lights not me; nor woman neither; though by your fmiling you feem to say so. b Rof. My lord, there was no such stuff in my thoughts. Ham. Why did you laugh then, when I faid, man delights not me? Rof. To think, my lord, if you delight not in man, what lenten entertainment the players fhall receive from you; we accofted them on the way, and hither are they coming to offer you fervice. с Ham. He that plays the king fhall be welcome; his majefty fhall have tribute of me: the adventurous knight shall ufe his foil and target: the lover fhall not figh gratis: the humourous man fhall end his part in peace: f the clown fhall make thofe laugh whofe lungs are tickled o' th' fere: and the lady fhall fay her mind freely, or the blank verse shall halt for 't. What players are they? h Rof. Even those you were wont to take fuch delight in, the tragedians of the city. k Ham. How chances it, they travel? their refidence both in reputation and profit was better, both ways. y The fo's and R. read no nor, &c. z First q. women. a Qu's, ye. f The fentence in italic is not in the qu's. The fo's, R. and W, only have it. Sere, i. e. dry, withered. Johnson's b The fo's and all editions after, ex- dictionary. Then the fenfe will be (as cept C. omit then. e The rft and ad qu's read coted. The 3dq. and the fo's read, coated. Perhaps Shakespeare wrote quoted. Accofted is R.'s emendation. d The 1st and 2d qu's read on. The 2d q. reads fing. Shakespeare frequently uses adjectives as i The fo's and all fucceeding editions omit fuch. k The ad q. the for they. m Rof. I think, their ' inhibition comes by the means of the late innovation. n Ham. Do they hold the fame estimation they did when I was in the city? are they fo followed? Rof. No indeed are they not. Ham. P How comes it? do they grow rufiy? १ Rof. Nay, their endeavour keeps in the wonted pace; but there is, fir, an aiery of children, little eyafes, that cry out on the top of question; and are most tyrannically clapt for 't: these are now the fashion, and fo berattle the common flages (as they call them) that many wearing rapiers are afraid of goofe-quills, and dare fcarce come thither. S t Ham. What, are they children? who maintains 'em? how are they" efcated? will they pursue the quality no longer than they can fing? will they not fay afterwards? If they should grow themselves to common players (as it is " most like, if their means are no better) their writers do them wrong to make them exclaim against their own fucceffion Rof. 'Faith there has been much to do on both fides; and the nation holds it no fin, Y to tar them an to controversy. There was, 17. thinks inbibition and innovation playhoufes then contending, the Bank fhould change places, m J. omits the. n The 2d q. the for they.. • So the ift and 2d qu's and C, All the rest read, they are not. P What is printed in italics is not in the qu's. a The fo's, R. and P, read Yases; which feems to be no Eugh word. T. corrects it, eyafes. An aiery or eyery is a hawk's or eagle's neft; and eyafes are young neftlings, creatures juft out of the egg. P. aforms us that this paffage relates to the for a while, no money bid for argument, unless the poet and the player went to cuffs in the question. Ham. Is 't poffible? Guil. Oh, there has been much throwing about of brains. Rof. Ay, that they do, my lord, Hercules and his load too. Ꮓ b my uncle is king of mouths at him while d fifty, an hundred Ham. It is not very strange; for Denmark, and those that would make my father lived, give twenty, forty, ducats a-piece for his picture in little s'blood there is fomething in this more than natural, if philofophy could find it out. h : Guil. There are the players. [Flourish for the players. Ham. Gentlemen, you are welcome to Elfinoor. Your hands. Come & then the appurtenance of welcome is fafhion and ceremony; let me comply with you in this garb, left my extent to the players, which I tell you must. fhew fairly outward, fhould more appear like entertainment yours. You are welcome; but my uncle-father and aunt-mother are deceived than k Guil. In what, my dear lord? Ham. I am but mad north-north-weft: when the wind is foutherly, I know a hawk from a hand-faw. 7 SCENE VII. Enter Polonius. Pol. Well be with you, gentlemen. Ham. Hark you, Guildenfiern; and you too, at each car a hearer. That great baby you fee there is not yet out of his fwadling-clouts. Ref. Haply, he's the fecond time come to them; for they fay, an old man is twice a child. Ham. I will prophefy, he comes to tell me of the players. Mark it. You fay right, fir, 'o' Monday morning, 'twas ⚫ then indeed. Pol. My lord, I have news to tell you. Ham. My lord, I have news to tell you. When Rofcius was an actor in Rome -- Pol. The actors are come hither, my lord. u Pol. Upon " my honour. Ham. Then came each actor on his afs. m The ad q. reads are. The fo's read, for a Munday mer A- · n The 2d and 3d qu's read, as you fee ing, &c. R. and all after him, ex Pol. The best actors in the world, either for tragedy, comedy, hiftory, paftoral, paftoral-comical, hiftorical-paftoral, scene individeable, or poem unlimited. Seneca cannot be too heavy, nor Plautus too light; for the law of writ, and the liberty, these are the only men. Ham. O Jephtha, judge of Ifrael, what a treasure hadft thou! Pol. What a treasure had he, my lord? Ham. Why, one fair daughter, and no more, The which he loved paffing well. Pol. Still on my daughter. Ham. Am I not i' th' right, old Jephtha! Pol. If thou call me Jephtha, my lord, I have a daughter that I love paffing well. Ham. Nay, that follows not. Pol. What follows then, my lord? Ham. Why, as by lot, God wot---and then you know it came to pass, as most like it was: the firft row of the pious chanfon will fhew you more; for look where my abridgment comes. • Enter the players. You are welcome, mafters, welcome, all. I am glad to fee x The fo's and R. read, Paftorical-, So the ift and 2d qu's. The sft f. Comical-Hiftorical-Paftoral: Tragical- reads, pons chanson; the other fo's and Hiftorical: Tragical - Comical - Hiftorical- the third q. pans chanson; H. and C. Paftoral: Scene, &c. read pont-chanfons. R. is the firft whe reads rubrick, followed by the reft. y The 2d q. reads feeme. z Fo's, indivible. a The qu'a and fo's all read writ, which R. alters to wit; and is followed by all the editors after him, except J. and C. The two fpeeches in italic are not in the 2d and 3d qu's. d The fo's and all after, except C. e The fo's, and all editions after, read, • thee |