Line 879 - Commentary Note (CN) 
Commentary notes (CN):
1. SMALL CAPS Indicate editions. Notes for each commentator are divided into three parts:
In the 1st two lines of a record, when the name of the source text (the siglum) is printed in SMALL CAPS, the comment comes from an EDITION; when it is in normal font, it is derived from a book, article, ms. record or other source. We occasionally use small caps for ms. sources and for works related to editions. See bibliographies for complete information (in process).
2. How comments are related to predecessors' comments. In the second line of a record, a label "without attribution" indicates that a prior writer made the same or a similar point; such similarities do not usually indicate plagiarism because many writers do not, as a practice, indicate the sources of their glosses. We provide the designation ("standard") to indicate a gloss in common use. We use ≈ for "equivalent to" and = for "exactly alike."
3. Original comment. When the second line is blank after the writer's siglum, we are signaling that we have not seen that writer's gloss prior to that date. We welcome correction on this point.
4. Words from the play under discussion (lemmata). In the third line or lines of a record, the lemmata after the TLN (Through Line Number] are from Q2. When the difference between Q2 and the authors' lemma(ta) is significant, we include the writer's lemma(ta). When the gloss is for a whole line or lines, only the line number(s) appear. Through Line Numbers are numbers straight through a play and include stage directions. Most modern editions still use the system of starting line numbers afresh for every scene and do not assign line numbers to stage directions.
5. Bibliographic information. In the third line of the record, where we record the gloss, we provide concise bibliographic information, expanded in the bibliographies, several of which are in process.
6. References to other lines or other works. For a writer's reference to a passage elsewhere in Ham. we provide, in brackets, Through Line Numbers (TLN) from the Norton F1 (used by permission); we call these xref, i.e., cross references. We call references to Shakespearean plays other than Ham. “parallels” (//) and indicate Riverside act, scene and line number as well as TLN. We call references to non-Shakespearean works “analogues.”
7. Further information: See the Introduction for explanations of other abbreviations.
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Notes for lines 0-1017 ed. Bernice W. Kliman
| 879 Ham. Rest, rest, perturbed spirit: so Gentlemen, | 1.5.182 |
|---|
1790 mal
mal
879 perturbed spirit] malone (ed. 1790): “The verb perturb is used by Holinshed, and by Bacon in his Essay on Superstition: ‘—therefore atheism did never perturb states.’ Malone.”
1793 v1793
v1793: mal +
879 perturbed spirit] Steevens (ed. 1793): “The skill displayed in Shakspeare’s management of his Ghost, is too considerable to be overlooked. He has rivetted our attention to it by a succession of forcible circumstances: —by the previous report of the terrified centinels, —by the solemnity of the hour at which the phantom walks, — by its martial stride and discriminating armour, visible only per incertam lunam, by the glimpses of the moon, —by its long taciturnity,—by its preparation to speak, when interrupted by the morning cock,—by its mysterious reserve throughout its first scene with Hamlet,—by his resolute departure with it, and the subsequent anxiety of his attendants,—by its conducting him to a solitary angle of the platform,—by its voice from beneath the earth,—and by its unexpected burst on us in the closet.
“Hamlet’s late interview with the spectre, must in particular be regarded as a stroke of dramatick artifice. The phantom might have told his story in the presence of the officers and Horatio, and yet have rendered itself as inaudible to them, as afterward to the Queen. But suspense was our poet’s object; and never was it more effectually created, than in the present instance. Six times has the royal semblance appeared, but till now has been withheld from speaking. For this event we have waited with impatient curiosity, unaccompanied by lassitude, or remitted attention.
“The Ghost in this tragedy, is allowed to be the genuine product of Sh’s strong imagination. When he afterwards avails himself of traditional phantoms, as in Julius Caesar, and King Richard III, they are but inefficacious pageants; nay, the apparition of Banquo is a mute exhibitor. Perhaps our poet despaired to equal the vigour of his early conceptions on the subject of preternatural beings, and therefore allotted them no further eminence in his dramas; or was unwilling to diminish the power of his principal shade, by an injudicious repetition of congenial images. Steevens.”
1803 v1803
v1803 = v1793
879 perturbed spirit]
1805 Seymour
Seymour
879 Rest, rest] Seymour (1805, 2:164): “This double rest only perturbs the metre. . . .”
1807 Pye
Pye: Steevens +
879 perturbed spirit] Pye (1807, p. 314): “I once saw an actor (I will not mention his name) lay his hand on his bosom as he spoke these words, applying them to himself. Mr. Steevens has a most excellent note here on the whole preceding scene.”
an actor’s choice for Rest, rest perturbed spirit, which he appears to deprecate, and commendation for Steevens’ note. This is Pye’s whole note.
1813 v1813
v1813 = v1803
879 perturbed spirit]
1819 cald1
cald1 ≈ Steevens; mal
879 perturbed spirit] Caldecott (ed. 1819): “This word, which we have again in [Cym. 3.4.? (0000)], Malone says is used by Holinshed, and quotes Bacon’s Essay on Superstition: ‘Therefore atheism did never perturb states.” We must again point out, that, though Shakespeare was certainly not a scholar in the understood sense of that word, it may yet be asked, what term more dignified (for the epithet, whatever other instances of its use might be produced, is at least far removed from vulgar or ordinary diction) or in more just taste could the most finished scholar have supplied? See extravagant and erring spirit.” [153] Marc. [sic]. Steevens observes, the skill displayed in Shakespeare’s managementof his Ghost, is too considerable to be overlooked. He has rivetted our attention to it by a succession of forcible circumstances—by the previous report of the terrified centinels,—by the solemnity of the hour at which the phantom walks,—by its martial stride and discriminating armour, visible only per incertam lunam, by the glimpsesof the moon,—by its long taciturnity,—by its preparation to speak, when interrupted by the morning cock,—by its mysterious reserve throughout its first scene with Hamlet,—by his resolute departure with it, and the subsequent anxiety of his attendants,—by its conducting him to a solitary angle of the platform,—by its voice from beneath the earth,—and by its unexpected burst on us in the closet.
“Hamlet’s late interview with the spectre, must in particular be regarded as a stroke of dramatic artifice. The phantom might have told his story in the presence of the Officers and Horatio, and yet have rendered itself as inaudible to them, as afterward to the Queen. But suspense was our poet’s object; and never was it more effectually created, than in the present instance. Six times has the royal semblance appeared, but till now has been withheld from speaking.”
Ed. note: Though Caldecott refers to Steevens, he has no quotation marks to indicate his almost exact quotation of most of Steevens’ note.
1821 v1821
v1821 = v1813
879 perturbed spirit]
1826 sing1
sing1: Steevens’ essay on ghost v1793
879 perturbed spirit]
1832 cald2
cald2 = cald1
879 perturbed spirit]
1865 hal
hal = Steevens on the Ghost
879 perturbed spirit]
1868 c&mc
c&mc
879 perturbed spirit]
Clarke & Clarke (ed. 1868): “After the strain of almost unseemly levity in which Hamlet’s agitation of mind has taken refuge—using such expressions as ‘boy,’ ‘true-penny,’ ‘this fellow in the cellarage,’ and ‘old mole’—it has an effect of pathos and deep heart-feeling, these few murmured soothing words, ‘Rest, rest, perturbed spirit!’ coming as a climax and close to the scene.”
1877 v1877
v1877 ≈ c&mc
879 perturbed spirit]
Furness (ed. 1877):
Clarke: There is an effect of pathos in these few murmured soothing words, coming as a climax and close to the scene.”
1885 macd
macd
879 Rest, rest] MacDonald (ed. 1885): “—for now they had obeyed his command and sworn secrecy.”
1985 cam4
cam4; Wilson, Spencer, Jenkins
879 Edwards (ed. 1985): "Perhaps at this point Horatio and Marcellus silently swear on the hilt of Hamlet’s sword. Wilson, Spencer and Jenkins think they swear silently three separate times. There is no indication in the text when, if ever, the formal oath is taken. It seems best not to impose a decision by means of a stage direction.
1992 fol2
fol2 ≈ macd without attribution
879 Rest, rest perturbed spirit] Mowat & Werstine (ed. 1992): “These words suggest that Horatio and Marcellus have sworn the oath demanded by Hamlet and the Ghost; Q2 and F give no stage direction to indicate when they do so.”
1996 OED
OED
879 perturbed] OED: “(ptbd, poet. bd), ppl. a. [f. PERTURB v. + -ED1.] 1.Disquieted, agitated, restless; confused, deranged. 1512 Helyas in Thoms Prose Rom. (1828) III. 45 Matabrune was ful sorye and perturbed of these tidings. 1602 SHAKS. Ham. I. v. 183 Rest, rest, perturbed Spirit. 1656 tr. Hobbes’ Elem. Philos. (1839) 166 Whether the proportions in both orders be successively answerable to one another, which is called ordinate proportion, or not successively answerable, which is called perturbed proportion.”
2005 Shakespeare. Journal of the British Shakespeare Association
Holderness
879 Rest, rest, perturbed spirit] Holderness (2005, p. 165): “Like a parent to a child, Hamlet coaxes the Ghost back to sleep.”
2006 ard3q2
ard3q2: //
879 Rest . . . spirit] Thompson & Taylor (ed. 2006): “The Ghost is able to rest once revenge has been sworn (or, ideally, accomplished: see Brutus’ dying words, ’Caesar, now be still’, at JC 5.5.50). The implication is that Horatio and Marcellus have taken an oath by now, though none of the three texts indicates precisely when this happens.”
879