"AND NOW MY COUSIN HAMLET AND MY SON."

POLONIUS.

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,—
HAMLET. (Aside.)

A little more than kin, and less than kind.

KING.

How is it that the clouds still hang on you

HAMLET.

?

Not so, my lord; I am too much i' the sun.

QUEEN.

Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted colour off,

To much
Claudius'

And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark.
Do not forever with thy vailed lids

Seek for thy noble father in the dust:

Thou know'st 'tis common; all that lives must die,
Passing through nature to eternity.

Seems, madam! nay, it is; I know not "seems.'

'Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother,

Nor customary suits of solemn black,

Nor windy suspiration of forced breath,

sm