Reading Help HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK
An hour of quiet shortly shall we see; `
` Till then in patience our proceeding be. `
` `
` [Exeunt.] `
` `
` `
` `
` Scene II. A hall in the Castle. `
` `
` [Enter Hamlet and Horatio.] `
` `
` Ham. `
` So much for this, sir: now let me see the other; `
` You do remember all the circumstance? `
` `
` Hor. `
` Remember it, my lord! `
` `
` Ham. `
` Sir, in my heart there was a kind of fighting `
` That would not let me sleep: methought I lay `
` Worse than the mutinies in the bilboes. Rashly, `
` And prais'd be rashness for it,--let us know, `
` Our indiscretion sometime serves us well, `
` When our deep plots do fail; and that should teach us `
` There's a divinity that shapes our ends, `
` Rough-hew them how we will. `
` `
` Hor. `
` That is most certain. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Up from my cabin, `
` My sea-gown scarf'd about me, in the dark `
` Grop'd I to find out them: had my desire; `
` Finger'd their packet; and, in fine, withdrew `
` To mine own room again: making so bold, `
` My fears forgetting manners, to unseal `
` Their grand commission; where I found, Horatio, `
` O royal knavery! an exact command,-- `
` Larded with many several sorts of reasons, `
` Importing Denmark's health, and England's too, `
` With, ho! such bugs and goblins in my life,-- `
` That, on the supervise, no leisure bated, `
` No, not to stay the grinding of the axe, `
` My head should be struck off. `
` `
` Hor. `
` Is't possible? `
` `
` Ham. `
` Here's the commission: read it at more leisure. `
` But wilt thou bear me how I did proceed? `
` `
` Hor. `
` I beseech you. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Being thus benetted round with villanies,-- `
` Or I could make a prologue to my brains, `
` They had begun the play,--I sat me down; `
` Devis'd a new commission; wrote it fair: `
` I once did hold it, as our statists do, `
` A baseness to write fair, and labour'd much `
` How to forget that learning; but, sir, now `
` It did me yeoman's service. Wilt thou know `
` The effect of what I wrote? `
` `
` Hor. `
` Ay, good my lord. `
` `
` Ham. `
` An earnest conjuration from the king,-- `
` As England was his faithful tributary; `
` As love between them like the palm might flourish; `
` As peace should still her wheaten garland wear `
` And stand a comma 'tween their amities; `
` And many such-like as's of great charge,-- `
` That, on the view and know of these contents, `
` Without debatement further, more or less, `
` He should the bearers put to sudden death, `
` Not shriving-time allow'd. `
` `
` Hor. `
` How was this seal'd? `
` `
` Ham. `
` Why, even in that was heaven ordinant. `
` I had my father's signet in my purse, `
` Which was the model of that Danish seal: `
` Folded the writ up in the form of the other; `
` Subscrib'd it: gave't the impression; plac'd it safely, `
` The changeling never known. Now, the next day `
` Was our sea-fight; and what to this was sequent `
` Thou know'st already. `
` `
` Hor. `
` So Guildenstern and Rosencrantz go to't. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Why, man, they did make love to this employment; `
` They are not near my conscience; their defeat `
` Does by their own insinuation grow: `
` 'Tis dangerous when the baser nature comes `
` Between the pass and fell incensed points `
` Of mighty opposites. `
` `
` Hor. `
` Why, what a king is this! `
` `
` Ham. `
` Does it not, thinks't thee, stand me now upon,-- `
` He that hath kill'd my king, and whor'd my mother; `
` Popp'd in between the election and my hopes; `
` Thrown out his angle for my proper life, `
` And with such cozenage--is't not perfect conscience `
` To quit him with this arm? and is't not to be damn'd `
` To let this canker of our nature come `
` In further evil? `
` `
` Hor. `
` It must be shortly known to him from England `
` What is the issue of the business there. `
` `
` Ham. `
` It will be short: the interim is mine; `
` And a man's life is no more than to say One. `
` But I am very sorry, good Horatio, `
` That to Laertes I forgot myself; `
` For by the image of my cause I see `
` The portraiture of his: I'll court his favours: `
` But, sure, the bravery of his grief did put me `
` Into a towering passion. `
` `
` Hor. `
` Peace; who comes here? `
` `
` [Enter Osric.] `
` `
` Osr. `
` Your lordship is right welcome back to Denmark. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I humbly thank you, sir. Dost know this water-fly? `
` `
` Hor. `
` No, my good lord. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Thy state is the more gracious; for 'tis a vice to know him. He `
` hath much land, and fertile: let a beast be lord of beasts, and `
` his crib shall stand at the king's mess; 'tis a chough; but, as I `
` say, spacious in the possession of dirt. `
` `
` Osr. `
` Sweet lord, if your lordship were at leisure, I should `
` impart a thing to you from his majesty. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I will receive it with all diligence of spirit. Put your `
` bonnet to his right use; 'tis for the head. `
` `
` Osr. `
` I thank your lordship, t'is very hot. `
` `
` Ham. `
` No, believe me, 'tis very cold; the wind is northerly. `
` `
` Osr. `
` It is indifferent cold, my lord, indeed. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Methinks it is very sultry and hot for my complexion. `
` `
` Osr. `
` Exceedingly, my lord; it is very sultry,--as 'twere--I cannot `
` tell how. But, my lord, his majesty bade me signify to you that `
` he has laid a great wager on your head. Sir, this is the `
` matter,-- `
` `
` Ham. `
` I beseech you, remember,-- `
` [Hamlet moves him to put on his hat.] `
` `
` Osr. `
` Nay, in good faith; for mine ease, in good faith. Sir, here `
` is newly come to court Laertes; believe me, an absolute `
` gentleman, full of most excellent differences, of very soft `
` society and great showing: indeed, to speak feelingly of him, he `
` is the card or calendar of gentry; for you shall find in him the `
` continent of what part a gentleman would see. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Sir, his definement suffers no perdition in you;--though, I `
` know, to divide him inventorially would dizzy the arithmetic of `
` memory, and yet but yaw neither, in respect of his quick sail. `
` But, in the verity of extolment, I take him to be a soul of great `
` article, and his infusion of such dearth and rareness as, to make `
` true diction of him, his semblable is his mirror, and who else `
` would trace him, his umbrage, nothing more. `
` `
`
` Till then in patience our proceeding be. `
` `
` [Exeunt.] `
` `
` `
` `
` Scene II. A hall in the Castle. `
` `
` [Enter Hamlet and Horatio.] `
` `
` Ham. `
` So much for this, sir: now let me see the other; `
` You do remember all the circumstance? `
` `
` Hor. `
` Remember it, my lord! `
` `
` Ham. `
` Sir, in my heart there was a kind of fighting `
` That would not let me sleep: methought I lay `
` Worse than the mutinies in the bilboes. Rashly, `
` And prais'd be rashness for it,--let us know, `
` Our indiscretion sometime serves us well, `
` When our deep plots do fail; and that should teach us `
` There's a divinity that shapes our ends, `
` Rough-hew them how we will. `
` `
` Hor. `
` That is most certain. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Up from my cabin, `
` My sea-gown scarf'd about me, in the dark `
` Grop'd I to find out them: had my desire; `
` Finger'd their packet; and, in fine, withdrew `
` To mine own room again: making so bold, `
` My fears forgetting manners, to unseal `
` Their grand commission; where I found, Horatio, `
` O royal knavery! an exact command,-- `
` Larded with many several sorts of reasons, `
` Importing Denmark's health, and England's too, `
` With, ho! such bugs and goblins in my life,-- `
` That, on the supervise, no leisure bated, `
` No, not to stay the grinding of the axe, `
` My head should be struck off. `
` `
` Hor. `
` Is't possible? `
` `
` Ham. `
` Here's the commission: read it at more leisure. `
` But wilt thou bear me how I did proceed? `
` `
` Hor. `
` I beseech you. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Being thus benetted round with villanies,-- `
` Or I could make a prologue to my brains, `
` They had begun the play,--I sat me down; `
` Devis'd a new commission; wrote it fair: `
` I once did hold it, as our statists do, `
` A baseness to write fair, and labour'd much `
` How to forget that learning; but, sir, now `
` It did me yeoman's service. Wilt thou know `
` The effect of what I wrote? `
` `
` Hor. `
` Ay, good my lord. `
` `
` Ham. `
` An earnest conjuration from the king,-- `
` As England was his faithful tributary; `
` As love between them like the palm might flourish; `
` As peace should still her wheaten garland wear `
` And stand a comma 'tween their amities; `
` And many such-like as's of great charge,-- `
` That, on the view and know of these contents, `
` Without debatement further, more or less, `
` He should the bearers put to sudden death, `
` Not shriving-time allow'd. `
` `
` Hor. `
` How was this seal'd? `
` `
` Ham. `
` Why, even in that was heaven ordinant. `
` I had my father's signet in my purse, `
` Which was the model of that Danish seal: `
` Folded the writ up in the form of the other; `
` Subscrib'd it: gave't the impression; plac'd it safely, `
` The changeling never known. Now, the next day `
` Was our sea-fight; and what to this was sequent `
` Thou know'st already. `
` `
` Hor. `
` So Guildenstern and Rosencrantz go to't. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Why, man, they did make love to this employment; `
` They are not near my conscience; their defeat `
` Does by their own insinuation grow: `
` 'Tis dangerous when the baser nature comes `
` Between the pass and fell incensed points `
` Of mighty opposites. `
` `
` Hor. `
` Why, what a king is this! `
` `
` Ham. `
` Does it not, thinks't thee, stand me now upon,-- `
` He that hath kill'd my king, and whor'd my mother; `
` Popp'd in between the election and my hopes; `
` Thrown out his angle for my proper life, `
` And with such cozenage--is't not perfect conscience `
` To quit him with this arm? and is't not to be damn'd `
` To let this canker of our nature come `
` In further evil? `
` `
` Hor. `
` It must be shortly known to him from England `
` What is the issue of the business there. `
` `
` Ham. `
` It will be short: the interim is mine; `
` And a man's life is no more than to say One. `
` But I am very sorry, good Horatio, `
` That to Laertes I forgot myself; `
` For by the image of my cause I see `
` The portraiture of his: I'll court his favours: `
` But, sure, the bravery of his grief did put me `
` Into a towering passion. `
` `
` Hor. `
` Peace; who comes here? `
` `
` [Enter Osric.] `
` `
` Osr. `
` Your lordship is right welcome back to Denmark. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I humbly thank you, sir. Dost know this water-fly? `
` `
` Hor. `
` No, my good lord. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Thy state is the more gracious; for 'tis a vice to know him. He `
` hath much land, and fertile: let a beast be lord of beasts, and `
` his crib shall stand at the king's mess; 'tis a chough; but, as I `
` say, spacious in the possession of dirt. `
` `
` Osr. `
` Sweet lord, if your lordship were at leisure, I should `
` impart a thing to you from his majesty. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I will receive it with all diligence of spirit. Put your `
` bonnet to his right use; 'tis for the head. `
` `
` Osr. `
` I thank your lordship, t'is very hot. `
` `
` Ham. `
` No, believe me, 'tis very cold; the wind is northerly. `
` `
` Osr. `
` It is indifferent cold, my lord, indeed. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Methinks it is very sultry and hot for my complexion. `
` `
` Osr. `
` Exceedingly, my lord; it is very sultry,--as 'twere--I cannot `
` tell how. But, my lord, his majesty bade me signify to you that `
` he has laid a great wager on your head. Sir, this is the `
` matter,-- `
` `
` Ham. `
` I beseech you, remember,-- `
` [Hamlet moves him to put on his hat.] `
` `
` Osr. `
` Nay, in good faith; for mine ease, in good faith. Sir, here `
` is newly come to court Laertes; believe me, an absolute `
` gentleman, full of most excellent differences, of very soft `
` society and great showing: indeed, to speak feelingly of him, he `
` is the card or calendar of gentry; for you shall find in him the `
` continent of what part a gentleman would see. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Sir, his definement suffers no perdition in you;--though, I `
` know, to divide him inventorially would dizzy the arithmetic of `
` memory, and yet but yaw neither, in respect of his quick sail. `
` But, in the verity of extolment, I take him to be a soul of great `
` article, and his infusion of such dearth and rareness as, to make `
` true diction of him, his semblable is his mirror, and who else `
` would trace him, his umbrage, nothing more. `
` `
`