1479-1488 I heard thee...handsome then fine]
Capell (1774, 1:1:134): “Before any judgment can be form’d of this ‘
speech’ which is call’d for by Hamlet, about which there have been various opinions, it will be necessary to conceive rightly what is said of the play in general out of which it is taken, for some of the Poet’s terms on that subject extend also to this particular speech, and give us his own opinion about it, that is– under certain restrictions that shall be mention’d hereafter: the terms are something ambiguous, but this (it is conceiv’d) is the force of them. The play, says he, (speaking in the person of Hamlet) was ‘
well digested in the scenes,’ the fable well and artificially manag’d, ‘
set down with as much modesty as cunning,’ yet of such a simplicity as was equal to the art of conducting it: this, says the speaker, is the opinion that I had of it, and others of better judgment than me, ‘
whose judgments cried in the top of mine:’ On the other hand, there were who objected to it,– that
’“there were no salts in the lines, to make the matter savoury,” no comick mixture wrought up with it, to make the grave relish better, ‘
nor no matter in the phrase, that might indite the author of affection,’ and the grave itself was so worded, that the writer seem’d untouch’d by his subject: but they allow’d of what was said of the fable; call’d the conduct of it good, ‘
an honest method;’ and moreover, it’s tendency moral, and its diction poetical, ‘
as wholesome as sweet,’ having a natural beauty but not set off with much art, ‘
more handsome than fine.’ If this be a right interpretation of the branches of this character, we have in them a general praise of the play, (exclusive of it’s want of ‘
affection,’ and the other matter objected to it) and, consequently, of the speech and it’s poetry; which praise it had been justly intitl’d to, (with exception of two or three phrases,– ‘
whiff, grandsire, and
roasted’) had it ended at the end of poor Priam, 53, 20: but the Poet had a purpose to serve, which induc’d him to give the rest of this speech; though with hazard (or, rather, death) of his judgment, if we extend his commendation to all of it: An audience could not dine on fine speeches at that time of day, but would be fed with things ‘
savoury:’ the addition, with the aid of Polonius, was a dish to their palate, which
Shakespeare did not stick to serve up to them; reck’ning (as well he might) on their judgment, that it would acquit him of any intention of including the latter lines in his character, and bestowing praise upon them. Among the very few plays of that time that have not been seen by the editor, is one that bears the title of ‘Dido
queen of Carthage,’ in which one might be apt to expect the speech in question: but,– besides the great probability that the play which contain’d this speech was never printed,– if Langbaine be right in his author, the speech will not be found in this ‘Dido;’ for the cast of Thomas Nash’s productions is widely different.”