Mad call I it; for, to define true madness,
What is't but to be nothing else but mad?

But let that go.
Queen.

More matter, with less art.

Polonius. Madam, I swear I use no art at all.
That he is mad, is true: 'tis true 'tis pity;
And pity 'tis 'tis true a foolish figure;
But farewell it, for I will use no art.

Mad let us grant him, then; and now remains
That we find out the cause of this effect,
Or rather say, the cause of this defect,
For this effect defective comes by cause:
Thus it remains, and the remainder thus.
Perpend.1

I have a daughter,—have while she is mine,-
Who, in her duty and obedience, mark,

Hath given me this.

Now gather, and surmise.

[Reads.

C

"To the celestial and my soul's idol, the most beautified Ophelia,"

That's an ill phrase, a vile phrase; "beautified" is a vile phrase:

but you shall hear.

Thus :

"In her excellent white bosom, these," etc.

Queen. Came this from Hamlet to her?

[Reads.

Polonius. Good madam, stay a while; I will be faithful. [Reads.

"Doubt thou the stars are fire;

Doubt that the sun doth move;

Doubt truth to be a liar;

But never doubt I love.

"O dear Ophelia, I am ill at these numbers; I have not art to reckon my groans: but that I love thee best, O most best, believe it. Adieu. "Thine evermore, most dear lady, whilst

this machine 2 is to him, HAMLET."

1 An affected, pedantic word signifying "ponder, consider."

2 Body.

This, in obedience, hath my daughter shown me,
And more above,1 hath his solicitings,

As they fell out by time, by means and place,

But what might you think,

King. As of a man faithful and honorable.
Polonius. I would fain prove so.
When I had seen this hot love on the wing-
As I perceiv'd it, I must tell you that,

Before my daughter told me—what might you,
Or my dear Majesty, your Queen here, think,
If I had play'd the desk or tablebook,

Or given my heart a winking, mute and dumb,

Or look'd upon this love with idle sight;2

What might you think? No, I went round to work,3
And my young mistress thus I did bespeak:
"Lord Hamlet is a prince, out of thy star;4

This must not be:" and then I precepts gave her,
That she should lock herself from his resort,
Admit no messengers, receive no tokens.
Which done, she took the fruits of my advice;
And he, repulsed,-a short tale to make,-
Fell into a sadness, then into a fast,

Thence to a watch,5 thence into a weakness,
Thence to a lightness, and by this declension,
Into the madness wherein now he raves,
And all we mourn for.

1 "More above," i.e., more than this; moreover.

2 "If I had play'd," etc., i.e., if I had been their confidant in this love

affair, or had connived at it, or been negligent in observing it.

3" Round to work," i.e., to work without reserve; was outspoken.

4 Sphere.

5 Watchfulness; sleeplessness.

King.

Do

you

think 'tis this?

Queen. It may be, very likely.

Polonius. Hath there been such a time-I'd fain know that That I have positively said, ""Tis so,"

When it prov'd otherwise ?

King.

Not that I know.

Polonius. [Pointing to his head and shoulder] Take this from this, if this be otherwise.

If circumstances lead me, I will find

Where truth is hid, though it were hid indeed

Within the center.1

King.

How may we try it further?

Polonius. You know, sometimes he walks for hours together Here in the lobby.

Be

Polonius. At such a time I'll loose my daughter to him: you and I behind an arras 2 then;

Mark the encounter: if he love her not,

And be not from his reason fall'n thereon,
Let me be no assistant for a state,

But keep a farm and carters.

King.

We will try it.

Queen. But, look, where sadly the poor wretch

ing.

Polonius. Away, I do beseech you, both away. I'll board him presently.

comes read

[Exeunt King, Queen, and Attendants.

1 That is, the center of the earth.

2 Tapestry hangings, with which the principal rooms of houses were decorated. They were hung around the room, but, to avoid injury from the dampness of the walls, were not attached to them, but were suspended on frames set out from them; so that "behind an arras was a convenient hiding place. The name is from a town in France which had a large trade in these tapestries.

3" Poor wretch "" was frequently used as a term of endearment, generally with a touch of pity in it.

4 Accost.

O, give me leave:

Enter HAMLET, reading.

How does my good Lord Hamlet ?

Hamlet. Well, God-a-mercy.

Polonius. Do you know me, my lord ?

Hamlet. Excellent well; you're a fishmonger.

Polonius. Not I, my lord.

Hamlet. Then I would you were so honest a man.

Polonius. Honest, my lord!

Hamlet. Ay, sir; to be honest, as this world goes, is to be one man pick'd out of ten thousand.

Polonius. That's very true, my lord.

Hamlet. "For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a god, kissing carrion"-Have you a daughter?

Polonius. I have, my lord. [Aside] Still harping on my daughter: yet he knew me not at first; he said I was a fishmonger. He is far gone, far gone: and truly in my youth I suffer'd much extremity for love; very near this. I'll speak to him again. What do you read, my lord ?

Hamlet. Words, words, words.

Polonius. What is the matter, my lord ?

Hamlet. Between who ? 1

the matter that you

read, my

lord.

Polonius. I mean, Hamlet. Slanders, sir; for the satirical rogue says here that old men have gray beards, that their faces are wrinkl'd, their eyes purging thick amber and plum-tree gum, and that they have a plentiful lack of wit, together with most weak hams: all which, sir, though I most powerfully and potently believe, yet I hold it not honesty to have it thus set down; for yourself, sir, should be old as I am, if like a crab you could go backward..

Polonius. [Aside] Though this be madness, yet there is method in't. Will you walk out of the air, my lord?

Hamlet. Into my grave.

Polonius. Indeed, that is out o' the air. [Aside] How preg

1 Whom.

Lant1 sometimes his replies are! a happiness that often madness hits on, which reason and sanity could not so prosperously be deliver'd of. I will leave him, and suddenly contrive the means of meeting between him and my daughter.- My honorable lord, I will most humbly take my leave of you.

Hamlet. You cannot, sir, take from me anything that I will more willingly part withal; except my life, except my life, except my life. Polonius. Fare you well, my lord. Hamlet. These tedious old fools!

Enter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN.

Polonius. You go to seek the Lord Hamlet; there he is. Rosencrantz. [To Polonius] God save you, sir! [Exit Polonius. Guildenstern. My honor'd lord !

Rosencrantz. My most dear lord !

Hamlet. My excellent good friends! How dost thou, Guildenstern? Ah, Rosencrantz ! Good lads, how do you both? Rosencrantz. As the indifferent 2 children of the earth.

Guildenstern. Happy, in that we are not over happy;

On Fortune's cap we are not the very

Hamlet. Nor the soles of her shoe?

Rosencrantz. Neither, my lord.

Hamlet. What's the news?

button.

Rosencrantz. None, my lord, but that the world's grown honest. Hamlet. Then is doomsday near; but your news is not true. Let me question more in particular: what have you, my good friends, deserv'd at the hands of Fortune, that she sends you to prison hither?

Guildenstern. Prison, my lord !

Hamlet. Denmark's a prison.

Rosencrantz. Then is the world one.

Hamlet. A goodly one; in which there are many confines,3 wards, and dungeons, Denmark being one o' the worst.

1 Apt.

2 Average.

3 Places of confinement.

4 Cells for safe keeping.