There is a cowardice which we do not despise, because it has nothing base or treacherous in its elements; it betrays itself, not you: it is mere temperament; the absence of the romantic and the enterprising; it sees a lion in the way, and will not, with Fortinbras, "greatly find quarrel in a straw," when some supposed honour is at stake.

That can I, At least the whisper goes so: Our last King, Whose Image euen but now appear'd to vs, Was (as you know) by Fortinbras of Norway, (Thereto prick'd on by a most emulate Pride) Dar'd to the Combate.

[Sidenote: 6] Did slay this Fortinbras: who by a Seal'd Compact, Well ratified by Law, and Heraldrie,

[Sidenote: had returne] To the Inheritance of Fortinbras, [Footnote 1: 1st Q. 'Marshall stalke'.]

Now sir, young Fortinbras, Of vnimproued Mettle, hot and full, Hath in the skirts of Norway, heere and there, Shark'd vp a List of Landlesse Resolutes, [Sidenote: of lawlesse] For Foode and Diet, to some Enterprize That hath a stomacke in't: which is no other (And it doth well appeare vnto our State)

We haue heere writ To Norway, Vncle of young Fortinbras, Who Impotent and Bedrid, scarsely heares Of this his Nephewes purpose, to suppresse His further gate heerein.

[Footnote 3: 'Now followsthat (which) you knowyoung Fortinbras:']

But better look'd into, he truly found It was against your Highnesse, whereat greeued, That so his Sicknesse, Age, and Impotence Was falsely borne in hand, sends out Arrests On Fortinbras, which he (in breefe) obeyes, [Footnote 1: To be spoken triumphantly, but in the peculiar tone of one thinking, 'You little know what better news I have behind!']

Exit [Sidenote: 274] Enter Fortinbras with an Armie.

Go Captaine, from me greet the Danish King, Tell him that by his license, Fortinbras [Sidenote: 78] Claimes the conueyance of a promis'd

But when the author struck out all but the commencement of the scene, leaving only the three little speeches of Fortinbras and his captain, then plainly the act-pause must fall at the end of the preceding scene.

[Sidenote: ouercame] Fortinbras.

Yong Fortinbras, with conquest come from Poland To th'Ambassadors of England giues this warlike volly.

On Fortinbras, he ha's my dying voyce, So tell him with the occurrents more and lesse, [Sidenote: th'] Which haue solicited.[10] The rest is silence.

[Page 274] [Sidenote: 190] Enter Fortinbras and English Ambassador, with [Sidenote: Enter Fortenbrasse, with the Embassadors.] Drumme, Colours, and Attendants.

[Footnote 12: addressed to Fortinbras, I should say.

The state is disrupt, the household in disorder; there is no head; Horatio turns therefore to Fortinbras, who, besides having a claim to the crown, and being favoured by Hamlet, alone has power at the momentfor his army is with him.]

Or 'rights of memory' might mean'rights yet remembered.' Fortinbras is not one to miss a chance: even in this shadowy 'person,' character is recognizably maintained.

The message he entrusted to Horatio for Fortinbras, giving his voice, or vote, for him, was sure to 'draw on more' voices.]

Marcellus, for some unexplained reason, is ignorant of what is evidently common knowledge as to the affairs of the realm, and asks to be informed; whereupon Horatio, in a speech of some twenty-five lines, sets forth the past relations between Norway and Denmark, and prepares us for the appearance of Fortinbras in the fourth act.

The commentators, indeed, have proved that Fortinbras is an immensely valuable element in the moral scheme of the play; but from the point of view of pure drama, there is not the slightest necessity for this Norwegian-Danish embroilment or its consequences.

[Footnote 4: This must not be taken to imply that, in a good stage-version of the play, Fortinbras should be altogether omitted.

And both Ophelia, and Laertes, Fortinbras, the king, yea the very grave-digger, know well enough what they want, whether Hamlet does or not.

Ophelia's Courtier's, soldier's, scholar's eye, tongue, sword, The expectancy and rose of the fair state; the "sweet prince" of Horatio's "good-night"the soldier for whose passage Fortinbras commanded The soldier's music and the rites of war.

In this scene, too, as in others, Forbes-Robertson makes it clear that that final tribute of Fortinbras was fairly won.