That good effects may spring from words of love.— Thus Kent, O princes, bids you all adieu; He'll shape his old course in a country new. [Exit. 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 Hath rivalled for our daughter. What, in the least, Will you require in present dower with her, Or cease your quest of love?1 Bur. Most royal majesty, I crave no more than hath your highness offered, Nor will you tender less. Lear. And nothing more, may fitly like your grace, Bur. Lear. Sir, I know no answer. Will you, with those infirmities she owes,3 Unfriended, new-adopted to our hate, Dowered with our curse, and strangered with our oath, Take her, or leave her? Bur. 4 Pardon me, royal sir; Election makes not up on such conditions. Lear. Then leave her, sir; for, by the power that made me, I tell you all her wealth.-For you, great king, [To FRANCE. 1 A quest is a seeking or pursuit: the expedition in which a knight was engaged is often so named in the Faerie Queen. Seeming here means specious. 3 i. e. owns. 4 That is, I cannot decide to take her upon such terms; or, such conditions leave me no choice. I would not from your love make such a stray, To match you where I hate; therefore beseech you This is most strange! France. That monsters it,' or your fore-vouched affection Must be a faith, that reason without miracle Cor. 3 I yet beseech your majesty, (If for I want that glib and oily art, To speak and purpose not; since what I well intend, I'll do't before I speak,) that you make known It is no vicious blot, murder, or foulness, No unchaste action, or dishonored step, That hath deprived me of your grace and favor; That I am glad I have not, though not to have it, Lear. Better thou Hadst not been born, than not to have pleased me better. Which often leaves the history unspoke, 1 In the phraseology of Shakspeare's age, that and as were convertible words. The uncommon verb to monster occurs again in Coriolanus. 2 The former affection which you professed for her must become the subject of reproach. Taint is here an abbreviation of attaint. When it is mingled with respects,' that stand Bur. Royal Lear, Give but that portion which yourself proposed, Duchess of Burgundy. Lear. Nothing. I have sworn; I am firm. Cor. Peace be with Burgundy! Since that respects of fortune are his love, I shall not be his wife. France. Fairest Cordelia, that art most rich, being poor; Most choice, forsaken; and most loved, despised' Be it lawful, I take up what's cast away. Gods, gods! 'tis strange, that from their cold'st neglect, My love should kindle to inflamed respect. Thy dowerless daughter, king, thrown to my chance, Is queen of us, of ours, and our fair France; Not all the dukes of waterish Burgundy Shall buy this unprized precious maid of me.- Thou losest here, a better where 2 to find. Lear. Thou hast her, France. Let her be thine; for we Have no such daughter, nor shall ever see That face of hers again.-Therefore be gone, Without our grace, our love, our benizon. Come, noble Burgundy. [Flourish. Exeunt LEAR, BURGUNDY, CORNWALL, ALBANY, GLOSTER, and Attendants. France. Bid farewell to your sisters. Cor. The jewels of our father, with washed eyes Cordelia leaves you; I know you what you are; 1 i. e. with cautious and prudential considerations.-The folio has regards. 2 Here and where have the power of nouns. And, like a sister, am most loath to call Your faults, as they are named. Use well our father; To your professed1 bosoms I commit him. But yet, alas! stood I within his grace, I would prefer him to a better place. So farewell to you both. Gon. Prescribe not us our duties. Let your study Be, to content your lord; who hath received you At fortune's alms. You have obedience scanted, France. 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. 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 ever but slenderly known himself. 1 We have here professed for professing. It has been elsewhere observed that Shakspeare often uses one participle for another. 2 Thus the folio. The quartos read: "And well are worth the worth that you have wanted." The meaning of the passage, as it now stands in the text, is, "You well deserve to want that dower, which you have lost by having failed in your obedience. 3 That is, complicated, intricate, involved, cunning. 4 The quartos read: "Who covers faults, at last shame them derides." The folio has: "Who covers faults, at last with shame derides.” Mason proposed to read : "Who covert faults, at last with shame derides." The word who referring to Time. Gon. The best and soundest of his time hath been but rash; then must we look to receive from his age, not alone the imperfections of long-engrafted condition,1 but therewithal, the unruly waywardness that infirm and choleric years bring with them. Reg. Such unconstant starts are we like to have from him, as this of Kent's banishment. Gon. There is further compliment of leave-taking between France and him. 'Pray you, let us hit togeth er. If our father carry authority with such dispositions as he bears, this last surrender of his will but offend us. Reg. We shall further think of it. Gon. We must do something, and i'the heat. 2 [Exeunt. SCENE II. A Hall in the Earl of Gloster's Castle. Enter EDMUND, with a letter. 3 Edm. Thou, nature, art my goddess; to thy law My services are bound. Wherefore should I 5 6 Stand in the plague of custom; and permit My mind as generous, and my shape as true, More composition and fierce quality, i. e. temper; qualities of mind confirmed by long habit. 2 We must strike while the iron's hot. 3 Edmund calls nature his goddess, for the same reason as we call a bastard a natural son. 4 "Wherefore should I submit tamely to the plague (i. e. the evil) or Injustice of custom?" 5 The nicety of civil institutions, their strictness and scrupulosity. 6 To deprive is equivalent to disinherit. Holinshed speaks of the line of Henry before deprived. |