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Guil. I know no touch of it, my Lord.

Ham. 'Tis as easy as lying; govern these ventiges with your fingers and thumb, give it breath with your mouth, and it will discourse most eloquent music. Look you, these are the stops.

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

Ham. Why, look you now, how unworthy a thing you make of me; you would play upon me, you would seem to know my stops; you would pluck out the heart of my mystery; you would sound me from my lowest note to the top of my compass; and there is much music, excellent voice, in this little organ, yet cannot you make it speak. Why, do you think that I am easier to be played on than a pipe? call me what instrument you will, though you can fret me, (56) you cannot -God bless you, Sir.

play upon me.

Enter POLONIUS.

Pol. My Lord, the Queen would speak with you, and presently.

(56) You can fret me. May not this singular phrase have regard to the strong resemblance of a hand, in light, situate just before Guildenstern in the moon, and appearing to be applied, as it were, to the fret of a fiddle?

Ham. Do you see yonder cloud, that's almost in shape of a camel? (57)

Pol. By the mass, and it's like a camel indeed. Ham. Methinks, it is like an ouzle.

Pol. It is black like an ouzle.

Ham. Or, like a whale ?

Pol. Very like a whale.

Ham. Then will I come to my mother by and They fool me to the top of my bent.——I

by.

will come by and by.

Pol. I will say so.

-I

Ham. By and by is easily said. Leave me,

friends.

[Exeunt. 'Tis now the very witching time of night, [out When church-yards yawn, and hell itself breathes Contagion to this world. Now could I drink hot And do such bitter business as the day [blood, Would quake to look on. Soft, now to my mother-O heart, lose not thy nature; let not ever The soul of Nero enter this firm bosom; Let me be cruel, not unnatural;

(57) It is certain that the head opposite to Hamlet's in the moon, (viz. that of Ralph, in Hudibras,) may be assimilated to a cloud, a camel, an owzle, or a whale, according to the different aspects, upwards, downwards, or sideways, in which it is viewed. These numerous similitudes in the same object are a proof of the great variety of which this method of composition is susceptible.

I will speak daggers to her, but use none.
My tongue and soul in this be hypocrites;
How in my words soever she be shent,

To give them seals never my soul consent! [Exit.
Enter KING, ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN.

King. I like him not, nor stands it safe with us
To let his madness range. Therefore, prepare you;
I your commission will forthwith dispatch,
And he to England shall along with you.
The terms of our estate may not endure
Hazard so near us, as doth hourly grow
Out of his Lunes.

Guild. We will provide ourselves :
Most holy and religious fear it is,
To keep those many, many bodies safe,
That live and feed upon your Majesty.

Ros. The single and peculiar life is bound,
With all the strength and armour of the mind,
To keep itself from noyance; but much more
That spirit on whose weal depends and rests
The lives of many. The cease of Majesty
Dies not alone, but, like a gulf, doth draw
What's near it with it. It's a massy wheel
Fix'd on the summit of the highest mount,
To whose huge spokes ten thousand lesser things
Are mortized and adjoined; which, when it falls,
Each small annexment, petty consequence,
Attends the boisterous ruin. Ne'er alone

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Did the King sigh; but with a general groan.

King. Arm you, I pray you, to this speedy voy For we will fetters put upon this fear, [age; Which now goes too free-footed.

Both. We will haste us. [Exeunt Gentlemen.

Enter POLONIUS.

Pol. My Lord, he's gone to his mother's closet; Behind the arras I'll convey myself

To hear the process. I'll warrant she'll tax him And, as you said, and wisely was it said, [home. 'Tis meet that some more audience than a mother (Since nature makes them partial,) should o'er-hear The speech, of vantage. Fare you well, my Liege; I'll call upon you ere you go to bed, And tell you what I know.

King. Thanks, dear my Lord.

[Exit.

Oh! my offence is rank, it smells to heaven,
It hath the primal, eldest curse upon't;
That of a brother's murder. Pray I cannot,
Though inclination be as sharp as will;
My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent:
And, like a man to double business bound,
I stand in pause where I shall first begin,
And both neglect. What if this cursed hand
Were thicker than itself with brother's blood?
Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens
To wash it white as snow; whereto serves Mercy,

But to confront the visage of offence?
And what's in prayer, but this two-fold force,
To be fore-stalled ere we come to fall,

prayer

Or pardoned being down? then I'll look up;
My fault is past--But oh, what form of
Can serve my turn? Forgive me my foul murder!-
That cannot be, since I am still possess'd
Of those effects for which I did the murder,
My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen.
May one be pardoned, and retain th' offence?
In the corrupted currents of this world,
Offence's gilded hand may shove by justice;
And oft 'tis seen, the wicked prize itself
Buys out the law; but 'tis not so above:
There, is no shuffling; there, the action lies
In his true nature, and we ourselves compelled,
Even to the teeth and forehead of our faults,
To give in evidence. What then? what rests?
Try what repentance can: What can it not?
Yet what can it, when one cannot repent?
Oh wretched state! oh bosom black as death!
Oh limed soul, that struggling to be free,
Art more engaged! help, angels! make assay!
Bow, stubborn knees; and, heart with strings of
steel,

Be soft as sinews of the new-born babe!

All may be well.

[The King retires and kneels.

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