It stands otherwise with the judgment of Fortinbras. It rather pains me to refer
to this, because I would almost rather submit to the objection that the Norwegian's
opinion condemns as erroneous that which I have expressed above. But let it be
so. I must here lift a veil, and I know not but that Shakespeare would be angry,
were he here to perceive that in so doing I am giving my readers a sight of his
cards. But it is a truth which ought to see the light, and as I have gone so far as



ROHRBACH 307

to say what I have said, in order to animate and enliven the right feeling for Hamlet,
I may as well go on. Whoever does not know what I am about to say will laugh
at this long introduction to a brief word, the worth qf which, moreover, may seem
to be very small. For things of this sort have value, for the most part, in the eyes
of the finder and not in those of the buyer. Be it so. Fortinbras concludes the
whole with, ' Let four captains bear Hamlet, like a soldier, to the stage; for he was
likely, had he been put on, to have proved most royally.' Here lies the pearl.
