Page:Hamlet - The Arden Shakespeare - 1899.djvu/91

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58

HAMLET

[ACT II.

By indirections find directions out:^{[b 1]}
So, by my former lecture and advice,
Shall you my son. You have me, have you not?

Rey. My lord, I have.

Pol. God be wi' you; fare you well.^{[a 1]}

Rey. Good my lord! 70

Pol. Observe his inclination in yourself.^{[b 2]}

Rey. I shall, my lord.

Pol. And let him ply his music.^{[b 3]}

Rey. Well, my lord.

Pol. Farewell! [Exit Reynaldo.

Enter Ophelia.

How now, Ophelia! what's the matter?

Oph. Oh, my lord,^{[a 2]} my lord, I have been so affrighted! 75

Pol. With what, i' the^{[a 3]} name of God?^{[a 4]}

Oph. My lord, as I was sewing in my closet,^{[a 5]}^{[b 4]}

and in Apollo Shroving: "See how fortune came with a windlace about again."

assays of bias] a metaphor from bowls, the player sending his bowl towards the jack in a curve, knowing that the bias—the oblique line of motion—will bring it right.

↑ 69. ye well] Q, you well F.
↑ 75. Oh, my lord] Q, Alas F.
↑ 76. i' the] Capell, i' th Q, in the F.
↑ 76. God Q, Heaven F.
↑ 77. closet] Q, chamber F.

↑ 66. By . . . out] By indirect means find out direct indications.
↑ 71. Observe . . . yourself] Johnson: "Perhaps this means in your own person, not by spies." Clar. Press: "Possibly it means conform your own conduct to his inclinations." Hanmer and Warburton read "e'en yourself." "In yourself" may possibly mean in regard to yourself.
↑ 73. music] Vischer explains: "His son may gamble, drink, swear, quarrel, drab, . . . only—let him ply his music: true cavalier-breeding!" Clarke: "Let him go on to what tune he pleases," which would agree well with the explanation of line 71 suggested by Clar. Press.
↑ 77. closet] a private chamber, as in III. ii. 346. This is the only entirely sincere meeting of Hamlet with Ophelia in the play; and it is entirely silent—the hopeless farewell of Hamlet. Can her love discover him through his disguise of distraction? He reads nothing in her face but fright; he cannot utter a word, and feels that the estranging sea has flowed between them. In no true sense do they ever meet again.

[2] 69. ye well] Q, you well F.

[5] 75. Oh, my lord] Q, Alas F.

[6] 76. i' the] Capell, i' th Q, in the F.

[7] 76. God Q, Heaven F.

[8] 77. closet] Q, chamber F.

[1] 66. By . . . out] By indirect means find out direct indications.

[3] 71. Observe . . . yourself] Johnson: "Perhaps this means in your own person, not by spies." Clar. Press: "Possibly it means conform your own conduct to his inclinations." Hanmer and Warburton read "e'en yourself." "In yourself" may possibly mean in regard to yourself.

[4] 73. music] Vischer explains: "His son may gamble, drink, swear, quarrel, drab, . . . only—let him ply his music: true cavalier-breeding!" Clarke: "Let him go on to what tune he pleases," which would agree well with the explanation of line 71 suggested by Clar. Press.

[9] 77. closet] a private chamber, as in III. ii. 346. This is the only entirely sincere meeting of Hamlet with Ophelia in the play; and it is entirely silent—the hopeless farewell of Hamlet. Can her love discover him through his disguise of distraction? He reads nothing in her face but fright; he cannot utter a word, and feels that the estranging sea has flowed between them. In no true sense do they ever meet again.

[b 1]

[a 1]

[b 2]

[b 3]

[a 2]

[a 3]

[a 4]

[a 5]

[b 4]