Page 93 - Hamlet: The Cambridge Dover Wilson Shakespeare

Ixxxvi H A M L E T

of the character. He cut out a good many of Hamlet's
most wild and whirling words to Horatio after the exit
of the Ghost, which the earlier players had retained,
and also (like Betterton and others after him) of those
that follow the Play-scene. The suggestion is that of a
Hamlet not only sane but also not wildly excited, and
preserving the decorum of a 'classical' style throughout.
Of the many small innovations much discussed by his
contemporaries only two have much significance. In-
stead of keeping his sword pointed at the Ghostj as
Garrick had, he kept it in his right hand but drooped the
point behind him and held out his left hand to the
Ghost; and on the Ghost's disappearance he kneeled to
it in reverence. Henderson so admired this last that he
adopted it himself. Perhaps another detail is worth
preserving for its dramatic force. In the Closet-scene
(where he was gentle and respectful to the Queen), when
lie Ghost appeared Hamlet's hand was on his mother's
arm, his eyes fixed on the Ghost. He did not move his
hand, and when the Ghost bade him speak to her, he did
so mechanically without looking at her.
In spite of Munden as Polonius, Emery as the Grave-
digger and Harley as Osric, the representative cast
strikes rather chill: Cory, the King; Charles Kemble,
Laertes; Brunton, Horatio; Murray, the Ghost; Mrs
Chapman, the Queen; and Miss Mortimer, Ophelia.
In the years between 1803 and his final performance
at the time of his retirement in June, 1817, he had G. F.
Cooke twice for the Ghost and Pope now and then.
Listen, Blanchard, the elder Charles Mathews, Suett
and Dowton played Polonius; Wewitzer the Grave-
digger, Mrs Brereton and Mrs Weston the Queen, and
among several Ophelias Mrs Charles Kemble, Miss
Kelly and Miss Stephens. The researches of Mr
Charles Beecher Hogan (kindly communicated to me)
have discovered Mrs Siddons's 'second time of appear-
ing' in the character of Hamlet at Manchester in March,
1777, and other appearances at Liverpool in the follow-