Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced 1850it to you, trippingly on the tongue; but if you mouth it, 1851as many of your players do, I had as lief the town crier 1852had spoke my lines. Nor do not saw the air too much--1853 your hand thus--but use all gently; for in the very 1854torrent, tempest, and, as I may say, the whirlwind of 1855passion, you must acquire and beget a temperance that 1856may give it smoothness. Oh, it offends me to the soul 1857to see a robustious periwig-pated fellow tear a 1858passion to tatters, to very rags, to split the ears of the 1859groundlings, who, for the most part, are capable of 1860nothing but inexplicable dumb shows and noise. I could 1861have such a fellow whipped for o'erdoing Termagant. It 1862out-Herods Herod. Pray you avoid it.

I warrant your honor.

Be not too tame, neither, but let your own 1865discretion be your tutor. Suit the action to the word, 1866the word to the action, with this special observance: 1867that you o'erstep not the modesty of nature. For 1868anything so overdone is from the purpose of playing, whose 1869end, both at the first and now, was and is to hold as 'twere 1870the mirror up to nature, to show virtue her own 1871feature, scorn her own image, and the very age and 1872body of the time his form and pressure. Now, this 1873overdone, or come tardy off, though it make the 1874unskillful laugh, cannot but make the judicious grieve, the 1875censure of the which one must in your allowance 1876o'erweigh a whole theater of others. Oh, there be players 1877that I have seen play, and heard others praise, and that 1878highly, not to speak it profanely, that, neither having 1879the accent of Christians nor the gait of Christian, pagan, 1880or Norman, have so strutted and bellowed that I have 1881thought some of nature's journeymen had made men, 1882and not made them well, they imitated humanity so 1883abhominably.

I hope we have reformed that indifferently with 1885us, sir.

Oh, reform it altogether. And let those that 1887play your clowns speak no more than is set down for 1888them; for there be of them that will themselves laugh, 1889to set on some quantity of barren spectators to laugh 1890too, though in the meantime some necessary question 1891of the play be then to be considered. That's villainous, and 1892shows a most pitiful ambition in the fool that uses 1893 it. Go make you ready.

1895[To Polonius]How now, my lord,

1896will the King hear this piece of work?

And the Queen too, and that presently.

Bid the players make haste.

1899Will you two help to hasten them?

We will, my lord.

What ho, Horatio!

Here, sweet lord, at your service.

Horatio, thou art e'en as just a man

1905As e'er my conversation coped withal.

Oh, my dear lord--

Nay, do not think I flatter,

1908For what advancement may I hope from thee

1909That no revenue hast but thy good spirits

1910To feed and clothe thee? Why should the poor be flattered?

1911No, let the candied tongue lick absurd pomp

1912And crook the pregnant hinges of the knee

1913Where thrift may follow feigning. Dost thou hear?

1914Since my dear soul was mistress of my choice

1915And could of men distinguish, her election

1916Hath sealed thee for herself. For thou hast been

1917As one in suffering all that suffers nothing,

1918A man that Fortune's buffets and rewards

1919Hath ta'en with equal thanks. And blest are those

1920Whose blood and judgment are so well commingled

1921That they are not a pipe for Fortune's finger

1922To sound what stop she please. Give me that man

1923That is not passion's slave, and I will wear him

1924In my heart's core, ay, in my heart of heart,

1925As I do thee.--Something too much of this.--

1926There is a play tonight before the King.

1927One scene of it comes near the circumstance

1928Which I have told thee, of my father's death.

1929I prithee, when thou see'st that act afoot,

1930Even with the very comment of my soul

1931Observe mine uncle. If his occulted guilt

1932Do not itself unkennel in one speech,

1933It is a damnèd ghost that we have seen,

1934And my imaginations are as foul

1935As Vulcan's stithy. Give him needful note,

1936For I mine eyes will rivet to his face,

1937And after we will both our judgments join

1938To censure of his seeming.

Well, my lord,

1940If he steal aught the whilst this play is playing

1941And scape detecting, I will pay the theft.

They are coming to the play. I must be idle. 1947Get you a place.

How fares our cousin Hamlet?

Excellent, i'faith, of the chameleon's dish; I eat 1950the air, promise-crammed. You cannot feed capons so.

I have nothing with this answer, Hamlet. These 1952words are not mine.

No, nor mine. [To Polonius] Now, my lord, you played once 1954i'th' university, you say?

That I did, my lord, and was accounted a good 1956actor

And what did you enact?

I did enact Julius Caesar. I was killed i'th' Capitol. 1959Brutus killed me.

It was a brute part of him to kill so capital a1961calf there.--Be the players ready?

Ay, my lord, they stay upon your patience.

Come hither, my good Hamlet, sit by me.

No, good mother, here's mettle more attractive.

1965Polonius[To the King]

Oho, do you mark that?

1966Hamlet[To Ophelia, as he lies at her feet]Lady, shall I lie in your lap?

No, my lord.

I mean, my head upon your lap.

Ay, my lord.

Do you think I meant country matters?

I think nothing, my lord.

That's a fair thought to lie between maids' legs.

What is, my lord?

Nothing.

You are merry, my lord.

Who, I?

Ay, my lord.

Oh, God, your only jig-maker. What should 1979a man do but be merry? For look you how 1980cheerfully my mother looks, and my father died within's two 1981hours.

Nay, 'tis twice two months, my lord.

So long? Nay, then, let the devil wear black, 1984for I'll have suit of sables. Oh, heavens! Die two 1985months ago, and not forgotten yet? Then there's hope a 1986great man's memory may outlive his life half a year. 1987But, by'r Lady, he must build churches then, or else shall 1988he suffer not thinking on, with the hobby-horse, whose 1989epitaph is, "For oh, for oh, the hobby-horse is forgot."

What means this, my lord?

Marry, this is miching mallico. That means 2005mischief.

Belike this show imports the argument of the 2007play?

We shall know by these fellows. The players 2009cannot keep counsel; they'll tell all.

Will they tell us what this show meant?

Ay, or any show that you'll show him. Be not 2012you ashamed to show, he'll not shame to tell you what it 2013means.

You are naught, you are naught. I'll mark the 2015play.

For us and for our tragedy,

2018Here stooping to your clemency,

2019We beg your hearing patiently.

Is this a prologue, or the posy of a ring?

'Tis brief, my lord.

As woman's love.

Full thirty times hath Phoebus' cart gone round

2025Neptune's salt wash and Tellus' orbèd ground,

2026And thirty dozen moons with borrowed sheen

2027About the world have times twelve thirties been

2028Since love our hearts and Hymen did our hands

2029Unite commutual in most sacred bands.

So many journeys may the sun and moon

2031Make us again count o'er, ere love be done!

2032But woe is me, you are so sick of late,

2033So far from cheer and from your former state,

2034That I distrust you. Yet though I distrust,

2035Discomfort you, my lord, it nothing must.

2036For women's fear and love hold quantity;

2037In neither aught, or in extremity.

2038Now what my love is, proof hath made you know,

2039And as my love is sized, my fear is so.

Faith, I must leave thee, love, and shortly too;

2041My operant powers my functions leave to do.

2042And thou shalt live in this fair world behind,

2043Honored, beloved; and haply one as kind

2044For husband shalt thou--

Oh, confound the rest!

2046Such love must needs be treason in my breast.

2047In second husband let me be accurst!

2048None wed the second but who killed the first.

Wormwood, wormwood.

The instances that second marriage move

2051Are base respects of thrift, but none of love.

2052A second time I kill my husband dead

2053When second husband kisses me in bed.

I do believe you think what now you speak,

2055But what we do determine, oft we break.

2056Purpose is but the slave to memory,

2057Of violent birth, but poor validity,

2058Which now like fruit unripe sticks on the tree,

2059But fall unshaken when they mellow be.

2060Most necessary 'tis that we forget

2061To pay ourselves what to ourselves is debt.

2062What to ourselves in passion we propose,

2063The passion ending, doth the purpose lose.

2064The violence of either grief or joy

2065Their own enactors with themselves destroy.

2066Where joy most revels, grief doth most lament;

2067Grief joys, joy grieves, on slender accident.

2068This world is not for aye, nor 'tis not strange

2069That even our loves should with our fortunes change;

2070For 'tis a question left us yet to prove

2071Whether love lead fortune, or else fortune love.

2072The great man down, you mark his favorites flies;

2073The poor advanced makes friends of enemies;

2074And hitherto doth love on fortune tend,

2075For who not needs shall never lack a friend,

2076And who in want a hollow friend doth try

2077Directly seasons him his enemy.

2078But orderly to end where I begun,

2079Our wills and fates do so contrary run

2080That our devices still are overthrown;

2081Our thoughts are ours, their ends none of our own.

2082So, think thou wilt no second husband wed,

2083But die thy thoughts when thy first lord is dead.

Nor earth to give me food, nor heaven light,

2085Sport and repose lock from me day and night,

2086Each opposite that blanks the face of joy

2087Meet what I would have well, and it destroy!

2088Both here and hence pursue me lasting strife,

2089If once a widow, ever I be wife!

If she should break it now!

'Tis deeply sworn.2092Sweet, leave me here awhile.

2093My spirits grow dull, and fain I would beguile

2094The tedious day with sleep.

Sleep rock thy brain,

2096And never come mischance between us twain!

Madam, how like you this play?

The lady protests too much, methinks.

Oh, but she'll keep her word.

Have you heard the argument? Is there no 2101offense in't?

No, no, they do but jest, poison in jest, no 2103offense i'th' world.

What do you call the play?

The Mousetrap. Marry, how? Tropically. 2106This play is the image of a murder done in Vienna. 2107Gonzago is the Duke's name, his wife Baptista. You shall see 2108anon. 'Tis a knavish piece of work, but what o' that? 2109Your majesty and we that have free souls, it touches 2110us not. Let the galled jade winch; our withers are unwrung.

2112This is one Lucianus, nephew to the King.

You are a good chorus, my lord.

I could interpret between you and your love, 2115if I could see the puppets dallying.

You are keen, my lord, you are keen.

It would cost you a groaning to take off my 2118edge.

Still better and worse.

So you mistake husbands.-- 2121Begin, murderer. Pox, leave thy damnable faces and 2122begin. Come, the croaking raven doth bellow for 2123revenge.

Thoughts black, hands apt, 2125drugs fit, and time agreeing,

2126Confederate season, else no creature seeing,

2127Thou mixture rank, of midnight weeds collected,

2128With Hecate's ban thrice blasted, thrice infected,

2129Thy natural magic and dire property

2130On wholesome life usurp immediately.

He poisons him i'th' garden for's estate. His 2133name's Gonzago. The story is extant, and writ in choice 2134Italian. You shall see anon how the murderer gets the 2135love of Gonzago's wife.

The King rises.

What, frighted with false fire?

How fares my lord?

Give o'er the play.

Give me some light. Away!

Lights, lights, lights!

"Why, let the strucken deer go weep,

2144The heart ungallèd play,

2145For some must watch while some must sleep;

2146So runs the world away."

2147Would not this, sir, and a forest of feathers--if the rest of 2148my fortunes turn Turk with me--with two provincial 2149roses on my razed shoes, get me a fellowship in a cry 2150of players, sir?

Half a share.

A whole one, I.

2153For thou dost know, O Damon dear,

2154This realm dismantled was of Jove himself,

2155And now reigns here

2156A very, very pajock.

You might have rhymed.

O good Horatio, I'll take the Ghost's word for 2159a thousand pound. Didst perceive?

Very well, my lord.

Upon the talk of the poisoning?

I did very well note him.

Oh, ha! Come, some music! Come, the recorders.

2165For if the King like not the comedy,

2166Why, then belike he likes it not, perdie.

2167Come, some music.

Good my lord, vouchsafe me a word with you.

Sir a whole history.

The King, sir--

Ay, sir, what of him?

Is in his retirement, marvelous distempered.

With drink, sir?

No, my lord, rather with choler.

Your wisdom should show itself more 2176richer to signify this to his doctor, for, for me to put him 2177to his purgation would perhaps plunge him into far 2178more choler.

Good my lord, put your discourse into some 2180frame, and start not so wildly from my affair.

I am tame sir. Pronounce.

The Queen your mother, in most great 2183affliction of spirit, hath sent me to you.

You are welcome.

Nay, good my lord, this courtesy is not of 2186the right breed. If it shall please you to make me a 2187wholesome answer, I will do your mother's commandment. 2188If not, your pardon and my return shall be the end of 2189my business.

Sir, I cannot.

What, my lord?

Make you a wholesome answer; my wit's 2193diseased. But, sir, such answers as I can make, you shall 2194command, or rather, you say, my mother. Therefore no more 2195but to the matter. My mother, you say.

Then thus she says: your behavior hath struck 2197her into amazement and admiration.

Oh, wonderful son, that can so astonish a 2199mother! But is there no sequel at the heels of this 2201mother's admiration?

She desires to speak with you in her closet 2202ere you go to bed.

We shall obey, were she ten times our mother. 2204Have you any further trade with us?

My lord, you once did love me.

So I do still, by these pickers and stealers.

Good my lord, what is your cause of 2208distemper? You do freely bar the door of your own 2209liberty if you deny your griefs to your friend.

Sir, I lack advancement.

How can that be, when you have the voice of 2212the King himself for your succession in Denmark?

Ay, but "while the grass grows"-- the proverb is 2214something musty.

2216Oh, the recorder. Let me see. [He takes the recorder.] To withdraw with you, why 2217do you go about to recover the wind of me, as if you 2218would drive me into a toil?

Oh, my lord, if my duty be too bold, my love 2220is too unmannerly.

I do not well understand that. Will you play 2222upon this pipe?

My lord, I cannot.

I pray you.

Believe me, I cannot.

I do beseech you.

I know no touch of it, my lord.

'Tis as easy as lying. Govern these ventages 2229with your finger and thumb, give it breath with your 2230mouth, and it will discourse most excellent music. 2231Look you, these are the stops.

But these cannot I command to any utterance 2233of harmony. I have not the skill.

Why, look you now, how unworthy a thing 2235you make of me! You would play upon me, you would 2236seem to know my stops, you would pluck out the heart 2237of my mystery, you would sound me from my lowest 2238note to the top of my compass, and there is much 2239music, excellent voice, in this little organ, yet cannot 2240you make it. Why, do you think that I am easier to be 2241played on than a pipe? Call me what instrument you will, 2242though you can fret me, you cannot play upon me. [To Polonius, as he enters]God 2243bless you, sir.

My lord, the Queen would speak with you, 2246and presently.

Do you see that cloud? That's almost in shape 2248like a camel.

By th' mass, and it's like a camel indeed.

Methinks it is like a weasel.

It is backed like a weasel.

Or like a whale?

Very like a whale.

Then will I come to my mother by and by. 2255[Aside] They fool me to the top of my bent.

2256[Aloud] I will come by and by.

I will say so.

2258"By and by" is easily said.--Leave me, friends.

2259'Tis now the very witching time of night,

2260When churchyards yawn, and hell itself breathes out

2261Contagion to this world. Now could I drink hot blood,

2262And do such bitter business as the day

2263Would quake to look on. Soft now, to my mother.

2264O heart, loose not thy nature! Let not ever

2265The soul of Nero enter this firm bosom.

2266Let me be cruel, not unnatural;

2267I will speak daggers to her, but use none.

2268My tongue and soul in this be hypocrites:

2269How in my words somever she be shent,

2270To give them seals, never my soul consent!