Page:Hamlet - The Arden Shakespeare

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24

[ACT I.

HAMLET

Hor. Indeed, my lord, it follow'd hard upon.

Ham. Thrift, thrift, Horatio! the funeral baked-meats^{[b 1]} ⁠180
Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.
Would I had met my dearest foe^{[b 2]} in heaven
Or ever I had ^{[a 1]} seen that day, Horatio!
My father,—methinks I see my father.^{[a 2]}

Hor. O where,^{[a 3]} my lord?

Ham. ⁠In my mind's eye, Horatio. ⁠185

Hor. I saw him once; he was a goodly king.

Ham. He was a man,^{[b 3]} take him for all in all,^{[a 4]}
I shall not look upon his like again.

Hor. My lord, I think I saw him yesternight

Ham. Saw? who?^{[a 5]} ⁠190

Hor. My lord, the king your father.

Ham. ⁠The king my father!

Hor. Season your admiration^{[b 4]} for a while
With an attent^{[a 6]} ear, till I may deliver,
Upon the witness of these gentlemen,
This marvel to you.

Ham. ⁠For God's^{[a 7]} love, let me hear. ⁠195

↑ 183. Or ever I had] Q, Ere I had ever F, Ere ever I had Q 1.
↑ 184. My father,—] Rowe, My father! Cambridge, O my father, my father, Q 1.
↑ 185. O where] F, Where Q.
↑ 187. in all,] in all Q, in all: F.
↑ 190. Saw? who?] F; Saw, who Q 1, Q.
↑ 193. attent] Q, F; attentive Q 1, Qq 4–6, Ff 3, 4.
↑ 195. God's] Gods Q, Heavens F.

↑ 180. baked-meats] pastry. Collins: "It was anciently the general custom to give a cold entertainment to mourners at a funeral. In distant counties this practice is continued among the yeomanry.".
↑ 182. dearest foe] Clar. Press.: "Dear is used of whatever touches us nearly either in love or hate, joy or sorrow." In 1 Henry IV, III. ii. 123, we find "near'st and dearest enemy."
↑ 187. a man,] Edwin Booth, in delivering this speech, paused after "man," giving it as if something higher than "king."
↑ 192. Season your admiration] Temper your astonishment. Compare, for "season," II. i. 28, and for "admiration," III. ii. 342. So in Massinger's The Renegado, III. iii., "Season your admiration."

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[3] 183. Or ever I had] Q, Ere I had ever F, Ere ever I had Q 1.

[4] 184. My father,—] Rowe, My father! Cambridge, O my father, my father, Q 1.

[5] 185. O where] F, Where Q.

[7] 187. in all,] in all Q, in all: F.

[8] 190. Saw? who?] F; Saw, who Q 1, Q.

[10] 193. attent] Q, F; attentive Q 1, Qq 4–6, Ff 3, 4.

[11] 195. God's] Gods Q, Heavens F.

[1] 180. baked-meats] pastry. Collins: "It was anciently the general custom to give a cold entertainment to mourners at a funeral. In distant counties this practice is continued among the yeomanry.".

[2] 182. dearest foe] Clar. Press.: "Dear is used of whatever touches us nearly either in love or hate, joy or sorrow." In 1 Henry IV, III. ii. 123, we find "near'st and dearest enemy."

[6] 187. a man,] Edwin Booth, in delivering this speech, paused after "man," giving it as if something higher than "king."

[9] 192. Season your admiration] Temper your astonishment. Compare, for "season," II. i. 28, and for "admiration," III. ii. 342. So in Massinger's The Renegado, III. iii., "Season your admiration."