REYNALDO, servant to Polonius. Appears, Act IV. sc. 4. An Ambassador. Ghost of Hamlet's Father. Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 4; sc. 5. Act III. sc. 4. Appears, Act IV. sc. 4. Act V. sc. 2. GERTRUDE, Queen of Denmark, and mother of Hamlet. Lords, Ladies, Officers, Soldiers, Players, Gravediggers, Sailors, Messengers, and other Attendants. SCENE,-ELSINORE. The earliest edition of 'Hamlet' known to exist is that of 1603. It bears the following title: The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet Prince of Denmarke, by William Shakespeare. As it hath beene diverse times acted by his Highnesse servants in the Cittie of London: as also in the two Universities of Cambridge and Oxford, and elsewhere. At London, printed for N. L. and John Trundell, 1603.' The only known copy of this edition is in the library of the Duke of Devonshire; and that copy is not quite perfect. It was reprinted in 1825. The second edition of Hamlet' was printed in 1604, under the following title: The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke. By William Shakespeare. Newly imprinted and enlarged to almost as much againe as it was, according to the true and perfect coppie. Printed by J. R. for N. Landure, 1604, 4to.' This edition was reprinted in 1605, in 1609, in 1611, and there is also a quarto edition without a date. In the folio of 1623 some passages which are found in the quarto of 1604 are omitted. In our text we have given these passages. In other respects our text, with one or two minute exceptions, is wholly founded upon the folio of 1623. From this circumstance our edition will be found considerably to differ from the text of Johnson and Steevens, of Reed, of Malone, and of all the current editions which are founded upon these. In the reprint of the edition of 1603, it is stated to be "the only known copy of this tragedy, as originally written by Shakespeare, which he afterwards altered and enlarged." We believe that this description is correct; that this remarkable copy gives us the play as originally written by Shakspere. It may have been piratical, and we think it was so. The "Hamlet' of 1603 is a sketch of the perfect 'Hamlet,' and probably a corrupt copy of that sketch. HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK. ACT I. SCENE I.—Elsinore. A Platform before the Castle. FRANCISCO on his post. Enter to him BERNARDO. BER. Who's there? FRAN. Nay, answer me: stand, and unfold yourself. FRAN. BER. Bernardo? He. FRAN. You come most carefully upon your hour. BER. "T is now struck twelve; get thee to bed, Francisco. FRAN. For this relief, much thanks: 't is bitter cold, And I am sick at heart. If BER. Have you had quiet guard? FRAN. BER. Well, good night. Not a mouse stirring. 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! who's there? HOR. Friends to this ground. BER. Say. What, is Horatio there? HOR. A piece of him. BER. Welcome, Horatio; welcome, good Marcellus. MAR. Horatio says, 't is but our fantasy; And will not let belief take hold of him, Touching this dreaded sight, twice seen of us: With us to watch the minutes of this night; He may approve our eyes, and speak to it. And let us once again assail your ears, HOR. Sit down awhile; Well, sit we down,` And let us hear Bernardo speak of this. BER. Last night of all, When yon same star, that's westward from the pole The bell then beating one, MAR. Peace, break thee off; look, where it comes again! Enter GHOST. BER. In the same figure, like the king that's dead. MAR. Thou art a scholar, speak to it, Horatio. BER. Looks it not like the king? mark it, Horatio. HOR. Most like:-it harrows me with fear, and wonder. BER. It would be spoke to. MAR. Question it, Horatio. HOR. What art thou, that usurp'st this time of night, Together with that fair and warlike form In which the majesty of buried Denmark Did sometimes march? by heaven I charge thee, speak. BER. See! it stalks away. HOR. Stay; speak: speak I charge thee, speak. MAR. 'T is gone, and will not answer. [Exit GHOST BER. How now, Horatio? you tremble, and look pale: Is not this something more than fantasy? What think you on 't? HOR. Before my God, I might not this believe, Without the sensible and true avouch Of mine own eyes. MAR. Is it not like the king? HOR. As thou art to thyself: Such was the very armour he had on, "T is strange. MAR. Thus, twice before, and just at this dead hour, With martial stalk hath he gone by our watch. HOR. In what particular thought to work, I know not; But, in the gross and scope of my opinion, This bodes some strange eruption to our state. MAR. Good now, sit down, and tell me, he that knows, Why such impress of shipwrights, whose sore task HOR. At least, the whisper goes so. That can I; Our last king, Did forfeit, with his life, all those his lands, Had he been vanquisher; as, by the same cov'nant His fell to Hamlet: Now, sir, young Fortinbras, Hath in the skirts of Norway, here and there, That hath a stomach in 't: which is no other The graves stood tenantless, and the sheeted dead |