King. Laertes, was your father dear to you? Or are you like the painting of a sorrow, A face without a heart? Laer. Why ask you this? King. Not that I think, you did not love your father; But that I know, love is begun by time; For goodness, growing to a pleurisy, Dies in his own too-much: That we would do, We should do when we would; for this would changes, And hath abatements and delays as many, Laer. arize: Revenge should have no bounds. But, good Laertes, Will you do this, keep close within your chamber Hamlet, return'd, shall know you are come home: We'll put on those shall praise your excellence, And set a double varnish on the fame The Frenchman gave you; bring you, in fine, to gether, And wager o'er your heads: he, being remiss, Most generous, and free from all contriving, Will not peruse the foils; so that, with ease, Or with a little shuffling, you may choose (1) Daily experience. A sword unbated, and, in a pass of practice,2 Laer. Under the moon, can save the thing from death, That is but scratch'd withal: I'll touch my point With this contagion; that, if I gall him slightly, It may be death. King. Let's further think of this; Weigh, what convenience, both of time and means, May fit us to our shape: if this should fail, And that our drift look through our bad perform ance, 'Twere better not assay'd: therefore this project When in your motion you are hot and dry, (As make your bouts more violent to that end,) purpose may hold there. But stay, what noise How now, sweet queen? Queen. One wo doth tread upon another's heel, So fast they follow:-Your sister's drown'd, Laertes. Laer. Drown'd! O, where? (1) Not blunted as foils are. (2) Exercise. (3) As fire-arms sometimes burst in proving their strength. (4) Skill. (5) Presented. (6) A cup for the purpose. (7) Thrust. Queen. There is a willow grows ascaunt the brook, That shows his hoar leaves in the glassy stream; Of crow-flowers, nettles, daisies, and long purples,' There, on the pendent boughs her coronet weeds And, mermaid-like, a while they bore her up: Or like a creature native and indu'd Unto that element: but long it could not be, Laer. Alas then, she is drown'd? Queen. Drown'd, drown'd. Laer. Too much of water hast thou, poor Ophelia, And therefore I forbid my tears: But yet It is our trick; nature her custom holds, Let shame say what it will: when these are gone, I have a speech of fire, that fain would blaze, King. [Exit. Let's follow, Gertrude : How much I had to do to calm his rage! (1) Orchis morio mas. (3) Insensible. [Exeunt. (2) Licentious. (4) Tears will flow. ACT V. SCENE I-A churchyard. Enter two Clowns, with spades, &c. 1 Clo. Is she to be buried in Christian burial, that wilfully seeks her own salvation? 2 Clo. I tell thee, she is; therefore make her grave straight the crowner hath set on her, and finds it Christian burial. 1 Clo. How can that be, unless she drowned herself in her own defence? 2 Clo. Why, 'tis found so. 1 Clo. It must be se offendendo; it cannot be else. For here lies the point: If I drown myself wittingly, it argues an act: and an act hath three branches; it is, to act, to do, and to perform: Argal, she drowned herself wittingly. 2 Clo. Nay, but hear you, goodman delver. 1 Clo. Give me leave. Here lies the water; good: here stands the man: good: if the man go to this water, and drown himself, it is, will be, uill he, he goes; mark you that: but if the water come to him, and drown Fin, he drowns no himself: Argal, he, that is not guilty of his own death, shortens not his own life. 2 Clo. But is this law? 1 Clo. Ay, marry is't; crowner's-quest law. 2 Clo. Will you ha' the truth on't? If this had not been a gentlewoman, she should have been buried out of Christian burial. 1 Clo. Why, there thou say 'st: And the more pity; that great folks shall ve countenance in this world to drown or hang themselves, more than their even2 Christian. Come, my spade. There is no ancient gentlemen but gardeners, ditchers, and grave-makers; they hold up Adam's profession. 2 Clo. Was he a gentleman? (1) Immediately. (2) Fellow. 1 Clo. He was the first that ever bore arms. 2 Clo. Why, he had none. 1 Clo. What, art a heathen? How dost thou understand the scripture? The scripture says, Adam digged; Could he dig without arms? I'll put another question to thee: if thou answerest me not to the purpose, confess thyself— 2 Clo. Go to. 1 Clo. What is he, that builds stronger than either the mason, the shipwright, or the carpenter? 2 Clo. The gallows-maker; for that frame outlives a thousand tenants. 1 Clo. I like thy wit well, in good faith; the gallows does well: But how does it well? it does well to those that do ill: now thou dost ill, to say, the gallows is built stronger than the church; argal, the gallows may do well to thee. To't again; come. 2 Clo. Who builds stronger than a mason, a shipwright, or a carpenter? 1 Clo. Ay, tell me that, and unyoke.! 2 Clo. Marry, now I can tell. 1 Clo. To't. 2 Clo. Mass, I cannot tell. Enter Hamlet and Horatio, at a distance. 1 Clo. Cudgel thy brains no more about it; for your dull ass will not mend his pace with beating: and, when you are asked this question next, say, a grave-maker; the houses that he makes, last till doomsday. Go, get thee to Yaughan, and fetch me a stoup of liquor. [Exit 2 Clown. 1 Clown digs, and sings. In youth, when I did love, did love,2 (1) Give over. (2) The song entire is printed in Percy's Reliques of ancient English Poetry, vol. i. written by Lord Vaux. It was |