enting
fresh business. Unauthorised by the text, he has included _Ophelia_
amongst the Court "attendants," and, finding her on the stage, has
indulged in a dignified flirtation (in dumb show), worthy of the hero
of _L'Enfant Prodigue_ himself. Now I think this a great improvement,
and were the masterpiece to be "written up" throughout on the same
lines, I am sure the representation would be received with enthusiasm.
It might be that the performance would be a little longer, but think
of the enormous gain in interest. To show you what I mean, I take the
first five lines of the opening Act:--

SHAKSPEARE'S VERSION.

SCENE I.--_Elsinore. A Platform before the Castle. FRANCISCO
on his post. Enter to him BERNARDO._

_Bernardo._ Who's there?

_Francisco._ Nay answer me: stand and unfold yourself!

This passage, furnished with proper business, might be rendered the
means of showing the sort of life led by _Laertes_, justifying the
advice subsequently given to him by _Polonius_ more appropriate to
the conditions of the case as now (for the first time) fully divulged,
Thus--I give my view of the matter:--

AMENDED VERSION.

SCENE I.--_Elsinore. A Platform before the Castle. As the
Curtain rises, shouts and laughs are heard without. A Village
Maiden rushes in, as if pursued. She hides herself behind the
sentry-box, and then escapes. FRANCISCO, who is on his post,
looks about, and is surrounded by Danish Gallants, who have
come in pursuit of the Maiden. He threatens them with his
arms, and only one remains, who seems overcome by wine. The
intoxicated Gallant is masked, and evidently very much the
worse for liquor. He clumsily draws his sword. FRANCISCO
is about to despatch him, when the mask falls, and in the
dissipated reveller the Sentry recognises the bloated features
of LAERTES. He immediately presents arms, as LAERTES
is his superior officer. LAERTES, half-sobered by this
suggestion of discipline, wishes to retire unseen, and gives
largesse to FRANCISCO. The Sentry is greatly gratified, when
to them enters BERNARDO._

_Ber._ Who's there?

_Fran._ (_sheltering LAERTES, who stealthily retires by
a rope-ladder which falls from the battlements to the moat
below_). Nay, answer me. Stand and unfold yourself!

By my version I really introduce a most interesting underplot, which,
in my opinion, is equally pleasing and quite as defen