Hamlet

Act II, Scene 1.

Elsinore. A room in the house of Polonius.

Enter Polonius and Reynaldo.

Polonius. Give him this money and these notes, Reynaldo.

Reynaldo. I will, my lord.

Polonius. You shall do marvell's wisely, good Reynaldo, 950

Before You visit him, to make inquire

Of his behaviour.

Reynaldo. My lord, I did intend it.

Polonius. Marry, well said, very well said. Look you, sir,

Enquire me first what Danskers are in Paris; 955

And how, and who, what means, and where they keep,

What company, at what expense; and finding

By this encompassment and drift of question

That they do know my son, come you more nearer

Than your particular demands will touch it. 960

Take you, as 'twere, some distant knowledge of him;

As thus, 'I know his father and his friends,

And in part him.' Do you mark this, Reynaldo?

Reynaldo. Ay, very well, my lord.

Polonius. 'And in part him, but,' you may say, 'not well. 965

But if't be he I mean, he's very wild

Addicted so and so'; and there put on him

What forgeries you please; marry, none so rank

As may dishonour him- take heed of that;

But, sir, such wanton, wild, and usual slips 970

As are companions noted and most known

To youth and liberty.

Reynaldo. As gaming, my lord.

Polonius. Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing, quarrelling,

Drabbing. You may go so far. 975

Reynaldo. My lord, that would dishonour him.

Polonius. Faith, no, as you may season it in the charge.

You must not put another scandal on him,

That he is open to incontinency.

That's not my meaning. But breathe his faults so quaintly 980

That they may seem the taints of liberty,

The flash and outbreak of a fiery mind,

A savageness in unreclaimed blood,

Of general assault.

Reynaldo. But, my good lord- 985

Polonius. Wherefore should you do this?

Reynaldo. Ay, my lord,

I would know that.

Polonius. Marry, sir, here's my drift,

And I believe it is a fetch of warrant. 990

You laying these slight sullies on my son

As 'twere a thing a little soil'd i' th' working,

Mark you,

Your party in converse, him you would sound,

Having ever seen in the prenominate crimes 995

The youth you breathe of guilty, be assur'd

He closes with you in this consequence:

'Good sir,' or so, or 'friend,' or 'gentleman'-

According to the phrase or the addition

Of man and country- 1000

Reynaldo. Very good, my lord.

Polonius. And then, sir, does 'a this- 'a does- What was I about to say?

By the mass, I was about to say something! Where did I leave?

Reynaldo. At 'closes in the consequence,' at 'friend or so,' and

gentleman.' 1005

Polonius. At 'closes in the consequence'– Ay, marry!

He closes thus: 'I know the gentleman.

I saw him yesterday, or t'other day,

Or then, or then, with such or such; and, as you say,

There was 'a gaming; there o'ertook in's rouse; 1010

There falling out at tennis'; or perchance,

'I saw him enter such a house of sale,'

Videlicet, a brothel, or so forth.

See you now-

Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth; 1015

And thus do we of wisdom and of reach,

With windlasses and with assays of bias,

By indirections find directions out.

So, by my former lecture and advice,

Shall you my son. You have me, have you not? 1020

Reynaldo. My lord, I have.

Polonius. God b' wi' ye, fare ye well!

Reynaldo. Good my lord! [Going.]

Polonius. Observe his inclination in yourself.

Reynaldo. I shall, my lord. 1025

Polonius. And let him ply his music.

Reynaldo. Well, my lord.