“Angels and ministers of grace defend us!—­
    Be thou a spirit of health, or goblin damned,
    Bring with thee airs from heaven, or blasts from hell,
    Be thine intents wicked or charitable,
    Thou com’st in such a questionable shape,
    That I will speak to thee."[2]

For it cannot be supposed that Hamlet imagined that a “goblin damned” could actually be the spirit of his dead father; and, therefore, the alternative in his mind must have been that he saw a devil assuming his father’s likeness—­a form which the Evil One knew would most incite Hamlet to intercourse.  But even as he speaks, the other theory gradually obtains ascendency in his mind, until it becomes strong enough to induce him to follow the spirit.

[Footnote 1:  I. ii. 244.]

[Footnote 2:  I. iv. 39.]

But whilst the devil-theory is gradually relaxing its hold upon Hamlet’s mind, it is fastening itself with ever-increasing force upon the minds of his companions; and Horatio expresses their fears in words that are worth comparing with those just quoted from James’s “Daemonologie.”  Hamlet responds to their entreaties not to follow the spectre thus—­

          “Why, what should be the fear? 
    I do not set my life at a pin’s fee;
    And, for my soul, what can it do to that,
    Being a thing immortal as itself?”

And Horatio answers—­

    “What if it tempt you toward the flood, my lord,
    Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff,
    That beetles o’er his base into the sea,
    And there assume some other horrible form,
    Which might deprive your sovereignty of reason,
    And draw you into madness?”

The idea that the devil assumed the form of a dead friend in order to procure the “tinsell” of both body and soul of his victim is here vividly before the minds of the speakers of these passages.[1]

[Footnote 1:  See ante, sec. 55.]

The subsequent scene with the ghost convinces Hamlet that he is not the victim of malign influences—­as far as he is capable of conviction, for his very first words when alone restate the doubt: 

     “O all you host of heaven!  O earth! What else? And shall I couple
     hell?"[1]

and the enthusiasm with which he is inspired in consequence of this interview is sufficient to support his certainty of conviction until the time for decisive action again arrives.  It is not until the idea of the play-test occurs to him that his doubts are once more aroused; and then they return with redoubled force:—­

                “The spirit that I have seen
    May be the devil:  and the devil hath power
    To assume a pleasing shape; yea, and, perhaps,
    Out of my weakness and my melancholy,
    (As he is very potent with such spirits,)
    Abuses me to damn me."[2]

And he again alludes to this in his speech to Horatio, just before the entry of the king and his train to witness the performance of the players.[3]