Page:Hamlet (1917) Yale.djvu/59

Prince of Denmark, II. ii

Pol. Honesty my lord!

Ham. Ay, sir; to be honest, as this world

goes, is to be one man picked out of ten thou-

sand.

Pol. That's very true, my lord.

Ham. For if the sun breed maggots in a dead

dog, being a good kissing carrion,—Have you a

daughter?

Pol. I have, my lord.

Ham. Let her not walk i' the sun: conception

is a blessing; but not as your daughter may con-

ceive. 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 suffered

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,

 184 good kissing; cf. n.

187 conception; cf. n.

197 matter: substance

198 Between who?; cf. n.

203 purging: discharging

204 amber gum; cf. n.

207 honesty: decency

