No, let the candied tongue lick abfurd pomp; | Bow, ftubborn knees! and, heart, with strings And crook the pregnant hinges of the knee, Where thrift may follow fawning. Doft thou
Since my dear foul was mistress of her choice, And could of mea diftinguish her election, She hath feal'd thee for herfelf: for thou haft been
As one, in fuffering all, that fuffers nothing; A man, that fortune's buffets and rewards Haft ta'en with equal thanks: and bleft are thofe, [mingled, Whole blood and judgment are fo well com- That they are not a pipe for fortune's finger, To found what ftop the please: Give me the
That is not paffion's flave, and I will wear him In my heart's core-ay, in my heart of heart, As I do thee.
'Tis now the very witching time of night; When church-yards yawn, and hell itfelf breaths out [hot blood, Contagion to this world: Now could I drink And do fuch business as the bitter day Would quake to look on. Soft; now to my mo- O heart, lofe not thy nature: let not ever[ther. The foul of Nero enter this firm bosom: Let me be cruel, not unnatural: I will fpeak daggers to her, but ufe none. The King's defpairing Soliloquy, and Hamlet's Reflections on him.
Be foft as finews of the new-born babe; All may be well! [The King heels. Enter Hamlet. [ing; Ham. Now might I do it, pat, now he is pray- And now I'll do't; and fo he goes to heav'ne And fo am reveng'd? that would be scann'd: A villain kills my father; and, for that, I, his fole fon, do this fame villain fend To heaven!
O, my offence is rank, it finells to heav'n; It hath the primal, eldest curfe upon 't, A brother's murder! Pray I cannot, Tho' inclination be as sharp as will; My ftronger guilt defeats my strong intent; And, like a man to double business bound, I ftand in paufe where I fhall firft begin, And both neglect. What if this curfed hand Were thicker than itself with brother's blood? Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens To wash it white as fnow? Whereto ferves But to confront the vifage of offence? [mercy, And what's in prayer, but this two-fold force To be foreftalled, ere we come to fall, Or pardon'd, being down? then I'll look up; My fault is paft. But O, what form of prayer Can ferve my turn? Forgive me my foul mur- That cannot be; fince I am still poffefs'd [der! Of those effects for which I did the murder, My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen. May one be pardon'd, and retain th' offence? In the corrupted currents of this world, Offence's gilded hand may shove by juftice: And oft 'tis feen, the wicked prize itfelf Buys out the law but 'tis not fo above: There is no fhuffling, there the action lies In its true nature; and we ourselves compell'd Even to the teeth and forehead of our faults To give in evidence. What then? what refts? Try what repentance can: what can it not? Yet what can it, when one canhotrepent £ O wretched state! O bofom, Black as death! Olind foul! that, struggling to be free, Artore engag'd! help, angels, make allay!
Butikourcircumstance, and course of thought, 'Tis heavy with him: and am I then reveng'd To take him in the purging of his foul, When he is fit and feafoned for his paffage? No.
Up fword; and know thou a more horrid hent When he is drunk, afleep, or in his rage; Or in the incestuous pleafures of his bed; At gaming, fwearing; or about fome act That has no relish of falvation in't: [ven; Then trip him, that his heels may kick at hea And that his foul may be as damn'd, and As hell whereto it goes. [black,
Hamlet and his Mother. Queen. What have I done, that thou dar'ft In noife fo rude against me? [wag thy tongue Ham. Such an act,
That blurs the grace and blush of modefty; Calls virtue hypocrite; takes of the rose From the fair forehead of an innocent love, And fets a blifter there; makes marriage-vows As falfe as dicers' oaths: O, fuch a deed, As from the body of contraction plucks The very foul! and fweet religion makes A raphfody of words.
Queen. Ah me, what act!
Ham. Look here, upon this picture, and on The counterfeit prefentment of two brothers. See what a grace was feated on this brow: Hyperion's curls; the front of Jova himself; An eye like Mars, to threaten or command; A station like the herald Mercury, New-lighted on a heaven-kifting hill; A combination, and a form, indeed, Where every god did feem to fet his feal, To give the world affurance of a man;[follows; This was your husband, Look you now, what Here is your hufband; like a mildew'd ear, Blaftinghiswholefomebrother. Have youeyes? Could you on this fair mountain leave to feed, And batten on this moor?
Queen. O, Hamlet, speak no more; Thou turn't mine eyes into my very foul; And there I fee fuch black and grained fpots, As will not leave their tinct.
Ham. Save'me, and hover o'er me with your wings,
You heavenly guards!-What would your gracious figure?
Queen. Alas! he's mad.
[chide, Ham. Do you not come your tardy son to That, laps'd in time and paffion, lets go by Th'important acting of your dread command? O, fay-
Ghoft. Do not forget: this vifitation Is but to whet thy almoft blunted purpofe. But, look! amazement on thy mother fits: Oftep between her and her fighting foul! Conceit in weakest bodies strongest works; Speak to her, Hamlet.
Ham. How is it with you, Lady? Queen. Alas! how is it with you? That you do bend your eye on vacancy, Andwith the incorporeal air do hold difcourfe? Forth at your eyes your fpirits wildly peep; And, asthe fleeping foldiers in the alarm, Your bedded hair, like life in excrements, Starts up and ftands on end. O, gentle fon, Upon the heat and flame of thy diftemper Sprinkle cool patience. Whereon do you look? Ham. On him I on him! look you, how pale he glares 1 [ftones, His form and caufe conjoin'd, preaching to Would make them capable. Do not look on me, Left, with this piteous action, you convert My ftern effects: then, what I have to do Will want true colour; tears, perchance, for Queen. To whom do you speak this? [blood. Ham. Do you fee nothing there? Pointing to the Ghoft. Queen. Nothing at all; yet all, that is,I fee. Ham. Nor did you nothing hear? Queen. No, nothing, but ourselves. Ham. Why, look you there! look how it fteals away!
My father, in his habit as he liv'd! Look, where he goes, even now, out at the portal. Exit Ghoft. Queen. This is the very coinage of your brain: This bodilefs creation ecftafy Is very cunning in.
Mypulfe,as yours,doth temperatelykeeptime, And makes as healthful mufic: it is not mad. That I have utter'd: bring me to the teft,[ness And I the matter will re-word: which madnefs Wouldgambol from, Mother, for love of grace, Lay not that flattering unction to your foul. That not your trefpafs, but my madness speaks: It will but skin and film the ulcerous place; Whiles rank corruption, mining all within, Infects unfeen.-Confefs yourself to heaven; Repent what's past; avoid what is to come. Queen. O Hamlet! thou haft cleft my heart in twain.
Ham. O, throw away the worfer part of it, And leave the purer with the other half. Good night: but go not to my uncle's bed: Affume à virtue, if you have it not. That monster cuftom, who all fenfe doth eat Of habit's devil, is angel yet in this; That to the ufe of actions fair and good He likewife gives a frock, or livery, That aptly is put on: refrain to-night; And that thall lend a kind of,eatinefs.. To the next abftinece: the next more eafy:
Forufe can almost change the ftamp of nature, And either curb the devil or throw him out With wondrous potency. Once more, goodnight!
And when you are defirous to be blest, I'll bleffing beg of you. [do;
Queen. What thall I do?
Ham. Not this, by no means, that I bid you Let the bloat king tempt you again to bed; Pinch wanton on your cheek; call you hit mouse;
And let him for a pair of reechy kiffes, Or paddling in your neck with his damn'd fin Make you to ravel all this matter out,fgers, That I effentially am not in madness, [know, But mad in craft. 'Twere good, you let him Queen. Be thou affur'd, if words be made of
And breath of life, I have no life to breathe What thou haft faid to me.
Ham. I muft to England, you know that? Queen Alack, I had forgot; 'Tis fo concluded on.
Ham. There's letters feal'd; and my two schoolfellows,
Whom I will truft, as I will adders fang', They bear the mandate; they muffweep my way,
And mar fhal me to knavery: let it work; For 'tis the fport, to have the engineer Hoift with his own petar: and it hall go hard, But I will delve one yard below their mine, And blow them at the moon.
Hamlet's Reflection on his own Irrefolution. How all occafions do inform against me, And fpur my dull revenge; What is a man, If his chief good and market of his time Be but to fleep and feed a beaft, no more. Sure, he, that made us with luch large dif Looking before, and after, gave us not courfe, That capability and god-like reason To fuft in us unus'd: now, whether it be Bestial oblivion, or fome craven fcruple Of thinking too precifely on the event, A thought, which, quarter'd, hath but one part wisdom,
And ever three parts coward-I do not know Why yet I live to fay, this thing's to do; Sith I have caufe, and will, and strength,and
To do't. Examples, grofs as earth, exhort me Witnefs, this army, of fuch mafs, and charge, Led by a delicate and tender prince, Whofe fpirit with divine ambition puft, Makes mouths at the invisible event; Expofing what is mortal, and unfure, To all that fortune, death, and danger dare, Even for an egg-fhell. Rightly to be great, Is, not to ftir without great argument; But greatly to find quarrel in a ftraw, When honour's at the ftake. How ftand I then, That have a father kill'd, a mother ftain'd, Excitements of my reafon and my blood, And let all fleep? while to my thame I fee The imminent danger of twenty thousand men, That, for a phantafy, and trick of fame, Go to their graves like beds; fight for a plot
Let him go,Gertrude; do not fear our perfon: There's fuch divinity doth hedge a king, That treafon can but peep to what it would, A&t little of his will.
Defcription of Ophelia's Drowning. There is a willow grows afcaunt the brook, That fhews his hoar leaves in the glaffy stream; Therewith fantastic garlands did the make, Of crow-flowers, nettles, daifies, and long purples,
That liberal thepherds give a groffer name, But our cold maids do dead men's fingers call [weeds There on the pendant boughs her coronet Clambering to hang, an envious fliver broke; When down her weedy trophies and herself, Fell in the weeping brook. Her clothes spread wide
And, mermaid-like, awhile they bore her up: Which time the chanted fnatches of old tunes, As one incapable of her own diftrefs, Or like a creature native and indued Unto that element; but long it could not be, Till that her garments heavy with their drink, Pull'd the poor wretch from her melodious lay To muddy death.
A fpotlefs Virgin buried.
Lay her i'the earth; And from her fair and unpolluted flesh May violets fpring! I tell thee,churlish priest, A minift'ring angel fhall my fifter be, When thou lieft howling.
This is mere madness: And thus awhile the fit will work on him; Anon, as patient as the female dove, When firft her golden couplets are difclos'd, His filence will fit drooping.
Providence directs our Ations.
And that should teach us, There's a Divinity that shapes our ends, Rough-hew them how we will.
Give me the cups; And let the kettle to the trumpet fpeak, The trumpet to the cannoneer without, The cannons to the heavens, the heavens to "Now the King drinks to Hamlet." [earth;
$19. THE FIRST PART OF HENRY IV. SHAKSPEARE.
Peace after civil War.
So fhaken as we are, fo wan with care,
Shall daub her lips with her own children's blood;
Find we a time for frighted peace to pant, And breath fhort-winded accents of new broils To be commenc'd in stronds afar remote. No more the thirsty entrance of this feil
No more fhall trenching war channel her fields; Nor bruife her flowrets with the armed hoofs Of hoftile paces: Thofe oppofed eyes, Which, like the meteors of a troubled heaven, All of one nature, of one fubftance bred— Did lately meet in the inteftine shock And furious clofe of civil butchery, Shall now, in mutual, well-befeeming ranks, March all one way: and be no more oppos'd Against acquaintance, kindred, and allies: The edge of war, like an ill-fheathed knife, No more fhall cut his master. King Henry's Character of Percy, and of his Son Prince Henry.
Yea, there thou mak'ft me fad, and mak'st In envy that my lord Northumberland [me fin Should be the father of fo bleft a fon:
A fon, who is the theme of honour's tongue : Amongst a grove the very ftraightest plant; Who is fweet fortune's minion, and her pride: Whilft I, by looking on the praife of him, See riot and difhonour stain the brow Of my young Harry.
Prince Henry's Soliloquy.
I know you all, and will awhile uphold The unyok'd humour of your idleness: Yet herein will I imitate the fun, Who doth permit the bafe contagious clouds To fmother up his beauty from the world; That, when he please again to be himself, Being wanted, he may more be wonder'd at, By breaking through the foul and ugly mifts Of vapours that did feem to ftrangle him. If all the year were playing holidays, To fport would be as tedious as to work; But, when they feldom come, they wish'd-for come,
And nothing pleafeth but rare accidents. So, when this loose behaviour I throw off, And pay the debt I never promis'd; By how much better than my word I am, By fo much shall I falfify men's hopes; And, like bright metal on a fullen ground, My reformation, glitt'ring o'er my fault, Shall fhew more goodly, and attract more eyes, Than that which hath no foil to fet it off, I'll fo offend, to make offence a skill; Redeeming time, when men think least I will.
Hotfpur's Defcription of a finical Courtier. But, I remember, when the fight was done, When I was dry with rage and extreme toil, Breathlefs and faint, leaning upon my fword, Came there a certain lord, neat, and trimly dreft: [reap'd,
Fresh as a bridegroom; and his chin, new- Shew'd like a ftuble land at harveft-home: He was perfumed like a milliner; And 'twixt his finger and his thumb he held A pouncet box, which ever and anon He gave his nofe, and took't away again :- Who, therewith angry, when it next came there, [talk'd, Took it in fnuff.-And still he fmil'd, and And, as the foldiers' bare dead bodies by,
He call'dthem--untaughtknaves, unmannerly, On fome greatfudden hafte. O, what portent:
To bring a flovenly unhandfome corfe Betwixt the wind and his nobility. With many holiday and lady terms He queftion'd me, amongst the rest,demanded My prifoners, in your majefty's behalf. I then, all fmarting with iny wounds, being To be fo pefter'd with a popinjay, Out of my grief and my impatience Anfwer'd neglectingly I know not what; Hefhould or hefhouldnot; for he made me mad, To fee him fhine fo brifk, and fmell fo fweet, And talk fo like a waiting gentlewoman, Of guns, and drums, and wounds(God fave the mark!),
And telling me the fovereign'ft thing on earth Was parmacity, for an inward bruife; And that it was great pity, fo it was, That villainous falt-petre fhould be digg'd Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had deftroy'd So cowardly; and, but for thefe vile guns, He would himfelf have been a foldier.
I'll read your matter deep and dangerous; As full of peril and advent'rous fpirit, As to o'erwalk a current, roaring loud, On the unfteadfast footing of a fpear. Honour.
By heaven, methinks it were aneafy leap, To pluck bright honour from the pale-fac'd Or dive into the bottom of the deep, [moon; Where fathom line could never touch the ground,
And pluck up drowned honour by the locks; So he thatdoth redeem her thence, might wear Without co-rival all her dignities. But out upon this half fac'd fellowship!
Lady Percy's pathetic Speech to her Husband. O my good ford, why are you thus alone? For what offence have I, this fortnight, been A banish'd woman from my Harry's bed? Tell me, fweet lord, what is't takes from
Thy ftomach, pleasure, and thy golden fleep? Whydoft thou bend thine eyes upon the earth, And start fo often when thou fitt'st alone? Whyhaftthou loft the fresh blood in thy cheeks? And giv'n my treasures, and my rights of thee, To thick ey'd mufing, and curs'd melancholy? In thy faint flumbers I by thee have watch'd, And heard thee murmur tales of iron wars: Speak terms of manage to thy bounding fteed; Cry, "Courage! to the field!" and thou haft Of fallies, and retires; of trenches, tents,[talk'd Of pallifadoes, frontiers, parapets; Of bafilifks, of cannon, culverin; Of prifoners' ranfom, and of foldiers flain, And all the currents of a heady fight. Thy fpirit within thee hath been fo at war, And thus hath fo beftirr'd thee in thy fleep, That beads of fweat have ftood upon thy brow,
Like bubbles in a late difturbed stream: And in thy face ftrange motions have appear'd, Suchas we fee when men restrain their breath
Some heavy bufinefs hath my lord in hand, And I must know it, elfe he loves me not. Prodigies ridiculed.
I cannot blame him: at my nativity, The front of heaven was full of fiery shapes, Of burning creffets, and, at my birth, The frame and huge foundation of the earth Shak'd like a coward.
Hot. Why fo it would have done At the fame feafon, if your mother's cat Had kitten'd--tho'yourfelfhadne'erbeenbora Difeafed nature oftentimes breaks forth In ftrange eruptions: oft the teeming earth Is with a kind of cholic pinch'd and vex'd, By the imprifoning of unruly wind Within her womb; which, for enlargement ftriving,
Shakes the old beldame earth, and topples Steeples, and mofs-grown towers. [down On miferable Rhymers.
I had rather be a kitten, and cry-mew, Than one of these fame metre-ballad mongers; I had rather hear a brazen cansfick turn'd, Or a dry wheel grate on the axle-tree; And that would fet my teeth nothing onedg Nothing fo much as mincing poetry; 'Tis like the forc'd gait of a shuffling nag Punctuality in Bargain.
To any well-deferving friend; I'll give thrice fo much land But, in the way of bargain, mark ye me, Ill cavil on the ninth part of a hair.
A Hufband fung to Sleep by a fair Wif She bids you Upon the wanton rushes lay you down, And reft your gentle head upon her lap, And he will ung the fong that pleafeth you And on your eye-lids crown the god of fleep. Charming your blood with pleafing heavinet Making fuch difference 'twixt wake and beep, As is the difference betwixt day and night, The hour before the heavenly harness'd tea Begins his golden progrefs in the caft.
King Henry the IVth to his Son. Had I fo lavish of my presence been, So common hackney'd in the eyes of men, So ftale and cheap to vulgar company, Opinion, that did help me to the crown, Had still kept loyal to poffeffion; And left me in reputelefs banishment, A fellow of no mark or likelihood. By being feldom feen, I could not ftir, But, like a comet, I was wondered at: [he." That men would tell their children; "This is Others would fay, "Where? which is Bo
And then I ftole all courtefy from heaven, And drefs'd myself in fuch humility, That I didpluck allegiance from men's hearts, Loud fhouts and falutationsfrom their mouths, Even in the prefence of the crowned king. Thus did I keep my perfon fresh and new; My prefence, like a robe pontifical,
Ne'er feen but wondered at: and fo my ftate, Seldom, but fumptuous, thewed like a feaft; And won, by rarenefs, fuch folemnity. The fkipping king, he ambled up and down With thallow jetters, and rath bavin wits, Scunkindled, and foon burned: 'carded his Mingled his royaltywith capering fools; [ftate; Had his great name profaned with their fcorns; And gave his countenance against his name, To laugh at gibing boys, and ftand the push Of every beardlefs vain comparative: Grew a companion to the common streets, Enfeoffed him elf to popularity: That, being daily fwallowed by men's eyes, They furfeited with honey; and began To loath the taste of sweetness, whereof a little More than a little is by much too much. So, when he had occafion to be seen, lie was but as the cuckow is in June, Heard,not regarded; feen, but with fuch eyes, As, fick and blunted with community, Afferd no extraordinary gaze, Such as is bent on fun-like majefty When it fhines feldom in admiring eyes: But rather drows'd, and hung their eye-lids down,
Slept in his face, and rendered fuch afpect Ascloudy men ufe to their adverfaries; [full. Being with his prefence glutted, gorg'd, and Prince Henry's modeft Defence of himself.
-God forgive them, that fo much have fway'd
Your Majefty's good thoughts away from me! 1 will redeem all this on Percy's head, And, in the clofing of fome glorious day, Be bold to tell you that I am your fon; When I will wear a garment all of blood, And ftain my favours in a bloody mask, Which, wash'd away, fhall fcour my fhame with it..
And that shall be the day, whene'er it lights, That this fame child of honour and renown, This gallant Hotspur, this all-praifed knight, And your unthought of Harrychance to meet: For ev'ry honour fitting on his.hehn, Would they were multitudes; and on my head My fhames redoubled; for the time will come That I shall make this northern youth ex- His glorious deeds for my indignities. [change Percy is but my factor, good my lord, To engrofs up glorious deeds on my behalf; And I will call him to so strict account, That he shall render every glory up, Yea, even the flighteft worthip of his time, Or I will tear the reckoning from his heart. This, in the name of God, I promise here: The which, if he be pleas'd I fhall perform, I do befeech your majefty may falve The long grown wounds of my intemperance: If not, the end of life cancels all bonds;
And I will die a hundred thousand deaths, Ere break the fmallest parcel of this vow. Gallant Warrior.
I faw young Harry-with his beaver on,
They come like facrifices in their trim, And to the fire-eyed maid of fmoky war, All hot and bleeding, will we offer them: The mailed Mars fhall on his altar fit, Up to the ears in blood. I am on fire, To hear this rich reprifal is fo nigh, And yet not ours: Come, let me take my horfe, Who is to bear me like a thunderbolt, Against the bofom of the Prince of Wales: Harry to Harry fhall, not horfe to horse, Meet, and ne'er part, till one drop down a O, that Glendower were come!
Prince Henry's modeft Challenge. -Tell your nephew,
[world The Prince of Wales doth join with all the In praife of Henry Percy: by my hopesThis prefent enterprise fet off his headI do not think, a braver gentleman, More active-valiant, or more valiant, young More daring, or more bold, is now alive, To grace this latter age with noble deeds. For my part, I fpeak it to my shame, I have a truant been to chivalry; And fo I hear he doth account me too: Yet this before my father's majeftyI am content that he thall take the odds Of his great name and eftimation; And will, to fave the blood on either fide, Try fortune with him in a fingle fight. Prince Henry's pathetic Speech on the Death of Hot/pur.
-Brave Percy:-fare thee well, great heart! Ill-weav'd ambition, how much art thou fhrunk !
When that this body did contain a fpirit, A kingdom for it was too fmall a bound; But now, two paces of the vileft earth Is room enough:-This earth that bears thee Bears not alive, fo ftout a gentleman. [dead, If thou wert fenfible of courtefy,
fhould not make fo dear a fhow of zeal :- But let my favours hide thy mangled face; And, even in thy behalf, I'll thank myself, For doing thefe fair rites of tenderness. [ven! Adieu, and take thy praife with thee to hea Thy ignominy fleep with thee in the grave, But not remember'd in thy epitaph! Life demands Action.
O, gentlemen, the time of life is fhort; Tofpend that shortnefs bafely, were too long. It life did ride upon a dial's point, Still ending at the arrival of an hour.
§ 20. THE SCOND PART OF HENRY IV.
FROM the orient to the drooping west, Making the wind my pofthore, fill unfold The acts commenced on this ball of earth: His cuifes on his thighs, gallantly arm'd-Upon my tongues continual flanders ride; The which in ev'ry language I pronounce;
Kite from the ground, like feather'd Mercury, And vaulted with fuch eafe into his feat,
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