To cast beyond ourselves in our opinions, To lack discretion.3 Come, go we to the king: This must be known; which, being kept close, might move More grief to hide, than hate to utter love." Come. SCENE II. [Exeunt. A Room in the Castle. Enter King, Queen, ROSENCRANTZ, GUILDENSTERN, and Attendants. King. Welcome, dear Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern! Moreover that we much did long to see you, So much from the understanding of himself, 3 — it is as proper to our age, &c.] This is not the remark of a weak man. The vice of age is too much suspicion. Men long accustomed to the wiles of life cast commonly beyond themselves, let their cunning go farther than reason can attend it. This is always the fault of a little mind, made artful by long commerce with the world. JOHNSON. 4 This must be known, which, being kept close, might move More grief to hide, than hate to utter love.] i. e. this must be made known to the King, for (being kept secret) the hiding Hamlet's love might occasion more mischief to us from him and the Queen, than the uttering or revealing of it will occasion hate and resentment from Hamlet. That,-being of so young days brought up with him: And, since, so neighbour'd to his youth and hu mour, That you vouchsafe your rest here in our court Queen. Good gentlemen, he hath much talk'd of you; 5 And, sure I am, two men there are not living, Ros. Both your majesties Might, by the sovereign power you have of us, Put your dread pleasures more into command Than to entreaty. Guil. But we both obey; And here give up ourselves, in the full bent," To be commanded. King. Thanks, Rosencrantz, and gentle Guildenstern. Queen. Thanks, Guildenstern, and gentle Ro sencrantz: And I beseech you instantly to visit To show us so much gentry,] Gentry, for complaisance. For the supply, &c.] That the hope which your arrival has raised may be completed by the desired effect. JOHNSON. 7 in the full bent,] The full bent, is the utmost extremity of exertion. The allusion is to a bow bent as far as it will go. My too much changed son.-Go, some of you, Pleasant and helpful to him! Queen. Ay, amen! [Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ, GUILDENSTERN, and some Attendants. Enter POLONIUS. Pol. The embassadors from Norway, my good lord, Are joyfully return'd. King. Thou still hast been the father of good news. Pol. Have I, my lord? Assure you, my good liege, I hold my duty, as I hold my soul, Both to my God, and to my gracious king: 8 As it hath us'd to do,) that I have found King. O, speak of that; that do I long to hear. in. He tells me, my dear Gertrude, he hath found The head and source of all your son's distemper. Queen. I doubt, it is no other but the main; His father's death, and our o'erhasty marriage. 8 the trail of policy-] The trail is the course of an animal pursued by the scent. 9 the fruit-] The desert after the meat. Re-enter POLONIUS, with VOLTIMAND and COR NELIUS. King. Well, we shall sift him.-Welcome, my good friends! Say, Voltimand, what from our brother Norway? 2 To give the assay of arms against your majesty. [Gives a Paper. King. It likes us well; And, at our more consider'd time, we'll read, Answer, and think upon this business. Mean time, we thank you for your well-took labour: 1-borne in hand,] i. e. deceived, imposed on. 2 To give the assay-] To take the assay was a technical expression, originally applied to those who tasted wine for princes and great men. Go to your rest; at night we'll feast together: Pol. [Exeunt VOLTIMAND and CORNELIUS. This business is well ended. My liege, and madam, to expostulate3 Why day is day, night, night, and time is time, And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,- 3 Queen. More matter, with less art. Pol. Madam, I swear, I use no art at all. My licge, and madam, to expostulate-] To expostulate, for to enquire or discuss. WARBURTON makes the character of Polonius, a character only of manners, discriminated by properties superficial, accidental, and acquired. The poet intended a nobler delineation of a mixed character of manners and of nature. Polonius is a man bred in courts, exercised in business, stored with observation, confident in his knowledge, proud of his eloquence, and declining into dotage. His mode of oratory is truly represented as designed to ridicule the practice of those times, of prefaces that made no introduction, and of method that embarrassed rather than explained. This part of his character is accidental, the rest is natural. Such a man is positive and confident, because he knows that his mind was once strong, and knows not that it is become weak. Such a man excels in general principles, but fails in the particular application. He is knowing in retrospect, and ignorant in foresight. While he depends upon his memory, and can draw from his repositories of knowledge, he utters weighty sentences, and gives useful counsel; but as the mind in its enfeebled state cannot be kept long busy and intent, the old man is subject to sudden dereliction of his faculties, he loses the order of his ideas, and entangles himself in his own thoughts, till he recovers the leading principle, and falls again into his former train. This idea of dotage encroaching upon wisdom, will solve all the phænomena of the character of Polonius. JOHNSON. |