stirs ? Call Burgundy.-Cornwall, and Albany, With shadowy forests and with champains' rich'd, | Her father's heart from her!-Call France ;-Who Which the most precious square of sense possesses; Cor. Lear. To thee, and thine, hereditary ever, Lear. Cor. Nothing? Nothing. Lear. Nothing can come of nothing: speak again. Lear. How, how, Cordelia ? mend your speech Lest it may mar your fortunes. That lord, whose hand must take my plight, shall carry Half my love with him, half my care, and duty: Lear. But goes this with thy heart? I That troop with majesty.-Ourself, by monthly With reservation of a hundred knights, Revenue, execution of the rest,10 Beloved sons, be yours: which to confirm, the shaft. Ay, good my lord. Thou swear'st thy gods in vain. Lear. So young, and so untender? Lear. Let it be so.-Thy truth then be thy dower: From whom we do exist, and cease to be; The barbarous Or he that makes his generation® messes Kent. Good my liege, Lear. Peace, Kent! Come not between the dragon and his wrath: Lear. Now, by Apollo, king, O, vassal! miscreant! [Laying his hand on his sword. Alb. Corn. Dear sir, forbear. Kent. Do; Kill thy physician, and the fee bestow Lear. Hear me, recreant! On thine allegiance hear me !- pride, To come betwixt our sentence and our power On her kind nursery.-Hence, and avoid my sight!-Thy banish'd trunk be found in our dominions, Kent. Fare thee well, king: since thus thou wilt A still-soliciting eye, and such a tongue appear, Re-enter Gloster; with France, Burgundy, and Attendants. Glo. Here's France and Burgundy, my noble lord. Lear. My lord of Burgundy, We first address towards you, who with this king Most royal majesty, Lear. Bur. I know no answer. Lear. Sir, Will you, with those infirmities she owes,* Unfriended, new-adopted to our hate, Lear. Hadst not been born, than not to have pleas'd me better. France. Is it but this? a tardiness in nature, Bur. Royal Lear, Lear. Nothing: I have sworn; I am firm. Cor. France. Fairest Cordelia, thou art most rich, Most choice, forsaken; and most lov'd, despis'd! My love should kindle to inflam'd respect.- Dower'd with our curse, and stranger'd with our Bid them farewell, Cordelia, though unkind: oath, Take her, or leave her? Bur. Pardon me, royal sir; I tell you all her wealth.-For you, great king, That monsters it, or your fore-vouch'd' affection Cor. I yet beseech your majesty I'll do't before I speak,) that you make known (1) Follow his old mode of life. (2) Amorous expedition. (3) Specious. Thou losest here, a better where to find. Lear. Thou hast her, France: let her be thine; Have no such daughter, nor shall ever see [Flourish. Exeunt Lear, Burgundy, Cornwall, France. Bid farewell to your sisters. Cor. The jewels of our father, with wash'd eyes Gon. Prescribe not us our duties. Let your study Be, to content your lord; who hath receiv'd you Come, my fair Cordelia. [Exeunt France and Cordelia. Gon. Sister, it is not a little I have to say, of what most nearly appertains to us both. I think, our father will hence to-night. Reg. That's most certain, and with you; next month with us. (8) Reproach or censure. (9) Because. Gon. You see how full of changes his age is; the observation we have made of it hath not been little he always loved our sister most; and with what poor judgment he hath now cast her off, appears too grossly. Reg. 'Tis the infirmity of his age: yet he hath over but slenderly known himself. for so much as I have perused, I find it not fit for your over-looking. Glo. Give me the letter, sir. Edm. I shall offend, either to detain or give it. The contents, as in part I understand them, are to blame. Glo. Let's see, let's see. Gon. The best and soundest of his time hath Edm. I hope, for my brother's justification, he been but rash; then must we look to receive from wrote this but as an essay or taste of my virtue. his age, not alone the imperfections of long-engraft- Glo. [Reads.] This policy and reverence of age, ed condition,' but therewithal, the unruly way-makes the world bitter to the best of our times; wardness that infirm and choleric years bring with keeps our fortunes from us, till our oldness canthem. Reg. Such unconstant starts are we like to have from him, as this of Kent's banishment. Gon. There is further compliment of leavetaking between France and him. Pray you, let us hit together: If our father carry authority with sueh dispositions as he bears, this last surrender of his will but offend us. Reg. We shall further think of it. For that I am some twelve or fourteen moon-shines Enter Gloster. not relish them. I begin to find an idle and fond bondage in the oppression of aged tyrrany; who sways, not as it hath power, but as it is suffered. Come to me, that of this I may speak more. If our father would sleep till I waked him, you should enjoy half his revenue for ever, and live the beloved of your brother, Edgar.-Humph--Conspiracy!-Sleep till I waked him, you should enjoy half his revenue,-My son Edgar! Had he a hand to write this? a heart and brain to breed it in ?When came this to you? Who brought it? the cunning of it; I found it thrown in at the caseEdm. It was not brought me, my lord, there's ment of my closet. Glo. You know the character to be your bro ther's? Edm. If the matter were good, my lord, I durst swear it were his; but, in respect of that, I would fain think it were not. Glo. It is his. Edm. It is his hand, my lord; but, I hope, his heart is not in the contents. Glo. Hath he never heretofore sounded you in ? this business? Glo. Kent banish'd thus! And France in choler parted! And the king gone to-night! subscrib'd' his power! Edm. I know no news, my lord. Glo. No? What needed then that terrible despatch of it into your pocket? the quality of nothing hath not such need to hide itself. Let's see: Come, if it be nothing, I shall not need spectacles. Edm. Never, my lord: But I have often heard him maintain it to be fit, that, sons at perfect age, and fathers declining, the father should be as ward to the son, and the son manage his revenue. Glo. O villain, villain!-His very opinion in the letter!-Abhorred villain! Unnatural, detested, brutish villain! worse than brutish!-Go, sirrah, seek him; I'll apprehend him ;-Abominable villain!-Where is he? 10 Edm. I do not well know, my lord. If it shall please you to suspend your indignation against my brother, till you can derive from him better testimony of his intent, you shall run a certain course; taking his purpose, it would make a great gap in where, if you violently proceed against him, misyour own honour, and shake in pieces the heart of his obedience. I dare pawn down my life for him, that he hath writ this to feel my affection to your honour," and to no other pretence1 of danger. Glo. Think you so? Edm. If your honour judge it meet, I will place you where you shall hear us confer of this, and by an auricular assurance have your satisfaction; and that without any further delay than this very evening. Glo. He cannot be such a monster. loves him.-Heaven and earth!-Edmund, seek Glo. To his father, that so tenderly and entirely him out; wind me into him, I pray you: frame the Edm. I beseech you, sir, pardon me: it is a let-business after your own wisdom: I would unstate fer from my brother, that I have not all o'er-read; (1) Qualities of mind. (2) Strike while the iron is hot. (3) The injustice. (4) The nicety of civil institution. (5) Yielded, surrendered. (6) Allowance. myself, to be in a due resolution. 13 (7) Suddenly. (8) Trial. (9) Weak and foolish. (10) Whereas. (11) The usual address to a lord. (12) Design. (13) Give all that I am possessed of, to be certain of the truth. Edm. I will seek him, sir, presently; convey' the business as I shall find means, and acquaint you withal. in him, that with the mischief of your person it Edg. Some villain hath done me wrong. Edg. Armed, brother? Glo. These late eclipses in the sun and moon portend no good to us: Though the wisdom of nature nent forbearance, till the speed of his rage goes can reason it thus and thus, yet nature finds itself slower; and, as I say, retire with me to my lodging, Scourged by the sequent effects: love cools, friend- from whence I will fitly bring you to hear my lord ship fails off, brothers divide: in cities, mutinies; in speak: Pray you, go; there's my key :-If you do Countries, discord; in palaces, treason: and the stir abroad, go armed. ond cracked between son and father. This villain of mine comes under the prediction; there's son Edm. Brother, I advise you to the best: go against father: the king falls from bias of nature; armed; I am no honest man, if there be any good there's father against child. We have seen the best meaning towards you: I have told you what I have of our time: Machinations, hollowness, treachery, seen and heard but faintly; nothing like the image and all ruinous disorders, follow us quietly to our and horror of it: Pray you, away. graves!-Find out this villain, Edmund, it shall Edg. Shall I hear from you anon? Lose thee nothing; do it carefully:-And the noble Edm. I do serve you in this business.and true-hearted Kent banished! his offence, hon[Exit Edgar. esty!-Strange! strange! [Exit. A credulous father, and a brother noble, Edm. This is the excellent foppery of the world! Whose nature is so far from doing harms, that, when we are sick in fortune (often the surfeit That he suspects none; on whose foolish honesty of our behaviour,) we make guilty of our disasters, My practices ride easy!-I see the business.the sun, the moon, and the stars: as if we were vil-Let me, if not by birth, have lands by wit: lains by necessity; fools, by heavenly compulsion; All with me's meet, that I can fashion fit. knaves, thieves, and treachers, by spherical predominance; drunkards, liars, and adulterers, by an enforced obedience of planetary influence; and all that we are evil in, by a divine thrusting on: An admirable evasion of whoremaster man, to lay his goatish disposition to the charge of a star! My father compounded with my mother under the dragon's tail; and my nativity was under ursa major; so that it follows, I am rough and lecherous.-Tut, I should have been that I am, had the maidenliest star in the firmament twinkled on my bastardizing. Edgar Enter Edgar. [Exit. SCENE III-A room in the duke of Albany's palace. Enter Goneril and Steward. Gon. Did my father strike my gentleman for chiding of his fool? Stew. Ay, madam. Gon. By day and night! he wrongs me; every hour He flashes into one gross crime or other, and pat he comes, like the catastrophe of the old Edg. Do you busy yourself with that? Edm. I promise you, the effects he writes of succeed unhappily; as of unnaturalness between the child and the parent; death, dearth, dissolutions of ancient amities; divisions in state, menaces and maledictions against king and nobles; needless diffidences, banishment of friends, dissipation of cohorts, nuptial breaches, and I know not what. Edg. How long have you been a sectary astronomical? Edm. Come, come; when saw you my father last? Edg. Why, the night gone by. Edm. Parted you in good terms! Found you no Edm. Bethink yourself, wherein you may have offended him and at my entreaty, forbear his presence, till some little time hath qualified the heat of his displeasure; which at this instant so rageth (1) Manage. (2) Following. (3) Traitors. (4) Great Bear, the constellation so named. (5) These sounds are unnatural and offensive in music. Not to be over-rul'd. 'Idle old man, What grows of it, no matter; advise your fellows so: SCENE IV.-A hall in the same. disguised. [Exeunt. Enter Kent, Kent. If but as wel! I other accents borrow, If thou canst serve where thou dost stand condemn'd (6) For cohorts some editors read courts. (8) Disorder, disguise. (9) Effaced. Lear. Dost thou know me, fellow? But where's my fool? I have not seen him these two days. Knight. Since my young lady's going into France, sir, the fool hath much pined away. Lear. No more of that; I have noted it well.Go you, and tell my daughter, I would speak with her.-Go you, call hither my fool. Re-enter Steward. O, you sir, you sir, come you hither: Who am I, sir? Stew. My lady's father. Lear. My lady's father! my lord's knave: you whoreson dog! you slave! you cur! Stew. I am none of this, my lord; I beseech you, pardon me. Lear. Do you bandy looks with me, you rascal? [Striking him. Stew. I'll not be struck, my lord. Kent. Nor tripped neither; you base foot-ball player. [Tripping up his heels. Lear. I thank thee, fellow; thou servest me, and I'll love thee. Kent. Come, sir, arise, away: I'll teach you differences; away, away: If you will measure your Kent. No, sir; but you have that in your coun- lubber's length again, tarry: but away go to. tenance, which I would fain call master. Lear. What's that? Kent. Authority. Lear. What services canst thou do? Kent. I can keep honest counsel, ride, run, mar a curious tale in telling it, and deliver a plain message bluntly that which ordinary men are fit for, I am qualified in; and the best of me is diligence. Lear. How old art thou? Kent. Not so young, sir, to love a woman for singing; nor so old, to dote on her for any thing: I have years on my back forty-eight. Lear. Follow me; thou shalt serve me; if I like thee no worse after dinner, I will not part from thee yet.-Dinner, ho, dinner!-Where's my knave? my fool? Go you, and call my fool hither: Lear. He would not! Knight. My lord, I know not what the matter is; but, to my judgment, your highness is not entertained with that ceremonious affection as you were wont; there's a great abatement of kindness appears, as well in the general dependants, as in the duke himself also, and your daughter. Lear. Ha! sayest thou so? Knight. I beseech you, pardon me, my lord, if I be mistaken; for my duty cannot be silent, when I think your highness is wronged. Lear. Thou but rememberest me of mine own conception; I have perceived a most faint neglect of late; which I have rather blamed as mine own jealous curiosity, than as a very pretence and purpose of unkindness; I will look further into't. Have you wisdom? so. [Pushes the Steward out. Lear. Now, my friendly knave, I thank thee: there's earnest of thy service. [Giving Kent money. Enter Fool. Fool. Let me hire him too ;-Here's my coxcomb. [Giving Kent his cap. Lear. How now, my pretty knave? how dost thou? Fool. Sirrah, you were best take my coxcomb. Kent. Why, fool? Fool. Why? For taking one's part that is out of favour: Nay, an thou canst not smile as the wind sits, thou'lt catch cold shortly: There, take my coxcomb: Why, this fellow has banished two of his daughters, and did the third a blessing against his will; if thou follow him, thou must needs wear my coxcomb-How now, nuncle? "Would I had two coxcombs, and two daughters! Lear. Why, my boy? Fool. If I gave them all my living, I'd keep my coxcombs myself: There's mine; beg another of thy daughters. Lear. Take heed, sirrah; the whip. Fool. Truth's a dog that must to kennel; he must be whipped out, when Lady, the brach,' may stand by the fire, and stink. Lear. A pestilent gall to me! Fool. Sirrah, I'll teach thee a speech. Fool. Mark it, nuncle: Have more than thou showest, And thou shalt have more Than two tens to a score. Lear. This is nothing, fool. Fool. Then 'tis like the breath of an unfee'd |