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. Click here for more information about browsing the entries and here for more information about the special symbols used in Hamletworks. Click the question mark icon above to remove this help message.

1789 Anon.

Anon: Kemble

346-55 Anon. (1789, p. 7): “In the greatest part of the next scene, where Horatio informs him [Hamlet played by Kemble] of the appearance of his father’s spirit, his action and expression are admirable, the reception of his friend is warm and animated, and his sudden change of countenance at the recollection of his father’s death, (from which he had been for some time diverted by the entrance of his friend,) is well managed; and his surprise at Horatio’s telling him he saw his father’s spirit, and his agitation, during his recital of the strange story, is just and natural.”

1854 White

White: verp without attribution (see 355); Jhones

346-55 White (1854, pp. 408-9): <p. 408> “Richard Jhones, who published Promos and Cassandra, is the best commentator on the passage. I have quoted this sentence from his advertisement once before; but it is worth quoting here again:—‘and if by chaunce thou light of some speache that seemeth dark, consider of it with judgment, before thou condemne the worke: for in many places he is driven both to praise and blame with one breath, which in readinge wil seeme hard, and in action appeare plaine.’

“No other clue is needed. How can any one with the scene in his ‘mind’s eye’ avoid intuitively understanding it thus? Hamlet has three visitors, who find him alone: being a well bred gentleman he speaks to all of them; and being a prince, he addresses each one in a manner suited to his degree. In his old friend and schoolfellow he expresses interest, and asks, ‘And what make you from Wittenberg?’ But breaking off, to bestow civility upon his other guests, he, says, interrogatively, to one (whom he thinks he recognizes, and who, by the present, the preceding and the subsequent Scenes, is show to be the more important of the two), ‘Marcellus?’ On finding by the rely of Marcellus that he is right, he bestows a brief welcome, </p. 408><p. 409> ‘I’m very glad to see you;’ &c. and then turning to the third and least important person, whom he does not recognize, he merely says, ‘Good even, sir.’ Having thus satisfied the demands of courtesy, he returns immediately to that which interests him, and says to Horatio, ‘But what, in faith, make you from Wittenberg?’

“The passage is natural, simple, and colloquial in the highest degree; its sense palpable, it would seem, to the dullest perception.” </p. 409>

1858 col3

col3

346 well] Collier (ed. 1858): “The old corrector of the folio, 1632, omits ‘well’ at the end of this sentence. It spoils the line, and is not mere surplusage, for how was Hamlet thus early to know whether Horatio were ‘well,’ or not?”

1875 N&Q

Swifte

346-55 Swifte (1875, p. 181), referring to an earlier piece in 5 N&Q 3:444, “His recognition of Horatio and Marcellus is dignified, but of the one it is cordial, of the other it is courteous. Horatio announces himself the prince’s ‘poor servant ever,’ which His Highness royally and readily ‘changes with him for ‘my good friend,’ and inquires what brought him to Wittenberg [sic]. Seeing Marcellus, a notus nomine tantum, he merely utters his name; and cutting short the Quidam’s reply—‘My good lord’ with ‘I am glad to see you; good even, sir,’ reiterates the question to Horatio. . . . Edmund Lenthhall Swifte.”

Ed. note: He continues with nonsense that goes in 355.

1877 v1877

v1877 = col2; variant note (VN)

346 well]

1899 ard1

ard1: Irving

346 Dowden (ed. 1899): “Sir Henry Irving, as Hamlet, delivers quotes] as a conventional greeting to unrecognized intruders: Hamlet then looks up and perceives his friend.”

1901 gol

gol = ard1 without attribution

346 Gollancz (ed. 1901): "Sir Henry Irving, as Hamlet, delivers [quotes] as a conventional greeting to unrecognized intruders: Hamlet then looks up and perceives his friend.”

1939 kit2

kit2: standard

346-7 Kittredge (ed. 1939): "A courteous greeting, mechanically uttered before Hamlet sees who it is. The next line is spoken in enthusiastic recognition of his friend."

1980 pen2

pen2

346 Spencer (ed. 1980): “At first, Hamlet merely gives a polite reply; then he recognizes Horatio.”

2006 ard3q2

ard3q2: standard

346-7 Thompson & Taylor (ed. 2006): “Hamlet at first offers an impersonal general greeting, perhaps because he is still preoccupied with his own thoughts, then he recognizes Horatio.”