At last, a little shaking of mine arm,
And thrice his head thus waving up and down,
He rais'd a sigh so piteous and profound,
That it did seem to shatter all his bulk,
And end his Being. Then he lets me go,
And, with his head over his shoulder turn'd,
He seem'd to find his way without his eyes ;
For out o' doors he went without their help,
And, to the last, bended their light on me.

Pol. Come, go with me, I will go seek the King.
This is the very ecstacy of love,
Whose violent property foredoes itself,
And leads the Will to desp'rate undertakings,
As oft as any passion under heav'n,
That does afflict our natures. I am sorry;
What, have you giv’n him any hard words of late ?

Oph. No, my good lord ; but, as you did command, I did repel his letters, and deny'd His access to me.

Pol. That hath made him mad. I'm sorry, that with better speed and judgment 7 I had not quoted him. I fear'd, he trifl’d, And meant to wreck thee; but beshrew my jealousy; It seems, it is as proper to our age To cast beyond ourselves in our opinions, As it is common for the younger fort To lack discretion. Come; go we to the King.

7 I had not QUOTED him.-] To lack difcretion--] This The old quarto reads coted. It is not the remark of a weak man. appears Shakespenr wrote noted. The vice of age is too much fufo Quoted is nonsense. WARB. picion. Men long accutioned

To quote is, I believe, to reco to the wiles of life cal commonkon, to take an account of, to ly be, ond r?cr f.Ives, let their take the quotient or result of a cunning go further than reason computation.

can attend it. This is always it is as proper to our age the fault of a little mind, made To caft beyond ourselves in our artful by long comincrce with opinions,

the world. As it is common for the younger

Sort
Vol. VIII.

N

This

8

9 This must be known; which, being kept close,

might move More grief to hide, than hate to utter, love. (Exeunt,

Enter King, Queen, Rosincrantz, Guildenstern, Lords,

and other Attendants.

King.

ELCOME, dear Rofincrantz, and Guild

enftern! Moreover that we much did long to see you, The need, we have to use you did provoke Our hasty sending. Something you have heard Of Hamlet's transformation ; fo I call it, Since not th' exterior nor the inward man Resembles that it was. What it should be More than his father's death, that thus hath put him So much from th’understanding of himself, I cannot dream of. I entreat you both, That being of so young days brought up with him, And since so neighbour'd to his youth and humour, That you vouchlafe your Rest here in our Court Some little time; so by your companies To draw him on to pleatures, and to gather,

9 This must be known; which, will occasion hate and resentment

being kept ciose, migh! more from Hamlet. The poet's ill More grief to hide, than hate and obscure expression seems to

to utter, love.} i. e. This have been caused by his affeciamust be made known to the tion of concluding the fiene with King, for (being kept sec:et) a couplet.

WARB. the hiding Hamid's love might Harmer reads, occasion more mischief to us Niore grief to hide hate, than from him and the Queen, than 10 ulter love. the uttering or reve.ling of it

So much as from occasions you may glean,
If aught, to us unknown, afiliats him tbus,
That open'd lies within our remedy:
Queen. Good gentlemen, he hath much talk'd of

you;
And, sure I am, two men there are not living,
To whom he more adheres. If it will please you
* To shew us so much gentry and good-will,
As to expend your time with us a while,
* For the supply and profit of our hope,
Your visitation shall receive such thanks,
As fits a King's remembrance.

Rof. Both your majesties
Might, by the sov’reign pow'r 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 lay our service freely at your feet.

King. Thanks, Rosincrantz, and gentle Guildenstern.
Queen. Thanks, Guildenstern, and gentle Rofin-

crantz.

And, I beseech you, instantly to visit
My too much changed son. Go, some of ye,
And bring these gentlemen where Hamlet is.

Guil. Heav'ns make our presence and our practices Pleafant and helpful to him! [Exeunt Rof. and Guil. Queci. Amen.

Enter Polonius.
Pol. Th' ambassadors from Norway, my good

Lord,
Are joyfully return'd.

· To fhew us so much gen- raised may be completed by the

try) Gentry, for com- defired effect. plaisance. WARBURTON.

i in the fu'l bent,) Bent, ? For the fup:ly, &c.] That the for endeavour, applicat 07. hope which your arrival has

WARBURTON. N 2

King

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;
And I do think, or else this brain of mine
Hunts not + the trail of policy so sure
As I have us'd to do, that I have found
The very cause of Hamlet's lunacy.

King. Oh, speak of that, that I do long to hear.

Pol. Give first admittance to th' ambassadors. My news shall be s the fruit of that

great

feast. King. Thyself do grace to thein, and bring them in.

[Exit Pol. He tells me, my sweet Queen, that he hath found The head and source of all your son's distemper.

Queen. I doubt, it is no other but the main, Flis

father's death, and our o'er-hafty marriage.

Re-enter Polonius, with Voltimand, and Cornelius.

King. Well, we shall sift him.- Welcome, my

good friends! Say, Voltimand, what from our brother Norway?

Volt. Most fair return of Greetings, and Desires. Upon our first, he sent out to suppress His Nephew's levies, which to him appear'd To be a preparation 'gainst the Polack, But, better look'd into, he truly found

5

4 -- the trail of plicy.--] The

the fruit) The def trail is the curse of an animal sert after the meat. pursued by the fient.

It was against your Highness : Whereat griev'd,
That so his sickness, age, and impotence
Was falsely borne in hand, sends out Arrests
On Fontinbras; which he, in brief, obeys;
Receives rebuke from Norway; and, in fine,
Makes vow before his uncle, never more
To give th' assay of arms against your Majesty.
Whereon old Norway, overcome with joy,
• Gives him threescore thousand crowns in annual fee;
And his Commission to employ those soldiers,
So levied as before, against the Polack :
With an entreaty, herein further shewn,
That it might please you to give quiet Pass
Through your Dominions for this enterprize,
On such regards of safety and allowance,
As therein are set down.

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.

. Go to your Rest; ’ at night we'll feast together. Most welcome home!

[Exeunt Ambas. Pol. This business is well ended. * My liege, and Madam, 9 to expostulate

What

6 Gives him three shousand that of a weak, pedant, mini

crowns in annual fee;] This ster of state. His declamation is reading first obtain'd in the edia, a fine satire on the impertinent tion put out by the players. But oratory then in vogue, wh ch all the old quarto's (from 160;, placed reason in the formality of downwards) read, as I have re- method, and wit in the gingle form'd the text. TheoB. and play of words. With what

7- at night we'll feast ) art is he made to pride himself in The King's intemperance is ne

his wit : ver suffered to be forgotten.

That be mal, 'tis true ; 'ris : My Liege, and Madam, 10 true, 'tis pits;

expoftulate] The strokes of And pity lis, iris true; A humour in this speech are ad

foolith figure; mirable. Polonius's character is But farewel it