Lear. What doft thou profess? What would'st thou with us?

Kent. I do profefs to be no lefs than I feem; to serve him truly, that will put me in truft; to love him that is honeft; to converfe with him that is 5 wife, and fays little; to fear judgment; to fight,| when I cannot choose; and to eat no fish 2.

Lear. What art thou?

Kent. A very honest-hearted fellow, and as poor as the king.

Lear. If thou be as poor for a subject as he is for a king, thou art poor enough. What would'ft thou?

Kent. Service.

Lear. Whom would'st thou ferve?

Kent. You.

Lear. Doft thou know me, fellow?

Kent. No, fir; but you have that in your countenance, which I would fain call mafter.

Lear. What's that?

Kent. Authority.

Lear. What fervices can't thou do?

Kent. I can keep honeft counfel, ride, run, mar a curious tale in telling it, and deliver a plain

appears, as well in the general dependants, as in the duke himself also, and your daughter.

Lear. Ha! fay'st thou fo?

Knight. I beseech you, pardon me, my lord, if I be mistaken; for my duty cannot be filent, when I think your highness is wrong'd.

Lear. Thou but remember'ft me of mine own conception: I have perceived a most faint neglect of late; which I have rather blamed as mine own Icjealous ouriofity, than as a very pretence 3 and purpofe of unkindness: I will look further into t.e But where's my fool? I have not feen him these two days.

Knight. Since my young lady's going into France, 15 fir, the fool hath much pin'd 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.

200, you fir, you fir, come you hither: Who am I, Stew. My lady's father.

[fir? Lear. My lady's father! my lord's knave: you whorefon dog! you flave! you cur !

Stew. I am none of these, my lord; I beseech

message bluntly: that which ordinary men are fit 25 you, pardon me.
for, I am qualify'd in; and the best of me is dili-
gence.

Lear. How old art thou?

Kent. Not so young, fir, to love a woman for finging; nor fo old, to dote on her for any thing:30 I have years on my back forty-eight.

Lear. Follow me; thou shalt ferve me, if I like thee no worfe after dinner: I will not part from thee yet.-Dinner, ho, dinner!-Where's

Lear. Do you bandy looks with me, you rafcal? [Striking bim.

Stew. I'll not be ftruck, my lord. Kent. Nor tript neither; you base foot ball [Tripping up bis beeis. Lear. I thank thee, fellow; thou ferv'ft me, and I'll love thee.

player.

Kent. Come, fir, arife, away; I'll teach you differences; away, away: If you will measure

my knave? my fool? Go you, and call my fool 35 your lubber's length again, tarry: but away: go hither: to: Have you wisdom? fo.

Lear. What fays the fellow there?-Call the 40 clotpole back. Where's my fool, ho ?—I think the world's afleep.How now? where's that mungrel?

Knight. He fays, my lord, your daughter is not well.

Lear. Why came not the flave back to me, when I call'd him?

Knight. Sir, he anfwer'd me in the roundeft manner, he would not.

Lear. He would not!

Knight. My lord, I know not what the matter is; but, to my judgment, your highness is not entertain'd with that ceremonious affection as you were wont; there's a great abatement of kindness

45

[Pufbes the Steward out. Lear. Now, my friendly knave, I thank thee: there's earneft of thy fervice. [Giving Kent money. Enter Fool.

Fool. Let me hire him too;-Here's my cox-
comb.
[Giving Kent bis cap.
Lear. How now, my pretty knave? how doft
thou?

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

Fol. Why, for taking one's part that is out of favour: Nay, an thou can'ft not smile as the wind fits, thou'lt catch cold shortly: There, take my 50 coxcomb+: Why, this fellow has banish'd 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 5, and two daughters!

• To converse fignifies immediately and properly to keep company, not to discourse or talk. His meaning is, that he chufes for his companions men of referve and caution; men who are no tattlers nor tale-bearers. 2 In Queen Elizabeth's time, the Papists were esteemed, and with good reason, enemies to the government. Hence the proverbial phrase of, He's an boneft man, and eats no fish; to signify he's a friend to the government, and a Proteftant; the eating fish, on a religious account, being then esteemed such a badge of popery, that when it was enjoin'd for a season by act of parliament, for the encouragement of the fish-towns, it was thought neceffary to declare the reafon; hence it was called Cecil's faft. 3 Pretence for design. 4 Meaning his cap, called fo, because on the top of the fool or jefter's cap was fewed a piece of red cloth, refembling the comb of a cock. The word, afterwards, was used to denote a vain, conceited, meddling fellow. 5 Two fools caps, intended, as it feems, to mark double folly in the man that gives all to his daughters.

5

Fool. Sirrah, I'll teach thee a speech. [To Kent. 10

Lear. Do.

Fol. Mark it, nuncle:

Have more than thou showeft,
Speak lefs than thou knoweft,
Lend less than thou oweft 2,
Ride more than thou goeft,
Learn more than thou throwest 3,
Set less than thou troweft;
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.

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 cloveft thy crown i' the
middle, and gaveft away both parts, thou boreft
thine afs on thy back over the dirt: Thou had it
little wit in thy bald crown, when thou gavest thy
golden one away. If I fpeak like myself in this,
let him be whipp'd that first finds it fo.

Fools ne'er bad lefs grace in a year 5; [Singing.
For wife men are grown foppish;

And know not how their wits to wear,
Their manners are so apifb.

Lear. When were you wont to be fo full of 15 fongs, firrah?

20

Fool. Then it is like the breath of an unfee'd lawyer; you gave me nothing for't:Can you 25 make no use of nothing, nuncle?

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

Fool. Pr'ythee, tell him, fo much the rent of his land comes to; he will not believe a fool.

Lear. A bitter fool!

[To Kent.

Fool. I have used it, nuncle, ever fince thou mad'ft thy daughters thy mothers: for when thou gav'ft them the rod, and putt'ft down thine own breeches,

Then they for fudden joy did weep,
And I for forrow fung,

That fuch a king fshould play bo-peep,

And go the fouls among⋅

[Singing.

Pr'ythee, nuncle, keep a fchool-mafter that can teach thy fool to lie; I would fain learn to lie.

Lear. If you lie, firrah, we'll have you whipt. Fool. I marvel, what kin thou and thy daughters are: they'll have me whipt for speaking true, thou'lt have me whipt for lying; and, fometimes, 301 am whipt for holding my peace. I had rather be any kind of thing, than a fool: and yet I would not be thee, nuncle; thou haft pared thy wit o' both fides, and left nothing in the middle: Here comes one of the parings.

Kent. This is not altogether fool, my lord. Fool. No, 'faith, lords and great men will not let me; if I had a monopoly on't, they would have 50 part on't 4: and ladies too, they will not let me have all fool to myfelf; they'll be snatching. Give me an egg, nuncle, and I'll give thee two

crowns.

1 Brach is a bitch of the hunting-kind. 2 That is, do not lend all that thou baft. To ere, in old English, is to poffefs. 3 To trow, is an old word which fignifies to believe. 4 Á fatire on the gross abufes of monopolies at that time; and the corruption and avarice of the courtiers, who commonly went shares with the patentee. Monopolies were in Shakspeare's time the common objects of fatire. 5 The meaning is, There never was a time when fools were lefs in favour; and the reason is, that they were never fo little wanted, for wife men now fupply their place. Both the quarto editions read-efs wit for lefs grace. Lear alludes to the frontier, which was anciently part of a woman's dress. 7 i. e. now a mere hufk, which contains nothing.

6

Бу

By what yourself too late have spoke and done,
That you protect this courfe, and put it on '
By your allowance; which if you should, the fault
Would not 'scape cenfure, nor the redreffes fleep;
Which, in the tender of a wholesome weal,
Might in their working do you that offence,
Which else were shame, that then neceffity
Will call difcreet proceeding.

Fool. For you trow, nuncle,

The hedge-fparrow fed the cuckoo so long,
That it had its head bit off by its young.

So, out went the candle, and we were left darkling.
Lear. Are you our daughter?

Gon. Come, fir,

Is it your will? speak, fir.-Prepare my horses.— [To Albany.

Ingratitude! thou marble-hearted fiend,

More hideous, when thou shew'ft thee in a child, 5 Than the fea-monster 5 !

Alb. Pray, fir, be patient.

[To Goneril

Lear. Detefted kite! thou lieft:
My train are men of choice and rarest parts,
That all particulars of duty know;

To And in the most exact regard support

The worships of their name.-O most small fault,
How ugly didit thou in Cordelia fhew! [nature
Which, like an engine 6, wrench'd by frame of
From the fixt place, drew from my heart all love,

Beat at this gate, that let thy folly in,

I would, you would make use of that good wisdom 15 And added to the gall. O Lear, Lear, Lear!
Whereof I know you are fraught; and put away
These difpofitions, which of late transform you
From what you rightly are.

Fool. May not an afs know when the cart draws the horse?-Whoop, Jug! I love thee 2.

Lear, Does any here know me?-Why this is not Lear :

[eyes?

Does Lear walk thus ? speak thus ?—Where are his
Either his notion weakens, or his difcernings
Are lethargy'd-Ha! waking?—'Tis not fo.-
Who is it that can tell me who I am?-Lear's
shadow?

I would learn that; for by the marks

Of fov'reignty, of knowledge, and of reason,
I should be falfe perfuaded I had daughters.-
Your name, fair gentlewoman?

Gon. Come, fir,

This admiration is much o' the favour

Of other your new pranks. I do beseech you
To understand my purposes aright:

As you are old and reverend, you should be wife:
Here do you keep a hundred knights and squires ;
Men fo diforder'd, fo debauch'd and bold,
That this our court, infected with their manners,
Shews like a riotous inn: epicurism and lust
Make it more like a tavern, or a brothel,
Than a grac'd palace 3. The shame itself doth speak
For inftant remedy: Be then defir'd

By her, that else will take the thing the begs,
A little to difquantity your train;

And the remainder, that shall still depend 4,
To be fuch men as may befort your age,
And know themselves and you.

Lear. Darkness and devils!

Saddle my horses; call my train together.
Degenerate baftard! I'll not trouble thee;
Yet have I left a daughter.

[rabble

Gon. You strike my people; and your disorder'd Make fervants of their betters.

Enter Albany.

Lear. Woe, that too late repents,-O, fir, are you come ?

[Striking bis bead. And thy dear judgment out!-Go, go, my people. Alb. My lord, I am guiltlefs, as I am ignorant 20 Of what hath mov'd you.

Lear. It may be so, my lord.

Hear, nature! hear; dear goddess, hear!
Sufpend thy purpose, if thou didst intend
To make this creature fruitful!

25 Into her womb convey fterelity;

Dry up in her the organs of increafe ;
And from her derogate 7 body never spring
A babe to honour her! If the must teem,
Create her child of fpleen; that it may live,
30 And be a thwart difnatur'd torment to her!
Let it ftamp wrinkles in her brow of youth;
With cadent tears fret channels in her cheeks;
Turn all her mother's pains and benefits
To laughter and contempt; that she may feel
35 How fharper than a ferpent's tooth it is

To have a thanklefs child!-Away, away! [Exit.
Alb. Now, gods, that we adore, whereof comes

That thou haft power to shake my manhood thus:
[To Goneril.
That these hot tears, which break from me perforce,
Should make thee worth them.-Blafts and fogs
upon thee!

The untented 10 woundings of a father's curfe
55 Pierce every fense about thee!-Old fond eyes,
Beweep this cause again, I'll pluck you out;
And caft you, with the waters that you lose,

1 i. e. promote, push it forward. 2 Mr. Steevens has been informed, that this is a quotation from the burden of an old fong. 3 A palace grac'd by the presence of a fovereign. 4 Depend, for continue in fervice. 5 Mr. Upton obferves, that the sea-monster is the Hippopotamus, the hieroglyphical Symbol of impiety and ingratitude. Sandys, in his Travels, says " that he killeth his fire, and ravisheth his own dam." By an engine is meant the rack. 7 Derogate here means degraded, blafted. 8 Difnatur'd is wanting in natural affection. 9 i. e. falling tears. 10 Untented wounds, means wounds in their worst state, not having a tent in them to digest them.

To

To the great love I bear you.

Gon. Pray you, content.-What, Ofwald, ho! You, fir, more knave than fool, after your master. [To the Fool. Fool. Nuncle Lear, nuncle Lear, tarry, and take the fool with thee.

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

Should fure to the slaughter

If my cap would buy a halter;

So the fool follows after.

Gon. This man hath had good counsel:hundred knights!

[Exit.
-A

20

Lear. Why, what canft thou tell, boy?

Fool. She will tafte as like this, as a crab does to a crab. Thou canst tell why one's nofe ftand's i' the middle of one's face?

Lear. No.

Fool. Why, to put his head in; not to give it away to his daughters, and leave his horns without la cafe.

Lear. I will forget my nature.-So kind a father!Be my horses ready?

Fool. Thy affes are gone about 'em. The reafon why the feven stars are no more than feven, is a pretty reafon.

Lear. Because they are not eight.

Fool. Yes, indeed: Thou would'st make a good

Lear. To take it again perforce 5 !-Monster ! ingratitude!

Gon. Take you fome company, and away to horfe: 40 fool.
Inform her full of my particular fear :
And thereto add fuch reafons of your own,
As may compact it more 2. Get you gone;
And haften your return. No, no, my lord,

[Exit Steward. 45
This milky gentleness, and courfe of yours,
Though I condemn it not, yet, under pardon,
You are much more at task 3 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.

Gon. Nay, then-

Fool. If thou wert my fool, nuncle, I'd have thee beaten for being old before thy time.

Lear. How's that?

Fool. Thou fhould'st not have been old before thou hadst been wife.

Lear. O, let me not be mad, not mad, fweet heaven! Keep me in temper; I would not be 5cmad!

Enter a Gentleman.

How now? are the horfes ready?

Gent. Ready, my lord.

Lear. Come, boy.

[departure,

Fool. She that's a maid now, and laughs at my Shall not be a maid long unless things be cut

fhorter.

[Exeunt

At point, probably means completely armed, and confequently ready at appointment or command on the flighteft notice. 2 That is, Unite one circumftance with another, so as to make a confiftent account. 3 To be at task, is to be liable to reprebenfion and correction. 4 He is mufing on Cordelia. He is meditating on his daughter's having in fo violent a manner deprived him of those privileges which before he had agreed to grant him.

ACT

ACT II.

A Caftle belonging to the Earl of Glofter.
Enter Edmund and Curan, meeting.

AVE thee, Curan.

SAVE

Cur. And you, fir. I have been with your father; and given him notice, that the duke of Cornwall, and Regan his dutchefs, will be here with him to night.

5

Glo. But where is he?

Edm. Look, fir, I bleed.

Gloft. Where is the villain, Edmund?

Edm. Fled this way, fir. When by no means
he could-
[means, what?
Glo. Purfue him, ho!-Go after. By no
Edm. Perfuade me to the murder of your lordship;
But that I told him, the revenging gods
'Gainft parricides did all their thunders bend;
ro Spoke, with how manifold and strong a bond
The child was bound to the father;-Sir, in fine,
Seeing how lothly oppofite I stood

To his unnatural purpose, in fell motion,
With his prepared fword, he charges home
15 My unprovided body, lanc'd mine arm :
But when he faw my best alarum'd spirits,
Bold in the quarrel's right, rous'd to the encounter,
Or whether-gafted 3 by the noise I made,
Full fuddenly he fled.

Edm. The duke be here to-night? The better! 20
Beft!

This weaves itself perforce into my business!
My father hath fet guard to take my brother;
And I have one thing, of a queazy 2 question,
Which I must act :-Briefness, and fortune,work!--25
Brother, a word;-defcend :-Brother, I say;
Enter Edgar.

My father watches :-O, fir, fly this place;
Intelligence is given where you are hid;

Glo. Let him fly far:

Not in this land fhall he remain uncaught;
And found--Difpatch.-The noble duke my master,
My worthy arch+ and patron comes to-night:
By his authority I will proclaim it,

That he, which finds him, shall deserve our thanks,
Bringing the murderous coward to the stake;
He that conceals him, death.

Edm. When I diffuaded him from his intent,
And found him pight 5 to do it, with curft fpeech

Ι

You have now the good advantage of the night :3c|I threaten'd to discover him: He replied,

Have you not spoken 'gainst the duke of Cornwall?
He's coming hither, now, i' the night, i' the haste,
And Regan with him; Have you nothing said
Upon his party 'gainst the duke of Albany?
Advise yourself.

Edg. I am fure on't, not a word.
Edm. I hear my father coming,-Pardon me :-
In cunning, I must draw my sword upon you :-
Draw: Seem to defend yourfelf: Now quit you
well.

"Thou unpossessing bastard! dost thou think, "If I would ftand against thee, would the repofal "Of any truft, virtue, or worth, in thee "Make thy words faith'd? No: what I should deny, 35" (As this I would; ay, though thou didst produce "My very character) I'd turn it all

"To thy fuggeftion, plot, and damned practice: "And thou must make a dullard of the world, "If they not thought the profits of my death [here!-40" Were very pregnant and potential spurs

Yield: Come before my father;-Light, ho,
Fly, brother;-Torches ! torches !-So, farewel.-|
[Exit Edgar.
Some blood drawn on me would beget opinion
[Wounds bis arm. 45
Of my more fierce endeavour: I have feen drunkards
Do more than this in fport.-Father! father!
Stop, ftop! No help?

Enter Glofter, and Servants with torches.
Glo. Now, Edmund, where's the villain?
Edm. Here ftood he in the dark, his sharp sword
out,

Mumbling of wicked charms, conjuring the moon
To ftand his aufpicious mistress:-

"To make thee feek it." [Trumpets within.
Glo. O ftrange, fasten'd villain!
Would he deny his letter, faid he ?--I never got him.
Hark, the duke's trumpets! I know not why he

comes:

All ports I'll bar; the villain shall not scape;
The duke muit grant me that: befides, his picture
I will fend far and near, that all the kingdom
May have due note of him: and of my land,
50 Loyal and natural boy, I'll work the means
To make thee capable 7.

Enter Cornwall, Regan, and Attendants.
Corn. How now, my noble friend? fince I
came hither,

in reality only whisper'd ones.

2 Queazy means 3 i. e. frighted. 4 i. e. chief; a word now used 5 Pight is pitch'd, fixed, fettled. 6 Curft is 7 i. c. capable of fucceeding to my land, notwithstanding the

Ear-kiffing arguments means, that they are yet delicate; what requires to be handled nicely. only in compofition, as arch-angel, arch-duke. fevere, harth, vehemently angry. legal bar of thy illegitimacy,

(Which