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Source document

HAMLET. My lord, I have news to tell you. When Roscius was an actor in Rome— POLONIUS. The actors are come hither, my lord. HAMLET. Buzz, buzz. POLONIUS. Upon my honour. HAMLET. Then came each actor on his ass— POLONIUS. The best actors in the world, either for tragedy, comedy, history, pastoral, pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral, tragical-historical, tragical-comical-historical-pastoral, scene individable, or poem unlimited. Seneca cannot be too heavy, nor Plautus too light, for the law of writ and the liberty. These are the only men. HAMLET. O Jephthah, judge of Israel, what a treasure hadst thou! POLONIUS. What treasure had he, my lord? HAMLET. Why—    ’One fair daughter, and no more,    The which he loved passing well.’ POLONIUS. [ Aside. ] Still on my daughter. HAMLET. Am I not i’ th’ right, old Jephthah? POLONIUS. If you call me Jephthah, my lord, I have a daughter that I love passing well. HAMLET. Nay, that follows not. POLONIUS. What follows then, my lord? HAMLET. Why,    As by lot, God wot, and then, you know,    It came to pass, as most like it was. The first row of the pious chanson will show you more. For look where my abridgement comes. Enter four or five Players . You are welcome, masters, welcome all. I am glad to see thee well. Welcome, good friends. O, my old friend! Thy face is valanc’d since I saw thee last. Com’st thou to beard me in Denmark? What, my young lady and mistress! By’r lady, your ladyship is nearer to heaven than when I saw you last, by the altitude of a chopine. Pray God your voice, like a piece of uncurrent gold, be not cracked within the ring. Masters, you are all welcome. We’ll e’en to’t like French falconers, fly at anything we see. We’ll have a speech straight. Come, give us a taste of your quality. Come, a passionate speech. FIRST PLAYER. What speech, my lord?