2 Ham. Sir, bis definement fuffers no perdition in you, tho' I know, to divide him inventorially would dizzy the arithmetick of memory; and yet but raw neither in refpect of his quick fail. But, in the verity of extolment, I take him to be a Soul of great article; and his infufion of fuch dearth and rareness, as, to make true diction of him, bis Semblable is his mirrour; and, who else would trace him, his umbrage, nothing more. 5 Ofr. Your Lordship fpeaks most infallibly of him. Ham. The Concernancy, Sir ?Why do we wrap the Gentleman in our more rawer breath? Ofr. Sir, Hor. Is't not poffible to understand in another tongue? you will do't, Sir, really. 2 Sir, bis definement, &c.] This is defigned as a specimen, and ridicule of the court-jargon, a mongst the precieux of that time.. The fenfe in English is, Sir, he Suffers nothing in your account of bim, though to enumerate his good qualities particularly would be end lefs; yet when we had done our beft it would still come short of him. However, in firitnefs of truth, he is a great genius, and of a character fo rarely to be mt with, that to find any thing like him we must look into his mirrour, and his imitators will appear no more than his fhadows, WARB. } and yet but RAW neither] We fhould read SLOW. WARB. I believe raw to be the right word; it is a word of great latitude; raw fignifies unripe, immature, thence unformed, imperfect, unskilful. The best account of him would be imperfect, in reSpect of his quick fail. The phrafe quick fail was, I fuppofe, a proverbial term for activityof mind. 4 a Soul of great article ;] This is obfcure. I once thought it might have been, a Soul of great altitude; but, I fuppofe, a Soul of great article, means a Soul of large comprehenfion, of many contents; the particulars of an inventory are called articles. s of fuch dearth.] Dearth is dearnefs, value, price. And his internal qualities of fuch value and rarity. • Is't not poffible to understand in another tongue? you will do 't, Sir, really.] Of this interrogatory remark the fenfe is very obfcure. The question may mean, Might not all this be understood in plainer language. But then, you will do it, Sir, really, seems to have no use, for who could doubt but plain language would be intelligible? I would therefore read, Ist poffible not to be underflood in a mother tongue? You will do it, Sir, really. Ham. What imports the nomination of this gentleman? Ofr. Of Laertes? Hor. His purfe is empty already: all's golden wards are spent. Ham. Of him, Sir. Ofs. I know, you are not ignorant, Ham. I would you did, Sir. Yet, in faith, if you. did, it would not much approve me.-Well, Sir. Ofe. You are not ignorant of what excellence Laertes is. 8 Ham. I dare not confefs that, left I should compare with him in excellence: but to know a man well, were to know himself. Ofr. I mean, Sir, for his weapon: but in the Imputation laid on him by them in his Meed, he's unfellow'd. Ham. What's his weapon? Ofr. Rapier and dagger. Ham. That's two of his weapons; but well. Ofr. The King, Sir, hath wag'd with him fix Barbary horses, against the which he has impon'd, as I take it, fix French rapiers and poniards, with their af->> figns, as girdle, hangers, and fo. Three of the carriages, in faith, are very dear to fancy, very refponfive to the hilts, moft delicate carriages, and of very liberal conceit. 7 if you did, it would not much atprove me.] If you knew I was not ignorant, "your esteem would not much advance my reputation. To approve, is to recommend to approbation. 8 I dare not confefs that, left I Should compare with him, &c.] I dare not pretend to know him, left Ifhould pretend to an equality: no man can completely know another, but by knowing himself, which is the utmost extent of human wifdom. 9 in his Meed,] In his excellence. impon'd,] Perhaps it fhould be, deponed. So Hudibras, I would upon this caufe depone, As much as any I have knows. But perhaps imponed is pledged, imparned, fo fpelt to ridicule the affectation of attering Engli words with French pronunciation. Ham. Ham. What call you the carriages? Hor. I knew, you must be edified by the Margent, ere you had done. Ofr. The carriages, Sir, are the hangers. Ham. The phrafe would be more germane to the matter, if we would carry cannon by our fides; I would, it might be hangers till then. But, on; fix Barbary horfes against fix French fwords, their affigns, and three liberal conceited carriages; that's the French bett against the Danish. Why is this impon'd, as you call it ? 3 Ofr. The King, Sir, hath laid, that in a Dozen Paffes between you and him, he fhall not exceed you three hits; he hath laid on twelve for nine, and it would come to immediate trial, if your Lordship would vouchsafe the answer. Ham. How if I answer, no? Ofr. I mean, my Lord, the oppofition of your perfon in trial. Ham. 'Sir, I will walk here in the Hall. If it please his Majefty, 'tis the breathing time of day with me; let the foils be brought, the gentleman willing, and the King hold his purpose, I will win for him if I can: if not, I'll gain nothing but my fhame, and the odd hits. Ofr. Shall I deliver you fo? Ham. To this effect, Sir, after what flourish your nature will. Ofr. I commend my duty to your Lordship. [Exit. *more germane] More a kin. 3 The King, Sir, bath lid,] This wager I do not understand. In a dozen paffes one muft exceed the other more or less than three hits. Nor can I comprehend, how, in a dozen, there can be twelve to nine. The paff ge is of no importance; it is fufficient that there was a wager. The quarto has the paffage as it ftands. The folio, Ile bath one twelve for mine. Ham. Ham. Yours, yours. He does well to commend it kimfelf, there are no tongues elfe for 's turn. Hor. This lapwing runs away with the fhell on his head. 5 · Ham. He did compliment with his dug before he fuck'd it thus has he, and many more of the fame breed, that, I know, the droffy age dotes on, only got the tune of the time, and outward habit of encounter, a kind of yefty collection, which carries them through 4 This lapwing runs away with the hell on his head.] I fee no particular propriety in the image of the lapwing. Ofrie did not run till he had done his bufinefs. We may read, This lapwing ran away-That is, this fellow was full of unimportant bustle from his birth. He did fo, Sir, with his dug, &c.] What, run away with it The Folio reads, He did COMPLY with his dug. So that the true reading appears to be, He did COMPLIMENT with his dag, i. e. ftand upon ceremony with it, to fhew he was born a courtier. This is extremely hu mourous. WARBURTON. Hanmer has the fame emenda tion. 6 a kind of yefly collection, which carries them through and through the muft FOND and win nowed opinions; and do but blow them to their tryals, the bubbles are out.] The metaphor is. ftrangely mangled by the intrufion of the word FOND, which undoubtedly fhould be read FANN'D; the allufion being to corn fepara ed by the Fan from chaff and duit. But the Editors feeing, from the character of this yefty collection, that the opinions, through which they were fo currently carried, were falle opinions; and fann'd and winnw'd opinions, in the most obvious fenfe fignifying tried and purified opinions, they thought fanned muft needs be wrong, and therefore made it fond, which word fignfied in our author's time, foolish, weak or childish. They did not confider that fann'd and winnowed opinions had also a different fignification: For it may mean the opinions of great men and courtiers, men feparated by their quality from the vulgar, as corn is feparated from the chaff. This yefty collection, fays Hamlet, infinuates itself into people of the higheft Quality, as yet into the fineft flower. The courtiers admire him, but when he comes to the trial, &c. WARBURTON. This is a very happy emendation, but I know not why the critick fhould fuppofe that find was printed for fann'd in confequence of any reafon or reflec tion. Such errours, to which there is no temptation but idlenefs, and of which there was no caufg 4 through and through the most fond and winnowed opinions; and do but blow them to their trials, the bubbles are out. Enter a Lord. Lord. My Lord, his Majefty commended him to you by young Ofrick, who brings back to him, that you attend bim in the Hall. He fends to know if your pleasure bold to play with Laertes, or that you will take longer time? Ham. I am conftant to my purposes, they follow the King's pleasure; if his fitness fpeaks, mine is ready, now, or whenfoever, provided I be so able as now. Lord. The King, and Queen, and all are coming down. Ham. In happy time. -8 Lord. The Queen defires you to use some gentle entertainment to Laertes, before you fall to play. Ham. She well inftruïts me. caufe but ignorance, are in every page of the old Editions. This paffage in the quarto ftands thus. They have got out of the habit of encounter, a kind of mifty collection, which carries them through and through the most profane and trennowned opinions. If this printer preferved any traces of the ori ginal, our authour wrote, the most fane and renowned opinions, which is better than fanned and winnowed. The meaning is, thefe men have got the cant of the day, a fuperficial readiness of flight and curfory conversation, a kind of frothy collection of ffhionable prattle, which yet carried [Exit Lord. them through the most select and Who has not feen this obfervation verified? 7 do but blow them, &c.] Thefe men of fhow, without folidity, are like bubbles raifed from foap and water, which dance, and glitter, and pleafe the eye, but if you extend them, by blowing hard, feparate into a mift; fo if you oblige thefe fpecious talkers to extend their compafs of converfation, they at once difcover the tenuity of their intellects. gentle entertainment.] Mild and temperate conversation. Her. |