Ophelia.
Laer.
My necessaries are imbark'd, farewel;
And, sister, as the winds give benefit,
And Convoy is assistant, do not sleep,
But let me hear from you.
-- 134 --
Oph.
Do you doubt That?
Laer.
For Hamlet, and the trifling of his favour,
&wlquo;Hold it a fashion and a toy in blood;
&wlquo;A violet in the youth of primy nature,
&wlquo;Forward, not permanent, tho' sweet, not lasting;
&wlquo;The perfume, and suppliance of a minute;
No more—
Oph.
No more but so?
Laer.
Think it no more:
For Nature, crescent, does not grow alone
In thews and bulk; but, as this Temple waxes,
The inward service of the mind and soul
Grows wide withal. Perhaps he loves you now;
9 note
And now no soil of cautel doth besmerch
The virtue of his will: but you must fear,
His Greatness weigh'd, his will is not his own:
For he himself is subject to his Birth;
He may not, as unvalued persons do,
Carve for himself; for on his choice depends
1 noteThe safety and the health of the whole State:
And therefore must his choice be circumscrib'd
Unto the 2 notevoice and yielding of that body,
-- 135 --
Whereof he's head. Then, if he says, he loves you,
It fits your wisdom 3 noteso far to believe it,
As he in his peculiar act and place
May give his Saying deed; which is no further,
Than the main voice of Denmark goes withal.
Then weigh, what loss your Honour may sustain,
If with too credent ear you list his songs;
Or lose your heart, or your chaste treasure open
To his unmaster'd importunity.
Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister;
And keep within the rear of your affection,
Out of the shot and danger of desire.
&wlquo;The chariest maid is prodigal enough,
&wlquo;If she unmask her beauty to the moon:
&wlquo;Virtue itself 'scapes not calumnious strokes;
&wlquo;The canker galls the Infants of the Spring,
&wlquo;Too oft before their buttons be disclos'd;
&wlquo;And in the morn and liquid dew of youth
&wlquo;Contagious blastments are most imminent.
Be wary then, best safety lies in fear;
Youth to itself rebels, though none else near.
Oph.
4 noteI shall th' effects of this good lesson keep,
As watchman to my heart. &wlquo;But, good my brother,
&wlquo;Do not, as some ungracious pastors do,
&wlquo;Shew me the steep and thorny way to heav'n;
&wlquo;5 note
Whilst, he a puft and reckless libertine,
-- 136 --
&wlquo;Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads,
&wlquo;And 6 noterecks not his own reed.
Laer.
Oh, fear me not.
Alexander Pope [1747], The works of Shakespear in eight volumes. The Genuine Text (collated with all the former Editions, and then corrected and emended) is here settled: Being restored from the Blunders of the first Editors, and the Interpolations of the two Last: with A Comment and Notes, Critical and Explanatory. By Mr. Pope and Mr. Warburton (Printed for J. and P. Knapton, [and] S. Birt [etc.], London) [word count] [S11301].
