¡MBF for his funeral. Having re-affumed his affedled infanity, he
purpofely wounds his fingers in drawing his fword, which
the by<-{landers immediately fallen to the fcabhard. He afterwards
invites the principal nobles to an entertainment,
, makes them intoxicated, and in that ftate covers them with a
large curtain, which he fallens to the ground with wooden
pegs; he then fets fire to the palace, and the nobles, being,
enveloped in the curtain, perilh in the flames. During this
tranfailion he repairs to Fengo’s apartment, and, taking the
fword which lay by the fide o f' his bed, puts his own in its
place; he inftantly awakens, and informs him,,that Hamlet
is come to revenge the murder o f his father, Fengo ftarts
from bis beds fcizes the fword, but, being unable to draw it,
falls by the hand o f Hamlet. The next morning, when the
populace were afiembled to view the rums of the palace,
Hamlet fummons the remaining nobles, and in a raafterly
lpcech, which is too long to infert in this place, lays open the
motives of his own conduct, proves his uncle to have been
the affaflin o f his father, and concludes in the following words:
“ Tread upon the allies o f the monfter, who, polluting the
“ wife of his murdered brother, joined incell to parricide;
“ and ruled over you with the moll opprellive tyranny.
. “ Receive me as the roinifier o f a ju il revenge, as one who felt
“ for the fufferings of his father and his people. Confidei me
“ as the perfon who has purged the difgrace of his country,
“ extinguiflied the infamy o f his mother, freed you from
u the defpotifm o f a monfter, whofe crimes, i f he had lived,
M would have daily increafed, and terminated in your de-
“ ftruilion. Acknowledge my ferviees ; and i f I have de-
“ ferved it, prefent me with the crown : behold in me the
“ author o f thefe advantages; no degenerate perfon, no par-
ricide, but the rightful fucceflor to the throne, and the pi-
“ ous
ous avenger o f a father’s' rouMer, I have refeuéd yoii chap.
<£ from flavery, reftored yoft to liberty,- atet fe-éf&tofl$ydV=4^i
« ybttr glatyf;- I haVè deftròyetfa tyràrif, midTrihmphed over
“ an-allixffin. The’ retompeneec y ^ hands ; you
** caoelttmate tlih value o f m y ferViebs, add; ih yòur vìrftfé
<f" I reft m y hopes, o f rèwardv”
This, fpeeeh has the defired1 eflfoifty the greater part o f
the aifembly ihed tears,, and- all- who are prefeht uhhnia
moully pmeiaim him king amid’tdpdated-aoelauiatibns’.
Hamler,,f0'o'tf after'his^elevatìon, fails' tePErigland,' aiftforders
a ihield'-tmbe-made,- on- which the-pririfcipal' a&ionsof
hisdife-arereprefiinteai The-kin'g'receieee-hi'm with feìghèd.
demonftrations o f joy, falfely allures him’ that his daughter
is-dead, and reesitìl«eìids hiiivto repair to Stìòtlàrìd'as tusdm-
btìflador,-and tb 'pay hlsdddreiréktb the qhéeh1 Héritietrildàì,
Fib gives this, infidtotìs' advice' With-the hopes^ that-Hartilel
may periib in the:attempt!; its thie qneert, who Whs ré-
markable for her cliaftify and cruelty, liàd fiich anaveffidii
to all.propdfals dfi marriage,- that: riot dbe dfi Mrf ifiitorf-had
efcaped falling a facrifice-tò’ Keft'iiengteàhce^ Hfcmlèf, in opc
pofition toall difficultieSi performs thè èmbàlfy;- and,-by the
afliftance o f his ftiield, which: iitìpifèis : the ladyJ Witli 4 fa*
vourable opiniom o f his wifdoriFarid cbhfage;. obtains her irt
marriage, and returns with her to England. Informed, by
the prineefs to Whom he had beetl■ betrothed, that her father
meditates-his al&fflnation, Hamlet?aVoich his fateby Wearing
armour under his robe ;: put® tb-ddath the fcirig ofEtìglahdì
and fails to Denmark with bis two wives, where h e is foori
afterwards killed iti a- cofribat with Vigletus, fon o f Ruric.
Hamlet, adds; th e hiftòrian, was- a-prince, who, i f his good
fortune had been equal to his - de-ferts, would have rivaled
x * a-- tiié