infinite in faculty! 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.

Hamlet.

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.

Hamlet.

He that plays the king shall be welcome: his majesty shall have tribute of me. What players are they?

Ros.

Even those you were wont to take delight in, the tragedians of the city.

Hamlet.

How chances it they travel? their residence, both in reputation and profit, was better both ways. Do they hold the same estimation they did when I was in the city? are they so followed?

No, indeed, they are not.

Ros.

Hamlet.

It is not strange; for my uncle is king of Denmark, and those that would make mows at him while my father lived, give twenty, forty, fifty, a hundred ducats apiece for his picture in little. There is something in this more than natural, if philosophy could find it out.

[Trumpet within.

There are the players.

Guil.

Hamlet.

Gentlemen [To Rosencrantz and Guildenstern] you are welcome to Elsinore. Your hands. You are welcome; but my uncle-father and aunt-mother are deceived.

In what, my dear lord?

Guil.

Hamlet.

I am but mad north-north-west; when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw.

Pol.

Well be with you, gentlemen!

Hamlet.

[Within.

Hark you, Guildenstern, that great baby you see there is not yet out of his swathing-clouts.

Ros.

Haply he is the second time come to them; for they say an old man is twice a child.

Hamlet.

I will prophesy he comes to tell me of the players; mark it. You say right, sir; o' Monday morning; t was so, indeed. [Enter Polonius L.

Buz, buz!

Hamlet.

Pol.

Upon mine honour,

Hamlet.

Then came each actor on his ass,

Pol.

The best actors in the world, either for tragedy, comedy, history, pastoral, pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral, tragical-historical, tragical-comical-historical-pastoral, scene individable, or poem unlimited: Seneca cannot be too heavy, nor Plautus too light. For the law of writ and the liberty, these are the only men.

Hamlet.

O Jephthah, judge of Israel, what a treasure hadst thou!

Am I not in the right, old Jephthah ?

Pol.

If you call me Jephthah, my lord, I have a daughter that I love passing well.

Hamlet.

Nay, that follows not.

It came to pass, as most like it was,—

the first row of the pious chanson will show you more; for look, my abridgment comes.

[Enter several Players L. Old friend!

You are welcome, masters; welcome all. Thy face is valanced since I saw thee last; comest thou to beard me in Denmark? Masters, you are all welcome. We'll e'en to 't like French falconers, fly at anything we see: we'll have a speech straight: come, give us a taste of your quality; come, a passionate speech.

First Play.

What speech, my lord?

Hamlet.

I heard thee speak me a speech once, but it was never acted; or, if it was, not above once; for the play, I remember, pleased not the million; 't was caviare to the general but it was an excellent play, well digested in the scenes, set down with as much modesty as cunning. One speech in it I chiefly loved: 't was Æneas' tale to Dido; and thereabout of it, especially, where he speaks of Priam's slaughter; if it live in your memory, begin at this line;let me see, let me see ;—

The rugged Pyrrhus, like the Hyrcanian beast, -'t is not so:-it begins with Pyrrhus:

The rugged Pyrrhus,- he, whose sable arms
Black as his purpose, did the night resemble;
Old grandsire Priam seeks.-

Pol.

'Fore heaven, my lord, well spoken, with good accent

and good discretion.

Hamlet.

So proceed you.

First Play.

Anon he finds him

Striking too short at Greeks; his antique sword,
Rebellious to his arm, lies where it falls,
Repugnant to command; unequal matched,
Pyrrhus at Priam drives: in rage strikes wide;
But with the whiff and wind of his fell sword
The unnerved father falls. Then senseless Ilium,
Seeming to feel this blow, with flaming top
Stoops to his base; and with a hideous crash
Takes prisoner Pyrrhus' ear; for, lo! his sword,
Which was declining on the milky head

Of reverend Priam, seemed i' the air to stick :

So, as a painted tyrant, Pyrrhus stood:

And, like a neutral to his will and matter,
Did nothing.

But, as we often see, against some storm,
A silence in the heavens, the rack stand still,
The bold winds speechless, and the orb below
As hush as death; anon the dreadful thunder
Doth rend the region; so, after Pyrrhus' pause,
Aroused vengeance sets him new a-work;
And never did the Cyclops' hammers fall
On Mars's armour, forged for proof eterne,
With less remorse than Pyrrhus' bleeding sword
Now falls on Priam.-

Out, out, thou strumpet, Fortune! All you gods,
In general synod, take away her power;

Break all the spokes and fellies from her wheel,

And bowl the round nave down the hill of heaven,
As low as to the fiends!

Pol.

This is too long.

Hamlet.

It shall to the barber's, with your beard.-Pr'ythee, say on:-come to Hecuba.