But this most foul, strange, and unnatural

Ham. Haste me to know it; that I, with wings

as swift

As meditation, or the thoughts of love,

May sweep to my revenge.

Ghost.

I find thee apt;

And duller shouldst thou be than the fat weed

That rots itself in ease on Lethe wharf,

Wouldst thou not stir in this. Now, Hamlet,

hear:

'Tis given out, that sleeping in mine orchard,

A serpent stung me; so the whole ear of Denmark

Is by a forged process of my death

Rankly abused: but know, thou noble youth,
The serpent, that did sting thy father's life,
Now wears his crown.

Ham. O, my prophetic soul! my uncle!

Ghost. Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast, With witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts, (O wicked wit, and gifts, that have the power So to seduce!) won to his shameful lust The will of my most seeming-virtuous queen. O, Hamlet, what a falling-off was there! From me, whose love was of that dignity, That it went hand in hand even with the vow I made to her in marriage; and to decline Upon a wretch, whose natural gifts were poor To those of mine!

But virtue, as it never will be moved,

Though lewdness court it in a shape of heaven;
So lust. though to a radiant angel link'd,

Will sate itself'in a celestial bed,

And prey on garbage.

But, soft methinks, I scent the morning air :
Brief let me be.-Sleeping within mine orchard,
My custom always of the afternoon,
Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole,
With juice of cursed hebenon1 in a vial,
And in the porches of mine ears did pour
The leperous distilment; whose effect
Holds such an enmity with blood of man,
That, swift as quicksilver, it courses through
The natural gates and alleys of the body;
And, with a sudden vigor, it doth posset
And curd, like eager 2 droppings into milk,
The thin and wholesome blood: so did it mine;
And a most instant tetter 3 bark'd about,

Most lazar-like, with vile and loathsome crust,
All my smooth body.

Thus was I, sleeping, by a brother's hand,

Of life, of crown, of queen at once despatch'd;
Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin,
Unhousel'd,5 disappointed,6 unaneled; 7
No reckoning made, but sent to my account
With all my imperfections on my head.
O, horrible! O, horrible! most horrible!
If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not;

5. Without having received the sacrament. Unappointea, unprepared.

• Scurf.

7 Without extreme unction.

Let not the royal bed of Denmark be
A couch for luxury and damned incest.
But, howsoever thou pursuest this act,
Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive
Against thy mother aught; leave her to Heaven,
And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge,
To prick and sting her. Fare thee well at once!
The glow-worm shows the matin to be near,
And 'gins to pale his uneffectual fire.

Adieu, adieu, adieu! remember me.

[Exit.

Ham. O, all you host of heaven! O, earth!

What else?

And shall I couple hell?-O, fie!-Hold, hold, my

heart;

And you, my sinews, grow not instant old,
But bear me stiffly up!-Remember thee?
Ay, thou poor ghost, while memory holds a seat
In this distracted globe.1-Remember thee?
Yea, from the table of my memory

I'll wipe away all trivial fond records,

All saws 2 of books, all forms, all pressures past,
That youth and observation copied there;
And thy commandment all alone shall live
Within the book and volume of my brain,
Unmix'd with baser matter: yes, by heaven.
O most pernicious woman!

O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain!
My tables: 3-meet it is, I set it down,

1 Head.

• Memorandums.

2 Sayings, sentences.

'That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain; At least, I am sure, it may be so in Denmark.

[writing

Now to my word;

So, uncle, there you are.
It is, Adieu, adieu! remember me.'

Mar. [within.] Illo, ho, ho, my lord!
Ham. Hillo, ho, ho, boy! come, bird, come.

Enter HORATIO and MARCELLUS.

Mar. How is 't, my noble lord?

Nor I, my lord.

Ham. How say you then? Would heart of man

But

once think it?

you I'll be secret?

Ho. Mar.

Ay, by heaven, my lord.

Ham. There's ne'er a villain, dwelling in ail
Denmark,

But he's an arrant knave.

Ho. There needs no ghost, my lord, come from

the grave,

To tell us this.

Ham.

Why, right; you are in the right;

And so, without more circumstance at all,

I hold it fit that we shake hands and part:

You, as your business and desire shall point you ;For every man hath business and desire,

Such as it is;-and, for iny own poor part,

Look you, I will go pray.

Ho. These are but wild and whirling words, my

lord.

Ham. I am sorry they offend you, heartily; yes, Faith, heartily.

Ho.

There's no offence, my lord.

Ham. Yes, by saint Patrick, but there is, Horatio, And much offence too. Touching this vision here,

It is an honest ghost, that let me tell you:
For your desire to know what is between us,
O'ermaster it as you may. And now, good friends,
As you are friends, scholars, and soldiers,

Give me one poor request.

Ho. What is 't, my lord? we will.

Ham. Never make known what you have seen