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576. "Give me thy hand; come on." Some words, like these, seem wanting: "Are prisoners now; give me thy hand, come

on.

578. "Who parts us now shall bring a brand from heaven."

SCENE III.

579.

"The goujeers," &c.

I believe we should point:

"The goujeers shall devour them flesh and fell:

"Eer they shall make us weep, we'll see them starve.

"Cordelia, come.

Edm."

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[Exeunt. Come hither, Captain, hark!"

581. "Write happy."

Subscribe yourself a happy man, for your fortune will be made.

"As I have set it down."

These words seem wanting:

"As I have set it down. What say'st thou to me?"

Edm.

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"I cannot draw a cart, nor eat dried oats,
But, if it be man's work I will do it."
"May equally determine."

I thought fit."

584. "The let-alone lies not in your good will."

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Let," here, may either mean hinderance, or permission: I rather think it is the former, as Goneril's question indicates opposition to the match: if so, the compounding hyphen should be removed.

585. If not, I'll ne'er trust poison."

This fragment seems to be an indecorous intrusion.

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"A herald," &c.

Albany had already called the herald, and there was no need of Edmund's repeating the call.

586, "And read this out aloud."

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Edm. "Now, herald, sound." [Trumpet sounds. Her. Sound there again."

Again."

[Trumpet sounds. [Trumpet sounds.

"And who is't shall arraign me for it?"

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590.

Alb.

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Gon.

591.

Monster,

"Knowst thou this paper?"

Ask not what I know."

"The gods are just, and of our pleasant

Vices

"Do often make the instruments to scourge

us."

592. "Did hate thee or thy father."

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Worthy prince,

"I know it."

Alb. "

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But where have you hid yourself?" (O our lives' sweetness !

"That with the pain of death we'd hourly die, "Rather than die at once!!"

This sentiment we find in Julius Cæsar: "Cowards die many times before their deaths; "The valiant never taste of death but once." 593. "And top extremity."

I would propose:

"And top extremity; whilst I was big "In clamour; eagerly came in a man.'

Edg.

"Touches us not with pity."

"Here comes Kent."

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Alb. "O is it he? the time will not allow "The compliment," &c.

597. "The compliment which manners urge.” Kent. " I ăm come.”

"Yet Edmund was of both of them belov'd". "And after slew herself."

Alb. "

Cover their faces."

598. Nay send in time, be quick."

Alb.

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Run, run, O run."

Well thought: my sword."

"Thy token of reprieve."

Edm."

"That she distracted did foredo herself."

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599. That heaven's vault should crack, she's gone for ever."

602. " Cordelíá, Cordelia, stay a little."

"If fortune brag of two she lov'd and hated,

"One of them we behold.”

603.

Lear. "

Kent.

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'Tis a dull sight."

"Are you not Kent ?"

The same, your servant Kent. "Where is your servant Caius, good, my liege

"One of them we behold.”

Kent here seems to refer to the king's enquiry, "Who are you?" intimating, at the same time, a similarity of fate to that of his royal master. B. STRUTT. 604. "Ha! do you tell me so, I'll see that straight."

"Edmund is dead, my lord."

Alb. "

607.

That's but a trifle."

"And thou no breath at all!-thou'lt come

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no more,

No, never, never, never, never, never.”

609. "Do you see this? Look on her-on her

lips."

610. "He but usurp'd his life.”

This hemistic does not appear of worth enough to obtain the credit of authenticity.

HAMLET.

ACT I. SCENE I.

This whole scene appears unnecessary to the design and conduct of the play; and might, I believe, with advantage, be omitted. The hand of Shakspeare is visible in it occasionally, but it is a part of that undigested plan which is manifest throughout this play.

8. "Therefore I have entreated him along, "With us to watch the minutes of this night." This passage will admit of three different interpretations.

I have entreated him to watch along with us. I have entreated him onward, in order that with us he may watch.

I have, by entreaty, drawn him along with us, that we may together watch.

The first of these, I believe, is the meaning assigned to the speaker.

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Assail our ears,

"That are so fortified against our story,
"That we two nights have seen."

If this order of the text must stand, the ellision is very harsh.-So fortified against the effect of our story, against the belief of the spectre that we have twice seen. I am persuaded we should adopt the regulation of Sir Thomas Hanmer, who gives the last line to Marcellus.

10. "It harrows me with fear, and won

der.”

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