,

Courriers. ROSENGRANTZ,

GERTRUDE, Queen of Denmark, and Mother to GUILDENSTERN,

Hamlet.
Qorkick, a Courtier.

OPHELIA, Daughter to Polonius.
Lords, Ladies, Players, Grave diggers, Sailors, M. lengers, and orber sittendants.

SCE N F, Ellinaur.

WH

$ CE N E. I.

Enter Horatio, and Marcellus.

Fran. I think, I hear them.-Stand, ho! Who ELSINOU R.

is there?

Hor. Friends to this ground,
A Platform before she Palace.

Mar. And leigemen to the Dane.
Francisio on bis poft. Enter to bim Berna, do. Froon. Give you good night.

Mar. O, farewel, honeft soldier: Ber. HO's there?

Who hath reliev'd you? fran. Nay, answer me ? : stand, and un Fran. Bernardo hath my place. fold yourself.

Give you good night.

[Exit Francisco. Ber. Long live the king!

Mar. Holla! Bernardo ! Fran. Bernardo ?

Ber. Say, Ber. He.

What, is Horatio there? Fran. You come most carefully upon vour hour. lor. A piece of him. Ber. 'Tis now 1truck twelve y get thee to bed, Ber. Welcome, Horacio ; welcome, good MarFrancifco.

cellus.

[night? Far. For this relief, much thanks : 'tis bitter Mar, What, has this thing appear'd again to. cold,

Ber. I have seen nothing. And I am fick at heart.

Mar. Horatio says, 'tis but our phantasy ; Ber. Have you had quiet guard ?

And will not let belief take hold of him, tran. Not a mouse stirring.

Touching this dreaded right, twice seen of us : Ber. Well, good night.

Therefore I have intreated him along, If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus,

With us to watch the minutes of this night ; I tie rivals of my watch 3, bij them niake haste. Tirar, if again this apparition come,

1 The original story on which this play is built, may be found in Saxo Grammaticus the Danish historian. 2 i. e. me who am already on the waicli, and have a nght to demand the watch-word. 3 Rivuls for partners, according to Warburton. Haniner savs, that by rivals of the watch are meant those who were to watch on the next adjoining ground. Rivals, in the original sense of the word, were proprietors of acighbouring landa, parted only by a brook, which belonged equally to both. Sri

не

[pole,

He may approve our eyes l; and speak to it. So nightly toils the subject of the land ?
Hor. Tush ! tuih! 'twill not appear.

And why ruch daily cast of brazen cannoa,
Ber. Sit down a while :

And foreign mart for iniplements of war? And let us once again affail your ears,

Why such impress of thip-wrights, whore foretak That are so fortified against our story,

Does not divide the Sunday from the week ? What we two nights have seen.

What might be toward, that this sweaty haite Hor. Well, fit we down,

Doth make the night joint-labourer with the day : And let us hear Bernardo (peak of this.

Who is't, that can inform me? Ber. Last night of all,

Hor. That can I; When yon fame star, that's westward from the At least the whisper goes so. Our last king, Had made his course to illume that part of heaven Whose image even but now appear'd to us, Where now it burns, Marcellus, and myself, Was, as you know, by Fortinbras of Norway, The bell then beating one,

Thereto prick'd on by a most emulate pride, Mar. Peace, break thee off; look where it Dard to the combat ; in which, our vali..nt Hame: comes again!

(For fo this side of our known world esteem'd him) Enter Gloft.

Did play this Fortinbras ; who, by a leald compact,
Ber. In the same figure, like the king that's dead. Well ratify’d by law, and heraldry,
Mar. Thou art a scholar, speak to it, Horatio. Did forfeit, with his life, all thote his lands,
Ber. Looks it not like the king? mark it, Ho- Which he stood seiz'd of, to the conqueror :
ratio.

I wonder. Against the which, a moiety competent
Hor. Most like : it harrows 2 me with fear and Was gaged by our king; which had return'd
Ber. It would be spoke to.

To the inheritance of Fortinbras,
Mar. Speak to it, Horatio.

[night, Had he been vanquilher; as, by that corenant, Hor. What art thou, that usurp'it this time of And carriage of the articles design'da, Together with that fair and warlike form His fell to Hamlet : Now, fir, young Fortinbras, In which the majesty of bury'd Denmark [fpeak. Of unimproved 7 mettle hot and full, Did fometime march? By heaven I charge thee, Hath in the skirts of Norway, here and there, Mar. It is offended.

Shark'd up

a list of landless resolutes, Ber. See! it stalks away.

For food and diet, to some enterprize Hor. Stay; speak; I charge thee, speak. That hath a stomach 9 in't; which is no other

[Exit Gbr.(As it doth well appear upto our ftale) Mar. 'Tis gone, and will not answer.

But to recover of us, by strong hand, Ber. How now', Horatio ? you tremble, and And terms compulsatory, those foresaid lands look pale:

Sa by his father loft : And this, I take it, Is not this tomething more than phantasy? Is the main motive of our preparations ; What think you of it?

The source of this our watch ; and the chief bead Hor. Before my God, I miglit not this believe, of this post-haste and romage 10 in the land. Without the fenfible and true avouch

Ber. I think, it be no other, but even io: Of mine own eyes.

Well may it fort, that this portentous figure Mar. Is it not like the king ?

Comes armed through our watch; fo like the king Hor. As thou art to tlıyself :

That was, and is the queition of these wars. Such was the very armour he had on,

Hor. A more it is, to trouble the mind's eye. When lie the ambitious Norway combated ; In the most high and palmy" itate of Rome, So frown'd be once, when, in an angry parle, A little ere the mightiest Julius fell, He fmote the fledded Polack 3 on the ice. The graves stood tenantlets, and the sneriaided 'Tis strange.

[hour, Did squeak and gibber in the Roman itreets; Mar. Thus, twice before, and just at this dead Stars Thone with trains of tire; dews of blood fell; With martial talk he hath gone by our watch. Ditafters 12 veil'd the fun; and the moist itar, Hor. In what particular thought to work 4, I Upon whose influence Neptune's empire stands, know not ;

Was sick almost to dooms-day with eclipse. But, in the gross and scopes of mine opinion, And even the like precurse of fierce 15 events, This hodes fome strange eruption to our state. As harbingers preceding still the fates, Mar. Good now, sit down), and tell me, he And prologue to the omen coming on, that know's,

Have heaven and earth together demoniurated Why this fame strict and most observant watch Unto our climatures and countrymen..

I i. e. add a new teftimony to that of our eyes. 2 To harrow is to conquer, to fubdue. The word is of Saxon origin. 3 He speaks of a prince of Poland whom he new in battle.

Pelack was, in that age, the term for an inhabitant of Poland : Poluque, French. Ajled, or fledge, is a carriage inade ute of in the cold countries. 4 i.e. what particular train of thinking to follow. general thoughts, and sendency at large. • Carriage is import: desga’d, is formed, drawn up beo

7 l'nimirnire:1, for unrefined. 8 To mark up may mean to pick up without distinc11011, as the fark-tih collects his prej 9 Stomach, in the time of our author, was used for conftancy, refolution. 10 i. e. iumultuous hurry. 11 Palmy for victorious, flourishing. 12 Disafiers is here finely afid in its original fignification of evil conjunction of stars. 13 brince, for confickers, glaring. *4 , for 6t.

Rivier

si. e.

Re-enter Ghuli.

SC EN E II.
But, soft ; behold! lo, where it comes again !

A Room of State.
I'll cross it, though it blaft me.-Stay, illusion !
If thou hatt any found, or use of voice,

Enter ihe Queen, Hamlet, Polonius, Laertes, Volti-
Speak to me:

mand, Cornelius, Lords and Attendants. If there be any good thing to be done,

King. Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother's That may to thee do ease, and grace to me,

death Speak to me:

The memory be green; and that it us hefitted
If thou art privy to thy country's fate,

To bear our hearts in grief, and our whole kingilom
Which, haply, foreknowing may avoid, To be contracted in one brow of woe;
O, speak!

Yet fo far hath discretion fought with nature,
Or, if thou hast uphoarded in thy life

That we with wiseft forrow think on him, Extorted treasure in the womb of earth,

'Together with remembrance of ourselves. For which, they say, you spirits oft walk in death, Therefore our sometime fister, now our queen,

[Cock crows. The imperial jointress of this warlike state, Speak of it :--fty, and speak.-Stop it, Marcellus. Have we, as 'twere, with a defeated joy,

Mar, Shall I strike at it with my partizan ? With one auspicious, and one dropping eye ;
Hor. Do, if it will not stand

With mirth in funeral, and with dirge in marriage,
Ber. 'Tis here !

In equal scale weighing delight and dole, Hor. 'Tis here!

Taken to wife; nor have we herein barı'd Mar. 'Tis gone!

[Exit Gloft. Your better wisdoms, which have freely gone We do it wrong, being so majestical,

With this affair along :--For all, our thanks. To offer it the thew of violence;

Now follows,that you know, young Fortinbras,– For it is, as the air, invulnerable,

Holding a weak fuppofal of our worth; And our vain blows malicious mockery.

Or thinking, hy our late dear brother's death,
Ber. It was about to speak, when the cock crew. Our state to be disjoint and out of frame,-

Hor. And then it itarted like a guilty thing Colleagued with this dieam of his advantage",
l'pon a fearful summons. I have heard, He hath not faild to peiter us with mellage
The cock, that is the trum;et to the morn, Importing the surrender of those lands
Doth with his lofty and thrill-founding throat Loft by his father, with all bands of law,
Awake the g.xt of da; ; and, at his warning, To our most valiant brother. So much for him.
Whether in sea or fire, in earth or air ·,. Now for oursell, and for this time of meeting :
The extravagant 2 and erring spirit hies

Thus much the business is : We have here writ
To his contine 3 : and of the truth herein To Norway, uncle of young Fortinbras,---
This present object made probation.

Who, impotent and bed-rid, scarcely hear's
Mur. It faded on the crowing of the cock 4. Of this his nephew's purpose,--to suppress
Some sav, that ever gainst that reason comes }lis futher givit 7 herein ; in that the levies,
Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated, The lists, and full proportions, are all made
This bird of dawning fingeth all night long : Out of his subject :--and we here dispatch
And then, they say, no fpirit dares 1tir abroad; You, good Coruelius, and you, Voltimand,
The nights are wholesome; then no planets itrike, For bearers of this greeting to old Norway ;
No fairy takes 5, nor witch hath power to charm, Giving to you no further personal power
So bellowd and so gracious is the time.

To business with the king, more than the scope
top. So have I heard, and do in part believe it. Of these dilated articles allows.
But, look, the morn, in rullet mantle clad, Farewel ; .nd let your hafte comit.end your duty.
Walks o'er the dew of yon bigh eastern hill : Vol. In that and all things will we shew our
Break we our watch up ; and, by my advice,

duty. Let us import what we have seen to-nighe

King. We doubt it nothing; heartily farewel. Unto young Hamlet ; for, upon my lite,

[Exeunt Poltimant, ard Cornelius.
This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him : And now, Laertes, what's the news with you,
Do vou confent we shall acquaint bim with it, You told us of some fuit; What is't, Laertes ? ;
A needful in our loves, fitting our duty ? You cannot speak of reason to the Dane,
14. Let's do't, I pray; and I this morning And lose your voice : What would'lt thou beg,
know

Laertes,
Where we shall find him most convenient. [Exeunt. That shall not be my offer, not thy asking?

2 i. e. got

! Arcording to the pneumatology of that time, every element was inhabited by its peculiar order of spirits, who had diluations difereni, according to their various places of abode. out of its bounds. 3 Bourne of Newcastle', in this Ararquities of the Common People, informs us, cilt is a received tradition among the vulgar, that at the time of cock-crowing the midnight fpirits for. like there lower regions, and go to their proper placas." 4 This is a very ancient superikition. s No fairy prides with lamenets or difcales. 6 The meaning is, He goes to war so indiscreetly, and unprepared, that he has no allies to support l'im but a dream, with which he is colleagued or confederated. 7 Cate or gait is here used in the norbern fenle, for proceeding, paljuge. 8 i.e. the a licies when dilated.

The

The head is not more native to the heart, But, you must know, your father loft a father :
The hand more inttrumental to the mouth, That father lott, loft his '; and the survivor bound
Thuan is the throne of Denmark to thy father", In filial obligation, for some term.
What would'it thou have, Laertes?

To do obfequious 6 forrow : but to persever
Laer. My dread lord,

In obstinate condolement 7, is a courie Your leave and favour to return to France; (mark, Of impious stubbornness: 'tis unmanly grief : From whence though willingly I came tu Den- It shews a will most incorrect to heaven; To Thew my duty in your coronation ;

A heart unfortify'd, or mind impatient ; Yet nou, I must confefs, that duty done, An understanding simple and imíchool'd: My thoughts and withes bend again toward France, For what, we know, must be, and is as commen And bow them to your gracious leave and pardon. As any the most vulgar thing to sense, King. Have you your father's leave? What Why thould we, in our peevish oppotition, tays Polonius ?

(liow leave, Take it to heart? Fie! 'tis a fau'r to heavell, Pol. He hath, my lord, wrung from me my A fault againtt the dead, a fault to nature, Bv labourtome petition : and, at latt,

To reason most absurd, whose common theme Upon bis will I feal'd my hard content :

is death of fathers, and who itill hath cry'd, I do befcech you, give him leave tng).

From the first corte, 'till he that died to-day, King. Take thy fair hour, Laertes ; time be. This must be lo. We pray you throw to earth thine,

This unprevailing woe; and think of us And thy best graces (send it at thy w!!

As of a father : for, let the world take note, But nou, my cousin Hamlet, and my 10n, You are the most immediate to our throne; Hum. A little more than kin, and lets than kind 2. ' And, with no lets nobility of love

[cijide. Than that which dearett father bears his ion, King. How is it that the clouds still hang on Do I impart 10 toward you. For your intent

(fun 3.'la going back to school in Wittenberg, Ilam. Not 10, my lord, I am too much i' the li is most retrograde to our deure : Queen. Good Hamlet, cat thy nighted colour And, we beseech you, bend you to remain

Here, in the chear and comfort of our eye, And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark. Our chiefett courtier, cousin, and our lon. Io not, for ever, with thy vailed 4 lids

Queen. Let not thy mother love her prayers, Seek for thy noble father in the dutt: (die,

Hamlet ; Bluu know it, 'tis common : all, that live, mut I pray thee, stay with us, go not to Wittenberg. Palling through nature to eternity.

Hrm. I shall in all my best obey you, macam, Ilm. Av, madam, it is common,

King. Why, 'tis a loving and a fair reply; Queer. It is be,

Be as ourself in Denmark.—Madam, come; Why leems it so particular with thee? (seems. This gentie and unforc'd accord of Hamlet

H.19%. Seems, madam! nay, it is ; I know not Sits (miling to my heart : in grace whereof, 'Tis not alone ny inky cloak, good mother, No jocund health, that Denmark drinks tovay, Nor customary suits of tolemu black,

But the great cannon to the clouds Thall tell; Nor wind tutpiration of forc'd breatlı,

And the king's rouze the heaven shall bruit again, No, nor the fruitful river in the eye,

Re-speaking carthly thunder. Come, away. Nor the de ected haviour of the village,

(Erivas. Together with all form», modes, thens of grief,

Manet Hamlet,
I hai can denote me truly : Thele, indeed, ieem, Hom. O, that this tou too folid fleth would melt,
For they are actions that a man might play: Thaw, and resolve II itself into a dew !
But I have that within, which paileth show; Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd
There, but the trappings and the luits of woe. His canon 12 'gainst self-Naughter! O God! O God!
King. 'Tis Tweet and womendable in your na- How weary, Itale, flat, and unprofitable
ture, Hamlei,

Seem to me all the use of this world!
To give thote mourning duties to your father : Fie on't! O tie! 'tis an unweeded garden,

you?

ott,

i The sense is, The head is not formed to be more useful to the heart, the hand is not more at the service of the mouth, than iny power is at your father's service. 2 Hanmer observes. It is not un. reasonable to fuppofe that this was a proverbial expreslion, known in former times for a relation fo couiuled and blended, that it was hard to define it. Dr. Johnson afferts kind to be the Teutonick word for child : flanle: thereforc, he adds, answers with propriety, to the titles of wujen and fin, which the king bad given him, that he was some what more than coupn, and lets than jon. Mr. Sicevens favs, that a jingle of the same fort is found in another oid play, and seems to have buen proverbini, as he has met with it more than once. 3 Mr. Farmer queitions whether a quibble beinien fun and for be not here intended. 4 With Inwering eves, cait-down cyes. Brrr pizther injt a hither, i. e. your grandfather, which left grandfather also lost his father. V jurus is huic from comiennies or funeral ceremonies. Condolement, for forrotu. 8 Incorrel, tor urinio d. Nority here means generoper:

10 j. e. communitute whatever I can beitow. 11 Refore means the fame as djjolre. 12 i. é. that he had not rejtrained suicide by his exprets law and peren. piory prowibition.

That

į That is,

0 (0

That grows to seed; things rank, and gross in na Hor. I saw him once, he was a goodly king.
ture,

Ham. He was a man, take him for all in all,
Poffefs it merely. That it should come to this! I mall not look upon his like again.
But two months dead ! —nay, not so much, not two: Hor. My lord, I think I saw him yesternight.
So excellent a king; that was to this,

Ham. Saw ! who?
Hyperion to a satyr': fo loving to my mother, Hor. My lord, the king your father.
That he might not let e'en the winds of heaven 11am. The king my father !
Visit her face too roughly. Heaven and earth! lor. Season í your admiration for a while
Muit I remember? Why, she would hang on him, With an attent ear ; 'till I may deliver,
As if increase of appetite had grown

Upon the witnets of these gentlemen,
By what it fed on: And yet, within a month, This marvel to you.
Let me not think on’t :-—-Frailty, thy name is Ilam. For heaven's love, let me hear.
woman -

Hor. Two nights together had thefe gentlemen,
A little month; or ere those shoes were old, Marcellus and Bernardo, on their watch,
With which she follow'd my poor father's body, In the dead waste and middle of the night,
Like Niobe, all tears :-why me, even the, Been thus encounter'd. A figure like your father,
O heaven ! a beart, that wants discourse of reason Arm'd at all points, exactly cap-s-pé,
Would have mourn'd longer,-marry'd with my Appears before them, and, with folemn march,
uncle,

Gots now and Atately by them : thrice he walk'd
My father's brother ; but no more like my father, By their opprest and fear-furprized eyes,
Than I to Hercules : Within a month ;

Within his truncheon's length ; whilft they, distilla
Ere yet the falt of mott unrighteous tears Alnott tu jelly, with the act of fear,
Had left the Aufhing in her ganled eyes,

Stand dumb and speak not to him. This to me
She marry'd.-0 moft wicked speed, to post In dreadful fecresy impart they did ;
With such dexterity to incestuous sheets !

And I with them, the third night, kept the watch:
It is not, nor it cannot come to good :

Where, as they had deliver'd, both in time,
But break, my heart ; for I must hold my tongue! Form of the thing, each word mave true and good,

Enter Horatio, Bernardo, and Marccllus. The apparition comes : I knew your father ;
Hor. Hail to your lordship!

There hands are not more like.
Ham. I am glad to see you well :

Him. But where was this?

watch'a. Horatio),—or I do forget myself? [ever. Míar. My lord, upon the platform where we

Hor. The fame, my lord, and your poor servant Ham. Did you not speak to it?
Ham. Sir, my good friend; I'll change that Hor. My lord, I did;
name with you a.

But answer made it none: yet once, methought,
And what make you from Wittenberg, Horatio ? - Ic lifted up its head, and did address
Marcellus ?

Itself to motion, like as it would speak :
Mar. My good lord,-

[fir.- Bul, even then, the morning cock crew loud;
ilam. I am very glad to see you ; good even, And at the found it Ihrunk in haste away,
But what, in faith, make you from Wittenberg ? And vanith'd from our right.
Hör. A truant dispotition, good my lord.

Ham. 'Tis very strange.
Hrm. I would not hear your enemy lay fo ; Hor. As I do live, my honour'd lord, 'tis true ;
Nor Thall you do mine ear that violence,

And we did think it writ down in our duty,
To make it truster of your own report

To let you know of it.
Against yourself: I know you are no truant. Ham. Indeed, indeed, firs, but this troubles me.
But what is your attair in Elsinour:

Hold you the watch to-night :
We'll teach you to drink deep, ere you depart. All. We do, my lord.
Hor. My lord, I came to see your father's fune Ham. Arm'd, say you?
ral.

[(tudent ; Hll. Arm’d, my lord.
Hum. I pray thee, do not mock me, fellow Ham. From top to toe ?
I think it was to see my mother's wedding. All. My lord, from head to foot.

llor. Indeed, my lord, it follow'd hard upon. Hum. Then saw you not his face?
Ham. Thrift, thrift, Horatio ! The funeral bak'd Hor. O, yes, my lord ; he wore his heaver up.

Ham. Wha, louk'ü he frowningly?
Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables. Hor. A countenance more
'Would I had met my deareft 4 fue in heaven, In forrow than in anger.
Or ever I had seen that day, Horatio !-

Hizm. Pale, or red ?
My father,--Methinks, I see my father.

Hor. Nay, very pale.
Nor. O where, my lord ?

Ham. And fix'd his eyes upon you ?
Ham. In my mind's eye, Horatio.

Hor. Most constantly.

meats 3

1 By the Satyr is meant Pan, as by Hyperion, Af ollo. Pin and Apollo were brothers, and the allie sion is to the cintention between those gods for the preference in mulic, 21. e. I'll be your fervant, you shall be my friend. 3. It was anciently the general cultom to give a cold entertainment to mourness at a funcral. In distant counties this practice is continued among the yeomanıy.

Dearejl is möjl immediate, consequential, important. 5 That is, temper it.

llor.