Page:Hamlet (1917) Yale.djvu/69

Prince of Denmark, II. ii

once; for the play, I remember, pleased not the

million; 'twas caviare to the general: but it was—

as I received it, and others, whose judgments in

such matters cried in the top of mine—an ex-

cellent play, well digested in the scenes, set down

with as much modesty as cunning. I remember

one said there were no sallets in the lines to

make the matter savoury, nor no matter in the

phrase that might indict the author of affecta-

tion; but called it an honest method, [as whole-

some as sweet, and by very much more handsome

than fine.] One speech in it I chiefly loved; 'twas

Æneas' tale to Dido; and thereabout of it espe-

cially, where he speaks of Priam's slaughter.

If it live in your memory, begin at this line:

let me see, let me see:—

"The rugged Pyrrhus, like the Hyrcanian beast,—"

'Tis not so, it begins with Pyrrhus:—

"The rugged Pyrrhus, he, whose sable arms,

Black as his purpose, did the night resemble

When he lay couched in the ominous horse,

Hath now this dread and black complexion smear'd

With heraldry more dismal; head to foot

Now is he total gules; horridly trick'd

With blood of fathers, mothers, daughters, sons,

Bak'd and impasted with the parching streets,

That lend a tyrannous and damned light

To their vile murders: roasted in wrath and fire,

 466 caviare general; cf. n.

468 cried in the top of: spoke with a louder voice of authority than

469 digested: arranged; cf. n.

470 modesty: without exaggeration, moderation

cunning: skill in technique

471 sallets savoury; cf. n.

473 indict: convict

475 handsome; cf. n.

476 fine: elaborately fashioned

477 Æneas' tale to Dido; cf. n.

481 Hyrcanian; cf. n.

485 ominous horse; cf. n.

488 gules: red

trick'd: spotted

490 impasted: made into a paste

