Hor. What is it you would fee?

If aught of woe or wonder, cease your fearch.
Fort. This quarry cries on havoc.

Death! (76)

What feaft is toward in thy infernal cell,

That thou fo many princes at a fhot

So bloodily haft ftruck?

Amb. The fight is dismal,

O proud

And our affairs from England come too late:
The ears are fenfelefs that should give us hearing;
To tell him, his commandment is fulfilled,
That Rofincrantz and Guildenftern are dead:
Where fhould we have our thanks?

Hor. Not from his mouth,

Had it th' ability of life to thank you :

He never gave commandment for their death. (77) But fince fo full upon this bloody question,

You from the Polack wars, and you from England, Are here arrived; give order, that these bodies, High on a ftage be placed to the view,

And let me fpeak to th' yet unknowing world, How these things came about. So fhall you hear Of cruel, bloody, and unnatural acts;

Of accidental judgments, cafual ilaughters; (76)

Oh, proud Death!

What feaft is toward in thy eternal cell,] This epithet, I think, has no great propriety here. I have chofe the reading of the old Quarto editions, infernal. This communicates an image fuitable to the circumftance of the bavoc which Fortinbras looks on and would reprefent in a light of horror. Upon the fight of fo many dead bodies, he exclaims against Death, as an execrable, riotous deftroyer, and as preparing to make a favage and hellish feast.

(77) He never gave commandment for their death.] We muft either believe the Poet had forgot himfelf with regard to the circumftance of Rofincrantz and Guildenstern's death, or we must understand him thus; that he no otherways gave a command for their deaths, than in putting a change upon the tenour of the King's commiffion, and warding off the fatal fentence from his own head.

Ofr. Your Lordship fpeaks most infallibly of him. Ham. The concernancy, Sir?--Why do we: wrap the gentleman in our more rawer breath? [To Horatio.

Ofr. Sir..

Hor. Is't not poffible to understand in another tongue? you will do't, Sir, rarely.

Han, What imports the nomination of this gentle

man?

Ofr. Of Laertes?

Hor. His purfe is empty already: all's golden words are spent.

Ham. Of him, Sir.

Ofr. I know, you are not ignorant,

Ham. I would you did, Sir; yet, in faith, if you did, it would not much approve me.-Well, Sir. Ofr. You are not ignorant of what excellence Laertes is.

Ham. I dare not confefs that, left I fhould compare with him in excellence: but to know a man well, were to know himself.

Ofr. I mean, Sir, for his weapon: but in the imputation laid on him by them in his meed, he's un-fellowed.

Ham. What's his weapon?

Ofr. Rapier and dagger.

Ham. That's two of his weapons; but well. Ofr. The King, Sir, has waged with him fix Barbary horfes, againft the which he has imponed, as I take it, fix French rapiers and poniards, with their affigns, as girdle, hangers, and fo: three of the carriages, in faith, are very dear to fancy, very refponfive to the hilts, most delicate carriages, and of very liberal conceit.

Ham. What call you the carriages?

Hor. I knew you must be edified by the margent, ere you had done.

[Afide

Ofr. The carriages, Sir, are the hangers.

Ham. The phrafe would be more germane to the matter, if we could carry cannon by our fides; L would it might be hangers till then. But, on; fix Barbary horfes again't fix French fwords, their affigns, and three liberal-conceited carriages; that's the French bett against the Danith; why is this imponed, as you call it?

Ofr. The King, Sir, hath laid, that in a dozen paffes between you and him, he fhall not exceed you three hits; he hath laid on twelve for nine; and it would come to immediate trial, if your Lordfhip would vouchfafe the answer.

Ham. How if I anfwer, no?

Ofr. I mean, my Lord, the oppofition of your perfon in trial.

Ham. Sir, I will walk here in the hall: if it please his Majefty, 'tis the breathing time of day with me; let the foils be brought, the gentleman willing, and the King hold his purpofe, I will win for him if I can: if not, I'll gain nothing but my fhame, and the odd hits.

Ofr. Shall I deliver you fo?

Ham. To this effect, Sir, after what flourish your nature will.

Ofr. I commend my duty to your Lordship.

[Exit. Ham. Yours, yours; he does well to commend it himfelf, there are no tongues elfe for's turn. Hor. This lapwing runs away with the thell en his head.

Ham. He did fo, Sir, with his dug before he fucked it: thus has he (and many more of the fame breed, that, I know, the droffy age doats on) only got the tune of the time, and outward habit of en counter, a kind of yefty collection, which carries

them through and through the moft fond and winnowed opinions; and do but blow them to their trials, the bubbles are out.

Enter a Lord.

Lord. My Lord, his Majefty commended him to you by young Ofrick, who brings back to him, that you attend him in the hall; he fends to know if your pleasure hold to play with Laertes, or that you will take longer time?

Ham. I am conftant to my purposes, they follow the King's pleafure; if his fitnefs fpeaks, mine is ready, now, or whenfoever, provided I be fo able

as now.

Lord. The King, and Queen, and all are coming down.

Ham. In happy time.

Lord. The Queen defires you to fe fome gentle entertainment to Laertes, before you fall to play. Ham. She well inftructs me. [Exit Lord. Hor. You will lofe this wager, my Lord.

Ham. I do not think fo; fince he went into France, I have been in continual practice; I fhall 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 special 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 be not now, yet it will come; the readi

nefs is all

Since no man has aught of what he leaves, what is't to leave betimes?

Enter King, Queen, LAERTES and Lords, OSRICK, with other Attendants, with toils, and Gantlets, A table, and flaggons of wine on it.

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

Ham. Give me your pardon, Sir; I've done you But pardon't, as you are a gentleman. [wrong; This prefence knows, and you must needs have heard, How I am punithed 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 wronged Laertes? never Hamlet.
If Hamlet from himfelf 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 fo,
Hamlet is of the faction that is wronged;
His madness is poor Hamlet's enemy.
Let my difclaiming from a purpofed evil,
Free me so far in your most generous thoughts,
That I have fhot mine arrow. o'er the houfe,
And hurt my brother.

Laer. I am fatisfied in nature,

Whofe 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
have a voice, and precedent of peace,

To keep my name ungored. But till that time,
I do receive your offered love like love,
And will not wrong it.

Ham. I embrace it freely,