To match thy goodness? My life will be too short,
And every measure fail me'.

Kent.To be acknowledg'd,madam, is o'erpay'd.
All my reports go with the modest truth;
Nor more, nor clipt, but so,

Cor. Be better suited 2:

These weeds are memories of those worser hours;
I pr'ythee, put them off.

Kent, Pardon me, dear madam;

Yet to be known, shortens my inade intent*;
My boon I make it, that you know me not,
Till time and I think meet.

Cor. Then be it so, my good lord.

How does the king?

[To the Physician, Phys, Madam, sleeps still.

Cor. O you kind gods,

Cure this great breach in his abused nature!
The untun'd and jarring senses, O, wind up
Of this child-changed father!

Phys. So please your majesty,

That we may wake the king? he hath slept long,
Cor. Be govern'd by your knowledge, and pro-
ceed

I' the sway of your own will. Is he array'd?
Lear is brought in in a chair.

Gent, Ay, madam; in the heaviness of his sleep,
We put fresh garments on him.

[him;

Phys. Be by, good madam, when we do awake I doubt not of his temperance.

Cor. Very well.

I will not swear, these are my hands ;---let's see; feel this pin prick. 'Would I were assur’d

Of my condition!

Cor. O, look upon me, sir,

15 And hold your hands in benediction o'er mesNo, sir, you must not kneel.

Lear. Pray do not mock me;

I am a very foolish fond old man,
Fourscore and upward;

20 Not an hour more, nor less; and, to deal plainly,
I fear, I am not in my perfect mind.
Methinks, I should know you, and know this man;
Yet I am doubtful; for I'am mainly ignorant,
What place this is; and all the skill I have
Remembers not these garments; nor I know not
Where I did lodge last night: Do not laugh at me;
For, as I am a man, I think this lady
To be my child Cordelia,

25

[sic there ! 30
Phys. Please you, draw near.-Louder the mu-
Cor. O my dear father! Restoration, hang
Thy medicine on my lips; and let this kiss
Repair those violent harms, that my two sisters
Have in thy reverence made!

[flakes

135

Kent. Kind and dear princess!
Cor. Had you not been their father, these white
Had challeng'd pity of them, Was this a face
To be expos'd against the warring winds?
To stand against the deep dread-bolted thunder: 40
In the most terrible and nimble stroke

Of quick, cross lightning? to watch (poor perdu !)|
With this thin helin'? Mine enemy's dog,
Though he had bit me, should have stood that
night

Against my fire; And wast thou fain, poor father,
To hovel thee with swine, and rogues forlorn,
In short and musty straw? Alack, alack!
"Tis wonder that thy life and wits at once
Had not concluded all.-He wakes; speak to him.
Phys. Madam, do you; 'tis fittest.

Cor. How does my royal lord? How fares your
[grave:-

majesty?

Lear. You do me wrong, to take me out o' the
Thou art a soul in bliss; but I am bound
Upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears

145

50

Cor. And so I am, I am!
[weep not:
Lear. Be your tears wet? Yes, 'faith. I pray,
If you have poison for me, I will drink it.
I know, you do not love me; for your sisters
Have, as I do remember, done me wrong :
You have some cause, they have not.

Cor. No cause, no causé.

Lear. Am I in France?

Kent. In your own kingdom, sir,
Lear. Do not abuse me.

[rage,

Phys. Be comforted, good madam: the great
You see, is cur'd in him: and yet it is danger
To make him even o'er the time he has lost",
Desire him to go in; trouble him no more,
'Till further settling.

Cor. Will't please your highness walk?
Lear. You must bear with me:

Pray you now, forget and forgive: I am old and
foolish.

[Exeunt Lear, Cordelia, Physician,and Attendants, Gent. Holds it true, sir,

That the duke of Cornwall was so slain?

Kent, Most certain, sir.

Gent. Who is conductor of his people?

Kent. As it is said, the bastard son of Gloster,
Gent. They say, Edgar,

55 His banish'd son, is with the earl of Kent

In Germany.

i. e. All good which I shall a'lot thee, or measure out to thee, will be scanty. drest, put on a better suit of clothes. 1į. e, memorials, remembrancers.

an intent formed. So we say in common language, to make a design, and to make a resolution, i. e. changed to a child by his years and wrongs, Restoration is recovery personified. allusion, Dr. Warburton says, is to the forlorn-hope in an army, which are put upon desperate adventures, and called, in French, enfans perdus; she therefore calls her father, poor perdu. am strangely imposed on by appearances; I am in a strange mist of uncertainty. i. e. to recon, cile it to his apprehension.

I

Kent.

NOW of the duke, if his last purpose
hold;

Or whether since he is advis'd by aught
To change the course: He's full of alteration,
And self-reproving:-bring his constant pleasure'.

Reg. Our sister's man is certainly miscarry'd.
Edm. 'Tis to be doubted, madam.

20

Reg. Now, sweet lord,

You know the goodness I intend upon you:

25

Tell me, but truly,but then speak the truth,

Do you not love my sister?

Edm. In honour'd love.

[way

Reg. But have you never found my brother's

To the fore-fended 2 place?

30

Edm. That thought abuses you.

[junct

Reg. I ain doubtful that you have been conAnd bosom'd with her, as far as we call hers. Edm. No, by mine honour, madam.

I

Alb. Let us then determine

With the ancient of war on our proceedings.
Edm. I shall attend you presently at your tent,
Reg. Sister, you'll go with us?
Gon. No.

[us.

Reg. 'Tis most convenient; pray you, go with
Gon. [Aside.] O, ho, I know the riddle: I will

go.

As they are going out, enter Edgar disguised.
Edg. If e'er your grace had speech with man
so poor,
Hear me one word.

Alb. I'll overtake you.-Speak.

[Exeunt Edm. Reg. Gon, and Attendants.
Edg. Before you fight the battle, ope this letter.
If you have victory, let the trumpet sound
For him that brought it: wretched though I seem,
can produce a champion, that will prove
What is avouched there: If you miscarry,
Your business of the world hath so an end,
And machination ceases. Fortune love you!
Alb. Stay 'till I have read the letter.
Edg. I was forbid it.

Reg. I never shall endure her: Dear my lord, 35 When time shall serve, let but the herald cry,

Alb. Our very loving sister, well be met.-
Sir, this I hear, The king is come to his daugh-
With others, whom the rigour of our state
Forc'd to cry out. Where I could not be honest, 45
I never yet was valiant: for this business,
It toucheth us as France invades our land,
Not bolds the king 4; with others, whom, I fear,
Most just and heavy causes make oppose.
Edm. Sir, you speak nobly.

Reg. Why is this reason'd?

Gon. Combine together 'gainst the enemy:
For these domestic and particular broils
Are not to question here.

2 His settled resolution.

Each jealous of the other, as the stung

Are of the adder. Which of them shall I take?

50 Both? one? or neither? Neither can be enjoy'd,
If both remain alive: To take the widow,
Exasperates, makes mad her sister Goneril;
And hardly shall I carry out my side',
Her husband being alive. Now then, we 'll use

fore-fended means prohibited, forbidden. 'The meaning of this speech is, The king and others whom we have opposed, are come to Cordelia. I could never be valiant but in a just quarrel. We must distinguish; it is just in one sense and unjust in another. As France invades our land, I am concerned to repel him; but as he holds, entertains, and supports the king, and others whom Í fear many just and heavy causes make, or compel, as it were, to oppose us, I esteem it unjust to engage against them. This business (says Albany) touches us, as France invades our land, not as it bolds the king, &c. i. e. emboldens him to assert his former title. i. e. bring my purpose to a successful issue, to completion.-Side seems here to have the sense of the French word partie, in prendre partie, to take his resolution.

10 Come.

15

[Alarum, and retreat within. 20 Re-enter Edgar.

Edg. Away, old man, give me thy hand, away;
King Lear hath lost, he and his daughter ta'en:
Give me thy hand, come on.

Glo. No further, sir; a man may rot even here. 25
Edg. What, in ill thoughts again? Men must

endure

Their going hence, even as their coming hither;
Ripeness is all: Come on.

Glo. And that's true too.

SCENE III.

[Exeunt. 30

Enter, in conquest, with drum and colours, Ed-
mund; Lear, and Cordelia, as prisoners; Sol-
diers, Captain.
[guard;
Edm. Some officers take them away: good 35
Until their greater pleasures first be known,
That are to censure them.

Cor. We are not the first,
Who, with best meaning, have incurr'd the worst.
For thee, oppressed king, am I cast down;
Myself could else out-frown false fortune'sfrown.--
Shall we not see these daughters, and these sisters?
Lear. No, no, no, no! Come, let's away to

prison:

[Exeunt Lear, and Cordelia, guarded.
Edm. Come hither, captain; hark.
Take thou this note; go, follow them to prison:
One step I have advanc'd thee; if thou dost
As this instructs thee, thou dost make thy way
To noble fortunes: Know thou this,-that men
Are as the time is: to be tender-minded [ment
Does not become a sword:-Thy great employ
Will not bear question ; either say, thou 'lt do't,
Or thrive by other means.

Capt. I'll do't, my lord.

Edm. About it; and write happy, when thou
hast done.

Mark,-I say, instantly; and carry it so,
As I have set it down.

Capt. I cannot draw a cart, nor eat dry'd oats;
If it be man's work, I will do it. [Exit Capt.
Flourish. Enter Albany, Goneril, Regan and Soldiers.
Alb. Sir, you have shewn to-day your valiant

strain,

And fortune led you well: You have the captives
Who were the opposites of this day's strife:
We do require them of you; so to use them,
As we shall find their merits and our safety
May equally determine.

Edm. Sir, I thought it fit

To send the old and miserable king To some retention, and appointed guard; Whose age has charms in it, whose title more, To pluck the common bosom on his side, 40 And turn our imprest lances in our eyes Which do command them. With him I sent the queen;

My reason all the same; and they are ready To-morrow, or at a further space, to appear 45 Where you shall hold your session. At this time, We sweat, and bleed: the friend hath lost his friend;

We two alone will sing like birds i' the cage:
When thou dost ask me blessing, I'll kneel down,
And ask of thee forgiveness: So we'll live,
And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh
At gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogues
Talk of court news; and we 'lltalk with them too,--50
Who loses, and who wins; who's in, who's out;-
And take upon us the mystery of things,
As if we were God's spies: And we'll wear out,
In a wall'd prison, packs and sects' of great ones,
That ebb and flow by the moon.

55

And the best quarrels, in the heat, are curs'd
By those that feel their sharpness :-
The question of Cordelia, and her father,
Requires a fitter place.

Alb. Sir, by your patience,

I hold you but a subject of this war,
Not as a brother.

Reg. That's as we list to grace him.

Dr. Johnson thinks that for does not stand in this place as a word of inference or causality. The meaning is rather; Such is my determination concerning Lear; as for my state, it requires now, not deliberation, but defence and support. i. e. To be ready, prepared, is all." Packs is used for combinations or collection, as is a pack of cards. For sects, sets might be more commodiously read. Thus we say, affairs are now managed by a new set. It is usual to smoke foxes out of their holes. i. e. Morbus Gallicus.-Gouge,Fr. signifies one of the common women attending a camp: and as that disease was first dispersed over Europe by the French army, and the women who followed it, the first name it obtained among us was the gougeries, i. e. the disease of the gouges. Flesh and skin. The mean ing is, that the important business he now had in hand, did not admit of debate; he must instantly resolve to do it, or not. i. e. turn the launce-men which are press'd into our service, against us.

6

7

Methinks,

That eye, that told you so, look'd but a-squint.

"If any man of quality, or degree, within the lists of the army, will maintain upon Edinund, supposed earl of Gloster, that he is a manifold

Reg. Lady, I am not well; else I should answer 15" traitor, let him appear by the third sound of

From a full-flowing stomach.-General,

Take thou my soldiers, prisoners, patrimony,
Dispose of them, of me; the walls are thine:
Witness the world, that I create thee here

My lord and master.

Gon. Mean you to enjoy him?

Alb. The let alone lies not in your good will'.
Edm. Nor in thine, lord.

Alb. Half-blooded fellow, yes.

"the trumpet: He is bold in his defence."

Edm. Sound.

Reg. Let the drum strike, and prove my title 25

thine.

[the

Alb. Stay yet; hear reason:-Edmund, I arrest On capital treason; and, in thy arrest,

[Pointing to Goneril. This gilded serpent:-for your claim, fair sister, I bar it in the interest of my wife; 'Tis she is sub-contracted to this lord, And I, her husband, contradict your banns. If you will marry, make your love to me, My lady is bespoke.

Gon. An interlude!

Alb. Thou art arm'd, Gloster :-Let the trum-
pet sound :-

If none appear to prove upon thy person
Thy heinous, manifest, and many treasons,
There is my pledge; I'll prove it on thy heart,
Ere I taste bread, thou art in nothing less
Than I have here proclaim'd thee.
Reg. Sick, O, sick!

301

Enter Edgar, armed.

Alb. Ask him his purposes, why he appears Upon this call o' the trumpet.

Her. What are you?

Your name, your quality? and why you answer
This present summons?

Edg. Know, my name is lost;

By treason's tooth bare-gnawn, and canker-bit;
Yet am I noble, as the adversary

come to cope withal.

Alb. Which is that adversary?
[of Gloster?
Edg. What's he, that speaks for Edmund earl
Edm. Himself;-What say'st thou to him?
Edg. Draw thy sword;

35 That, if my speech offend a noble heart,
Thy arm may do thee justice: here is mine.
Behold, it is the privilege' of mine honours,
My oath, and my profession :-I protest,-
Maugre thy strength, youth, place, and eminence,
40 Despight thy victor sword, and fire-new fortune,
Thy valour, and thy heart,-thou art a traitor;
False to thy gods, thy brother, and thy father;
Conspirant 'gainst this high illustrious prince;
And, from the extremest upward of thy head,
[Aside. 45 To the descent and dust beneath thy feet,
A most toad-spotted traitor. Say thou, No,
This sword, this arm, and my best spirits, are bent
To prove upon thy heart, whereto I speak,

Gon. If not, I'll ne'er trust poison.
Edm.There's my exchange: what in the world
he is

That names me traitor, villain-like he lies:
Call by thy trumpet: he that dares approach,
On him, on you, (who not?) I will maintain
My truth and honour firmly.

Alb. A herald, ho!

Edm. A herald, ho, a herald !

Immediacy implies supremacy, in opposition to subordination. 3 Grace here means accomplishments, or honours. A metaphorical phrase taken from the camp, and signifying, to surrender at discretion. "Whether he shall not or shall, depends not on your choice. The charge he is here going to bring against the Bastard, he calls the privilege, &c.; to understand which phraseology, we must consider that the old rites of knighthood are here alluded to; whose oath and profession required him to discover all treasons, and whose privilege it was to have his challenge accepted, or otherwise to have his charge taken pro confesso. For if one who was no knight, accused another who was, that other was under no obligation to accept the challenge. On this account it was necessary, as Edgar came disguised, to tell the Bastard he was a knight. 'Say, for essay, some shew or probability.

7

By rule of knighthood, I disdain and spurn:
Back do I toss these treasons to thy head;
With the hell-hated fie o'erwhelm thy heart;
Which, (for theyyet glance by, and scarcely bruise)
This sword of mine shall give them instant way,
Where they shall rest for ever.-Trumpets speak.
[Alarum. Fight. Edmund falls.

Alb. Save him, save him!

5

Gon. This is mere practice, Gloster: [swer
By the law of arms, thou wast not bound to an-10
An unknown opposite; thou art not vanquish'd,
But cozen'd and beguil'd.

Alb. Shut your mouth, dame,

Or with this paper shall I stop it :-Hold, sir :-
Thou worse than any name,read thine own evil :-
No tearing, lady; I perceive, you know it.

[Gives the letter to Edmund. Gon. Say, if I do; the laws are mine, not thine: Who shall arraign me for 't?

Alb. Monster, know'st thou this paper?
Gon. Ask me not what I know. [Exit Gon.
Alb. Goafter her; she's desperate; govern her.
Edm. What you have charg'd me with, that I
have done;

Told him my pilgrimage: But his flaw'd heart,
(Alack, too weak the conflict to support!)
Twixt two extremes of passion, joy, and grief,
Burst smilingly.

Edm. This speech of yours hath mov'd me,
And shall, perchance, do good: but speak you on;
You look as you had something more to say.

Alb. If there be more, more woeful, hold it in:
For I am almost ready to dissolve,
Hearing of this.

Edg. This would have seem'd a period
To such as love not sorrow; but, another ';-
To amplify too-much, would make much more,
And top extremity :-

15 Whilst I was big in clamour, came there in a man,
1
Who having seen me in my worst estate,

Shunn'd my abhorr'd society; but then, finding
Who 'twas that so endur'd, with his strong arms
He fasten'd on my neck, and bellow'd out
20 As he'd burst heaven; threw him on my father;
Told the most piteous tale of Lear and him,
That ever ear receiv'd: which in recounting,
His grief grew puissant, and the strings of life
Began to crack: Twice then the trumpet sounded,
And there I left him tranc'd.

And more, much more: the time will bring it out; 25
"Tis past, and so am I: But what art thou,
That hast this fortune on me? If thou art noble,
I do forgive thee.

Edg. Let us exchange charity.

I am no less in blood than thou art, Edmund;
If more, the more thou hast wrong'd me.

My name is Edgar, and thy father's son.

The gods are just, and of our pleasant vices
Make instruments to scourge us:

The dark and vicious place where thee he got,
Cost him his eyes.

Edm. Thou hast spoken right, 'tis true;
The wheel is come full circle; I am here.

Alb. Methought, thy very gait did prophesy
A royal nobleness :--I must embrace thee:
Let sorrow split my heart, if ever I

Did hate thee, or thy father!

30

35

1401

45

Edg. Worthy prince, I know it.
All. Where have you hid yourself? [ther?
How have you known the miseries of your fa-
Edg. By nursing them, my lord. List a brief
tale;-
[burst!-
And, when 'tis told, O, that my heart would
The bloody proclamation to escape,
That follow'd me so near, (O our lives' sweetness! 50
That we the pain of death would hourly bear,
Rather than die at once!) taught me to shift
Into a mad-man's rags; to assume a semblance
That very dogs disdain'd: and in this habit
Met I my father, with his bleeding rings,
Their precious stones new lost; became his guide,
Led him, begg'd for him, sav'd him from despair;|
Never (O fault!) reveal'd myself unto him,
Until some half-hour past, when I was arm'd,
Not sure, though hoping, of this good success,
I ask'd his blessing, and from first to last

55

[guise

Alb. But who was this?
Edg. Kent, sir, the banish'd Kent; who in dis-
Follow'd his enemy king, and did him service
Improper for a slave.

Enter a Gentleman hastily, with a bloody knife.
Gent. Help! help! Oh! help!

Edg. What kind of help?

Alb. Speak, man.

Edg. What means this bloody knife?

Gent. 'Tis hot, it smoaks;

It came even from the heart of -O! she's dead!
Alb. Who, man? speak.

Gent. Your lady, sir, your lady: and her sister
By her is poison'd; she hath confess'd it.

Edm. I was contracted to them both; all three Now marry in an instant.

Enter Kent.

Alb. Produce the bodies, be they alive or dead! [Goneril and Regan's bodies brought out. This judgement of the heavens, that makes us tremble, Touches us not with pity.

Edg. Here comes Kent, sir.

Alb. O is this he? The time will not allow
The compliment which very manners urge.
Kent. I am come

To bid my king and master aye good night;
Is he not here?

Alb. Great thing of us forgot!

Speak, Edmund, where's the king? and where 's
Cordelia ?-

See'st thou this object, Kent?

Kent. Alack, why thus ?

Edm. Yet Edmund was belov'd:

60 The one the other poison'd for my sake,
And after slew herself.

The sense may probably be this: This would have seemed a period to such as love not sorrow; hut,-another, i. e. but I must add another, i. e. another period, another kind of conclusion to my

story, such as will increase the horrors of what has been already told.

Alb.