My Father,

methinks I fee my Father.

Hor. where, my Lord?

Ham. In my Mind's Eye, Horatio.

Hor. I faw him once, he was a goodly King.
Ham. He was a Man, take him for all in all,
I should not look upon his like again.

Hor. My Lord, I think I faw him yesternight.
Ham. Saw! Who?

Hor. My Lord, the King your Father.
Ham. The King my Father!

Hor. Seafon your Admiration for a while
With an attent Ear; 'till I may deliver
Upon the witness of these Gentlemen,
This marvel to you.

Ham. For Heav'n's love, let me hear.

Hor. Two Nights together had these Gentlemen,
Marcellus and Bernardo, on their Watch,
In the dead waste and middle of the Night,
Been thus encountred. A figure like your Father,
Arm❜d at all points exactly, Cap a Pe,

Appears before them, and with folemn March
Goes flow and ftatel By them thrice he walk'd,
By their oppreft and fear-furprized Eyes,
Within his Truncheon's length; whilft they, be-ftill'd
Almoft to Jelly with the Act of fear,

Stand dumb and fpeak not to him. This to me
In dreadful fecrecy impart they did,

And I with them the third Night kept the Watch,
Where, as they had deliver'd both in time,

Form of the thing, each word made true and good,
The Apparition comes. I knew your Father:

These Hands are not more like.

Ham. But where was this?

Mar. My Lord, upon the Platform where we watcht.
Ham. Did you not fpeak to it?

Hor. My Lord, I did;

But anfwer made it none; yet once methought
It lifted up its Head, and did addrefs
It felf to Motion, like as it would fpeak:
But even then, the Morning Cock crew loud;
And at the found it fhrunk in hafte away,
X.

VO L. V.

And

And vanisht from our fight.

Ham. 'Tis very ftrange.

Hor. As I do live, my honourable Lord, 'tis true;
And we did think it writ down in our Duty
To let you know of it.

Ham. Indeed, indeed, Sirs, but this troubles me.
Hold you the Watch to Night?

Both. We do, my Lord.
Ham. Arm'd, fay you?

Both. Arm'd, my Lord.
Ham. From top to toe?

Both. My Lord, from head to foot.

Ham. Then faw you not his Face?

Hor. O yes, my Lord, he wore his Beaver up.
Ham. What, look'd he frowningly?

Hor. A Countenance more in Sorrow than in Anger.
Ham. Pale, or red?

Hor. Nay, very pale.

Ham. And fixt his Eyes upon you?

Hor. Moft conftantly.

Ham. I would I had been there.

Hor. It would have much amaz'd you.

Ham. Very like, very like; ftaid it long?

Hor. While one with moderate hafte might tell a hundred. All. Longer, longer.

Hor. Not when I faw't.

Ham. His Beard was grifly?

Hor. It was, I have feen it in his Life,

A Sable filver'd.

Ham. I'll watch to Night; perchance 'twill walk again.
Hor. I warrant you it will.

Ham. If it affume my noble Father's Perfon,
I'll speak to it, tho' Hell it self should gape
And bid me hold my Peace. I pray you all,
If you have hitherto conceal'd this Sight;
Let it be treble in your filence ftill:
And whatsoever elfe fhall hap to Night,
Give it an Understanding, but no Tongue;
I will requite your Loves: fo, fare ye well:
Upon the Platform 'twixt eleven and twelve,
I'll vifit you.

All. Our duty to your Honour. [Exeunt,

Ham

Ham. Your love, as mine to you: Farewel.
My Father's Spirit in Arms! All is not well;
I doubt fome foul play; would the Night were come;
"Till then fit ftill, my Soul; foul Deeds will rife,
Tho' all the Earth o'erwhelm them to Mens Eyes.
Enter Laertes and Ophelia.

Laer. My Neceffaries are imbark'd, farewel;
And Sifter, as the Winds give benefit,
And Convoy is affiftant; do not fleep,
But let me hear from you.

Oph. Do you doubt that?

Laer. For Hamlet, and the trifling of his favours,
Hold it a fashion and a toy in Blood,

A Violet in the youth of primy Nature,
Forward, not permanent, tho' fweet, not lafting.
The fuppliance of a minute; no more.
Oph. No more but fo?

Laer. Think it no more:

For Nature crefcent does not grow alone,
In Thews and Bulk; but as his Temple waxes,
The inward fervice of the Mind and Soul
Grows wide withal. Perhaps he loves you now,
And now no foil nor cautel doth befmerch
The virtue of his Fear: But you must fear
His greatness weigh'd, his will is not his own
For he himself is fubject to his Birth;
He may not, as unvalued Perfons do
Carve for himfelf; for, on his choice depends
The fanctity and health of the whole State.
And therefore must his choice be circumfcrib'd
Unto the voice and yielding of that Body,
Whereof he is the Head. Then if he fays he loves you,
It fits your Wisdom fo far to believe it,
As he in his peculiar Sect and force

May give his faying deed; which is no further,
Than the main Voice of Denmark goes withal.
Then weigh that lofs your Honour may fuftain,
If with too credent Ear you lift his Songs,
Or lofe your Heart; or your chafte Treasure open
To his unmastered importunity.

Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear Sifter,

X 2

[Exit.

And

And keep within the rear of your Affection;
Out of the shot and danger of Defire.
The charieft Maid is prodigal enough,
If the unmask her Beauty to the Moon:
Virtue it felf fcapes not calumnious strokes,
The Canker galls the infant of the Spring,
Too oft before the Buttons be disclos'd,
And in the morn and liquid dew of Youth,
Contagious blaftments are moft imminent.
Be wary then, best fafety lies in fear;
Youth to it felf rebels, though none else near.
Oph. I fhall th' effect of this good Leffon keep,
As Watchmen to my Heart: But good my Brother,
Do not as fome ungracious Paftors do,

Shew me the fteep and thorny way to Heav'n;
Whilft like a puft and reckless Libertine,
Himfelf, the Primrose path of dalliance treads,
And reaks not his own read.

Laer. Oh, fear me not.

Enter Polonius.

I ftay too long; but here my Father comes:
A double Bleffing is a double Grace ;
Occafion fmiles upon a fecond leave.

Pol. Yet here, Laertes! aboard, aboard for shame,
The Wind fits in the fhoulder of your Sail,
And you are ftaid for there. My Bleffing with you;
And these few Precepts in thy Memory,

See thou Character. Give thy Thoughts no Tongue,
Nor any unproportion'd Thought his A&t:
Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar;
The Friends thou haft, and their adoption try'd,
Grapple them to thy Soul, with hoops of Steel:
But do not dull thy Palm, with Entertainment
Of each unhatch'd, unfledg'd Comrade. Beware
Of entrance to a Quarrel: But being in
Bear't that th' oppofed may beware of thee:
Give every Man thine Ear; but few thy Voice.
Take each Man's cenfure; but referve thy Judgment.
Coftly thy Habit as thy Purfe can buy;
But not expreft in fancy; rich, not gaudy
For the Apparel oft proclaims the Man,

And

And they in France of the beft Rank and Station,
Are most select and generous, chief in that.
Neither a borrower, nor a lender be;
For Loan oft lofes both it felf and Friend:
A borrowing dulls the edge of Husbandry.
This above all; to thine own felf be true:
And it must follow, as the Night the Day,
Thou canst not then be falfe to any Man.
Farewel; my bleffing feafon this in thee.

Laer. Moft humbly do I take my leave, my Lord.
Pol. The time invites you, go, your Servants tend.
Laer. Farewel, Ophelia, and remember well
What I have faid to you.

Oph. 'Tis in my Memory lockt,

And you your felf fhall keep the Key of it.

Laer. Farewel.

Pol. What is't, Ophelia, he faid to you?

[Exit Laer.

Oph. So please you, fomething touching the Lord Hamlet.

Pol. Marry, well bethought;

'Tis told me he hath very oft of late

Given private time to you; and you your felf

Have of your Audience been moft free and bounteous,
If it be fo, as fo it is put on me,

And that in way of caution, I muft tell you,
You do not understand your felf fo 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.

Girl,

Pol. Affection! puh! you speak like a green
Unfifted in fuch perilous Circumftance.
Do you believe his Tenders, as you call them?
Oph. I do not know, my Lord, what I fhould think.
Pol. Marry I'll teach you; think your felf a Baby,
That you have ta'en his Tenders for true pay.
Which are not sterling. Tender your felf more dearly;
Or not to crack the wind of the poor Phrafe,
Roaming 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.

X 3

Oph.