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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![When both eye and touch, each love's selectest Sense, are full of arguments to show thee Gentleness. Ophe. I've known the wise refuse a Gift, whose richness set too deep a care on Keeping. I have not the value to make Good so great a loss. 'Twere then a prudent Part in love, to pause ere he receive the Precious jewel of thy oath. Ham. The bond I Give of constancy, is written on the heart; Securely there, till blotted out by thy Unkindness, or, if such can be, some blacker Fate. But since thy hand holds back in doubt,— '[Giving a book.~\ read These memorials of my pen, through years of Silent love. Shouldst thou read them twice, thou'lt then Believe me true,—because thou'd have it so. This for conviction. [Giving a case of Jewels,,~] These are vainly meant,— For thy adorning: if Ophelia can Forget her beauty's high sufficiency, and Hold them needful; or so flatter Hamlet, as To feign a use for his superfluous gifts. Ophe. Ophelia wants not these, which thy contented Heart of compliment calls useless: and thus, Only takes them of thy hand,—to give her Willing hand to thee. Ham. Oh ! why am I, at This my need, so cursed with poverty of speech ?— That my tongue-tribute pays thus far below A tithe, of all the dues to thy deserving Quality. Ophe. A tithe of compliment from thee, My lord, is ten times more than this wide earth, With her unnumbered altars of vain praise, Can give of incensed favor. Do but say, In heartfelt brevity,—I love,—and I will Paraphrase the words, to endless terms of Happiness.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21152081_0054.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
