95i) 



REMARKS ON THE PHILOSOPHY AND 



the delicate-minded and meditative Hamlet. There was no resem- 

 blance between them, and hence his cozenage appears so offensive. 

 The repugnance which Hamlet had to Polonius, his conduct to 

 Ophelia, his retaliation upon Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, have 

 been made the subject of mi^ch censure ; and, without thinking on 

 the whole bearing of the play, the reader is glad to find an excuse 

 in the supposed madness of Hamlet for the want of common huma- 

 nity. Let us reconcile this discrepancy. Hamlet never tolerated 

 Polonius; though he was a wise, he was too wily a courtier to 

 please Hamlet, who saw right through the disintegrity of his con- 

 duct. Polonius was no bad resemblance to the crafty Metternich, 

 with less talent but more wisdom. Polonius cared not how he 

 played the fool so that he was not a fool to himself. To fancy Po- 

 lonius the friend of Hamlet is to couple Thersites with Ulysses. 

 Hamlet would have listened to the ribaldry of a jester, but he could 

 not endure the compliments of a courtier. He always despised Po- 

 lonius ; but the gentle flower born to this old sycophant, the loved 

 and loving Ophelia ! Hamlet was her worshipper, but in that was 

 he peculiar. Hamlet did not love like the rest of the world ; his 

 love was full of elegance and truth; no jealousy, no caprice, but 

 tenderly severe, he would teach a woman to reverence herself. But 

 the current of his thoughts was turned awry, he suspected Ophelia 

 of espionage, he found in his love an excuse for his pretended insa- 

 nity, and, without thinking on the consequences, he spoke as no 

 man should have spoken to a chaste, fond-hearted maiden. Yet he 

 loved her — 



" forty thousand brothers 

 Could not, with all their quantity of love, 

 Make up my sum." 



His school-fellows, Guildenstem and Rosencrantz, deserved their 

 penalty : they would have played upon him, would pluck out the 

 heart of his mystery, " delve to the bottom of his soul," and then 

 lend their aid to the bloody villain for the destruction of Hamlet. 

 His conduct was justified by their own. But let us remember his 

 friendship for the healthy-minded Horatio — that shadow of himself 

 — one degree lower than Hamlet, with less passion, constant, brave, 

 and honourable. There is no higher eulogium conceivable, than 

 that which Hamlet passes on his friend ; it is a beautiful outbreak 

 of admiration, love, and truth : 



" Ham — Horatio, thou art e'en as just a man 

 As e'er my conversation cop'd withal. 

 " Hor — O my dear lord, 



