Reading Help HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK
`
` Ros. `
` None, my lord, but that the world's grown honest. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Then is doomsday near; but your news is not true. Let me `
` question more in particular: what have you, my good friends, `
` deserved at the hands of fortune, that she sends you to prison `
` hither? `
` `
` Guil. `
` Prison, my lord! `
` `
` Ham. `
` Denmark's a prison. `
` `
` Ros. `
` Then is the world one. `
` `
` Ham. `
` A goodly one; in which there are many confines, wards, and `
` dungeons, Denmark being one o' the worst. `
` `
` Ros. `
` We think not so, my lord. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Why, then 'tis none to you; for there is nothing either good `
` or bad but thinking makes it so: to me it is a prison. `
` `
` Ros. `
` Why, then, your ambition makes it one; 'tis too narrow for your `
` mind. `
` `
` Ham. `
` O God, I could be bounded in a nutshell, and count myself a `
` king of infinite space, were it not that I have bad dreams. `
` `
` Guil. `
` Which dreams, indeed, are ambition; for the very substance of `
` the ambitious is merely the shadow of a dream. `
` `
` Ham. `
` A dream itself is but a shadow. `
` `
` Ros. `
` Truly, and I hold ambition of so airy and light a quality that `
` it is but a shadow's shadow. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Then are our beggars bodies, and our monarchs and outstretch'd `
` heroes the beggars' shadows. Shall we to the court? for, by my `
` fay, I cannot reason. `
` `
` Ros. and Guild. `
` We'll wait upon you. `
` `
` Ham. `
` No such matter: I will not sort you with the rest of my `
` servants; for, to speak to you like an honest man, I am most `
` dreadfully attended. But, in the beaten way of friendship, what `
` make you at Elsinore? `
` `
` Ros. `
` To visit you, my lord; no other occasion. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Beggar that I am, I am even poor in thanks; but I thank you: `
` and sure, dear friends, my thanks are too dear a halfpenny. Were `
` you not sent for? Is it your own inclining? Is it a free `
` visitation? Come, deal justly with me: come, come; nay, speak. `
` `
` Guil. `
` What should we say, my lord? `
` `
` Ham. `
` Why, anything--but to the purpose. You were sent for; and `
` there is a kind of confession in your looks, which your modesties `
` have not craft enough to colour: I know the good king and queen `
` have sent for you. `
` `
` Ros. `
` To what end, my lord? `
` `
` Ham. `
` 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. `
` `
` Ros. `
` [To Guildenstern.] What say you? `
` `
` Ham. `
` [Aside.] Nay, then, I have an eye of you.--If you love me, hold `
` not off. `
` `
` Guil. `
` My lord, we were sent for. `
` `
` Ham. `
` 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 man! How noble in reason! how infinite in `
` faculties! 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. `
` `
` Ros. `
` My lord, there was no such stuff in my thoughts. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Why did you laugh then, when I said 'Man delights not me'? `
` `
` Ros. `
` 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. `
` `
` Ham. `
` He that plays the king shall be welcome,--his majesty shall `
` have tribute of me; the adventurous knight shall use his foil and `
` target; the lover shall not sigh gratis; the humorous man shall `
` end his part in peace; the clown shall make those laugh whose `
` lungs are tickle o' the sere; and the lady shall say her mind `
` freely, or the blank verse shall halt for't. What players are `
` they? `
` `
` Ros. `
` Even those you were wont to take such delight in,--the `
` tragedians of the city. `
` `
` Ham. `
` How chances it they travel? their residence, both in `
` reputation and profit, was better both ways. `
` `
` Ros. `
` I think their inhibition comes by the means of the late `
` innovation. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Do they hold the same estimation they did when I was in the `
` city? Are they so followed? `
` `
` Ros. `
` No, indeed, are they not. `
` `
` Ham. `
` How comes it? do they grow rusty? `
` `
` Ros. `
` Nay, their endeavour keeps in the wonted pace: but there is, `
` sir, an aery of children, little eyases, that cry out on the top `
` of question, and are most tyrannically clapped for't: these are `
` now the fashion; and so berattle the common stages,--so they call `
` them,--that many wearing rapiers are afraid of goose-quills and `
` dare scarce come thither. `
` `
` Ham. `
` What, are they children? who maintains 'em? How are they `
` escoted? Will they pursue the quality no longer than they can `
` sing? will they not say afterwards, if they should grow `
` themselves to common players,--as it is most like, if their means `
` are no better,--their writers do them wrong to make them exclaim `
` against their own succession? `
` `
` Ros. `
` Faith, there has been much to do on both sides; and the nation `
` holds it no sin to tarre them to controversy: there was, for `
` awhile, no money bid for argument unless the poet and the player `
` went to cuffs in the question. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Is't possible? `
` `
` Guil. `
` O, there has been much throwing about of brains. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Do the boys carry it away? `
` `
` Ros. `
` Ay, that they do, my lord; Hercules and his load too. `
` `
` Ham. `
` It is not very strange; for my uncle is king of Denmark, and `
` those that would make mouths at him while my father lived, give `
` twenty, forty, fifty, a hundred ducats a-piece for his picture in `
` little. 'Sblood, there is something in this more than natural, if `
` philosophy could find it out. `
` `
`
` Ros. `
` None, my lord, but that the world's grown honest. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Then is doomsday near; but your news is not true. Let me `
` question more in particular: what have you, my good friends, `
` deserved at the hands of fortune, that she sends you to prison `
` hither? `
` `
` Guil. `
` Prison, my lord! `
` `
` Ham. `
` Denmark's a prison. `
` `
` Ros. `
` Then is the world one. `
` `
` Ham. `
` A goodly one; in which there are many confines, wards, and `
` dungeons, Denmark being one o' the worst. `
` `
` Ros. `
` We think not so, my lord. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Why, then 'tis none to you; for there is nothing either good `
` or bad but thinking makes it so: to me it is a prison. `
` `
` Ros. `
` Why, then, your ambition makes it one; 'tis too narrow for your `
` mind. `
` `
` Ham. `
` O God, I could be bounded in a nutshell, and count myself a `
` king of infinite space, were it not that I have bad dreams. `
` `
` Guil. `
` Which dreams, indeed, are ambition; for the very substance of `
` the ambitious is merely the shadow of a dream. `
` `
` Ham. `
` A dream itself is but a shadow. `
` `
` Ros. `
` Truly, and I hold ambition of so airy and light a quality that `
` it is but a shadow's shadow. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Then are our beggars bodies, and our monarchs and outstretch'd `
` heroes the beggars' shadows. Shall we to the court? for, by my `
` fay, I cannot reason. `
` `
` Ros. and Guild. `
` We'll wait upon you. `
` `
` Ham. `
` No such matter: I will not sort you with the rest of my `
` servants; for, to speak to you like an honest man, I am most `
` dreadfully attended. But, in the beaten way of friendship, what `
` make you at Elsinore? `
` `
` Ros. `
` To visit you, my lord; no other occasion. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Beggar that I am, I am even poor in thanks; but I thank you: `
` and sure, dear friends, my thanks are too dear a halfpenny. Were `
` you not sent for? Is it your own inclining? Is it a free `
` visitation? Come, deal justly with me: come, come; nay, speak. `
` `
` Guil. `
` What should we say, my lord? `
` `
` Ham. `
` Why, anything--but to the purpose. You were sent for; and `
` there is a kind of confession in your looks, which your modesties `
` have not craft enough to colour: I know the good king and queen `
` have sent for you. `
` `
` Ros. `
` To what end, my lord? `
` `
` Ham. `
` 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. `
` `
` Ros. `
` [To Guildenstern.] What say you? `
` `
` Ham. `
` [Aside.] Nay, then, I have an eye of you.--If you love me, hold `
` not off. `
` `
` Guil. `
` My lord, we were sent for. `
` `
` Ham. `
` 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 man! How noble in reason! how infinite in `
` faculties! 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. `
` `
` Ros. `
` My lord, there was no such stuff in my thoughts. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Why did you laugh then, when I said 'Man delights not me'? `
` `
` Ros. `
` 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. `
` `
` Ham. `
` He that plays the king shall be welcome,--his majesty shall `
` have tribute of me; the adventurous knight shall use his foil and `
` target; the lover shall not sigh gratis; the humorous man shall `
` end his part in peace; the clown shall make those laugh whose `
` lungs are tickle o' the sere; and the lady shall say her mind `
` freely, or the blank verse shall halt for't. What players are `
` they? `
` `
` Ros. `
` Even those you were wont to take such delight in,--the `
` tragedians of the city. `
` `
` Ham. `
` How chances it they travel? their residence, both in `
` reputation and profit, was better both ways. `
` `
` Ros. `
` I think their inhibition comes by the means of the late `
` innovation. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Do they hold the same estimation they did when I was in the `
` city? Are they so followed? `
` `
` Ros. `
` No, indeed, are they not. `
` `
` Ham. `
` How comes it? do they grow rusty? `
` `
` Ros. `
` Nay, their endeavour keeps in the wonted pace: but there is, `
` sir, an aery of children, little eyases, that cry out on the top `
` of question, and are most tyrannically clapped for't: these are `
` now the fashion; and so berattle the common stages,--so they call `
` them,--that many wearing rapiers are afraid of goose-quills and `
` dare scarce come thither. `
` `
` Ham. `
` What, are they children? who maintains 'em? How are they `
` escoted? Will they pursue the quality no longer than they can `
` sing? will they not say afterwards, if they should grow `
` themselves to common players,--as it is most like, if their means `
` are no better,--their writers do them wrong to make them exclaim `
` against their own succession? `
` `
` Ros. `
` Faith, there has been much to do on both sides; and the nation `
` holds it no sin to tarre them to controversy: there was, for `
` awhile, no money bid for argument unless the poet and the player `
` went to cuffs in the question. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Is't possible? `
` `
` Guil. `
` O, there has been much throwing about of brains. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Do the boys carry it away? `
` `
` Ros. `
` Ay, that they do, my lord; Hercules and his load too. `
` `
` Ham. `
` It is not very strange; for my uncle is king of Denmark, and `
` those that would make mouths at him while my father lived, give `
` twenty, forty, fifty, a hundred ducats a-piece for his picture in `
` little. 'Sblood, there is something in this more than natural, if `
` philosophy could find it out. `
` `
`