Hor. Illo, ho, ho, my Lord! Ham. Hillo, ho, ho, boy. (5) Come, bird, come. Hor. What news, my Lord? Ham Oh, wonderful! Hor. Good, my Lord, tell it. Ham. No, you'll reveal it. Hor. Not I, my Lord, by heav'n. Mar. Nor I, my Lord. Ham. How fay you then, would heart of man once think it? But you'll be fecret Both. Ay, by heav'n, my Lord. Ham. There's ne'er a villain, dwelling in all Denmark, But he's an errant knave. Hor. There needs no Ghoft, my Lord, come from the Grave To tell us this. Ham. Why right, you are i' th' right; And fo without more circumftance at all, I hold it fit that we thake hands, and part; You, as your bufinefs and defires fhall point you; Such as it is; and, for my own poor part, I will go pray. Hor. Thefe are but wild and whirling words, my. Lord. Ham. I'm forry they offend you, heartily; Yes, heartily. (5) Come, bird, come.] This is the call which falconers ufe to their hawk in the air when they would have him come down to them. Oxford Editor. Hor. Hor. There's no offence, my Lord. Ham. Yes, (6) by St. Patrick, but there is, my your O'er-mafter it as you may. Lord, And now, good friends, As you are friends, fcholars, and foldiers, Give me one poor request. Hor. What is't, my Lord? Ham. Never make known what you have seen to night. Both. My Lord, we will not. Hor. In faith, my Lord, not I. Mar. Nor I, my Lord, in faith. Ham. Upon my fword. Mar. We have fworn, my Lord, already. Ham. Indeed, upon my fword, indeed. Ghost. Swear. [Ghost cries under the Stage. Ham. Ah ha, boy, fay'ft thou fo? art thou there, true-penny ? Come on, you hear this fellow in the cellarage. Confent to fwear. Hor. Propofe the oath, my Lord. Ham. Never to speak of this that (7) Swear by my fword. Ghost. Swear. to (6) By St. Patrick,- -] How the poet comes to make Ham. let fwear by St. Patrick, I know not. However at this time all the whole porthern world had their learning from Ireland; which place it had retired, and there flourished under the auspices of this Saint. But it was, I fuppofe, only faid at random; for he WARBURTON. makes Hamlet a student of Wittenberg. (7) Swear by my favord.] Here the poet has preferved the manners of the ancient Danes with whom it was religion to fwear upon their fwords. See Bartholine, De caufis contemp. mort. apud Dan. WARBURTON. I was once inclinable to this opinion, which is likewife well defended by Mr. Upton, but Mr. Garrick produced me a paffage, I think, in Brantôme, from which it appeared, that it was common to fwear upon the fword, that is, upon the crofs which the old fwords always had upon the hilt., G 5 Ham, Ham. Hic & ubique ? then we'll shift our ground. Come hither, gentlemen, And lay your hands again upon my sword. Never to speak of this which you have heard, Gloft. Swear by his fword. Ham. Well faid, old mole, can't work i'th' ground. A worthy pioneer! Once more remove, good friends. Ham. (8) And therefore as a stranger give it welcome. As I perchance, hereafter shall think_meet To put an antick difpofition on, That you, at fuch time feeing me, never shall, would Or, if we lift to speak R might or, we could, and if we -or, there be, and if there Or fuch ambiguous givings out, denote That you know aught of me ; This do ye fwear, Swear. Ghost. Swear. vet Ham. Reft, refl, perturbed Spirit. So, Gentle men, 2 With all my love do I commend me to you; (8) And therefore as a stranger give it welcome.] i. e. receive it to your feif; take it under your own roof: As much as to fay, Keep it fecret. Alluding to the laws of hofpitality. WARBURTON. The ". The Time is out of joint; oh, cursed spight! [Exeunt.. G ACT II SCENE I. An Apartment in Polonius's Houfe. Enter Polonius and Reynoldo.. POLONIU S. IVE him this money, and these notes, Reynoldo. Pol. You fhall do marvellous wifely, good Reynoldo Before you vifit him, to make inquiry Of his behaviour. Rey. My Lord, I did intend it. Pol. Marty, well faid; very well faid. Look you',» Enquire me firft what Danskers are in Paris; And how; and who; what means; and where they keep; What company; And in part him--Do you mark this, Reynoldo ?: well, my Lord. Rey. Ay, very Pol. And in part him-but you may fay-not well; But if't be he, I mean, he's very wild; may Addicted fo and fo-and there put on him `Reys Rey. As gaming, my Lord Pol. Ay, or (9) drinking, fencing, fwearing, Quarrelling, drabbing-You may go fo far. Rey. My Lord, that would dishonour him. Pol, Faith no, as you may feafon it in the Charge; You must not put (1) an utter fcandal on him, That he is open to incontinency, That's not my meaning; but breathe his faults fo quaintly, That they may seem the taints of liberty; (3) Of general affault. Rey. But, my good Lord Pol. Wherefore should you do this? You, laying thefe flight fon, on As 'twete a thing a little foil'd i' th' working, Accord (9)-drinking [fencing,] fwearing,] Fencing, dh interpolation. WARBURTON. fuppofe, by fencing is meant a too diligent frequentation of the fencing-school, a refort of violent and lawlefs young men. In former, editions, another. The emen an utter. (1)dation is Theobald's. to. (2) A favageness-] Savageness, for wildness. WARBURTON. (3) Of general affault.] . e. fuch as youth in general is liable WARBURTON (4) Good fir, or so, or friend, &c.] We should read, Or SIRE, i, e. father. WARBURTON. I know not that fire was ever a general word of compliment as diftin&t from fir; nor do I conceive why any alteration should be made. It is a common mode of colloquial language to use, or fo, as a flight intimation of more of the fame, or a like kind, that might be mentioned. We might read, Good Sir, Forfeoth, or Friend, or Gentleman. For footb, |