Page:Hamlet (1917) Yale.djvu/30

18

Till then sit stilly my soul: foul deeds will rise,

Though all the earth o'erwhelm them, to men's eyes.

Exit.

Laer. My necessaries are embark'd; farewell:

And, sister, as the winds give benefit

And convoy is assistant, do not sleep,

But let me hear from you.

Oph. Do you doubt that?

Laer. For Hamlet, and the trifling of his favour,

Hold it a fashion and a toy in blood,

A violet in the youth of primy nature,

Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting,

The perfume and suppliance of a minute;

No more.

Oph. No more but so?

Laer. Think it no more:

For nature, crescent, does not grow alone

In thews and bulk; but, as this temple waxes,

The inward service of the mind and soul

Grows wide withal. Perhaps he loves you now,

And now no soil nor cautel doth besmirch

The virtue of his will; but you must fear,

His greatness weigh'd, his will is not his own,

For he himself is subject to his birth;

He may not, as unvalu'd persons do,

 2 give benefit: are favorable

3 convoy: means of conveyance

6 fashion: mere form

toy in blood: passing amorous fancy

7 violet; cf. n.

primy: early

8 Forward: precocious

9 suppliance: diversion

11 crescent: growing

12 thews: bodily strength

temple: body

14 withal: also

15 soil: blemish

cautel: trickery

16 virtue of his will: his virtuous intentions

19 unvalu'd: of low rank

