Page 255 - Hamlet: The Cambridge Dover Wilson Shakespeare

NOTES X.I.

recess at the back of the upper-stage, while the three
men cover the action by scuffling together in a knot.
150. trumpet = trumpeter.
1
53-55- Whether in sea...confine 'According to
the pneumatology of that time, every element was
inhabited by its peculiar order of spirits. The meaning
therefore is, that all spirits extravagant, wandering out
of their element, whether aerial spirits visiting earth, or
earthly spirits ranging the air, return to their station, to
their proper limits, in which they are confined* (Dr
Johnson). Cf. Temp. 4. 1.120 'Spirits, which by mine
art/I have from their confines called,' and v. G.
'confine' and 1. 5.11.
158-60. Some say... all night long I have not been
able to trace any source for this legend. But a corre-
spondent in T.L.S. (Ap. 7, 1932) quotes R. Jefferies,
Wild Life in a Southern Country (ch. xvii): 'Towards
the end of December the cocks, reversing their usual
practice, crow in the evening, hours before midnight.
The cockcrow is usually associated with the dawn, and
the change of habit, just when the nights are longest, is
interesting.' It is not difficult to imagine the legend
springing from these facts.
165. in part Hor. continues to affect scepticism.
166. russet v. In trod. p. xxxvi.
170. young Hamlet Perhaps so called to distinguish
him from the Hamlet they had just seen.
175. convenient (Q2) Fi^ Qi and all edd. read
'conveniently.' Sh. prefers the more unusual form;
cf. MSH. p. 278 for other examples.

I. 2.
S.D. Q2 'Florish. Enter Claudius, King of Den-
mar ke, Gertrad the Queene, Counsaile: as Polonius,
and his Sonne Laertes, Hamlet, Cum Alijs.' For