Page 355 - Hamlet: The Cambridge Dover Wilson Shakespeare

248 NOTE S 5-a.

Dagger do not get three oddes of you'—which supports
this interpretation, v. Silver (Introd. pp. xi-xiii) for
further discussion.
170. answer v. G.
177. purpose, I will win Qz 'purpose; I will
winne.'
183. Tours, yours i.e. At your service!—uttered
perfunctorily.
184. He does well to commend it etc. A quibble on
Osric's 'I commend my duty,' i.e. I present my respects
(a polite leave-taking). Ham., taking 'duty' as 'bow,
obeisance' and 'commend' as 'praise,' says in effect 'He
does well to praise his ridiculous bowing and scraping
himself; no one else would.'
186-87. This lapwing.. .head Osric is one of the
'new-hatched, unfledged' courtiers (1. 3. 65), and the
new-hatched lapwing was proverbially supposed to run
about with its shell on its head. Hor. is referring to
the hat which Osric has at last put on; cf. note 5. 2. 80
S.D.
188. A'did comply, Ham. caps Hor.'s new-hatched
lapwing with a new-born baby. For 'comply' v. G.
and 2. 2. 375.
190. bevy (Fi) Qz 'breede,' MSH. pp. 149, 328.
Many edd. follow Qz but 'bevy' (= a covey of lap-
wing) must be the true reading.
191. out of an habit of encounter (Qz) Fi'outward
habite of encounter'—which all edd. follow. MSH.
pp. 277, 329. In Q2 the 'yeasty collection'is got'out
of an habit of encounter,' i.e. is the fruit of encounters
and exchange of compliments with other gallants as
absurd as himself, v. G. 'encounter.'
192. yeasty A 'yeasty collection' = an assortment of
phrases, 'flourishes,' etc. which float upon the mind of
these courtiers like froth upon a vat. The whole passage
is a sustained metaphor from the fermentation of barley
for brewing. Cf. Introd. p. xxxvii. A 'collection'