And carriage of the article design'd," His fell to Hamlet: Now, sir, young Fortinbras, Hath in the skirts of Norway, here and there, The source of this our watch; and the chief head The grave stood tenantless, and the sheeted dead As, stars with trains of fire and dews of blood, Re-enter Ghost. But, soft; behold! lo, where it comes again! [9] Carriage is import: Design'd is formed, drawn up between them. JOHNSON. [1] Full of spirit not regulated or guided by knowledge or experience. JOHNSON. [2] I believe to shark up means to pick up without distinction, as the shark-fish collects his prey. STEEVENS. [9] The cause and the effect are proportionate and suitable. JOHNSON. 41 The moon. MALONE. [5] Fierce for terrible. WARBURTON. [6] The speech of Horatio to the spectre is very elegant and noble, and congruous to the common traditions of the causes of apparitions. JOHNSON. If there be any good thing to be done, If thou art privy to thy country's fate, Or, if thou hast uphoarded in thy life For which, they say, you spirits oft walk in death, [Cock crows. Speak of it :-stay, and speak.-Stop it, Marcellus. Hor. Do, if it will not stand. Ber. 'Tis here! Hor. 'Tis here! Mar. 'Tis gone! We do it wrong, being so majestical, [Exit Ghost. For it is, as the air, invulnerable, To offer it the show of violence; And our vain blows malicious mockery. Ber. It was about to speak, when the cock crew. 8 The cock, that is the trumpet to the morn, [8] Bourne of Newcastle, in his Antiquities of the common People, informs us, "it is a received tradition among the vulgar, that at the time of cock-crowing, "the midnight spirits forsake these lower regions, and go to their proper places.---Hence it is, says he, that in country places, where the way of life re"quires more early labour, they always go cheerfully to work at that time; whereas "if they are called abroad sooner, they imagine every thing they see a wandering "ghost." FARMER. [9] According to the pneumatology of the time, every element was inhabited by its peculiar order of spirits, who had dispositions different, according to their various places of abode. The meaning therefore is, that all spirits extravagant, wandering out of their element, whether aerial spirits visiting earth, or earthly spirits rang ing the air, return to their station, to their proper limits in which they are confined, We might read, And at his warning "Th' extravagant and erring spirit hies But this change, though it would smooth the construction, is not necessary, and being unnecessary, should not be made against authority. [1] Extravagant, out of bounds. Erring, erratic. JOHNSON. This present object made probation. Mar. It faded on the crowing of the cock. Hor. So have I heard, and do in part believe it. Mar. Let's do't, I pray; and I this morning know SCENE II. [Exeunt The same. A Room of State in the same. Enter the King, Queen, HAMLET, POLONIUS, LAERTES, VOLTIMAND, COR NELIUS, Lords, and Attendants. King. Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother's death The memory be green; and that it us befitted To bear our hearts in grief, and our whole kingdom Yet so far hath discretion fought with nature, : [2] No fairy strikes with lameness or disease. JOHNSON, Holding a weak supposal of our worth; Farewell; and let your haste commend your duty. [Exeunt VOLTIMAND and CORNELIUS. And now, Laertes, what's the news with you? And lose your voice: What would'st thou beg, Laertes, Laer. My dread lord, Your leave and favour to return to France; Yet now, I must confess, that duty done, My thoughts and wishes bend again toward France, King. Have you your father's leave? What says Polo nius ? [3] Formerly the heart was supposed the seat of wisdom, and hence the poet speaks of the close connexion between the heart and head. MALONE. Pol. He hath, my lord, wrung from me my slow leave, By laboursome petition; and, at last, Upon his will I seal'd my hard consent : I do beseech you, give him leave to go. King. Take thy fair hour, Laertes; time be thine, And thy best graces: spend it at thy will. But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son, Ham. A little more than kin, and less than kind.* [Aside. King. How is it that the clouds still hang on you? Ham. Not so, my lord, I am too much i'the sun. Queen. Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted colour off, And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark. Do not, for ever, with thy vailed lids," Seek for thy noble father in the dust : Thou know'st, 'tis common; all, that live, must die Ham. Ay, madam, it is common. Queen. If it be, Why seems it so particular with thee? Ham. Seems, madam! nay, it is ; I know not seems. "Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, Nor customary suits of solemn black, To do obsequious sorrow : But to perséver Of impious stubbornness; 'tis unmanly grief: It shows a will most incorrect to heaven; [4] Kind is the Teutonick word for child. If, we understand kind in its anerent sense, then the meaning will be,---I am more than thy kinsman, for I am thy step-son; being such, I am less near to thee than thy natural offspring, and therefore not entitled to the appellation of son, which you have now given me. JOHNSON. [5] With lowering eyes, cast down eyes. MALONE. JOHNSON. |