The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Part 63

[Footnote 10: 'Some' _not in Q.--Hence_ may be either _backwards_ or _forwards_; now it is used only _forwards_.]

[Footnote 11: travels.]

[Footnote 12: 'all your excellencies together.']

[Footnote 13: seat, place, grade, position, merit.]

[Footnote 14: 'A very riband'--a mere trifling accomplishment: the _u_ of the text can but be a misprint for _n_.]

[Footnote 15: _youth_ obj., _livery_ nom. to _becomes_.]

[Footnote 16: 'than his furs and his robes become settled age.']

[Footnote 17: Warburton thinks the word ought to be _wealth_, but I doubt it; _health_, in its sense of wholeness, general soundness, in affairs as well as person, I should prefer.]

[Page 218]

And they ran[1] well on Horsebacke; but this Gallant [Sidenote: they can well[1]]

Had witchcraft in't[2]; he grew into his Seat, [Sidenote: vnto his]

And to such wondrous doing brought his Horse, As had he beene encorps't and demy-Natur'd With the braue Beast,[3] so farre he past my thought, [Sidenote: he topt me thought,[4]]

That I in forgery[5] of shapes and trickes, Come short of what he did.[6]

_Laer_. A Norman was't?

_Kin_. A Norman.

_Laer_. Vpon my life _Lamound_. [Sidenote: _Lamord_.]

_Kin_. The very same.

_Laer_. I know him well, he is the Brooch indeed, And Iemme of all our Nation, [Sidenote: all the Nation.]

_Kin_. Hee mad confession of you, And gaue you such a Masterly report, For Art and exercise in your defence; And for your Rapier most especially, [Sidenote: especiall,]

That he cryed out, t'would be a sight indeed,[7]

If one could match you [A] Sir. This report of his [Sidenote: ; sir this]

[Sidenote: 120, 264] Did _Hamlet_ so envenom with his Enuy,[8]

That he could nothing doe but wish and begge, Your sodaine comming ore to play with him;[9] [Sidenote: with you]

Now out of this.[10]

_Laer_. Why out of this, my Lord? [Sidenote: What out]

_Kin. Laertes_ was your Father deare to you?

Or are you like the painting[11] of a sorrow, A face without a heart?

_Laer_. Why aske you this?

_Kin_. Not that I thinke you did not loue your Father, But that I know Loue is begun by Time[12]:

[Footnote A: _Here in the Quarto:--_

; the Scrimures[13] of their nation He swore had neither motion, guard nor eye, If you opposd them;]

[Footnote 1: I think the _can_ of the _Quarto_ is the true word.]

[Footnote 2: --in his horsemanship.]

[Footnote 3: There is no mistake in the order 'had he beene'; the transposition is equivalent to _if_: 'as if he had been unbodied with, and shared half the nature of the brave beast.'

These two lines, from _As_ to _thought_, must be taken parenthetically; or else there must be supposed a dash after _Beast_, and a fresh start made.

'But he (as if Centaur-like he had been one piece with the horse) was no more moved than one with the going of his own legs:'

'it seemed, as he borrowed the horse's body, so he lent the horse his mind:'--Sir Philip Sidney. _Arcadia_, B. ii. p. 115.]

[Footnote 4: '--surpa.s.sed, I thought.']

[Footnote 5: 'in invention of.']

[Footnote 6: Emphasis on _did_, as ant.i.thetic to _forgery_: 'my inventing came short of his doing.']

[Footnote 7: 'it would be a sight indeed to see you matched with an equal.' The king would strengthen Laertes' confidence in his proficiency.]

[Footnote 8: 'made him so spiteful by stirring up his habitual envy.']

[Footnote 9: All invention.]

[Footnote 10: Here should be a dash: the king pauses. He is approaching dangerous ground--is about to propose a thing abominable, and therefore to the influence of flattered vanity and roused emulation, would add the fiercest heat of stimulated love and hatred--to which end he proceeds to cast doubt on the quality of Laertes' love for his father.]

[Footnote 11: the picture.]

[Footnote 12: 'through habit.']

[Footnote 13: French _escrimeurs_: fencers.]

[Page 220]

And that I see in pa.s.sages of proofe,[1]

Time qualifies the sparke and fire of it:[2]

[A]

_Hamlet_ comes backe: what would you vndertake, To show your selfe your Fathers sonne indeed, [Sidenote: selfe indeede your fathers sonne]

More then in words?

_Laer_. To cut his throat i'th'Church.[3]

_Kin_. No place indeed should murder Sancturize; Reuenge should haue no bounds: but good _Laertes_ Will you doe this, keepe close within your Chamber, _Hamlet_ return'd, shall know you are come home: Wee'l put on those shall praise your excellence, And set a double varnish on the fame The Frenchman gaue you, bring you in fine together, And wager on your heads, he being remisse,[4] [Sidenote: ore your]

[Sidenote: 218] Most generous, and free from all contriuing, Will not peruse[5] the Foiles? So that with ease, Or with a little shuffling, you may choose A Sword vnbaited,[6] and in a pa.s.se of practice,[7] [Sidenote: pace of]

Requit him for your Father.