The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-07-31
Our &ops ann Girls.
The Scribe's Report.

I6lRueu lOI tuO puiPOoO VI OApOoinS
and avenging his fathers murder, that
there is too much method in it to be
real, and that his talk when alone shows
him to be perfectly sane. "Cousin
Polly" thinks that his madness was
feigned, in part, at least, and quotes in
proof the words of Hamlet to Horatio
and Marcellus, Act l., Scene 8:
There are more things in heaven and
earth, Horatio
Than are dream'd of in our philosophy. But
come;
Here, as before, never, so help you mercy,
How strange or odd soccer bear myself,
As l, perchance, hereafter shall think meet
To put an antic disposition on,
That you, at such times seeing me, never
shall,
shake,
Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase,
As, Well, well, we know; or, We could,
an if we would
Or, If we list to speak, or, There be, an
if they might
Or such ambiguous giving out, to note
That you know aught of me; this not to do,
So grace and mercy at your most need help
you,
Swear"
Also the words of Polonius, " Though
this be madness, yet there is method
int" In the former of these quota
tons the more common reading of the
l;,o e, e
in your philosophy" Richard Grant
White, who has made special study of
the various readings in different edi-
tions of Shakespeare's works, says that
this common rendering of the line does
not agree with the most approved text
of Shakespeare's time. We have taken
his twelve-volume edition of Shake
speare as the standard, in accordance
with which all the quotations that have
appeared in these columns have been
given. Hence those of you who have
found your quotations slightly altered
will understand that it has been for
the purpose of conforming them to this
standard.
1t is good plan for young people to
have a blank book in which to preserve
choice quotations from standard au-
thors; and in such a book many of
the quotations we have had might
find place, with space reserved for
others that you will be constantly run
familiar with the works of Shakespeare.
B. II. A." answers both questions
of this date in what follows: All the
internal evidence of the play leads to
the conclusion that the madness of
Hamlet was feigned. He had an I'M
stable will which alternated between
fits of inactivity and excited energy.
He was naturally sensitive, with a re-
Elective mind, and his whole nature
received shock at the queens second
marriage, the discovery of the murder
of his father and the injunction laid
upon him to revenge that murder, a
task he was i'll adapted to perform.
he was surrounded, and partly to create
veil behind which to hide his real
self, he assumed his madness. All
these circumstances conspired to throw
him into melancholy which gave his
whole after-life a saddened aspect.
His moral nature seems to have been
all right at first, but was shattered so
that his later life was characterized by
weak moral force. lie also lacks decision
to avenge his fathers death when he
finally discovers beyond doubt the
proofs of the murderer's guilt. He
seems to be lacking will power, but
finally arouses himself to the sword
contest with Laertes and the punish
ment of the malefactors. There is,
however, evidence of more moral checks
in Hamlet's career than that of Laertes,
who takes immediate opportunity to
avenge his fathers DEATH
cousin Polly" says, in answer to
the second question: "The character
of Hamlet was that of a dreamer; he
possessed mind capable of lofty
thoughts and impulses, and with his
nature the times were out of Joint Z"
She then gives sentence from Goethe's
view of Hamlet The whole of this
Characterization of Goethe's is so fine
that we want to make a somewhat
longer quotation, which, however, in
cludes hers: "Here is an oak tree,
planted in costly vase which should
have received into its bosom only
lovely flowers; the roots spread out,
the vase is shivered to pieces. A
beautiful, pure, noble and most moral
nature, without the strength of nerve
which makes the hero, sinks beneath a
burden which it can neither bear nor
throw off; every duty is holy to him