"Stars fhone with trains of fire, dews of blood fell; "Difafters veil'd the fun; and the moist star, "Upon whofe influence Neptune's empire ftands, Was fick almost to dooms-day with eclipfe. And even the like precurse of fierce * events, As harbingers preceeding ftill the fates, And prologue to the omen † coming on, Have heav'n and earth together demonstrated Unto our climatures and countrymen. Enter Ghoft again. But foft, behold! lo, where it comes again! If there be any good thing to be done, That may to thee do ease, and grace to me ;- If thou art privy to thy country's fate, Or, if thou haft uphoorded, in thy life Extorted treafure, in the womb of earth, [Cock crows. For which, they fay, you fpirits oft walk in death, Speak of it. Stay, and speak-Stop it. Marcellus.Mar. Shall I ftrike at it with my partifan ? Her. Do, if it will not stand. Ber. 'Tis here Hor. 'Tis here Mar. 'Tis gone. We do it wrong, being so majestical, To offer it the thew of violence; For it is as the air, invulnerable; And our vain blows, malicious mockery." [Exit Ghoft. Ber. It was about to speak when the cock crew. Hor. "And then it started like a guilty thing "Upon a fearful fummons I have heard, "The cock, that is the trumpet to the morn, *fierce, for terrible. tsmen, for fate. ‡ i. e. unjustly extorted from thy subjects. "Doth with his lofty and fhrill-founding throat Mar. It faded on the crowing of the cock. "Some fay, that ever 'gainst that season comes "Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated, "The bird of dawning fingeth all night long: "And then they fay no fpirit walks abroad; "The nights are wholfome, then no planets ftriko, "No fairy takes, no witch hath power to charm; "So hallow'd and fo gracious is the time. Hor. So have I heard, and do in part believe it. "But look, the morn, in ruffet mantle clad, "Walks o'er the dew of yon high eastward hill; Break we our watch up; and, by my advice, Let us impart what we have seen to-night Unto young Hamlet. For, upon my life, This fpirit, dumb to us, will speak to him. Do you confent, we fhall acquaint him with it, As needful in our loves, fitting our duty? Mar. Let's do't, I pray; and this morning know Where we shall find him moft conveniently. [Exeunt. SCENE II. Changes to the palace. Enter Claudius King of Denmark, Gertrude the Queen, Hamlet, Polonius, Laertes, Voltimand, Cornelius, Lords and Attendants. King Tho' yet of Hamlet our dear brother's death The memory be green, and that it fitted To bear our hearts in grief, and our whole kingdom Yet fo far hath Difcretion fought with Nature, i. e, go out of its bounds, With one aufpicious, and one dropping eye, Taken to wife. Nor have we herein barr'd Or thinking by our late dear brother's death To our most valiant brother.-So much for him.- Farewel, and let your hafte commend your duty. And lofe your voice. What would'ft thou beg, Laertes, Than to the throne of Denmark is thy father. Your Your leave and favour to return to France; From whence, though willingly, I came to Denmark To fhew my duty in your coronation; Yet now I must confefs, that duty done, My thoughts and wifhes bend again tow'rd France: And bow them to your gracious leave and pardon. King. Have you your father's leave? what fays Po lonius! Pol. He hath, my Lord, by laboursome petition, Wrung from me my flow leave; and, at the last, Upon his will I feal'd my hard confent. I do befeech you, give him leave to go King Take thy fair hour, Laertes, time be thine; And thy belt graces fpend it at thy will. But now, my coufin Hamlet. -Kind my fon Ham. A little more than kin, and lefs than kind *. [Afide. King How is it that the clouds ftill hang on you? Ham Not fo, my Lord, I am too much i'the fun. Queen. Good Hamlet, caft thy nighted colour off, And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark. Do not, for ever, with thy veiled lids, Seek for thy noble father in the duft; Thou know'st 'tis common; all that live, must die; Ham. Ay, Madam, it is common. Queen. If it be, Why feems it fo particular with thee? Ham. Seems, Madam nay. it is; I know not, feems: 'Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, Nor customary fuits of folemn black, Nor windy fufpiration of force'd breath, *It is not unreasonable to fuppofe, that this was a proverbial expreffion, known in former times for a relation fo blended and confused, that it was hard to define it.. King. 'Tis fweet and commendable in your nature, To give these mourning duties to your father: "To do obfequious forrow. But to perfevere 66 Why should we, in our peevish oppofition, "Take it to heart? fie! 'tis a fault to heav'n, "A fault against the dead, a fault to nature, "To reafon moft abfurd; whose common theme "Is death of fathers, and who ftill hath cry'd, "From the first corfe, till he that died to-day, "This must be fo. We pray you throw to earth || This unprevailing ** woe, and think of us As of a father: for let the world take note, You are the most immediate to our throne; And with no lefs nobility ++ of love, Than that which dearest father bears his fon, Queen. Let not thy mother lose her pravers, Hamlet: condelement, for forrow; becaufe forrow is used to be condoled. † incorrect, for untutor'd. reafon, for experience. e. into the grave with your father. unprevailing, for unavailing. ++ nobility, for magnitude. impart, for poffs. |