Hel. Gentlemen, There is some of worth would come aboard: I pray you, To greet them fairly. [The GENTLEMEN and the two SAILORS descend and go on board the Barge. Enter, from thence, LYSIMACHUS and LORDS; Enter, from the Barge, LORD, MARINA, and a young LADY. Lys. Ob here is The lady that I sent for. Welcome, fair one! Lys. She's such, that were I well assur'd she came the Tyrian GENTLEMEN, and the two SAI-Of gentle kind, and noble stock, I'd wish LORS. Tyr. Sail. Sir, This is the man that can, in aught you would, Resolve you. Lys. Hail, reverend Sir! the gods preserve you! Hel. And you, Sir, to out-live the age I am, And die as I would do. Lys. You wish me well. No better choice, and think me rarely wed. Mar. Sir, I will use My utmost kill in his recovery, Being on shore, honouring of Neptune's tri- Provided none but I and my companion To any one, nor taken sustenance, But to prorogue his grief. Lys. Upon what ground is his distemperature ? Hel. Sir, it would be too tedious to repeat; But the main grief of all, springs from the loss Of a beloved daughter and a wife. Lys. May we not see him, then? But bootless is your sight; he will not speak Lys. Yet, let me obtain my wish. Till the disaster, that, one mortal † night, Lys. Sir, king, all hail! the gods preserve you! Hail, Hail, royal Sir ! Hel. It is in vain : he will not speak to you. 1 Lord. Sir, we have a maid in Mitylene, I Be suffer'd to come near him. [MARINA sings Lys. Mark'd be your music? Mar. I am a maid, My lord, that ne'er before invited eyes, speaks she My lord, that, may be, hath endur'd a grief Who stood equivalent with mighty kings: Falseness cannot come from thee, for thou look ́st] A crew of pirates came and resca'd me ; thee, If thine, consider'd, prove the thousandth part What were thy friends? Recount, I do beseech thee: come, sit by me. And thou by some incensed god sent hither Mar. Patience, good Sir, Or here I'll cease. Per. Nay, I'll be patient : Thou little know'st how thou dost startle me, To call thyself Marina. Mar. The name, Marina, Was given me by one that had some power; My father, and a king. Per. How! a king's daughter? And call'd Marina ? Mar. You said you would believe me; But, not to be a troubler of your peace, I will end here. Per. At sea ?-thy mother? Where were You think me an impostor: no, good faith; Give me fresh garments. Mine own, Helicanus, (Not dead at Tharsus, as she should have been, By savage Cleon,) she shall tell thee all; When thon shalt kneel and justify in knowledge, She is thy very princess.-Who is this? Hel. Sir, 'tis the governor of Mityleue, Who, hearing of your melancholy state, Did come to see you. Per. I embrace you, Sir. Mar. My mother was the daughter of a king; Give me my robes-I am wild in my beholding. Who died the very minute I was born, As my good nurse Lychorida hath oft Per. Oh! stop there a little! This is the rarest dream that e'er dull sleep P'll hear you more, to the bottom of your story, And never interrupt yon. Mar. You'll scarce believe me: 'twere best I did give o'er. O heavens bless my girl! But bark, what music? SCENE II-The same. PERICLES on the Wears yet thy silver livery.. Was nurs'd with Cleon: whom at fourteen Dia. My temple stands in Ephesus; hie thee thither, And do upon mine altar sacrifice. years He sought to murder: but her better stars' us, There, when my maiden priests are met to-where, by her own most clear remembrance, she gether, Before the people all, Reveal how thon at sea didst lose thy wife : To mourn thy crosses, with thy daughter's call, Perform my bidding, or thou liv'st in woe : [DIANA disappears. Enter LYSINACHUS, HELICANUS, and Hel. Sir. MARINA. Made known herself my daughter. You are you are-O royal Pericles ! If [She faints. Per. What means the woman? she dies! help, gentlemen! Cer. Noble Sir. you have told Diana's altar true, This is your wife. Per. Reverend appearer, no: I threw her o'erboard with these very arms, Per. 'Tis most certain. Cer. Look to the lady;-Oh! she's but o'erjoy'd. Per. My parpose was for Tharsus, there to Early, one blust'ring morn, this lady was strike The inhospitable Cleon; but I am For other service first: toward Ephesus Turn our blown sails; eftsoons I'll tell thee [To HELICANUS. why.- Shall we refresh us, Sir, upon your shore, Thrown on this shore. I op'd the coffin, and Found there rich jewels; recover'd her, and plac'd her Here in Diana's temple. Per. May we see them? Cer. Great Sir, they shall be brought you to my house, Whither I invite you. Look! Thaisa is Lys. With all my heart, Sir; and, when you Recover'd. come ashore, I have another suit. Per. You shall prevail, Were it to woo my daughter; for it seems Per. Come, my Marina. [Exeunt. Gow. Now our sands are almost run; More a little, and then done. This, as my last boon, give me, • What pageantry, what feats, what shows, To greet the king. So he has thriv'd, Thai. Ob! let me look! If he be none of mine, my sanctity A birth, and death? Per. The voice of dead Thaisa! Thai. That Thaisa am I, supposed dead, Per. Immortal Dian! Thai. Now I know you better. When we with tears parted Pentapolis, The king, my father, gave you such a ring. [Shows a ring. Per. This, this: no more, you gods! your present kindness Makes my past miseries sport: You shall do well, That on the touching of her lips I may buried more be seen. O come, be A second time within these arms. Leaps to be gone into my mother's bosom. [Kneels to THAISA. Per. Look, who kneels here! Flesh of thy flesh, Thaisa; Thy burden at the sea, and call'd Marina, Thai. Bless'd and mine own! Hel. Hail, madam, and my queen! Thai. I know you not. Per. You have heard me say, when I did fly from Tyre, I left behind an ancient substitute: Thai. 'Twas Helicanus then. LYSI and a Per. Still confirmation: Now do I long to hear how you were found; Embrace him, dear Thaisa: this is he. Per. Hail Dian! to perform thy just com- How possibly preserv'd; and whom to thank, Shall marry her at Pentapolis. And now, Thai. Lord Cerimon hath letters of good credit, Sir, that my father's dead. Lord Cerimon, we do our longing stay, To hear the rest untold.-Sir, lead the way. [Exeunt. Enter GOWER. Gow. In Antioch, and his daughter, you have heard Of monstrous lust the due and just reward In Pericles, his queen and daughter, seen (Although assail'd with fortune fierce and keen,) Virtue preserv'd from fell destruction's blast, Led on by heaven, and crown'd with joy at last. In Helicanus may you well descry A figure of truth, of faith, of loyalty : name Of Pericles, to rage the city turn; Per. Heavens make a star of him! Yet there,The gods for murder seemed so conteut my queen, We'll celebrate their nuptials, and ourselves Will in that kingdom spend our following days; Our son and daughter shall in Tyrus reign. I. e. His beard. To punish them; although not done, but meaat So on your patience ever more attending, New joy wait on you! Here our play has ending. [Exit GOWER. • 1. e. The king of Antioch. HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK. as LITERARY AND HISTORICAL NOTICE. THIS tragedy is supposed to have been written in 1596. The principal incidents were probably drawn from a dramatic piece by one Thomas Ryd, and from a Historie of Hamblet, in black letter, adopted by Belleforest in his collection of novels (published 1564) from the narrative of Saxo-Grammaticus, the old Danish historian. The play has long been accounted a first-rate dramatic production, for, with some egregious blunders, it con tains a variety of unparalleled beauties. As originally written, it consumed four hours in the representation; persons, in Shakspeare's time, visiting the theatre so early as four o'clock, and regarding the quality less than the quantity obtained for their money: this will excuse some of those trifling interlocutions which yet remain. Perhaps none of our poet's undertakings have been subjected to so much erudite and ingenious criticism as this; and none, certainly, after its most severe exercise, have been left with so much to approve. For although it has been observed, with some appearance of justice, that in the management of the piece, Shakspeare has been rather unfortunate, all its most striking circumstances arising so early in the formation, not to leave him room for a conclusion suitable to the importance of its beginning;" yet this defect is amply recompensed by the sublimity of conception, the didactic morality of sentiment, the pathetic intenseness of feeling, the power and comprehensiveness of diction, and the delightful diversity of character, which are displayed in almost every scene. Indeed, were each drama of Shakspeare to be characterized by the particular quality which distinguishes it from the rest, the praise of variety must especially be given to the tragedy of Hamlet; as it is interchangeably contrasted" with merriment that includes judicious and instructive observations; and with solemnity not strained by peetical violence above the natural sentiments of man." To those, however, who are mentally capable of appreciating its excellences as a play, the charm of perusing it in the closet will probably be greater than the delight of witnessing its exhibition; since it is rich in the treasures of contemplative and philosophical speculation; divested of the glare and bustle which captivate or bewilder the senses; whilst the principal character, though furnished with abundant materials, is almost the only support of the piece, and seldom meets with a representative in whom the beauties of the original are effectively embodied. Of the plot it may be observed, that it teems with slaughter, and is justly obnoxious to criticism in many of its parts; but the catastrophe is certainly its most disgusting feature, and can only be tolerated by the known partiality of an English audience for a multiplicity of deaths and bloodshed. “The manner of Hamlet's death (says Dr. Johnson) is not very happily produced; for the exchange of weapons is rather an expedient of necessity, than a stroke of art." CLAUDIUS, King of Denmark. DRAMATIS PERSONE. FRANCISCO, a Soldier. HAMLET, Son to the former, and Nephew to REYNALDO, Servant to Polonius. the present King. POLONIUS, Lord Chamberlain. A CAPTAIN.-An AMBASSADOR. FORTINBRAS, Prince of Norway. GERTRUDE, Queen of Denmark, and Mother of Hamlet. OPHELIA, Daughter of Polonius. Lords, Ladies, Officers, Soldiers, Players, Grave-diggers, Sailors, Messengers, and other Attendants. SCENE, Elsinore. |