Hel. Sir, Our vessel is of Tyre, in it the king; A man, who for this three months hath not spoken To any one, nor taken sustenance, Lgs. Upon what ground is his distemperature ? Hel. Sir, it would be too tedious to repeat; But the main grief of all, springs from the loss of a beloved daughter and a wife. Lys. May we not see him, then? But bootless is your sight: he will not speak Ler. Yet, let me obtain my wish. Lgs. Sir, king, all hail! the gods preserve you! Hail, Hail, royal Sir ! Hel. It is in vain: he will not speak to you. 1 Lerd. Sir, we have a maid in Mitylene, I durst wager, Would win some words of him. Lys. 'Tis well bethought. She, questionless, with her sweet harmony And make a battery through his deafen'd parts, 1 Which now are midway stopp'd: She, all as happy as of all the fairest, He whispers one of the attendant LORDS,- MACHUS. [MARINA sings Lys. Mark'd he your music? Mar. I am a maid, My lord, that ne'er before invited eyes, speaks she My lord, that, may be, hath endur'd a grief Who stood equivalent with mighty kings: Per. My fortunes-parentage-good paren tage To equal mine!-was it not thus? what say you? Mar. I said, my lord, if you did know my parentage, You would not do me violence. Per. I do think so. I pray you, turn your eyes again upon me.You are like something that-What country. woman? Her stature to an inch; as wand-like straight; The more she gives them speech--Where do you live ? Mar. Where I am but a stranger: from the deck You may discern the place. Per. Where were you bred? And how achiev'd you these endowments, which You make more rich to owe? • Mar. Should I tell my history. 'Twould seem like lies disdain'd in the report. ing. Per. Pr'ythee speak : • Possess. Falseness cannot come from thee, for thou look'st] A crew of pirates came and rescu'd me ; thee, If thine, consider'd, prove the thousandth part Extremity out of act. What were thy friends? How lost thou them? Thy name, my most kind virgin? Recount, I do beseech thee: come, sit by me. Mar. My name, Sir, is Marina. Per. Oh! I am mock'd, And thou by some incensed god sent bither Mur. Patience, good Sir, Or here I'll cease. Per. Nay, I'll be patient: Thou little know'st how thou dost startle me, Mar. The name, Marina, Was given me by one that had some power; Per. How! a king's daughter? And call'd Marina ? You think me an impostor: no, good faith; Per. Ho, Helicanus ! . Hel. Calls my gracions lord? Per. Thou art a grave and noble counsellor, Hel. I know not; but Lys. She would never tell Per. O Helicanus, strike me, honour'd Sir; And drown me with their sweetness. O come hither, Thou that beget'st him that did thee beget; As thunder threatens us: This is Marina.- that, For truth can never be confirm'd enough, Though doubts did ever sleep. Mar. First, Sir, I pray, What is your title? Per. I am Pericles of Tyre: but tell me now (As in the rest thou hast been godlike perfect,) My drown'd queen's name, thou art the heir of kingdoms, And another life to Pericles thy father. Mar. Is it no more to be your daughter, than To say, my mother's name was Thaisa? Thaisa was my mother, who did end The minute I began. Per. Now blessing on thee, rise: thou art my child. Give me fresh garments. Mine own, Helicanus, She is thy very princess.-Who is this? Per. I embrace you, Sir. Mar. My mother was the daughter of a king; Give me my robes-I am wild in my beholding. Who died the very minute I was born, As my good nurse Lychorida hath oft Per. Oh! stop there a little! This is the rarest dream that e'er dull sleep I'll hear you more, to the bottom of your story, And never interrupt you. Mar. You'll scarce believe me: 'twere best I did give o'er. Per. I will believe yon by the syllable + Of what you shall deliver. Yet, give me leave : O heavens bless my girl! But hark, what music? SCENE HI-The same.-PERICLES on the Deck asleep: DIANA appearing to him as in a vision. Dia. My temple stands in Ephesus; hie thee thither, And do upon mine altar sacrifice. Wears yet thy silver livery. She at Tharsus He sought to murder: but her better stars us, There, when my maiden priests are met to-where, by her own most clear remembrance, she gether, Before the people all, Reveal how thou at sea didst lose thy wife: To mourn thy crosses, with thy daughter's call, [DIANA disappears. Per. Celestial Dian, goddess argentine, I will obey thee !-Helicauns! Enter LYSIMACHES, HELICANUS, and Hel. Sir. MARINA. Made known herself my daughter. You are-you are-O royal Pericles! If [She faints Per. What means the woman? she dies! help, gentlemen! Cer. Noble Sir. This is your wife. you have told Diana's altar true, Per. Reverend appearer, no: I threw her o'erboard with these very arms, Per. 'Tis most certain. Cer. Look to the lady;-Oh! she's but o'erjoy'd. Per. My purpose was for Tharsus, there to Early, one blust'ring morn, this lady was strike Thrown on this shore. I op'd the cothin, and Per. May we see them? Cer. Great Sir, they shall be brought you to my house, Whither I invite you. Look! Thaisa is Lys. With all my heart, Sir; and, when you Recover'd. come ashore, I have another suit. Per. You shall prevail, Were it to woo my daughter; for it seems Les. Sir, lend your arm. Per. Come, my Marina. [Exeunt. Gor. Now our sands are almost run; This, as my last boon, give me, What pageantry, what feats, what shows, To greet the king. So he has thriv'd, [Exit. SCENE III-The Temple of DIANA at Eph- Est PERICLES, with his Train; LYSI- a Per. Still confirmation: Embrace him, dear Thaisa: this is he. Per. Hail Dian! to perform thy just com- How possibly preserv'd; and whom to thank, I bless thee for thy vision, and will offer This prince, the fair-betrothed of your daugh. ter, Shall marry her at Pentapolis. And now, Thai. Lord Cerimon hath letters of good credit, Sir, that my father's dead. Per. Heavens make a star of him! Yet there, my queen, We'll celebrate their nuptials, and ourselves Will in that kingdom spend our following days; Our son and daughter shall in Tyrus reign. • I. c. His beard. Lord Cerimon, we do our longing stay, To hear the rest untold.-Sir, lead the way. [Exeunt. Enter GOWER. Gow. In Antioch, and his daughter, you have heard Of monstrous lust the due and just reward: In Pericles, his queen and daughter, seen (Although assail'd with fortune fierce and keen,) Virtue preserv'd from fell destruction's blast, Led on by heaven, and crown'd with joy at last. In Helicanus may you well descry A figure of truth, of faith, of loyalty: HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK. LITERARY AND HISTORICAL NOTICE. THIS tragedy is supposed to have been written in 1596. The principal incidents were probably drawn from a dramatic piece by one Thomas Ryd, and from a Historie of Hamblet, in black letter, adopted by Belleforest in his collection of novels (published 1564) from the narrative of Saxo-Grammaticus, the old Danish historian. The play has long been accounted a first-rate dramatic production, for, with some egregious blunders, it con fains a variety of unparalleled beauties. As originally written, it consumed four hours in the representation; persons, in Shakspeare's time, visiting the theatre so early as four o'clock, and regarding the quality less than the quantity obtained for their money: this will excuse some of those trifling interlocutions which yet remain. Perhaps none of our poet's undertakings have been subjected to so much erudite and ingenious criticism as this; and none, certainly, after its most severe exercise, have been left with so much to approve. For although it has been observed, with some appearance of justice, that in the management of the piece, Shakspeare has been rather unfortunate, all its most striking circumstances arising so early in the formation, as not to leave him room for a conclusion suitable to the importance of its beginning" yet this defect is amply recompensed by the sublimity of conception, the didactic morality of sentiment, the pathetic intensemess of feeling, the power and comprehensiveness of diction, and the delightful diversity of character, which are displayed in almost every scene. Indeed, were each drama of Shakspeare to be characterized by the particular quality which distinguishes it from the rest, the praise of variety must especially be given to the tragedy of Hamlet ; as it is interchangeably contrasted" with merriment that includes judicious and instructive observations; and with solemnity not strained by pretical violence above the natural sentiments of man." To those, however, who are mentally capable of appreciating its excellences as a play, the charm of perusing it in the closet will probably be greater than the delight of witnessing its exhibition; since it is rich in the treasures of contemplative and philosophical speculation; divested of the glare and bustle which captivate or bewilder the senses; whilst the principal character, though furnished with abundant materials, is almost the only support of the piece, and seldom meets with a representative in whom the beauties of the original are effectively embodied. Of the plot it may be observed, that it teems with slaughter, and is justly obnoxious to criticism in many of its parts; but the catastrophe is certainly its most disgusting feature, and can only be tolerated by the known partiality of an English audience for a multiplicity of deaths and bloodshed. “The mmer of l'amlet's death (says Dr. Johnson) is not very happily produced; for the exchange of weapons is ruher an expedient of necessity, thau a stroke of art,” CLAUDIUS, King of Denmark. HARLET, Son to the former, and Nephew to REYNALDO, Servant to Polonius. the present King. POLONIUS, Lord Chamberlain. HORATIO, Friend to Hamlet. LAIRTES, Son to Polonius. DRAMATIS PERSONE. FRANCISCO, a Soldier. A CAPTAIN.-An AMBASSADOR. VOLTIMAND, COMNELICS, ROSENCRANTE, Courtiers. GERTRUDE, Queen of Denmark, and Mother of Hamlet. OPHELIA, Daughter of Polonius. Lords, Ladies, Officers, Soldiers, Players, Grave-diggers, Sailors, Messengers, and other Attendants. Officers. SCENE, Elsinore. Ber. 'Tis now struck twelve; get thee to bed, Fran. For this relief, much thanks: 'tis bit. And I am sick at heart. Ber. Have you had quiet guard ? Ber. Well, good night. If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus, The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste. Enter HORATIO and MARCELLUS. Fran. I think, I hear them.-Stand, ho! Who is there? Hor. Friends to this ground. |