[Footnote 2: _1st Q._
_Montano_, here, these letters to my sonne,
And this same mony with my blessing to him,
And bid him ply his learning good _Montano_.]
[Footnote 3: The father has no confidence in the son, and rightly, for
both are unworthy: he turns on him the cunning of the courtier, and
sends a spy on his behaviour. The looseness of his own principles comes
out very clear in his anxieties about his son; and, having learned the
ideas of the father as to what becomes a gentleman, we are not surprised
to find the son such as he afterwards shows himself. Till the end
approaches, we hear no more of Laertes, nor is more necessary; but
without this scene we should have been unprepared for his vileness.]
[Footnote 4: _Point thus_: 'son, come you more nearer; then &c.' The
_then_ here does not stand for _than_, and to change it to _than_ makes
at once a contradiction. The sense is: 'Having put your general
questions first, and been answered to your purpose, then your particular
demands will come in, and be of service; they will reach to the
point--_will touch it_.' The _it_ is impersonal. After it should come a
period.]
[Page 66]
_Reynol._ As gaming my Lord.
_Polon._ I, or drinking, fencing, swearing,
Quarelling, drabbing. You may goe so farre.
_Reynol._ My Lord that would dishonour him.
_Polon._ Faith no, as you may season it in the charge;[1]
[Sidenote: Fayth as you]
You must not put another scandall on him,
That hee is open to Incontinencie;[2]
That's not my meaning: but breath his faults so quaintly,
That they may seeme the taints of liberty;
The flash and out-breake of a fiery minde,
A sauagenes in vnreclaim'd[3] bloud of generall assault.[4]
_Reynol._ But my good Lord.[5]
_Polon._ Wherefore should you doe this?[6]
_Reynol._ I my Lord, I would know that.
_Polon._ Marry Sir, heere's my drift,
And I belieue it is a fetch of warrant:[7] [Sidenote: of wit,]
You laying these slight sulleyes[8] on my Sonne,
[Sidenote: sallies[8]]
As 'twere a thing a little soil'd i'th'working:
[Sidenote: soiled with working,]
Marke you your party in conuerse; him you would sound,
Hauing euer seene. In the prenominate crimes, [Sidenote: seene in the]
The youth you breath of guilty, be assur'd
He closes with you in this consequence:
Good sir, or so, or friend, or Gentleman.
According to the Phrase and the Addition,[9] [Sidenote: phrase or the]
Of man and Country.
_Reynol._ Very good my Lord.
_Polon._ And then Sir does he this?
[Sidenote: doos a this a doos, what was _I_]
He does: what was I about to say?
I was about to say somthing: where did I leaue?
[Sidenote: By the masse I was]
_Reynol._ At closes in the consequence:
At friend, or so, and Gentleman.[10]
[Footnote 1: _1st Q._