HOR. These are but wild and whirling words,* my lord.

HAM. I am sorry they offend you, heartily; yes, 'Faith, heartily.

HOR.

There's no offence, my lord.

HAM. Yes, by Saint Patrick,(107) but there is,
Horatio,

And much offence too. Touching this vision here,
It is an honest ghost, that let me tell you:
For your desire to know what is between us,
O'er-master it as you may. And now, good friends,
As you are friends, scholars, and soldiers,

Give me one poor request.

HOR.

We will.

What is't, my lord?

HAM. Never make known what you have seen

to-night.

HOR. MAR. My lord, we will not.

Seller:

HAM. Indeed, upon my sword, indeed.

GHOST. [Beneath.] Swear.

HAM. Ha, ha, boy! say'st thou so? art thou there, true-penny (108)

Come on,-you hear this fellow in the cellarage,*edge, 1623. Consent to swear.

idge, 1632. ige. 4tos.

HOR.

Propose the oath, my lord.

wild and whirling words] Random, thrown out with no specific aim.

b O'er-master it] Get the better of it.

HAM. Never to speak of this that you

Swear by my sword. (109)

GHOST. [Beneath.] Swear.

have seen,

HAM. Hic & ubique? then we'll shift our ground:

Come hither, gentlemen,

And lay your hands again upon my sword:
Swear by my sword,

Never to speak of this that you have heard.
GHOST. [Beneath.] Swear by his sword.

HAM. Well said, old mole! can'st work i'the earth so fast?

A worthy pioneer!-Once more remove, good friends.

HOR. O day and night, but this is wondrous

strange!

HAM. And therefore as a stranger give it welcome.b

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

But come ;

Here, as before, (110) never, so help you mercy!
How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself,
As I, perchance, hereafter shall think meet
To put an antick disposition on,—

C

That you, at such times seeing me, never shall, With arms encumber'd thus, or this head-shake, Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase, As, Well, we know ;-or, We could, an if we would;-or, If we list to speak ;-or, There be, an if there might;

Or such ambiguous giving out, to note

• O day and night] This may mean, O! the course of sublunary things! but is more probably only a petty oath.

b give it welcome] Receive it courteously and compliantly.

с

arms encumber'd thus] Close pressed upon each other, folded.

That you know aught of me:-This do you swear, So grace and mercy at your most need help you! GHOST. [Beneath.] Swear.

HAM. Rest, rest, perturbed spirit! So, gentle

men,

With all my love I do commend me to you:
And what so poor a man as Hamlet is

a

May do, to express his love and friending to you,
God willing, shall not lack. Let us go in together;
And still your fingers on your lips, I pray.

The time is out of joint;-O cursed spite!
That ever I was born to set it right!
Nay, come, let's go together.

a

[Exeunt.

friending to you-shall not lack] Disposition to serve you shall not be wanting.

ACT II. SCENE I.

A Room in Polonius's House.

Enter POLONIUS and REYNOLD

POL. Give him this money, and these notes,

Reynoldo.

REY. I will, my lord.

POL. You shall do marvelous* wisely, good 4tos.

Reynoldo,

Before you visit him, to make inquiry

Of his behaviour.

REY.

My lord, I did intend it.

POL. Marry, well said: very well said." Look

you, sir,

Inquire me first what Danskers are in Paris; And how, and who, what means, and where they keep,

a.

*

What company, and what expence; and finding,
By this encompassment and drift of question,
That they do know my son, come you more nearer
Than your particular demands will touch it :"
Take you, as 'twere, some distant knowledge of him;
As thus, I know his father, and his friends,
And, in part, him ;-Do you mark this, Reynoldo?
REY. Ay, very well, my lord.

2

POL. And, in part, him;-but, you may say, not well:

encompassment and drift] Winding and circuitous course.

Than your particular demands will touch it] Than such inquiry into particulars is likely to reach.

marvels, 1623, 32.

neere, 1632.

*Then, O.C.

I. O. C.

I. O. C. and so throughout the whole.

But, if't be he I mean,

he's very

wild;

Addicted so and so;-and there put on him
What forgeries you please; marry, none so rank
As may dishonour him; take heed of that;
But, sir, such wanton, wild, and usual slips,
As are companions noted and most known
To youth and liberty.

REY.

As gaming, my lord.

POL. Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing, quarrelling,

Drabbing:-You may go so far.

REY. My lord, that would dishonour him.
POL. 'Faith, no; as you may season it in the
charge.

C

You must not put another scandal on him,
That he is open to incontinency;

That's not my meaning: but breathe his faults so
quaintly,

That they may seem the taints of liberty:
The flash and out-break of a fiery mind;
A savageness in unreclaimed blood,

Of general assault.

REY.

e

But, my good lord,

Faith, no; as you may season it in the charge.] Manage it, by throwing in some qualifying ingredient.

another scandal, That he is open to, &c.] A different and a further charge; that he is a professed libertine.

e Breathe his faults so quaintly-Of general assault.] Glance with an easy gaiety at his faults, as the mischiefs of too large a range, and the wildness of untamed blood, by which all youth is assailed.