Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Hamlet, a dramatic prelude, in five acts / by James Rush. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)
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![Ham. [Starting forward.'] If heaven should cross my search, I'll drop my sword and weep; for she of right is his. If hell is in the way, I'll through it straight, without a passport. Come on, for Denmark's sake, not help, I share the glory. Claud. \_Grasping Hamlet by the breast, and leav- ing the print of his fingers.] Stay, my lord; 'twas but a jest, to make thee serious. Two masks of us, thy friends, had difference concerning thy affection,—and pardon crave, for this distracting proof. Ham. Whoe'er thou art, thy friendship would have served me better, hadst thou thrown thy straws up in the wind of prudence. Such airs as thine oft blow the handful back into the face: and but for this calm that follows on thy welcome falsehood, thou mightest have felt some beards, within the eye of thy curiosity. Claud. My lord, we humbly take thy pardon. But being unknown, our gratitude can only be a speechless bondsman to thy mercy. Ham. [Looking at the marks, left by Claudius on his domino.] What is this? They say, the devil,— from the sooty tincture of his books,—uses white ink. If, by confession, thou wert not my friend, I'd take thee for some scribe, escaped the black dominion. But 'tis no matter;—Ophelia was the cause. [Dumb show. Several masks gather round Snudor; who serves them with wine of different colors, by apparently, puncturing his breast. Snudor has the glasses, which he gives the masks. They hold tliem up and drink.] Ham. [Meeting Marcellus.] King? Mar. Knave ? [Hamlet and Marcellus uncover to each other.] My lord, I have discovered that she's Ophelia, with the blue and scarlet scarf. Ham. Thanks, good Marcellus. But what of that group of bacchanals ? If thou canst note excess of drink, as well as all surpassing beauty, thou'lt discover my uncle Claudius too.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21152081_0101.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
