A little month! or ere those shoes were old, uncle, My father's brother; but no more like my father, But break my heart, for I must hold my tongue. Hor. Hail to your Lordship! Horatio,---or I do forget myself? Hor. The fame, my Lord, and your poor fer vant ever. Ham. Sir, my good friend; I'll change that name with you: And what make you from Wittenberg, Horatio? Marcellus! Mar. My good Lord---- Ham. I am very glad to fee you; good even, Sir. But what, in faith, make you from Wittenberg? Hor. A truant disposition, good my Lord. Mr Dryden has remarked, that this is the sharpest satire in the fewest words, that ever was made on womankind; for both the adjectives are neuter, and animal must be understood to make them grammar. 'Tis certain the designed contempt is heightened by this change of the gender; but, I prefume, Mr Dryden had forgot this passage of Shakespeare, when he declared on the fide of Virgil's hemiftich, as the sharpest fatire he had met with. 1 Ham. I would not hear your enemy say fo; Nor shall you do mine ear that violence, meats Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables. Ham. In my mind's eye, Horatio. Hor. I faw him once, he was a goodly King. I shall not look upon his like again. Hor. My Lord, I think I saw him yesternight. Hor. My Lord, the King your father. Ham. The King my father! Hor. Seafon your admiration but a while, With an attentive ear; 'till I deliver Ham. For heaven's love, let me hear. Marcellus and Bernardo, on their watch, This to me Goes flow and stately by them; thrice he walked, Ham. But where was this? Mar. My Lord, upon the platform where we watch'd. Ham. Did you not speak to it? Hor. My Lord. I did; But answer made it none; yet once methought, It lifted up its head, and did address Itself to motion, like as it would speak: But even then the morning cock crew loud; And vanished from our fight. Ham. 'Tis very strange. Hor. As I do live, my honoured Lord, 'tis true; And we did think it writ down in our duty To let you know of it. Ham. Indeed, indeed, Sirs, but this troubles me. Hold you the watch to-night? Both. We do, my Lord. Ham. Armed, say you? Both. Armed, my Lord. Ham. From top to toe? Both. My Lord, from head to foot. Ham. Then faw you not his face? Hor. Oh yes, my Lord, he wore his beaver up. Ham. What, looked he frowningly? Hor. A countenance more in forrow than in anger. Ham. Pale or red? Hor. Nay, very pale. Ham. And fixed his eyes upon you? Hor. Most constantly. Ham. I would I had been there! Hor. It would have much amazed you. Ham. Very like; staid it long? Hor. While one with moderate haste might tell a hundred. Both. Longer, longer. Hor. Not when I faw't. Ham. His beard was grifly? Hor. It was, as I have seen it in his life, A fable filvered. Ham. I'll watch to-night; perchance 'twill walk again. Hor. I warrant you it will. Ham. If it affume my noble father's perfon, [Exeunt. All. Our duty to your honour. Ham. Your loves, as mine to you: farewel. My father's fpirit in arms! all is not well: I doubt fome foul play; 'would the night were come! 'Till then fit still, my foul: foul deeds will rise (Tho' all the earth o'erwhelm them) to men's eyes. [Exit. 35 SCENE changes to an Apartment in Polonius's House. Enter LAERTES and OPHELIA. Laer. My neceffaries are embarked, farewel; And, fifter, as the winds give benefit, And convoy is assistant, do not fleep, But let me hear from you. Oph. Do you doubt that? Laer. For Hamlet, and the trifling of his favour, Hold it a fashion and a toy in blood; Forward, not permanent, though fsweet, not lafting; No more.- Oph. No more but fo? Laer. Think it no more: is temple waxes, For nature, crefcent, does not go alone (10) And now no foil, nor cautel.] Cautel from cautela, in its first derived fignification, means a prudent forefight or cantit but when we naturalize a Latin word into our tongue, we do not think ourselves obliged to use it in its precise, native lignification. So here, traductively, 'tis employed to mean deceit, craft, infincerity And in these acceptations we find our Author using the adjective from it, in his Julius Cafar; Swear priests, and cowards, and men cautelous. In the like manner the French use their cauteleux; by which they understand rufe, trompeur; and Minthew has explained the word cautel thus; a crafty way to deceive. VOL. XII. C Mr Warburton. |