Ham. That you must teach me; but let me conjure you by the rights of our fellowship, by the confonancy of our youth, by the obligation of our everpreferved love, and by what more dear, a better propofer could charge you withal; be even and direct with me, whether you were fent for or no? Rof. What fay you? [To Guilden. Ham. Nay, then I have an eye of you: if you love me, hold not off: Guil. My lord, we were sent for. Ham. I will tell you why; fo fhall my anticipation prevent your discovery, and your fecrecy to the King and Queen moult no feather. I have of late, but wherefore I know not, loft all my mirth, foregone all cuftom of exercife; and indeed, it goes fo heavily with my difpofition, that this goodly frame, the earth, feems to me a fteril promontory; this moft excellent canopy the air, look you, this brave o'erhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire, why, it appears no other thing to me, than a foul and peftilent congregation of vapours. What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reafon! how infinite in faculties in form and moving how exprefs and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehenfion how like a God! the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals! and yet to me, what is this quinteffence of duft? man delights not me, nor woman neither; though by your smiling. you feem to fay fo. Rof. My lord there was no fuch stuff in my thoughts. Ham. Why did you laugh, when I faid, man delights not me? Rof. To think, my lord, if you delight not in man, what lenten entertainment the Players fhall receive from you; we accofled them on the way, and hither are they coming to offer you service. Ham. He that plays the King fhall be welcome; M. 6. his his Majefty fhall have tribute of me; the adventu rous Knight fhall use his foil and target; the lover fhall not ligh gratis; the humourous man fhall end · his part in peace; the clown fhall make thofe laugh whofe lungs are tickled o'th' fere; and the lady fhall fay her mind freely, or the blank verfe fhall halt for't. What Players are they? Rof. Even thofe you were wont to take delight in, the Tragedians of the city. Ham. How chances it, they travel? their refidence both in reputation and profit was better, both ways. Rof. I think, their inhibition comes by the means of the late innovation. Ham. Do they hold the fame estimation they did,. when I was in the city? are they so follow'd? Rof. No, indeed, they are not. Ham. How comes it? do they grow rufty? Rof. Nay, their endeavour keeps in the wonted. pace; but there is, Sir, * an Aiery of Children, little Eyafes, that cry out on the top of question; and are moft tyrannically clapt for't; these are now the fafhion, and fo berattle the common ftages, (fo they call them) that many wearing rapiers are afraid of goofequills, and dare fcarce come thither. Ham. What, are they children? who maintains 'em? how are they efcorted? will they pursue the Quality, no longer than they can fing? will they not fay afterwards, if they fhould grow themfelves to common players, (as it is moft like, if their means are no better) their writers do them wrong to make them exclaim againft their own fucceffion? Ref. Faith, there has been much to do on both fides; and the nation holds it no fin, to tarre them on to controverfy. There was, for a while, no money bid for argument, unless the poet and the player went to cuffs in the question. *an Aiery of Children, ] Relating to the Play-houfes then contending, the Bankfide, the Fortune, &c, play'd by the [Children of his Majefty's Chapel. Mr. Pope. Ham. Ham. Is't poffible? Guil. Oh, there has been much throwing about of brains. Ham. Do the Boys carry it away? Rof. Ay, that they do, my lord, Hercules and his load too. Ham. It is not ftrange; for mine uncle is King of Denmark; and thofe, that would make mowes at him while my father lived, give twenty, forty, fifty, an hundred ducats apiece, for his picture in little. There is fomething in this more than natural, if philofophy could find it out. [Flourish for the Players. Guil. There are the Players. : Ham. Gentlemen, you are welcome to Elfinoor; your hands come then, the appurtenance of welcome is fashion and ceremony. Let me comply with you in this garbe, left my extent to the players (which, I tell you, muft fhew fairly outward) fhould more appear like entertainment than yours. You are welcome; but Uncle-father and Aunt-mother are deceiv'd. Guil. In what, my dear lord? my Ham. I am but mad north, north-weft: when the wind is foutherly, I know a hawk from a handfaw. Pol. W SCENE VII. Enter Polonius. ELL be with you, gentlemen. Ham. Hark you, Guildenstern, and you too, at each ear a hearer; that great Baby, you see there, is not yet out of his fwathling-clouts. Rof. Haply, he's the fecond time come to them; for they fay, an old man is twice a child. Ham. I will prophefy, he comes to tell me of the players. Mark it;you fay right, Sir; for on Monday morning 'twas fo, indeed. Pol. My lord, I have news to tell you. Ham. Ham. My lord, I have news to tell you. Pol. The Actors are come hither, my lord. Pol. Upon mine honour Ham. Then came each Actor on his ass— Pol. The beft Adors in the world, either for tragedy, comedy, hiftory, paftoral, paftoral-comical, hiftorical, paftoral, fcene undividable, or Poem unlimited: Seneca cannot be too heavy, nor Plautus too light. For the law of wit, and the Liberty, thefe are the only men. Ham. Oh, Jephtha, judge of Ifrael, what a treasure hadft Thou! Pol. What a treasure had he, my lord? Ham. Why, one fair daughter, and no more, The which he loved paffing well. Pol. Still on my daughter. Ham. Am I not i'th' right, old Jephtha? Pul. If you call me Jephtha, my lord, I have a daughter that I love pafling well. Ham. Nay, that follows not. Pol. What follows then, my lord? Ham. Why, as by lot, God wot-and then you know, it came to pass, as most like it was; the firft Tow of the rubric will fhew you more. For, look, where my abridgements come. Enter four or five Players. Y' are welcome, mafters, welcome all. I am glad to fee thee well; welcome, good friends. Oh! old friend! thy face is valanc'd, fince I faw thee laft: com'ft thou to beard me in Denmark? What! my young lady and mistress? b'erlady, your ladyfhip is nearer heaven than when I faw you laft, by the altitude of * a chioppine. Pray God, your voice, like a piece of uncurrent gold, be not crack'd within the ringa chioppine.] A tight-heel'd Shoe, or a Slipper. Mr. Pope. Masters, Mafters, you are all welcome; we'll e'en to't like friendly faulconers, fly at any thing we fee; we'll have a fpeech ftraight. Come, give us a tafte of your quality; come, a paffionate fpeech. 1 Play, What fpeech, my good lord? Ham. I heard thee fpeak me a fpeech once; but it was never acted: or if it was, not above once; for the Play, I remember, pleas'd not the million, 'twas Caviar to the general; but it was (as I received it, and others, whofe judgment in fuch matters cried in the top of mine) an excellent Play; well digefted in the scenes, fet down with as much modefty as cunning. I remember, one faid, there was no falt in the lines, to make the matter favoury; nor no matter in the phrafe,. that might indite the author of affection; but call'd it, an honeft method. One fpeech in it I chiefly lov'd; 'twas Eneas's tale to Dido; and thereabout of it especially, where he speaks of Priam's flaughter. If it live in your memory, begin at this line, let me fee, let me fee-The rugged Pyrrhus like th' Hyrcanian beaft. It is not fo; it begins with Pyrrhus. The rugged Pyrrhus, he, whofe fable arms, Black as his purpose, did the Night resemble When he lay couched in the ominous horse; Hath now his dread and black complexion fmear'd With heraldry more difmal; head to foot. Now is he total gules; horridly trickt With blood of fathers, mothers, daughters, fons, Pol. 'Fore God, my lord, well spoken, with good. accent, and good difcretion. 1 Play. Anon he finds him, Striking, too fhort, at Greeks. His antique fword, Rebellious |