My father, in his habit as he lived!

Look, where he goes, even now, out at the portal!

[Exit GHOST, L. Queen. This is the very coinage of your brain : This bodiless creation ecstasy Is very cunning in,

Ham, Ecstasy!

My pulse, as yours, doth temperately keep time,
And makes as healthful music: it is not madness
That I have utter'd: bring me to the test,
And I the matter will re-word; which madness
Would gambol from. Mother, for love of grace
Lay not that flattering unction to your soul,
That not your trespass, but my madness, speaks;
It will but skin and film the ulcerous place;
Whiles rank corruption, mining all within,
Infects unseen. Confess yourself to heaven;
Repent what's past;-avoid what is to come.

Queen. Oh Hamlet! thou hast cleft my heart in twain.

Ham. (c.) Oh! throw away the worser part of it, And live the purer with the other half.

Good night but go not to my uncle's bed;
Assume a virtue, if you have it not.

Once more, good night!

And when you are desirous to be bless'd,
I'll blessing beg of you,-For this same lord,
I do repent;

I will be stow him, and will answer well

The death I gave him. So, again, good night !—

I must be cruel, only to be kind :

[Exit QUEEN, R.

Thus bad begins, and worse remains behind. [Exit, L.

END OF ACT 1

ACT IV.

SCENE I.-An Apartment in the Palace.
Enter KING and QUEEN, L.

King. (L. c.) There's matter in these sighs, these profound heaves,

You must translate; 'tis fit we understand them.
How does Hamlet?

Queen. (c.) Mad as the sea and wind when both contend

Which is the mightier-In his lawless fit,

Behind the arras hearing something stir,

Whips out his rapier, cries, "A rat! a rat!"
And, in this brainish apprehension, kills
The unseen good old man.

King. Oh, heavy deed!

It had been so with us had we been there.
Where is he gone?

Queen. To draw apart the body he hath kill'd.
King. The sun no sooner shall the mountains touch,
But we will ship him hence; and this vile deed
We must, with all our majesty and skill,

Both countenance and excuse.-Ho! Guildenstern!

Enter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN, L.
Friends both, go join you with some further aid;
Hamlet in madness hath Polonius slain,
And from his mother's closet hath he dragg'd him.
Go seek him out; speak fair, and bring the body
Into the chapel. I pray you, haste in this.

[Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN, L.
Come, (R.) Gertrude, we'll call up our wisest friends,
And let them know both what we mean to do,
And what's untimely done,

[Exeunt, R.

SCENE II.-A Room in the Palace.

Enter HAMLET, L.

Ham. (L. c.)-Safely stow'd

Ros. (Within R.) Hamlet! Lord Hamlet!

F

Ham. What noise? who calls on Hamlet? O, here they come.

Enter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN, R.

Ros. (R.) What have you done, my lord, with the dead body?

Ham. (c.) Compounded it with dust, whereto 'tis kin. Ros. Tell us where 'tis; that we may take it thence, and bear it to the chapel.

Ham. Do not believe it.

Ros. Believe what?

Ham. That I can keep your counsel, and not mine own. Besides, to be demanded of a sponge !—what replication should be made by the son of a king.

Ros. Take you me for a sponge, my lord?

Ham. Ay, sir; that soaks up the king's countenance, his rewards, his authorities. But such officers do the king best service in the end. He keeps them, like an ape, in the corner of his jaw; first mouthed, to be last swallowed :-when he needs what you have gleaned, it is but squeezing you, and, sponge, you shall be dry again.

Ros. I understand you not, my lord.

Ham. I am glad of it :-a knavish speech sleeps in a foolish ear.

Ros. My lord, you must tell us where the body is, and go with us to the king.

Ham. (R.) Bring me to him.

[Exeunt, R.

SCENE III.-Another Apartment in the Palace. Enter the KING, L. attended.

King. (L. c.) How dangerous is it that this man goes loose!

Yet must not we put the strong law on him;

He's loved of the distracted multitude,

Who like not in their judgment, but their eyes;
And, where 'tis so, the offender's scourge is weigh'd,
But never the offence.

Enter ROSENCRANTZ, R.

How now? what hath befallen?

Ros. (R.) Where the dead body is bestow'd, my lord,

We cannot get from him.

King. But where is he?

Ros. Without, my lord, guarded, to know your plea

sure.

King. Bring him before us.

Ros. Ho, Guildenstern! bring in my lord.

Enter GUILDENSTERN and Hamlet, r.

King. (c.) Now, Hamlet, where's Polonius?
Ham. At supper.

King. At supper? where?

Ham. (R. c.) Not where he eats, but where he is eaten; a certain convocation of politic worms are e'en at him.

King. Where is Polonius?

Ham. In heaven; send thither to see; if your messenger find him not there, seek him in the other place yourself. But, indeed, if you find him not within this month, you shall nose him as you go up the stairs into the lobby.

King. Go, seek him there.

Ham. He will stay till you come.

[Exit GUILDENSTERN, R. King. (L. c.) Hamlet, this deed, for thine especial safety,

Must send thee hence;

Therefore prepare thyself:

The bark is ready, and the wind at help,

For England.

Ham. For England!

King. Ay, Hamlet.

Ham. Good.

King. So is it, if thou knewest our purposes.

Ham. I see a cherub, that sees them.-But, come; for England!-Farewell, dear mother.

King. Thy loving father, Hamlet.

Ham. My mother :-Father and mother is man and wife; man and wife is one flesh; and so, my mother. Come, for England. [Exit, R. King. Follow him at foot; tempt him with speed

aboard:

Away; for every thing is seal'd and done

[Exit ROSENCRANTZ, R. And England, (L.) if my love thou hold'st at aught,

Let it be testified in Hamlet's death.

[Exit, L.

SCENE IV.-Another Apartment in the Palace.

Enter the QUEEN and HORATIO, L.

Queen. (L. c.) I will not speak with her.

Hor. (L.) She is importunate: indeed, distract: "Twere good she were spoken with; for she may strew Dangerous conjectures in ill-breeding minds.

Queen. Let her come in.

[Exit HORATIO, L.

Oph. (Without, L.) Where is the beauteous majesty of Denmark?

Queen. (R.) How now, Ophelia ?

Re-enter HORATIO, with OPHELIA,L.— -HORATIO stands L. c. and a few paces back.

Oph. (c.) [Sings.] How should I your true love know From another one?

By his cockle hat and staff,

And his sandal shoon.

Queen. Alas! sweet lady, what imports this song?
Oph. Say you? nay, pray you, mark.
[Sings.] He is dead and gone, lady,
He is dead and gone;

At his head a grass-green turf,
At his heels a stone.

Enter the KING, L. and stands L. C.

Queen. Nay, but, Ophelia-

Oph. Pray you, mark.

[Sings.] White his shroud as the mountain snow, Larded all with sweet flowers,

Which bewept to the grave did go,

With true-love showers.

[Crosses to the KING.

King. How do you, pretty lady?

Oph. Well, Heaven 'ield you! They say, the owl was a baker's daughter. We know what we are, but know not what we may be.

King. Conceit upon her father.

Oh. Pray, let's have no words of this; but when they ask you what it means, say this-

[Sings.] Good morrow, 'tis saint Valentine's day,
All in the morning betime,

And I a maid at your window,
To be your Valentine.