Fool. Sirrah, you were best take my coxcomb. Kent. Why, fool?

111

Fool. Why? for taking one's part that's 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 on's 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.

120

Lear. Take heed, sirrah; the whip. Fool. Truth's a dog 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.
Lear. Do.

Fool. Mark it, nuncle:

Have inore than thou showest,
Speak less than thou knowest,
Lend less than thou owest,
Ride more than thou goest,
Learn more than thou trowest,
Set less than thou throwest;
Leave thy drink and thy whore,
And keep in-a-door,

And thou shalt have more

Than two tens to a score.

Kent. This is nothing, fool.

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The other found out there. Lear. Dost thou call me fool, boy? Fool. All thy other titles thou hast given away; that thou wast born with.

Kent. This is not altogether fool, my lord. Fool. No, faith, lords and great men will not let me; if I had a monopoly out, they would have part on 't: and ladies too, they will not let me have all fool to myself; they 'll be snatching. Nuncle, give me an egg, and I'll give thee two

Lear. What two crowns shall they be? Fool. Why, after I have cut the egg i' the middle and eat up the meat, the two crowns of the egg. When thou clovest thy crown i' the middle, and gavest away both parts, thou borest thine ass on thy back o'er the dirt: thou hadst little wit in thy bald crown when thou gavest thy golden one away. If I speak like myself in this, let him be whipped that first finds it so. Fools had ne'er less grace in a year; For wise men are grown foppish, And know not how their wits to wear, Their manners are so apish.

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Fool. Then 'tis like the breath of an unfee'd lawyer; you gave me nothing for 't. Can you make no use of nothing, nuncle?

Lear. Why, no, boy; nothing can be made out of nothing.

Fool. To KENT. Prithee, tell him, so much the rent of his land comes to: he will not believe a fool.

150

Lear. A bitter fool! Fool. Dost thou know the difference, my boy, between a bitter fool and a sweet fool? Lear. No, lad; teach me.

Fool.

That lord that counsell'd thee To give away thy land,

Come place him here by me, Do thou for him stand:

I have cast off for ever; thou shalt, I warrant thee.

Exeunt LEAR, KENT, and Attendants. Gon. Do you mark that, my lord? Alb. I cannot be so partial, Goneril, To the great love I bear you, ——

Gon. Pray you, content. What, Oswald, ho! To the Fool. You, sir, more knave than fool, after your master.

Fool. Nuncle Lear, nuncle Lear! tarry, and take the fool with thee.

A fox, when one has caught her,
And such a daughter,

Should sure to the slaughter,

If my cap would buy a halter;

So the fool follows after.

Gon. This man hath had good counsel.

hundred knights!

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Exit.

A

'Tis politic and safe to let him keep
At point a hundred knights; yes, that on every
dream,

Each buzz, each fancy, each complaint, dislike,
He may enguard his dotage with their powers,
And hold our lives in mercy. Oswald, I say! 352
Alb. Well, you may fear too far.
Gon.
Safer than trust too far.
Let me still take away the harms I fear,
Not fear still to be taken: I know his heart.
What he hath utter'd I have writ my sister;
If she sustain him and his hundred knights,
When I have show'd the unfitness,-

Re-enter OSWALD.

How now, Oswald !

What! have you writ that letter to my sister?

Osw. Ay, madam.

360

Gon. Take you some company, and away to horse:

Inform her full of my particular fear;
And thereto add such reasons of your own
As may compact it more. Get you gone,
And hasten your return.

Exit OSWALD.
No, no, my lord,
This milky gentleness and course of yours
Though I condemn not, yet, under pardon,
You are much more attask'd for want of
wisdom

Than prais'd for harmful mildness.

Alb. How far your eyes may pierce I cannot tell :

Striving to better, oft we mar what's well.

370

Gon. Nay, then

ACT II.

SCENE I.-A Court within the Castle of the Earl of GLOUCESTER.

Enter EDMUND and CURAN, meeting.

Edm. Save thee, Curan.

Cur. And you, sir. I have been with your father, and given him notice that the Duke of Cornwall and Regan his duchess will be here with him this night.

Edm. How comes that? Cur. Nay, I know not. You have heard of the news abroad? I mean the whispered ones. for they are yet but ear-kissing arguments. Edm. Not I: pray you, what are they? Cur. Have you heard of no likely wars toward, 'twixt the Dukes of Cornwall and Albany?

50

But that I told him, the revenging gods
'Gainst parricides did all the thunder bend;
Spoke with how manifold and strong a bond
The child was bound to the father; sir, in fine,
Seeing how loathly opposite I stood
To his unnatural purpose, in fell motion,
With his prepared sword he charges home
My unprovided body, lanc'd mine arm :
But when he saw my best alarum'd spirits
Bold in the quarrel's right, rous'd to the
encounter,

Or whether gasted by the noise I made,
Full suddenly he fled.

Glou.

Let him fly far:

Not in this land shall he remain uncaught;
And found-dispatch. The noble duke my

master,

My worthy arch and patron, comes to-night: 60

Glou. O madam, my old heart is crack'd, is crack'd..

Reg. What did my father's godson seek your life?

He whom my father nam'd? your Edgar?

Glou. O lady, lady, shame would have it hid. Reg. Was he not companion with the riotous knights

That tend upon my father?

Glou. I know not, madam; 'tis too bad, too bad. Edm. Yes, madam, he was of that consort. Reg. No marvel then though he were ill affected;

'Tis they have put him on the old man's death,
To have the expense and waste of his revenues.
I have this present evening from my sister
Been well inform'd of them, and with such
cautions

That if they come to sojourn at my house,
I'll not be there.

Corn.

102

Nor I, assure thee, Regan. Edmund, I hear that you have shown your father A child-like office.