Hor. Indeed, my lord, it follow'd hard upon.
Ham. Thrift, thrift, Horatio! the funeral bak'd meats

Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.

Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven
Or ever I had feen that day, Horatio!-
My father,-methinks, I see 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 shall not look upon his like again.

Hor. My lord, I think I saw 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 God's love, let me hear.
Hor. Two nights together had these gentlemen,
Marcellus and Bernardo, on their watch,
In the dead waist and middle of the night,
Been thus encounter'd. A figure like your father
Armed at point, exactly, cap-à-pé,

Appears before them, and, with folemn march,
Goes flow and stately by them: thrice he walk'd
By their oppress'd and fear-furprized eyes,
Within his truncheon's length; whilst they, distill'd
Almost to jelly with the act of fear,

This to me

Stand dumb and speak not to him.
In dreadful fecrecy impart they did :
And I, with them, the third night, kept the watch:

Where

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 watch'd.

Ham. Did you not speak to it?

Hor. My lord, I did;

But answer made it none: yet once, methought,

It lifted up its head, and did address

Itself to motion, like as it would speak:

But, even then, the morning cock crew loud,

And at the found it shrunk in haste away,

And vanish'd from our fight.

Ham. 'Tis very strange.

Hor. As I do live, my honour'd lord, 'tis true;

And we did think it writ down in our duty,

To let you know of it.

Ham. Indeed, indeed, firs, but this troubles me.

Hold you the watch to-night?

All. We do, my lord.

Ham. Arm'd, say you?

All. Arm'd, my lord.

Ham. From top to toe?

All. My lord, from head to foot.

Ham. Then saw 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 forrow than in anger.

Ham. Pale, or red?

Hor. Nay, very pale.

Ham. And fix'd his eyes upon you?

Hor.

Hor. Most constantly.

Ham. I would I had been there.

Hor. It would have much amaz'd you.

Ham. Very like,

Very like. Stay'd it long?

Hor. While one with moderate haste might tell a hundred.

Mar. Ber. Longer, longer.

Hor. Not when I saw it.

Ham. His beard was grizzl'd? no?

Hor. It was as I have seen it in his life,

A fable filver'd.

Ham. I will watch to night;
Perchance 'twill walk again.
Hor. I warrant it will.

Ham. If it assume my noble father's perfon,
I'll speak to it, though hell itself should gape,
And bid me hold my peace. I pray you all,
If you have hitherto conceal'd this fight,
Let it be tenable in your filence still;
And whatsoever else shall hap to-night,
Give it an understanding, but no tongue;
I will requite your loves: So, fare you well:
Upon the platform, 'twixt eleven and twelve,
I'll vifit you.

All. Our duty to your honour.

Ham. Your loves, as mine to you: Farewell.

[Exeunt HORATIO, MARCELLUS, and BERNARDO.

My father's spirit in arms! all is not well;
I doubt some foul play: would the night were come!
Till then fit still, my foul: Foul deeds will rife,
Though all the earth o'erwhelm them, to men's eyes.[Exit.

SCENE SCENE III.

A Room in POLONIUS'S House.
Enter LAERTES and OPHELIA.

Laer. My necessaries are embark'd; farewell:
And, fister, as the winds give benefit,
And convoy is assistant, do not fleep,

But let me hear from you.

Oph. Do you doubt that?

Laer. For Hamlet, and the trifling of his favour,

Hold it a fashion, and a toy in blood;

A violet in the youth of primy nature,
Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting,
The perfume and fuppliance of a minute;
No more.

Opb. No more but so?
Laer. Think it no more:

For nature, crefcent, does not grow alone
In thews, and bulk; but, as this temple waxes,
The inward service of the mind and foul
Grows wide withal. Perhaps, he loves you now;
And now no foil, or cautel, doth befmirch
The virtue of his will: but, you must fear,
His greatness weigh'd, his will is not his own;
For he himself is subject to his birth:
He may not, as unvalued persons do,
Carve for himself; for on his choice depends
The fafety and the 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 says, he loves you,

It fits your wisdom so far to believe it,
As he in his particular act and place

May

May give his saying deed; which is no further,
Than the main voice of Denmark goes withal.
Then weigh what loss your honour may sustain,
If with too credent ear you list his fongs;
Or lofe your heart; or your chaste treasure open
To his unmaster'd importunity.

Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister;
And keep you in the rear of your affection,
Out of the shot and danger of defire.
The chariest maid is prodigal enough,
If she unmask her beauty to the moon:
Virtue itself scapes not calumnious strokes:
The canker galls the infants of the spring,
Too oft before their buttons be disclos'd;
And in the morn and liquid dew of youth,
Contagious blastments are most imminent.
Be wary then: best safety lies in fear;
Youth to itself rebels, though none else near.

Oph. I shall the effect of this good lesson keep
As watchman to my heart: But, good my brother,
Do not, as fome ungracious pastors do,

Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven;
Whilst, like a puff'd and reckless libertine,
Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads,

And recks not his own read.

Laer. O, fear me not.

I stay too long; -but here my father comes.

Enter POLONIUS.

A double blessing is a double grace;

Occasion smiles upon a second leave.

Pol. Yet here, Laertes! aboard, aboard, for shame;

The wind fits in the shoulder of your fail,

And you are staid for: There,-my blessing with you;

[Laying his hand on LAERTES' head.