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Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.
Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven,
Or ever I had seen that day, Horatio!
My father methinks I see my father—
Hor. Where, my lord?

Ham. In my mind's eye, Horatio.

Hor. I saw him once, he was a goodly king.
Ham. He was a man, take him for all and 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.
Season 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 heaven's love, let me hear.

Hor. Two nights together had these gentlemen,
Marcellus and Bernardo, on the watch,

In the dead waste and middle of the night,
Been thus encountered: a figure like your father,
Armed at point, exactly, cap-a-pie,

Appears before them, and, with solemn march,
Goes slow and stately by them: thrice he walks
By their oppressed and fear surprised eyes,
Within his truncheon's length; whilst they, distilled
Almost to jelly with the act of fear,

Stand dumb and speak not to him.

Ham. But where was this?

Hor. 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 aloud;

And at the sound it shrunk in haste away,
And vanished from our sight.

Ham. 'Tis very strange!

Hor. As I do live, my honored lord, 'tis true;
And we did think it writ down in our duty,
To let you know of it.

Ham. Indeed, indeed, sir, but this troubles me. Hold you the watch to-night?

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Hor. We do, my lord.

Ham. Armed, say you?

Hor. Armed, my lord.

Ham. From top to toe?

Hor. 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, looked he frowningly?

Hor. A countenance more in sorrow than in anger.
Ham.

Pale or red?

Hor. Nay, very pale.

Ham. And fixed his eyes upon you ?

Hor. Most constantly.

Ham. I would, I had been there.

Hor. It would have much amazed you.

Ham. Very like, very like; staid it long?

Hor. While one with moderate haste might tell a hundred.
Ham. His beard was grizzled? No?-
Hor. It was, as I have seen it in his life,

A sable silvered.

Ham. I'll watch to-night; perchance 'twill walk again. Hor. I warrant you, it will.

Ham. If it assume my noble father's person,

I'll speak to it, though hell itself should gape, And bid me hold my peace. I pray you, sir, you have hitherto concealed this sight,

If

Let it be tenable in your silence still;
And whatsoever else shall hap to-night,
Give it an understanding, but no tongue;
I will requite your love; so fare you well;
Upon the platform, 'twixt eleven and twelve,
I'll visit you.

Where Hamlet says, "I shall not look upon his like again," he probably means eye, that is, no man, shall ever "look upon his like again.” Great histrionic performers of Shakspeare, differ in their manner, of reading the question, "Did you not speak to it?" Kemble laid the emphasis on the word, "you,"-Garrick on, "speak." If the question were put, what, instead of "Who shall decide when doctors disagree?" the writer would answer, good sense. Horatio had just informed Hamlet, that Marcellus and Bernardo were afraid to speak to the ghost of his father; and, after ascertaining where this marvellous event took place, the prince pro

pounds the question, "Did you not speak to it?" His meaning seems to be,- -were you, as well as the gentlemen whom you name, afraid to speak? and, moreover, had I been there, I would have spoken. Indeed, so deter mined was Hamlet to do this, that he says in the last sentence

"I'll speak to it though hell itself should gape

And bid me hold my peace."

97. OTHELLO AND LAGO.-Shakspeare.

lago. My noble lord

Othello. What dost thou say, Iago?

Iago. Did Michael Cassio, when you wooed my lady,
Know of your love?

Oth. He did, from first to last. Why dost thou ask?
Iago. But for the satisfaction of my thoughts;

No further harm.

Oth. Why of thy thought, Iago?

Iago. I did not think he had been acquainted with her. Oth. O, yes; and went between us very oft.

Iago. Indeed!

Oth. Indeed! ay, indeed.-Discern'st thou aught in that? Is he not honest?

Iago. Honest, my lord?

Oth. Ay, honest.

Iago. My lord, for aught I know.

Oth. What dost thou think?

Iago. Think, my lord?

Oth. Think, my lord!

Why, thou dost echo me,

As if there were some monster in thy thought

Too hideous to be shown. Thou dost mean something;

I heard thee say but now: "I like not that,"

When Cassius left my wife. What didst not like?
And when I told thee he was of my counsel

In my whole course of wooing, thou criedst: "Indeed!"
And didst contract and purse thy brow together,
As if thou then hadst shut up in thy brain
Some horrible conceit. If thou dost love me,
Show me thy thought.

Iago. My lord, you know I love you.

Oth. I think thou dost;

And for I know thou art full of love and honesty,
And weigh'st thy words before thou giv'st them breath,-
Therefore these stops of thine fright me the more;
For such things, in a false, disloyal knave,

Are tricks of custom; but in a man that's just,
They are close denotements, working from the heart
That passion cannot rule.

Iago. For Michael Cassio,

I dare be sworn, I think that he is honest.
Oth.

I think so too.

Iago. Men should be that they seem;

Or, those that be not, 'would they might seem none !
Oth. Certain, men should be what they seem.

Iago. Why, then, I think that Cassio is an honest man.
Oth. Nay, yet there's more in this;

I pray thee, speak to me as to thy thinkings,

As thou dost ruminate; and give thy worst of thoughts
The worst of words.

Iago. Good my lord, pardon me;

Though I am bound to every act of duty,

I am not bound to that all slaves are free to.

Utter my thoughts? Why, say they are vile and false,—
As where's that palace, whereinto foul things

Sometimes intrude not? Who has a breast so pure,
But some uncleanly apprehensions

Keep leets, and law-days, and in sessions sit
With meditations lawful?

[Exit Iago.
Oth. This fellow's of exceeding honesty,
And knows all qualities with a learned spirit,
Of human dealings. If I do prove her haggard,
Though that her jesses were my dear heart-strings,
I'd whistle her off, and let her down the wind,
To pray at fortune.

I think my wife be honest, and I think she's not;
I think Iago is just, and I think he's not;

I'll have some proof,-her name that was as fresh
As Dian's visage, is now begrim'd, and black
As mine own face.-[weeps.] O Desdemona!
Had it pleased heaven

To try me with affliction; had he rain'd
All kinds of sores and shames on my bare head;

Steeped me in poverty to the very lips,
Given to captivity, me and my hopes,-
I should have found in some part of my
A drop of patience.

soul

But then where I have garner'd up my heart,-
Where, either I must live, or bear no life;
The fountain from the which my current runs,
Or else dries up; to be discarded thence!
O now, forever,

Farewell the tranquil mind! Farewell content!
Farewell the plumed troop, and the big wars,
That make ambition virtue. O, farewell!
Farewell the neighing steed, and the shrill trump,
The spirit-stirring drum, the ear-piercing fife,
The royal banner, and all quality,

Pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war!
And O, ye mortal engines, whose rude throats
The immortal Jove's dread clamors counterfeit,
Farewell! Othello's occupation's gone.

"One sinner destroyeth much good." Iago said of Desdemona-
"By how much she strives to do him good,
She shall undo her credit with the Moor."

So "out of her own goodness," the villain made

"the net

"That” did "enmesh them all."

98. ALONZO'S SOLILOQUY.-Dr. Edward Young. [Alonzo has a dagger concealed beneath his mantle. His beautiful wife, Leonora, is in a bower of roses asleep.]

Ye amaranths! ye roses like the morn! Sweet myrtles, and ye golden orange groves! Why do ye smile? Why do you look so fair?

Are ye not blasted as I enter in?

Yes see how every flower lets fall its head?
How shudders every leaf without a wind,
How every green is as ivy pale!

Did ever midnight ghosts assemble here?

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