Kent. I cannot conceive you.

she grew

Glo. Sir, this young fellow's mother could ; whereupon she round-womb'd; and had indeed, Sir, a son for her cradle, ere she had a husband for her bed, Do you smell a fault!

Kent. I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it being so proper.

Glo. But I have a son, Sir, by order of law some year elder than this, (6) who yet is no dearer in my account: though this knave came somewhat saucily into the world before he was sent for, yet was his mother fair; there was good sport at his making, and the whoreson must be acknowledged. you know this nobleman, Edmund ? Edm. No, my Lord.

Do

Glo. My Lord of Kent ;

Remember him hereafter as my honourable friend.
Edm. My services to your Lordship. [better.
Kent. I must love you, and sue to know you
Edm. Sir, I shall study your deserving.
Glo. He hath been out nine years, (7) and
he shall again. [Trumpets, sound within.

The King is coming.

away

(6) Edgar is the same as Rosencrantz in Hamlet, drawn ante in figure 68. His person in the moon is larger than that of his brother Edmund, which may be the case of his being called elder,

(7) The shadow which composes Edmund's right shoul

Enter King

SCENE II.

King LEAR, CORNWAL, ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, CORDELIA, and Attend

ants.

Lear. Attend the Lords of France and Burgundy, Glo'ster. (S)

der and side is like the figure of 9 in shape, which may be here alluded to (vide fig. 67). I scarcely dare observe that the heads of Edmund and Edgar, situate just before that 9, have been aptly assimilated in a former note (in the 50th note upon Hamlet) to two ears: but there are worse puns in Shakspeare.

(8) The Kings of France and Burgundy I take to be referable to the first and second of the three outlines of the prototype of Hudibras in the moon, such as they are drawn

in

Fig. 79.

吗

Glo. I shall, my liege.

[Exit. Lear. Mean time we shall express our darker

purpose.

Give me the map here: know, we have divided,
In three, our kingdom; and 'tis our first intent,
To shake all cares and business from our age:
Conferring them on younger strengths, while we
Unburthen'd crawl tow'rd death. Our son of Corn-
And you, our no less loving son of Albany, [wall,
We have this hour a constant will to publish
Our daughters sev'ral dow'rs, that future strife
May be prevented. The princes France and Bur-
Great rivals in our younger daughter's love, [gundy
Long in our court have made their am'rous sojourn,
And here are to be answer'd. Tell me, daughters,
(Since now we will divest us, both of rule,
Int'rest of territory, and cares of state)
Which of you, shall we say, doth love us most?
That we our largest bounty may extend,

The first, or nearest on the right hand, is marked by the vine-like appearance of the streaks of light on his person, as alluded to by the mention of the vines of France; and the second as having the appearance of milk running down his face, noticed by the mention of the milk of Burgundy. We have not hitherto seen so prominent a figure as that of Hudibras in the moon assigned to characters that fill so inconsiderable a part as those of the Kings of France and Burgundy in this play.

Where nature doth with merit challenge. Goneril, Our eldest born, speak first.

Gon. I love you, Sir, (9)

Dearer than eye-sight, space, and liberty;
Beyond what can be valued rich or rare;
No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour;
As much as child e'er loved, or father found:
A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable,
Beyond all manner of so much I love you.

Cor. What shall Cordelia do? love, and be
silent. (10)

[Aside, Lear. Of all these bounds, ev'n from this line to

this,

With shadowy forests and with champions rich'd, With plenteous rivers, and wide-skirted meads, We make thee lady. To thine and Albany's issue. (11)

(9) Goneril has the same original in the moon as the Queen in Hamlet, drawn in fig. 59.

(10) Cordelia is the same as Ophelia in Hamlet, being made up of those streaks of light in the moon which cross the prototypes of the Kings of France and Burgundy above pointed out it is said of them accordingly, that they both strive to be interested in her. The expression of heaving her heart to her mouth, alludes to the likeness of a heart just before her mouth; and her loving Lear according to her bond, alludes to her prototype constituting in fact a part of his.

(11) Albany is the same in the moon as the figure of

Be this perpetual.-What says our second daughOur dearest Regan, wife of Cornwal? speak. [ter; Reg. I'm made of that self-metal as my sister, (12)

Fame in Hudibras (No. 25), and the King's Ghost in Hamlet (fig. 51). His name may be derived from the white colour of the explosion of light at the south side of the moon, of which his person is composed there, and which is hereafter alluded to under the term milky gentleness.

(12) Regan has precisely the same original as Trulla in Hudibras (fig. 20); but as she now fills a higher character, she is drawn accordingly in fig. 80, with a crown and jewels, but still like a virago.

Fig. 80.

A