And now, Laertes, what's the news with you? And lose your voice: What would'st thou beg, That shall not be my offer, not thy asking? Laer. Yet now, I must confess, that duty done, My thoughts and wishes bend again toward France, And bow them to your gracious leave and pardon. King. Have you your father's leave? What says Polonius Pol. He hath, my lord, wrung from me my slow leave, By laboursome petition; and, at last, King. Take thy fair hour, Laertes; time be thinc, ? [Aside. King. How is it that the clouds still hang on you Ham. Not so, my lord, I am too much i'the sun. Queen. Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted colour off, Ham. A little more than kin, and less than kind.] A little more than kin, is a little more than a common relation. The king was certainly something less than kind, by having betrayed the mother of Hamlet into an indecent and incestuous marriage, and obtained the crown by means which he suspects to be unjustifiable. And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark. Do not, for ever, with thy vailed lids' Seek for thy noble father in the dust: Thou know'st, 'tis common; all, that live, must die, Ham. Ay, madam, it is common. Why seems it so particular with thee? If it be, Ham. Seem's, madam! nay, it is; I know not seems. 'Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, To give these mourning duties to your father: To do obsequious sorrow: But to perséver 7 8 vailed lids-] With lowering eyes, cast down eyes. obsequious sorrow:] Obsequious is here from obsequies, or funeral ceremonies. 9 In obstinate condolement,] Condolement, for sorrow. a will most incorrect-] i. e. ill-regulated, not sufficiently regulated by a sense of duty and submission to the dispensations of providence. An understanding simple and unschool'd ; I Queen. Let not thy mother lose her prayers, Hamlet; pray thee, stay with us, go not to Wittenberg. Ham. I shall in all my best obey you, madam. King. Why, 'tis a loving and a fair reply; Be as ourself in Denmark. Madam, come; This gentle and unforc'd accord of Hamlet Sits smiling to my heart: in grace whereof, 2 To reason most absurd;] Reason is here used in its common sense, for the faculty by which we form conclusions from argu ments. 3 And, with no less nobility of love,] Eminence and distinction of love. 4 bend you to remain-] i. e. subdue your inclination to go from hence, and remain, &c. No jocund health,5 that Denmark drinks to-day, 6 [Exeunt King, Queen, Lords, &c. POLONIUS, and LAERTES. Ham. O, that this too too solid flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew !" Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God! O God! Hyperion to a satyr: so loving to my mother, grown By what it fed on: And yet, within a month,- man! A little month; or ere those shoes were old, 5 No jocund health,] The King's intemperance is very strongly impressed; every thing that happens to him gives him occasion to drink. 6 the king's rouse-] i. e. the King's draught of jollity. resolve itself into a dew!] Resolve means the same as 7 dissolve. 8 merely.] Is entirely, absolutely. 9 Hyperion to a satyr:] Hyperion or Apollo is represented in all the ancient statues, &c. as exquisitely beautiful, the satyrs hideously ugly. That he might not beteem-] i, e. permit, or suffer. Like Niobe, all tears ;—why she, even she,— My father's brother; but no more like my father, Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears It is not, nor it cannot come to, good; But break, my heart; for I must hold my tongue! ! Enter HORATIO, BERNARDO, and MARCELLUS. Hor. Hail to your lordship! Ham. I am glad to see you well: Horatio, or I do forget myself. Hor. The same, my lord, and your poor servant ever. Ham. Sir, my good friend; I'll change that name* with you. And what make you3 from Wittenberg, Horatio?— Marcellus?: Mar. My good lord, Ham. I am very glad to see you; good even, sir,But what, in faith, make you from Wittenberg? Hor. A truant disposition, good my lord. Ham. I would not hear your enemy say so; Nor shall you do mine ear that violence, To make it truster of your own report Against yourself: I know, you are no truant. But what is your affair in Elsinore? We'll teach you to drink deep, ere you depart. 2 be my 3 doing, I'll change that name-] I'll be your servant, you shall friend.. what make you—] A familiar phrase for what are you 10 |