owards, but the fear of _deserved_ evil. The Poet may intend
that conscience alone is the cause of fear in man. '_Coward_' does not
here involve contempt: it should be spoken with a grim smile. But Hamlet
would hardly call turning from _suicide_ cowardice in any sense. 24.]

[Footnote 17: --such as was his when he vowed vengeance.]

[Footnote 18: --such as immediately followed on that The _native_ hue of
resolution--that which is natural to man till interruption comes--is
ruddy; the hue of thought is pale. I suspect the '_pale cast_' of an
allusion to whitening with _rough-cast_.]

[Page 122]

And enterprizes of great pith and moment,[1] [Sidenote: pitch [1]]
With this regard their Currants turne away, [Sidenote: awry]
And loose the name of Action.[2] Soft you now,
[Sidenote: 119] The faire _Ophelia_? Nimph, in thy Orizons[3]
Be all my sinnes remembred.[4]

_Ophe._ Good my Lord,
How does your Honor for this many a day?

_Ham._ I humbly thanke you: well, well, well.[5]

_Ophe._ My Lord, I haue Remembrances of yours,
That I haue longed long to re-deliuer.
I pray you now, receiue them.

_Ham._ No, no, I neuer gaue you ought.[6]
[Sidenote: No, not I, I never]

_Ophe._ My honor'd Lord, I know right well you did,
[Sidenote: you know]
And with them words of so sweet breath compos'd,
As made the things more rich, then perfume left:
[Sidenote: these things | their perfume lost.[7]]
Take these againe, for to the Noble minde
Rich gifts wax poore, when giuers proue vnkinde.
There my Lord.[8]

_Ham._ Ha, ha: Are you honest?[9]

_Ophe._ My Lord.

_Ham._ Are you faire?

_Ophe._ What meanes your Lordship?

_Ham._ That if you be honest and faire, your
[Sidenote: faire, you should admit]
Honesty[10] should admit no discourse to your Beautie.

_Ophe._ Could Beautie my Lord, haue better
Comerce[11] then your Honestie?[12]
[Sidenote: Then with honestie?[11]]

_Ham._ I trulie: for the power of Beautie, will
sooner transforme Honestie from what it is, to a
Bawd, then the force of Honestie can translate
Beautie into his likenesse. This was sometime a
Paradox, but now the time giues it proofe. I did
loue you once.[13]

_Ophe._ Indeed my Lord, you made me beleeue so.

[Footnote 1: How could _suicide_ be styled _an