m H. and 7. read, Your grace bath laid upon the weaker fide. J. objects against the reading of the other editions, As the odds were on the fide of Laertes, who was to hit Hamlet twelve times to nine, and fays, it was perhaps the author's flip. But let Dr. Jobnfon confider, the odds here fpoken of were laid, therefore the odds were in the wager; and if we turn back, we fhall find that the king betted fix Barbary horfes against fix French rapiers and poniards, with their appurtenances. Who fees not that the Barbary horfes are to be look'd upon as odds, against the French rapiers, &c. What the king fays afterwards of his having the odds, relates to the number of hits.

• C. reads you

for we.

P The 2d and 3d qu's the for that. q T. reads gives.

The 3d and 4th f. and R. read a

for the.

The 1ft q. reeds Vnice; the 2d and 3d, and P. onyx. T. fays, If I am not mistaken, neither the onyx nor fardonyx are jewels which ever found place in an imperial crown. An union is the finest fort of pearl, and has its place in all crowns and coronets. Befides, let us confider what the king fays on Hamlet's giving Laertes the first hit. Stay, give me drink; Hamlet, this pearl

is thine, &c. Therefore if an union be a pearl, and an oryx a gem, or ftone quite differing in its nature from pearls; the king's faying, that Hamlet has earn'd the pearl, I think, amounts to a demonftration that it was an un on-pearl, which he meant to throw into the cup. T. N 4

The qu's read better. Since he is better'd, &c. i. e. fince the wager he gains, if he should win, is better than what we shall gain if he loses, therefore

we have odds, that is, we are not to make hits as Laertes.

Lo many

Richer

King. I do not think 't.

Laer. And yet it is almost against my confcience. [Afide. Ham. Come, for the third, Laertes; you f do but dally ;

I pray you, pafs with your beft violence:

I am fure you make a wanton of me.
Laer. Say you fo? come on,

Ofr. Nothing neither way.

Laer. Have at you now.

[Play.

[Laertes wounds Hamlet; then, "in fcuffling, they change

rapiers," and Hamlet wounds Laertes.

King. Part them, they are incens'd.

Ham. Nay, come again.

Ofr. Look to the queen there ho!

Hor. They bleed on both fides. How is 't, my lord?
Ofr. How is 't, Laertes?

b The fo's and R. read, Here's a nap

kin, rub, &c.

c C. reads, Thank you, good madam. d Here C. directs, drinks, and tenders

the cup to Hamlet.

f All but qu's omit do.

So the qu's; the reft, I am afraid

you, &c.

h The qu's have no direction here; the fo's, what is between the inverted

e P. and all after him, except C. commas. emit, My lord.

Laer.

All. Treafon, treason:

King. O yet defend me, friends, I am but hurt.

i. The fo's and R. omit ozon.

* Firft and 2d qu's, and 1st and 2d fo's, founds.

ות

The 3d q. reads villaine. -bow? i, e. how was the poifon'd. So the 1ft q. the fo's and R. the reft read bo!

P The 1st and 2d qu's read, my band; fo S. but he gives not the reading of the 3d, thy band.

&c,

9 The 3d q. reads, I am no more,

r So all the editions before T.'s duodecimo, where to is altered to do; and

n The fo's, R. and C. read, It is bere, fo do comes into all the editions after,

Hamlet. Hamlet, thou, &c..

• So the qu's and C; the reft, balf an bour of life.

except C.

s The qu's have no direction here. The fo's direct, Hurts the king.

Ham.