Page:Hamlet (1917) Yale.djvu/64

52

moving, how express and admirable! in action

how like an angel! in apprehension how like a

god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of

animals! And yet, to me, what is this quintes-

sence of dust? man delights not me; no, nor

woman neither, though, by your smiling, you

seem to say so.

Ros. My lord, there was no such stuff in my

thoughts.

Ham. Why did you laugh then, when I said

'man delights not me?'

Ros. To think, my lord, if you delight not

in man, what lenten entertainment the players

shall receive from you: we coted them on the

way; and hither are they coming, to offer you

service.

Ham. He that plays the king shall be wel-

come; his majesty shall have tribute of me; the

adventurous knight shall use his foil and target;

the lover shall not sigh gratis; the humorous

man shall end his part in peace; the clown shall

make those laugh whose lungs are tickle o' the

sere; and the lady shall say her mind freely,

or the blank verse shall halt for 't. What players

are they?

Ros. Even those you were wont to take delight

in, the tragedians of the city.

Ham. How chances it they travel? their

residence, both in reputation and profit, was

better both ways.

 325 express: well-modelled

326 apprehension: understanding

328 quintessence; cf. n.

332 stuff: matter

337 lenten: meagre

338 coted: passed

343 foil and target: sword and shield

344 humorous man: actor of whimsical characters

345 clown: low comedian

346 tickle o' the sere: yield easily to any impulse; cf. n.

348 halt: limp

353 residence: remaining in one place

