Reading Help HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK
I will requite your loves. So, fare ye well: `
` Upon the platform, 'twixt eleven and twelve, `
` I'll visit you. `
` `
` All. `
` Our duty to your honour. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Your loves, as mine to you: farewell. `
` `
` [Exeunt Horatio, Marcellus, and Bernardo.] `
` `
` My father's spirit in arms! All is not well; `
` I doubt some foul play: would the night were come! `
` Till then sit still, my soul: foul deeds will rise, `
` Though all the earth o'erwhelm them, to men's eyes. `
` `
` [Exit.] `
` `
` `
` `
` Scene III. A room in Polonius's house. `
` `
` [Enter Laertes and Ophelia.] `
` `
` Laer. `
` My necessaries are embark'd: farewell: `
` And, sister, as the winds give benefit `
` And convoy is assistant, do not sleep, `
` 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: `
` A violet in the youth of primy nature, `
` Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting; `
` The perfume and suppliance of a minute; `
` No more. `
` `
` Oph. `
` No more but so? `
` `
` Laer. `
` Think it no more: `
` For nature, crescent, does not grow alone `
` In thews and bulk; but as this temple waxes, `
` The inward service of the mind and soul `
` Grows wide withal. Perhaps he loves you now; `
` And now no soil nor cautel doth besmirch `
` The virtue of his will: but you must fear, `
` His greatness weigh'd, his will is not his own; `
` For he himself is subject to his birth: `
` He may not, as unvalu'd persons do, `
` Carve for himself; for on his choice depends `
` The safety and health of this whole state; `
` And therefore must his choice be circumscrib'd `
` Unto the voice and yielding of that body `
` Whereof he is the head. Then if he says he loves you, `
` It fits your wisdom so far to believe it `
` As he in his particular act and place `
` May give his saying deed; which is no further `
` Than the main voice of Denmark goes withal. `
` Then weigh what loss your honour may sustain `
` If with too credent ear you list his songs, `
` Or lose your heart, or your chaste treasure open `
` To his unmaster'd importunity. `
` Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister; `
` And keep you in the rear of your affection, `
` Out of the shot and danger of desire. `
` The chariest maid is prodigal enough `
` If she unmask her beauty to the moon: `
` Virtue itself scopes not calumnious strokes: `
` The canker galls the infants of the spring `
` Too oft before their buttons be disclos'd: `
` And in the morn and liquid dew of youth `
` Contagious blastments are most imminent. `
` Be wary then; best safety lies in fear: `
` Youth to itself rebels, though none else near. `
` `
` Oph. `
` I shall th' effect of this good lesson keep `
` As watchman to my heart. But, good my brother, `
` Do not, as some ungracious pastors do, `
` Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven; `
` Whilst, like a puff'd and reckless libertine, `
` Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads `
` And recks not his own read. `
` `
` Laer. `
` O, fear me not. `
` I stay too long:--but here my father comes. `
` `
` [Enter Polonius.] `
` `
` A double blessing is a double grace; `
` Occasion smiles upon a second leave. `
` `
` Pol. `
` Yet here, Laertes! aboard, aboard, for shame! `
` The wind sits in the shoulder of your sail, `
` And you are stay'd for. There,--my blessing with thee! `
` `
` [Laying his hand on Laertes's head.] `
` `
` And these few precepts in thy memory `
` Look thou character. Give thy thoughts no tongue, `
` Nor any unproportion'd thought his act. `
` Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar. `
` Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, `
` Grapple them unto thy soul with hoops of steel; `
` But do not dull thy palm with entertainment `
` Of each new-hatch'd, unfledg'd comrade. Beware `
` Of entrance to a quarrel; but, being in, `
` Bear't that the opposed may beware of thee. `
` Give every man thine ear, but few thy voice: `
` Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment. `
` Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, `
` But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy: `
` For the apparel oft proclaims the man; `
` And they in France of the best rank and station `
` Are most select and generous chief in that. `
` Neither a borrower nor a lender be: `
` For loan oft loses both itself and friend; `
` And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. `
` This above all,--to thine own self be true; `
` And it must follow, as the night the day, `
` Thou canst not then be false to any man. `
` Farewell: my blessing season this in thee! `
` `
` Laer. `
` Most humbly do I take my leave, my lord. `
` `
` Pol. `
` The time invites you; go, your servants tend. `
` `
` Laer. `
` Farewell, Ophelia; and remember well `
` What I have said to you. `
` `
` Oph. `
` 'Tis in my memory lock'd, `
` And you yourself shall keep the key of it. `
` `
` Laer. `
` Farewell. `
` `
` [Exit.] `
` `
` Pol. `
` What is't, Ophelia, he hath said to you? `
` `
` Oph. `
` So please you, something touching the Lord Hamlet. `
` `
` Pol. `
` Marry, well bethought: `
` 'Tis told me he hath very oft of late `
` Given private time to you; and you yourself `
` Have of your audience been most free and bounteous; `
` If it be so,--as so 'tis put on me, `
` And that in way of caution,--I must tell you `
` You do not understand yourself so clearly `
` As it behooves my daughter and your honour. `
` What is between you? give me up the truth. `
` `
` Oph. `
` He hath, my lord, of late made many tenders `
` Of his affection to me. `
` `
` Pol. `
` Affection! pooh! you speak like a green girl, `
` Unsifted in such perilous circumstance. `
` Do you believe his tenders, as you call them? `
` `
` Oph. `
` I do not know, my lord, what I should think. `
` `
` Pol. `
` Marry, I'll teach you: think yourself a baby; `
` That you have ta'en these tenders for true pay, `
` Which are not sterling. Tender yourself more dearly; `
` Or,--not to crack the wind of the poor phrase, `
` Wronging it thus,--you'll tender me a fool. `
` `
` Oph. `
` My lord, he hath importun'd me with love `
` In honourable fashion. `
` `
` Pol. `
` Ay, fashion you may call it; go to, go to. `
` `
` Oph. `
` And hath given countenance to his speech, my lord, `
` With almost all the holy vows of heaven. `
` `
` Pol. `
` Ay, springes to catch woodcocks. I do know, `
` When the blood burns, how prodigal the soul `
`
` Upon the platform, 'twixt eleven and twelve, `
` I'll visit you. `
` `
` All. `
` Our duty to your honour. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Your loves, as mine to you: farewell. `
` `
` [Exeunt Horatio, Marcellus, and Bernardo.] `
` `
` My father's spirit in arms! All is not well; `
` I doubt some foul play: would the night were come! `
` Till then sit still, my soul: foul deeds will rise, `
` Though all the earth o'erwhelm them, to men's eyes. `
` `
` [Exit.] `
` `
` `
` `
` Scene III. A room in Polonius's house. `
` `
` [Enter Laertes and Ophelia.] `
` `
` Laer. `
` My necessaries are embark'd: farewell: `
` And, sister, as the winds give benefit `
` And convoy is assistant, do not sleep, `
` 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: `
` A violet in the youth of primy nature, `
` Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting; `
` The perfume and suppliance of a minute; `
` No more. `
` `
` Oph. `
` No more but so? `
` `
` Laer. `
` Think it no more: `
` For nature, crescent, does not grow alone `
` In thews and bulk; but as this temple waxes, `
` The inward service of the mind and soul `
` Grows wide withal. Perhaps he loves you now; `
` And now no soil nor cautel doth besmirch `
` The virtue of his will: but you must fear, `
` His greatness weigh'd, his will is not his own; `
` For he himself is subject to his birth: `
` He may not, as unvalu'd persons do, `
` Carve for himself; for on his choice depends `
` The safety and health of this whole state; `
` And therefore must his choice be circumscrib'd `
` Unto the voice and yielding of that body `
` Whereof he is the head. Then if he says he loves you, `
` It fits your wisdom so far to believe it `
` As he in his particular act and place `
` May give his saying deed; which is no further `
` Than the main voice of Denmark goes withal. `
` Then weigh what loss your honour may sustain `
` If with too credent ear you list his songs, `
` Or lose your heart, or your chaste treasure open `
` To his unmaster'd importunity. `
` Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister; `
` And keep you in the rear of your affection, `
` Out of the shot and danger of desire. `
` The chariest maid is prodigal enough `
` If she unmask her beauty to the moon: `
` Virtue itself scopes not calumnious strokes: `
` The canker galls the infants of the spring `
` Too oft before their buttons be disclos'd: `
` And in the morn and liquid dew of youth `
` Contagious blastments are most imminent. `
` Be wary then; best safety lies in fear: `
` Youth to itself rebels, though none else near. `
` `
` Oph. `
` I shall th' effect of this good lesson keep `
` As watchman to my heart. But, good my brother, `
` Do not, as some ungracious pastors do, `
` Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven; `
` Whilst, like a puff'd and reckless libertine, `
` Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads `
` And recks not his own read. `
` `
` Laer. `
` O, fear me not. `
` I stay too long:--but here my father comes. `
` `
` [Enter Polonius.] `
` `
` A double blessing is a double grace; `
` Occasion smiles upon a second leave. `
` `
` Pol. `
` Yet here, Laertes! aboard, aboard, for shame! `
` The wind sits in the shoulder of your sail, `
` And you are stay'd for. There,--my blessing with thee! `
` `
` [Laying his hand on Laertes's head.] `
` `
` And these few precepts in thy memory `
` Look thou character. Give thy thoughts no tongue, `
` Nor any unproportion'd thought his act. `
` Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar. `
` Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, `
` Grapple them unto thy soul with hoops of steel; `
` But do not dull thy palm with entertainment `
` Of each new-hatch'd, unfledg'd comrade. Beware `
` Of entrance to a quarrel; but, being in, `
` Bear't that the opposed may beware of thee. `
` Give every man thine ear, but few thy voice: `
` Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment. `
` Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, `
` But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy: `
` For the apparel oft proclaims the man; `
` And they in France of the best rank and station `
` Are most select and generous chief in that. `
` Neither a borrower nor a lender be: `
` For loan oft loses both itself and friend; `
` And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. `
` This above all,--to thine own self be true; `
` And it must follow, as the night the day, `
` Thou canst not then be false to any man. `
` Farewell: my blessing season this in thee! `
` `
` Laer. `
` Most humbly do I take my leave, my lord. `
` `
` Pol. `
` The time invites you; go, your servants tend. `
` `
` Laer. `
` Farewell, Ophelia; and remember well `
` What I have said to you. `
` `
` Oph. `
` 'Tis in my memory lock'd, `
` And you yourself shall keep the key of it. `
` `
` Laer. `
` Farewell. `
` `
` [Exit.] `
` `
` Pol. `
` What is't, Ophelia, he hath said to you? `
` `
` Oph. `
` So please you, something touching the Lord Hamlet. `
` `
` Pol. `
` Marry, well bethought: `
` 'Tis told me he hath very oft of late `
` Given private time to you; and you yourself `
` Have of your audience been most free and bounteous; `
` If it be so,--as so 'tis put on me, `
` And that in way of caution,--I must tell you `
` You do not understand yourself so clearly `
` As it behooves my daughter and your honour. `
` What is between you? give me up the truth. `
` `
` Oph. `
` He hath, my lord, of late made many tenders `
` Of his affection to me. `
` `
` Pol. `
` Affection! pooh! you speak like a green girl, `
` Unsifted in such perilous circumstance. `
` Do you believe his tenders, as you call them? `
` `
` Oph. `
` I do not know, my lord, what I should think. `
` `
` Pol. `
` Marry, I'll teach you: think yourself a baby; `
` That you have ta'en these tenders for true pay, `
` Which are not sterling. Tender yourself more dearly; `
` Or,--not to crack the wind of the poor phrase, `
` Wronging it thus,--you'll tender me a fool. `
` `
` Oph. `
` My lord, he hath importun'd me with love `
` In honourable fashion. `
` `
` Pol. `
` Ay, fashion you may call it; go to, go to. `
` `
` Oph. `
` And hath given countenance to his speech, my lord, `
` With almost all the holy vows of heaven. `
` `
` Pol. `
` Ay, springes to catch woodcocks. I do know, `
` When the blood burns, how prodigal the soul `
`