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