Por. Thou shalt have nothing but the forfeiture, To be so taken at thy peril, Jew. Shy. Why then the devil give him good of it: I'll stay no longer question. Por. Tarry, Jew, The law hath yet another hold on you. He seek the life of any citizen, The party, 'gainst the which he doth contrive, Gra. Beg that thou may'st have leave to hang thysel": Duke. That thou shalt see the difference of our spirit, Por. Ay, for the state; not for Antonio. Por. What mercy can you render him, Antonio ? To quit the fine for one half of his goods; Two things provided more, That for this favor, He presently become a Christian; The other, that he do record a gift, Here in the court, of all he dies possess'd Duke. He shall do this; or else I do recant The pardon, that I late pronounced here. Por. Art thou contented, Jew, what dost thou say? Shy. I am content. Por. Clerk, draw a deed of gift. Shy. I pray you give me leave to go from hence : I am not well; send the deed after me, And I will sign it. Duke. Get thee gone, but do it. judge. thou Gra. In christening, thou shalt have two godfathers; Duke. Sir, I entreat you home with me to dinner. I must away this night toward Padua, Duke. I am sorry, that your leisure serves not. Antonio, gratify this gentleman; [Exit SHYLOCK. [Exeunt DUKE, Magnificoes, and Train. The interest of the Play ends with the delivery of Antonio, and the punishment of Shylock; the fifth Act is occupied in explanations which naturally follow between the leading characters, growing out of the disguises assumed by Portia and Nerissa. KING LEAR "The story of King Lear and his three daughters, is found in Holinshed's Chronicle; and was originally told by Geoffry of Monmouth, who says that Lear was the eldest son of Bladud, and 'nobly governed his country for sixty years. According to that his torian, he died about 800 years before Christ. Shakspeare has taken the hint for the behavior of the steward, and the reply of Cordelia to her father concerning her future marriage, from the Mirror of Magistrates, 1587. According to Steevens, the episode of Gloster and his sons is borrowed from Sidney's Arcadia." Macbeth, Othello, Hamlet, and Lear, are placed by general consent as first in the list of Shakspeare's inspired creations, but to the character of Lear, is yielded the pre-eminence. It is perhaps the most wonderfu. dramatic conception on record. We have endeavored to incorporate into our selections, the entire development of this extraordinary creation. PERSONS REPRESENTED. LEAR, King of Britain. DUKE OF BURGUNDY. DUKE OF CORNWALL. DUKE OF ALBANY. EARL OF KENT. EARL OF GLOSTER. EDGAR, son to Gloster. EDMUND, illegitimate son to Gloster. CURAN, a courtier. Old Man, tenant to Gloster. Physician. Fool. OSWALD, steward to Goneril. GONERIL, REGAN, CORDELIA, daughters to Lear. Knights attending on the King, Officers, Messengers, Soldiers and Attendants. SCENE, BRITAIN. ACT I. SCENE I.-A Room of State in King Lear's Palace. Enter LEAR, CORNWALL, ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, CORDELIA, and Attendants. Lear. Attend the lords of France and Burgundy, Gloster. Glo. I shall, my liege. [Exit GLOSTER & EDMUND. Lear. Mean-time we shall express our darker purpose. Give me the map there. -Know, that we have divided, • Conferring them on younger strengths, while we Our daughters' several dowers, that future strife Long in our court have made their amorous sojourn, (Since now we will divest us, both of rule, Interest of territory, cares of state,) Which of you, shall we say, doth love us most? Where merit doth most challenge it.-Goneril, Our eldest-born, speak first. Gon. Sir, I Do love you more than words can wield the matter Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare; No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honor: A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable ; Cor. What shall Cordelia do? Love, and be silent. With shadowy forests and with champains rich'd, Reg. I am made of that self metal as my sister, Which the most precious square of sense possesses; [Aside And find, I am alone felicitate In your dear highness' love. Cor. Then poor Cordelia ! [Aside. And yet not so; since, I am sure, my love's Lear. To thee, and thine, hereditary ever, Lear. Nothing? Cor. Nothing. Lear. Nothing can come of nothing: speak again. My heart into my mouth: I love your majesty Lear. How, how, Cordelia? mend your speech a little, Lest it may mar your fortunes. Cor. Good my lord, You have begot me, bred me, lov'd me: They love you, all? Haply, when I shall wed, Half my love with him, half my care, and duty! Sure, I shall never marry like my sisters, To love my father all. Lear. But goes this with thy heart? Lear. So young, and so untender ? Cor. So young, my lord, and true. Ay, good my lord. Lear. Let it be so, -Thy truth then be thy dower: For, by the sacred radiance of the sun; The mysteries of Hecate, and the night; By all the operations of the orbs, From whom we do exist, and cease to be; Kent. Lear. Peace, Kent! Good my liege, Come not between the dragon and his wrath: |