Hamlet.

Horatio, thou art e'en as just a man
As e'er my conversation coped withal.

O, my dear lord,—

Horatio.

Hamlet.

Nay, do not think I flatter;

For what advancement may I hope from thee,
That no revenue hast, but thy good spirits,

To feed and clothe thee? Why should the poor be flattered? No, let the candied tongue lick absurd pomp;

And crook the pregnant hinges of the knee

Where thrift may follow fawning. Dost thou hear?
Since my dear soul was mistress of her choice,

And could of men distinguish, her election

Hath sealed thee for herself: for thou hast been
As one, in suffering all, that suffers nothing;

A man that fortune's buffets and rewards

Hast ta'en with equal thanks: and blessed are those
Whose blood and judgment are so well co-mingled,
That they are not a pipe for fortune's finger
To sound what stop she please. Give me that man
That is not passion's slave, and I will wear him
In my heart's core, ay, in my heart of heart,
As I do thee. Something too much of this.
There is a play to-night before the king;
One scene of it comes near the circumstance
Which I have told thee of my father's death:
I pr'ythee, when thou seest that act a-foot,
Even with the very comment of thy soul,
Observe mine uncle: if his occulted guilt
Do not itself unkennel in one speech,
It is a damnèd ghost that we have seen;
And my imaginations are as foul

As Vulcan's stithy. Give him heedful note:
For I mine eyes will rivet to his face;
And, after, we will both our judgments join
In censure of his seeming.

march. Enter King, Queen, Polonius, Horatio, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and Hamlet.

King.

[Ascends throne R.

How fares our cousin Hamlet?

Hamlet.

Excellent, i' faith; of the chameleon's dish: I eat the air, promise-crammed: you cannot feed capons so.

King.

I have nothing with this answer, Hamlet; these words are not mine.

No, nor mine now.

Hamlet.

[To Polonius.] My lord, you

played once in the university, you say?

Pol.

That did I, my lord; and was accounted a good actor.

Hamlet.

And what did you enact ?

Pol.

I did enact Julius Cæsar: I was killed i' the Capitol; Brutus killed me.

Hamlet.

It was a brute part of him [Aside] to kill so capital a calf there.— Be the players ready?

Ros.

Ay, my lord; they stay upon your patience.

Queen.

Come hither, my dear Hamlet, sit by me.

Hamlet.

No, good mother, here 's metal more attractive.

O, your only jig-maker. What should a man do but be merry? for, look you, how cheerfully my mother looks, and my father died within these two hours.

Oph.

Nay, 't is twice two months, my lord.

Hamlet.

So long? Nay, then, let the devil wear black, for I'll have a suit of sables. Two months ago, and not forgotten yet? Then there's hope a great man's memory may outlive his life half a year: but, by 'r lady, he must build churches, then.

Oph.

What means the play, my lord?