HAMLET. That you must teach me. But let me conjure you, by the rights of, our fellowship, by the consonancy of our youth, by the obligation of our ever-preserved love, and by what more dear a better proposer could charge you withal, be even and direct with me, whether you were sent for, or no. ROSENCRANTZ. (Aside to GUILDENSTERN.) What say you? HAMLET. (Aside.) Nay then, I have an eye of you.-If you me, hold not off. GUILDENSTERN. My lord, we were sent for. HAMLET. love I will tell you why; so shall my anticipation prevent your discovery, and your secrecy to the king and queen moult no feather. I have of late -but wherefore I know not-lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises; and indeed it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory; this most excellent canopy, the air, look you, this brave o'erhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire, why, it appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours. What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals! And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust? man delights not me; no, nor woman neither, though by your smiling you seem to say so. ROSENCRANTZ. My lord, there was no such stuff in my thoughts. HAMLET. Why did you laugh then, when I said "man delights not me"? ROSENCRANTZ. To think, my lord, if you delight not in man, what lenten entertainment the players shall receive from you: we coted them on the way; and hither are they coming, to offer you service. HAMLET. He that plays the king shall be welcome; his majesty shall have tribute of me. What players are they? ROSENCRANTZ. Even those you were wont to take such delight in, the tragedians of the city. HAMLET. How chances it they travel? their residence, both in reputation and profit, was better both ways. Do they hold the same estimation they did when I was in the city? are they so followed? ROSENCRANTZ. No, indeed, are they not. HAMLET. It is not very strange; for my uncle is king of Denmark, and those that would make mows at him while my father lived, give twenty, forty, fifty, a hundred ducats a-piece, for his picture in little. S'blood, there is something in this more than natural, if philosophy could find it out. (Flourish of trumpets within.) GUILDENSTERN. There are the players. HAMLET. Gentlemen, you are welcome to Elsinore. Your hands, come then: the appurtenance of welcome is fashion and ceremony: let me comply with you in this garb, lest my extent to the players, which, I tell you, must show fairly outwards, should more appear like entertainment than yours. You are welcome: but my unclefather and aunt-mother are deceived. GUILDENSTERN. In what, my dear lord? HAMLET. I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw. Re-enter POLONIUS. Well be with you, gentlemen! HAMLET. Hark you, Guildenstern; and you too: at each ear a hearer: that great baby you see there is not yet out of his swaddling clouts. ROSENCRANTZ. Happily he's the second time come to them; for they say an old man is twice a child. HAMLET. I will prophesy he comes to tell me of the players; mark it. You say right, sir: o' Monday morning; 'twas so, indeed. POLONIUS. My lord, I have news to tell you. HAMLET. My lord, I have news to tell you. When Roscius was an actor in Rome, The best actors in the world, either for tragedy, comedy, history, pastoral, pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral, tragical-historical, tragical-comical-historical-pastoral, scene individable, or poem unlimited: Seneca cannot be too heavy, nor Plautus too light. For the law of writ and the liberty, these are the only men. HAMLET. O Jephthah, judge of Israel, what a treasure hadst thou! ↓ meannes POLONIUS. What a treasure had he, my lord? Why, HAMLET. "One fair daughter, and no more, Still on my daughter. HAMLET. Am I not i' the right, old Jephthah? POLONIUS. If you call me Jephthah, my lord, I have a daughter that I love passing well. "It came to pass, as most like it was,”the first row of the pious chanson will show you more; for look, where my abridgment comes. Enter four or five PLAYERS. I am You are welcome, masters; welcome, all. glad to see thee well. Welcome, good friends. O, my old friend! Why thy face is valanced since I saw thee last; comest thou to beard me in Denmark? What, my young lady and mistress! By 'r lady, your ladyship is nearer to heaven than when I saw you last, by the altitude of a chopine. Pray God, your voice, like a piece of uncurrent gold, be not cracked within the ring. Masters, you are all welcome. We'll e'en to 't like French falconers, fly at any thing we see: we'll have a speech straight: come, give us a taste of your quality; come, a passionate speech. FIRST PLAYER. What speech, my good lord? HAMLET. I heard thee speak me a speech once, but it was never acted; or, if it was, not above once; |