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be honest； as this world goes； is to be one man pick'd out of ten thousand。
Pol。 That's very true； my lord。 Ham。 For if the sun breed maggots in a dead
dog； being a god kissing carrion… Have you a daughter？ Pol。 I have； my
lord。 Ham。 Let her not walk i' th' sun。 Conception is a blessing； but not as
your daughter may conceive。 Friend； look to't。 Pol。 ＇aside＇ How say you
by that？ Still harping on my daughter。 Yet he knew me not at first。 He said
I was a fishmonger。 He is far gone； far gone！ And truly in my youth I
suff'red much extremity for love… very near this。 I'll speak to him again。…
What do you read； my lord？ Ham。 Words； words； words。 Pol。 What is the
matter； my lord？ Ham。 Between who？ Pol。 I mean； the matter that you
read； my lord。 Ham。 Slanders； sir； for the satirical rogue says here that old
men have grey beards； that their faces are wrinkled； their eyes purging
thick amber and plum…tree gum； and that they have a plentiful lack of wit；
together with most weak hams。 All which； sir； though I most powerfully
and potently believe； yet I hold it not honesty to have it thus set down； for
you yourself； sir； should be old as I am if； like a crab； you could go
backward。
Pol。 ＇aside＇ Though this be madness； yet there is a method in't。…Will
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THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET； PRINCE OF DENMARK
You walk out of the air； my lord？ Ham。 Into my grave？ Pol。 Indeed； that is
out o' th' air。 ＇Aside＇ How pregnant sometimes his replies are！ a happiness
that often madness hits on； which reason and sanity could not so
prosperously be delivered of。 I will leave him and suddenly contrive the
means of meeting between him and my daughter。… My honourable lord； I
will most humbly take my leave of you。 Ham。 You cannot； sir； take from
me anything that I will more willingly part withal… except my life； except
my life； except my life；
Enter Rosencrantz and Guildenstern。
Pol。 Fare you well； my lord。 Ham。 These tedious old fools！ Pol。 You go
to seek the Lord Hamlet。 There he is。 Ros。 ＇to Polonius＇ God save you； sir！
Exit ＇Polonius＇。
Guil。 My honour'd lord！ Ros。 My most dear lord！ Ham。 My excellent
good friends！ How dost thou； Guildenstern？ Ah； Rosencrantz！ Good lads；
how do ye both？ Ros。 As the indifferent children of the earth。 Guil。 Happy
in that we are not over…happy。 On Fortune's cap we are not the very button。
Ham。 Nor the soles of her shoe？ Ros。 Neither； my lord。 Ham。 Then you
live about her waist； or in the middle of her favours？ Guil。 Faith； her
privates we。 Ham。 In the secret parts of Fortune？ O！ most true！ she is a
strumpet。 What news ？ Ros。 None； my lord； but that the world's grown
honest。 Ham。 Then is doomsday near！ But your news is not true。 Let me
question more in particular。 What have you； my good friends； deserved at
the hands of Fortune that she sends you to prison hither？ Guil。 Prison； my
lord？ Ham。 Denmark's a prison。 Ros。 Then is the world one。 Ham。 A
goodly one； in which there are many confines； wards； and dungeons；
Denmark being one o' th' worst。 Ros。 We think not so； my lord。 Ham。 Why；
then 'tis none to you； for there is nothing either good or bad but thinking
makes it so。 To me it is a prison。 Ros。 Why； then your ambition makes it
one。 'Tis too narrow for your mind。 Ham。 O God； I could be bounded in a
nutshell and count myself a king of infinite space； were it not that I have
bad dreams。 Guil。 Which dreams indeed are ambition； for the very
substance of the ambitious is merely the shadow of a dream。 Ham。 A
dream itself is but a shadow。 Ros。 Truly； and I hold ambition of so airy and
light a quality that it is but a shadow's shadow。 Ham。 Then are our beggars
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THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET； PRINCE OF DENMARK
bodies； and our monarchs and outstretch'd heroes the beggars' shadows。
Shall we to th' court？ for； by my fay； I cannot reason。 Both。 We'll wait
upon you。 Ham。 No such matter！ I will not sort you with the rest of my
servants； for； to speak to you like an honest man； I am most dreadfully
attended。 But in the beaten way of friendship； what make you at Elsinore？
Ros。 To visit you； my lord； no other occasion。 Ham。 Beggar that I am； I am
even poor in thanks； but I thank you； and sure； dear friends； my thanks are
too dear a halfpenny。 Were you not sent for？ Is it your own inclining？ Is it
a free visitation？ Come； deal justly with me。 Come； come！ Nay； speak。
Guil。 What should we say； my lord？ Ham。 Why； anything… but to th'
purpose。 You were sent for； and there is a kind of confession in your looks；
which your modesties have not craft enough to colour。 I know the good
King and Queen have sent for you。 Ros。 To what end； my lord？ Ham。 That
you must teach me。 But let me conjure you by the rights of our fellowship；
by the consonancy of our youth； by the obligation of our ever…preserved
love； and by what more dear a better proposer could charge you withal； be
even and direct with me； whether you were sent for or no。 Ros。 ＇aside to
Guildenstern＇ What say you？ Ham。 ＇aside＇ Nay then； I have an eye of
you。… If you love me； hold not off。 Guil。 My lord； we were sent for。 Ham。 I
will tell you why。 So shall my anticipation prevent your discovery； and
your secrecy to the King and Queen moult no feather。 I have of late… but
wherefore I know not… lost all my mirth； forgone all custom of exercises；
and indeed； it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame；
the earth； seems to me a sterile promontory； this most excellent canopy；
the air； look you； this brave o'erhanging firmament； this majestical roof
fretted with golden fire… why； it appeareth no other thing to me than a foul
and pestilent congregation of vapours。 What a piece of work is a man！
how noble in reason！ how infinite in faculties！ in form and moving how
express and admirable！ in action how like an angel！ in apprehension how
like a god！ the beauty of the world； the paragon of animals！ And yet to me
what is this quintessence of dust？ Man delights not me… no； nor woman
neither； though by your smiling you seem to say so。 Ros。 My lord； there
was no such stuff in my thoughts。 Ham。 Why did you laugh then； when I
said 'Man delights not me'？ Ros。 To think； my lord； if you delight not in
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man； what lenten entertainment the players shall receive from you。 We
coted them on the way； and hither are they coming to offer you service。
Ham。 He that plays the king shall be welcome… his Majesty shall have
tribute of me； the adventurous knight shall use his foil and target； the lover
shall not sigh gratis； the humorous man shall end his part in peace； the
clown shall make those laugh whose lungs are tickle o' th' sere； and the
lady shall say her mind freely； or the blank verse shall halt for't。 What
players are they？ Ros。 Even those you were wont to take such delight in；
the tragedians of the city。 Ham。 How chances it they travel？ Their
residence； both in reputation and profit； was better both ways。 Ros。 I think
their inhibition comes by the means of the late innovation。 Ham。 Do they
hold the same estimation they did when I was in the city？ Are they so
follow'd？ Ros。 No indeed are they not。 Ham。 How comes it？ Do they grow
rusty？ Ros。 Nay； their endeavour keeps in the wonted pace； but there is； sir；
an eyrie of children； little eyases； that cry out on the top of question and
are most tyrannically clapp'd for't。 These are now the fashion； and so
berattle the common stages （so they call them） that many wearing rapiers
are afraid of goosequills and dare scarce come thither。 Ham。 What； are
they children？ Who maintains 'em？ How are they escoted？ Will they
pursue the quality no longer than they can sing？ Will they not say
afterwards； if they should grow themselves to common players （as it is
most like； if their means are no better）； their writers do them