Take you,' as 'twere, some distant knowledge of him, As thus, "I know his father and his friends,

And in part him,” — do you mark this, Reynaldo? 15 Reynaldo. Ay, very well, my lord.

Polonius. "And in part him. But," you may say,

"not well:

But, if't be he I mean, he's very wild;

Addicted so and so," and there put on him
What forgeries you please; marry, none so rank
As may dishonour him, take heed of that;
But, sir, such wanton, wild and usual slips.
As are companions noted and most known
To youth and liberty.

Reynaldo.

As gaming, my lord.

20

Polonius. Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing, quarrelling,

Drabbing; you may go so far.

Reynaldo. My lord, that would dishonour him.

25

Polonius. 'Faith, no; as you may season it in the charge.

You must not put another scandal on him,

That he is open to incontinency;

30

That's not my meaning. But breathe his faults so

quaintly°

That they may seem the taints of liberty,

The flash and outbreak of a fiery mind,
A savageness in unreclaimed blood,

Of general assault."

Polonius.

35

Ay, my lord,

Marry, sir, here's my drift;

And, I believe, it is a fetch of warrant;°
You laying these slight sullies on my son,

As 'twere a thing a little soil'd i' the working,
Mark you,

Your party in converse, him you would sound,
Having ever seen in the prenominate crimes
The youth you breathe of guilty, be assur'd
He closes with you in this consequence°:
"Good sir," or so, or "friend," or "gentleman,"
According to the phrase or the addition

Of man and country.

Reynaldo.

Very good, my lord.

40

45

Polonius. And then, sir, does he this - he does what was I about to say? By the mass, I was about to say something. Where did I leave° ?

51

Reynaldo. At" closes in the consequence," at "friend

or so," and "gentleman."

Polonius. At "closes in the consequence," ay,

marry;

He closes thus: "I know the gentleman,

I saw him yesterday, or t'other day,

55

Or then, or then; with such, or such; and, as you

say,

There was he gaming; there o'ertook in's rouse;

There falling out at tennis; " or perchance,

"I saw him enter such a house of sale," Videlicet, a brothel, or so forth.

See you now,

Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth;
And thus do we of wisdom and of reach,°

With windlasses and with assays of bias,
By indirections find directions out.

So, by my former lecture and advice,

Shall you my son. You have me, have you not?

Reynaldo. My lord, I have.

God be wi' you; fare you

Polonius.

Reynaldo. Good my lord!

Reynaldo. I shall, my lord.

Polonius. Observe his inclination in yourself.°

Polonius. And let him ply his music.°

Reynaldo.

Polonius. Farewell!

60

65

well.

70

Well, my lord.

[Exit REYNALDO.

Enter OPHELIA

76

How now, Ophelia! What's the matter? Ophelia. Alas, my lord. I have been so affrighted! Polonius. With what, i' the name of Heaven? Ophelia. My lord, as I was sewing in my closet,° Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbrac'd°; No hat upon his head; his stockings foul'd, Ungarter'd, and down-gyved° to his ancle; Pale as his shirt; his knees knocking each other; And with a look so piteous in purport

As if he had been loosed out of hell

To speak of horrors, he comes before me.

Polonius. Mad for thy love?

Ophelia.

But truly, I do fear it.

Polonius.

80

Ophelia. He took me by the wrist, and held me

hard;

Then goes he to the length of all his arm,

And, with his other hand thus o'er his brow,
He falls to such perusal of my face

As he would draw it. Long stay'd he so.

At last, a little shaking of mine arm,

And thrice his head, thus, waving up and down,

90

He rais'd a sigh so piteous and profound
That it did seem to shatter all his bulk
And end his being. That done, he lets me go,
And, with his head over his shoulder turn'd,
He seem'd to find his way without his eyes;
For out o' doors he went without their help,
And, to the last, bended their light on me.

95

100

Polonius. Come, go with me. I will go seek the king.

This is the very ecstasy° of love,

Whose violent property° fordoes itself

And leads the will to desperate undertakings
As oft as any passion under heaven

That does afflict our natures. I am sorry.

What, have you given him any hard words of late?

105

Ophelia. No, my good lord, but, as you did command,

I did repel his letters and denied.

His access to me.

Polonius.

That hath made him mad.

110

I am sorry that with better heed and judgment

I had not quoted him. I fear'd he did but trifle,
And meant to wrack thee; but beshrew my jealousy°!
By heaven, it is as proper to our age

To cast beyond ourselves in our opinions

115