Ham. We'll ha't to-morrow night. You could, for a need, study a fpeech of fome dozen or fixteen lines, which I would fet down, and infert in't? could Ham. Ay, fo, God b'wi'ye. Now I am alone. Could force his foul fo to his own conceit, That, from her working, all his vifage wan'd: 25 A broken voice, and his whole function fuiting, What's Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba, That he fhould weep for her? What would he do, all his vifage WARM D:] This might do, did not the old Quarto lead us to a more exact and pertinent reading, which is, vifage WAN'D: 4. e, turn'd pale, or wan. For WARB. fo the vifage appears when the And And cleave the general ear with horrid speech, Yet I, 2 caufe A dull and muddy-mettled rafcal, peak, 3 A damn'd defeat was made. Am I a coward? lain! Why, what an afs am I? this is most brave, A Scullion. Fy upon't! foh! 5 About, my brain! I've heard, That guilty creatures, fitting at a Play, Been ftruck fo to the foul, that presently For murder, though it have no tongue, will speak ACT III. SCENE I. The PALACE. Enter King, Queen, Polonius, Ophelia, Rofincrantz, Guildenstern, and Lords. A KING. ND can you by no drift of conference Get from him why he puts on this confusion, Grating fo harfhly all his days of quiet, With turbulent and dang'rous lunacy? 6 tent him-] Search his wounds. 7-if he but blench,] If he Shrink. 8 More relative than this:] Relative, for convictive. WARB. Convictive is only the confequential fenfe. Relative is, nearly related, clofely connected, Rof Rof. He does confefs, he feels himself distracted; But from what cause he will by no means speak. Guil. Nor do we find him forward to be founded;, But with a crafty madness keeps aloof, When we would bring him on to fome confeffion Queen. Did he receive you well? Rof Moft like a gentleman. Guil. But with much forcing of his disposition. Rof. Niggard of queftion, but of our demands. Moft free in his reply. Queen. Did you affay him to any pastime? Rof. Madam, it fell out, that certain Players We* o'er-raught on the way; of these we told him; And there did feem in him a kind of joy To hear of it. They are about the Court; And (as I think) they have already order This night to play before him. Pol. 'Tis moft true: And he befeech'd me to entreat your Majefties King. With all my heart, and it doth much con tent me To hear him fo inclin❜d. Good gentlemen, give him a further edge, Niggard of question, but of Moft free in his reply.] This is given as the description of the converfation of a man whom the Speaker found not forward to be founded; and who kept al of when they would bring him to confeffion: But fuch a defcription can never pafs but at cross-purpofes. Shake Spear certainly wrote it just the other way, Moft free of question, but of That this is the true reading we need but turn back to the preceding fcene, for Hamlet's conduct, to be fatisfied. WARB. * O'er raught on the way;] Over raught is, over-reached, that is, over-took. Rof. Rof. We fhail, my Lord. King, Sweet Gertrude leave us too; For we have clofely fent for Hamlet hither, [Exetat. Her father, and myself, lawful Espials, Queen. I fhall obey you: And for my part, Ophelia, I do wish, That your good beauties be the happy cause Of Hamlet's wildness! So fhall I hope, your virtues May bring him to his wonted way again To both your honours. Oph, Madam, I wish it may. Pol. Ophelia, walk you here. ye, [Exit Queen. Gracious, fo please [To Oph. We will beftow ourselves-Read on this book; That fhew of fuch an exercife may colour 2 'Tis too much prov'd, that with devotion's visage, And pious action, we do fugar o'er The devil himself. King. Oh, 'tis too true. How smart a lash that speech doth give my confcience! [Afide. The harlot's cheek, beautied with plaftring art, Is not more ugly to the thing that helps it, |