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Oph. Could beauty, my lord, have better com-

merce than with honesty?

Ham. Ay, truly; for the power of beauty will

sooner transform honesty from what it is to a

bawd than the force of honesty can translate

beauty into his likeness: this was sometime a

paradox, but now the time gives it proof. I did

love you once.

Oph. Indeed, my lord, you made me believe

so.

Ham. You should not have believed me; for

virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock but we

shall relish of it: I loved you not.

Oph. I was the more deceived.

Ham. Get thee to a nunnery: why wouldst

thou be a breeder of sinners? I am myself

indifferent honest; but yet I could accuse me of

such things that it were better my mother had

not borne me. I am very proud, revengeful,

ambitious; with more offences at my beck than

I have thoughts to put them in, imagination

to give them shape, or time to act them in.

What should such fellows as I do crawling

between heaven and earth? We are arrant

knaves, all; believe none of us. Go thy ways to

a nunnery. Where's your father?

Oph. At home, my lord.

Ham. Let the doors be shut upon him, that

he may play the fool nowhere but in 's own

house. Farewell.

Oph. O! help him, you sweet heavens!

Ham. If thou dost marry, I'll give thee this

 110 commerce: intercourse

116 time: present age

121 inoculate: engraft

122 relish: taste

126 indifferent: tolerably

129 beck: command

