[First Clown digs, and] sings.
"In youth, when I did love, did love,
Methought it was very sweet, 70
To contract, O! the time, for-a my behove,
O! methought there was nothing meet."
Ham. Has this fellow no feeling of his busi-
ness, that he sings at grave-making? 74
Hor. Custom hath made it in him a property
of easiness.
Ham. 'Tis e'en so; the hand of little employ-
ment hath the daintier sense. 78
Clown sings.
"But age, with his stealing steps,
Hath claw'd me in his clutch,
And hath shipped me intil the land,
As if I had never been such." 82
[Throws up a skull.]
Ham. That skull had a tongue in it, and
could sing once; how the knave jowls it to the
ground, as if it were Cain's jaw-bone, that did
the first murder! This might be the pate of a
politician, which this ass now o'er-offices, one
that would circumvent God, might it not? 88
Hor. It might, my lord.
Ham. Or of a courtier, which could say,
'Good morrow, sweet lord! How dost thou,
good lord?' This might be my Lord Such-a-
one, that praised my Lord Such-a-one's horse,
when he meant to beg it, might it not? 94
Hor. Ay, my lord.
69 In . . . love; cf. n.
71 behove: benefit
75 property of easiness; cf. n.
81 intil: into
84 jowls: dashes
87 o'er-offices: exercises his office over
