HAMLET, son to the former, and nephew to the present King.
sc. 5. Act II. sc. 2.

Appears, Act I. sc. 2; sc. 4;

Act III. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3; sc. 4.

Act V. sc. 1;

Act IV. sc. 2; sc. 3; sc. 4.

sc. 2.

Appeurs, Act II. sc. 2. Act III. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3.
Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3; sc. 4.

GUILDENSTERN, a courtier.

Appears, Act II. sc. 2. Act III. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3.
Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3; sc. 4.

OSRIC, a courtier.

Appears, Act V. sc. 2.

A Courtier.
Appears, Act IV. sc. 5.

A Priest.

Appears, Act V. sc. 1.

MARCELLUS, an officer.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 4; sc. 5.

BERNARDO, an officer.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 2.

FRANCISCO, a soldier.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1.

REYNALDO, servant to Polonius.
Appears, Act II. sc. 1.
A Captain.

Appears, Act IV. sc. 4.

An Ambassador.

Appears, Act V. sc. 2.

Ghost of Hamlet's Father.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 4; sc. 5. Act III. sc. 4.
FORTINBRAS, Prince of Norway.

Appears, Act IV. sc. 4. Act V. sc. 2.

GERTRUDE, Queen of Denmark, and mother of Hamlet.

OPHELIA, daughter of Polonius.

Appears, Act I. sc. 3. Act II. sc. 1. Act III. sc. 1; sc. 2

Act IV. sc. 5.

Lords, Ladies, Officers, Soldiers, Players, Gravediggers, Sailors, Messengers, and other Attendants. SCENE,

ELSINORE.

The earliest edition of 'Hamlet' known to exist is that of 1603. It bears the following title: 'The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet Prince of Denmarke, by William Shakespeare. As it hath beene diverse times acted by his Highnesse servants in the Cittie of London: as also in the two Universities of Cambridge and Oxford, and elsewhere. At London, printed for N. L. and John Trundell, 1603.' The only known copy of this edition is in the library of the Duke of Devonshire; and that copy is not quite perfect. It was reprinted in 1825.

The second edition of Hamlet' was printed in 1604, under the following title: The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke. By William Shakespeare. Newly imprinted and enlarged to almost as much againe as it was, according to the true and perfect coppie. Printed by J. R. for N. Landure, 1604, 4to.' This edition was reprinted in 1605, in 1609, in 1611, and there is also a quarto edition without a date.

In the folio of 1623 some passages which are found in the quarto of 1604 are omitted. In our text we have given these passages. In other respects our text, with one or two minute exceptions, is wholly founded upon the folio of 1623. From this circumstance our edition will be found considerably to differ from the text of Johnson and Steevens, of Reed, of Malone, and of all the current editions which are founded upon these.

In the reprint of the edition of 1603, it is stated to be "the only known copy of this tragedy, as originally written by Shakespeare, which he afterwards altered and enlarged." We believe that this description is correct; that this remarkable copy gives us the play as originally written by Shakspere. It may have been piratical, and we think it was so. The 'Hamlet' of 1603 is a sketch of the perfect Hamlet,' and probably a corrupt copy of that sketch.

HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-Elsinore. A Platform before the Castle.

FRANCISCO on his post. Enter to him BERNARDO.

BER. Who's there?

FRAN. Nay, answer me: stand, and unfold yourself.
BER. Long live the king!

FRAN. You come most carefully upon your hour.

BER. 'T is now struck twelve; get thee to bed, Francisco. FRAN. For this relief, much thanks: 't is bitter cold,

And I am sick at heart.

BER. Have you had quiet guard?

FRAN.

BER. Well, good night.

Not a mouse stirring.

If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus,

The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste.

Enter HORATIO and MARCELLUS.

FRAN. I think I hear them.-Stand! who's there?

HOR. Friends to this ground.

BER.

Say.

What, is Horatio there?

HOR.

A piece of him.

BER. Welcome, Horatio; welcome, good Marcellus.
MAR. What, has this thing appear'd again to-night?
BER. I have seen nothing.

MAR. Horatio says, 't is but our fantasy;

And will not let belief take hold of him,

Touching this dreaded sight, twice seen of us:
Therefore I have entreated him along

With us to watch the minutes of this night;
That, if again this apparition come,
He may approve our eyes, and speak to it.
HOR. Tush! tush! 't will not appear.
BER.

And let us once again assail your ears,
That are so fortified against our story,
What we two nights have seen.

HOR.

Sit down awhile;

Well, sit we down,

And let us hear Bernardo speak of this.

BER. Last night of all,

When yon same star, that's westward from the pole
Had made his course to illume that part of heaven
Where now it burns, Marcellus, and myself,

The bell then beating one,—

MAR. Peace, break thee off; look, where it comes again!

Enter GHOST.

BER. In the same figure, like the king that's dead.

MAR. Thou art a scholar, speak to it, Horatio.

BER. Looks it not like the king? mark it, Horatio.
HOR. Most like:-it harrows me with fear, and wonder.
BER. It would be spoke to.

MAR.

Question it, Horatio.

HOR. What art thou, that usurp'st this time of night, Together with that fair and warlike form

In which the majesty of buried Denmark

Did sometimes march? by heaven I charge thee, speak.
MAR. It is offended.

BER.

See! it stalks away.