mother!-But is there no sequel at the heels of this mother's admiration? impart*. Ros. She desires to speak with you in her closet, ere you go to bed. Ham. We shall obey, were she ten times our mother. Have you any farther trade with us? Ros. My lord, you once did love me. Ham. And do still, by these pickers and stealers. Ros. Good my lord, what is your cause of distemper? you do, surely, but bar the door upon your own liberty, if you deny your griefs to your friend. Ham. Sir, I lack advancement. Ros. How can that be, when you have the voice of the king himself for your succession in Denmark? Ham. Ay, sir, but "while the grass grows,"—the proverb is something musty. Enter the Players, with Recorders. O! the recorders :-let me see one.-To withdraw with you why do you go about to recover the wind of me, as if you would drive me into a toil? Guil. O, my lord! if my duty be too bold, my love is too unmannerly. Ham. I do not well understand that. Will you play upon this pipe? 4 Guil. My lord, I cannot. Ham. I pray you. Guil. Believe me, I cannot. Ham. I do beseech you. Guil. I know no touch of it, my lord. Ham. It is as easy as lying: govern these ventages impart.] This word is wanting in the folio, but is found in the quartos, 1604, &c. The quarto, 1603, has no such speech. you do, surely, but bar the door upon your own liberty,] The folio has freely for "surely," omits " but," and reads of for upon of the quartos. 61 with RECORDERS.] A "recorder" was probably a flageolet, but some have contended that it was a flute-a position Sir John Hawkins controverted in his "History of Music," Vol. iv. p. 479. with your finger and thumb', give it breath with your mouth, and it will discourse most eloquent music. Look you, these are the stops. Guil. But these cannot I command to any utterance of harmony: I have not the skill. Ham. Why look you now, how unworthy a thing you make of me. You would play upon me; you would seem to know my stops; you would pluck out the heart of my mystery; you would sound me from my lowest note to the top of my compass; and there is much music, excellent voice, in this little organ, yet cannot you make it speak'. 'Sblood! do you think I am easier to be played on than a pipe? Call me what instrument you will, though you can fret me, you cannot play upon me. God bless you, sir! Enter POLONIUS. Pol. My lord, the queen would speak with you, and presently. Ham. Do you see yonder cloud, that's almost in shape of a camel1o? Pol. By the mass, and 'tis like a camel, indeed. Pol. It is backed like a weasel. Ham. Or, like a whale? Pol. Very like a whale. Ham. Then, will I come to my mother by and by.They fool me to the top of my bent.-I will come by and by. 7 - with your finger and THUMB,] The quarto, 1604, reads "and the umber," a misprint corrected in the quarto, 1611, where it stands," and the thumb." 8 - most ELOQUENT music.] So the quartos, 1604, &c. The folio substitutes excellent, and in the quarto, 1603, it is "delicate music." 9- you make it SPEAK.] The word "speak" was no doubt accidentally omitted in the folio: it is in the quartos, 1604, &c., but the passage is not in that of 1603. The folio substitutes Why for the impatient exclamation "'Sblood !" 10 of a camel ?] So every quarto: the folio," like a camel." Pol. I will say so'. [Exit POLONIUS. Ham. By and by is easily said.-Leave me, friends. [Exeunt Ros., GUIL., HOR., &c. Tis now the very witching time of night, When churchyards yawn, and hell itself breathes out2 Contagion to this world: now could I drink hot blood, And do such bitter business as the day3 Would quake to look on. Soft! now to my mother.— O, heart! lose not thy nature; let not ever The soul of Nero enter this firm bosom: Let me be cruel, not unnatural. I will speak daggers to her, but use none; To give them seals never, my soul, consent! [Earit. SCENE III. A Room in the Same. Enter King, ROSENCRANTZ, and GUILDENSTERN. King. I like him not; nor stands it safe with us, To let his madness range. Therefore, prepare you: I your commission will forthwith despatch, And he to England shall along with you. The terms of our estate may not endure I will say so.] This, in the quartos, 1604, &c. is made part of Hamlet's speech; and "Leave me, friends," follows "I will come by and by." 2- hell itself BREATHES out] So the folio, 1623. The quartos, 1604, &c. read "breaks out." And do such BITTER business as the day] In the quartos the epithet "bitter" is applied to “day," not to “business.” ♦ — she be SHENT,] i. e. rebuked, reproved. See Vol. iii. p. 404. Vol. vi. p. 252. Warburton explains the expression "To give them seals," to put them in execution, as the completion of a deed. Out of his lunacies". Guil. We will ourselves provide. Most holy and religious fear it is, To keep those many many bodies safe, Ros. The single and peculiar life is bound, Never alone Did the king sigh, but with a general groan. King. Arm you, I pray you, to this speedy voyage; For we will fetters put upon this fear, Which now goes too free-footed. Ros. and Guil. We will haste us. [Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN. Enter POLONIUS. Pol. My lord, he's going to his mother's closet. Behind the arras I'll convey myself, To hear the process: I'll warrant, she'll tax him home; And, as you said, and wisely was it said, "Tis meet that some more audience than a mother, 5 Hazard so DANGEROUS, as doth hourly grow Out of his LUNACIES.] So the folio, 1623: the quartos, 1604, &c. have near us for "dangerous," and brows for "lunacies;" but perhaps we ought to read lunes, which suits the verse: near us may be right, as the king was about to send Hamlet to a distant kingdom. This part of the scene is wanting in the quarto, 1603. 6 That spirit upon whose WEAL-] "That spirit upon whose spirit," &c. read rain for "ruin," and omit "with." So the quartos, 1604, &c. The folio, At the end of the speech, the quartos Since nature makes them partial, should o'erhear And tell you what I know. King. Thanks, dear my lord. [Exit POLONIUS. O! my offence is rank, it smells to heaven; And what's in prayer, but this two-fold force,- Or pardon'd, being down? Then, I'll look up: prayer |