Hor. You will lofe this wager, my Lord.

Ham. I do not think fo. Since he went into France, I have been in continual practice; I shall win at the odds. But thou wouldst not think how ill all's here about my heart. But it is no matter.

Hor. Nay, my good Lord.

Ham. It is but foolery; but it is fuch a kind of gain-giving as would, perhaps, trouble a woman.

Hor. If your mind diflike any thing, obey it. I will foreftal their repair hither, and fay you are not

fit.

Ham. Not a whit, we defy augury; there is a fpecial providence in the fall of a fparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come; the readiness is all. 9 Since no man knows aught of what he leaves, what is't to leave betimes ?

• Since no man HAS OUGHT

OF WHAT be leaves, what is't to Leave betimes? This the editors called reafoning. I fhould have thought the premifes concluded juft otherwife: For fince death ftrips a man of every thing, it is but fit he should then and avoid the defpoiler. The old Quarto reads, Since no man, of ought be leaves, KNOWS, what is't to leave betimes. Let be. This is the true reading. Here the premises conclude right, and the argument drawn out at length is to this effect. It is true, that, by death, we lofe all the goods of life; yet Seeing this lofs is no otherwife an evil than as we are fenfible of it; and fince death removes all fenfe of it, what matters it how foon we loje them: Therefore come what

SCENE

will I am prepared. But the ill pointing in the old book hindered the editors from feeing Shakespear's fenfe, and encouraged them to venture at one of their own, though, as usual, they are come very lamely off.

WARBURTON.

The reading of the quarto was right, but in fome other copy the harshness of the tranfpofition was foftened, and the paffage flood thus, Since no man knows aught of what he leaves. For knows was printed in the later copies bas, by a flight blunder in fuch typographers.

I do not think Dr. Warburton's interpretation of the paffage the beft that it will admit. The meaning may be this, Since man knows aught of the ftate of

SCENE V.

Enter King, Queen, Laertes and lords, Ofrick, with other attendants with foils, and gantlets. A table, and flaggons of wine on it.

King. Come, Hamlet, come, and take this hand from me.

[King puts the band of Laertes into the band of Hamlet. Ham. Give me your pardon, Sir. I've done you

But pardon't, as you are a gentleman.

This prefence knows, and you must needs have heard, How I am punifh'd with a fore distraction.

What I have done,

That might your Nature, Honour, and Exception
Roughly awake, I here proclaim was madness:
Was't Hamlet wrong'd Laertes? never, Hamlet.
If Hamlet from himself be ta'en away,

And, when he's not himself, does wrong Laertes,
Then Hamlet does it not; Hamlet denies it.
Who does it then? his madness. If 't be so,
Hamlet is of the faction that is wrong'd;

life which he leaves, fince he cannot judge what other years may produce, why fhould he be afraid of leaving life betimes? Why should he dread an early death, of which he cannot tell whether it is an exclufion of hap. pinefs, or an interception of calamity. I defpife the fuperftition of augury and omens, which has no ground in reafon or piety my comfort is, that I

cannot fall but by the direction of providence.

Hanmer has, Since no man owes aught, a conjecture not very reprehenfible. Since no man can call any poffeffion certain, what is it to leave?

Give me your pardon, Sir.-] I with Hamlet had made fome other defence; it is unfuitable to the character of a good or a brave man, to fhelter himself in falfehood.

His

His madness is poor Hamlet's enemy.
Let my disclaiming from a purpos'd evil,
Free me fo far in your moft generous thoughts,
That I have fhot mine arrow o'er the house,
And hurt my brother..

Laer. I am fatisfied in nature,

Whose motive, in this cafe, fhould ftir me most
To my revenge: but in my terms of honour
I ftand aloof, and will no reconcilement,
'Till by fome elder mafters of known honour
I have a voice, and precedent of peace,
To keep my name ungor'd. But till that time,
I do receive your offer'd love like love,
And will not wrong it.

Ham. I embrace it freely,

And will this brother's wager frankly play.
Give us the foils.

Laer. Come, one for me.

Ham. I'll be your foil, Laertes; in mine ignorance Your skill fhall, like a ftar i' th' darkest night,

Stick fiery off indeed.

Laer. You mock me, Sir.

Ham. No, by this hand.

King. Give them the foils, young Ofrick. Hamlet, you know the wager.

Ham. Well, my Lord;

* Your Grace hath laid upon the weaker side.
King. I do not fear it, I have feen you both;
But fince he's better'd, we have therefore odds.
Laer. This is too heavy, let me fee another.
Ham. This likes me well.
length?

These foils have all a [Prepares to play.

When the odds were on the fide of Laertes, who was to hit Hamlet twelve times to nine, it was perhaps the authour's flip.

Ofr.

Ofr. Ay, my good Lord.

King. Set me the ftoups of wine upon that table. If Hamlet give the first, or fecond Hit,

Or quit in answer of the third exchange,
Let all the battlements their ordnance fire;
The King fhall drink to Hamlet's better breath,
3 And in the cup an Union fhall he throw,
Richer than that which four fucceffive Kings
In Denmark's Crown have worn. Give me the cups
And let the kettle to the trumpets fpeak,
The trumpets to the cannoneer without,

The cannons to the heav'ns, the heav'ns to earth:
Now the King drinks to Hamlet.-Come. Begin,
And you the Judges bear a wary eye.

Ham. Come on, Sir,

Laer. Come, my Lord.

Ham. One.

again

[They play

King. Stay, give me Drink. Hamlet, this Pearl is

Here's to thy health. Give him the cup.

[Trumpets found, Sbot goes off.

Ham. I'll play this bout firft. Set it by awhile,

Come. Another hit. What fay you?

[They play.

Laer. A touch, a touch, I do confess.
King. Our fon fhall win.

Queen. He's fat, and scant of breath.

Here, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows.
The Queen caroufes to thy fortune, Hamlet.
Ham. Good Madam,—

King, Gertrude, do not drink,

Queen. I will, my Lord. I pray you, pardon me.
King. It is the poifon'd cup. It is too late. [Afide.
Ham. I dare not drink yet, Madam. By and by.
Queen. Come, let me wipe thy face.

Laer. I'll hit him now.

King. I do not think't.

Laer. And yet it is almost against my conscience.

[Afide. Ham. Come, for the third, Laertes. You but dally;

I pray you, pafs with your best violence;

4

I am afraid, you make a Wanton of me.

Laer. Say you fo? come on.

Ofr. Nothing neither way.

Laer. Have at you now.

[Play.

[Laertes wounds Hamlet; then, in scuffling, they change rapiers, and Hamlet wounds Laertes,

King. Part them, they are incens'd.

Ham. Nay, come again.

Ofr. Look to the Queen there, ho!

Hor. They bleed on both fides. How is't, my

Lord?

Ofr. How is't, Laertes?

-you make a Wanton of me.] A Wanton was, a man feeble and effeminate. In Cymbeline,

Imogen fays,

I am not fo citizen a wantsn,
To die, ere I be fick.

Laer.