Thrown on this shore. I op'd the coffin, and Where shall be shown you all was found with her; Found there rich jewels; recover'd her, and plac'd How she came placed here within the temple; her Here in Diana's temple. Per. Whither I invite you. Look! Thaisa is Thai. O, let me look! If he be none of mine, my sanctity Will to my sense' bend no licentious ear, Per. Immortal Dian! No needful thing omitted. Per. Pure Diana! This prince, the fair-betrothed of your daughter, Thai. Lord Cerimon hath letters of good credit, Per. Heavens make a star of him! Yet there, We'll celebrate their nuptials, and ourselves Now I know you better.-To hear the rest untold.-Sir, lead the way. [Exe. When we with tears parted Pentapolis, [Shows a ring. Enter Gower. Gow. In Antioch,' and his daughter, you have heard Per. This, this: no more, you gods! your pre- Of monstrous lust the due and just reward: sent kindness Makes my past miseries sport: You shall do well, In Pericles, his queen and daughter, seen That on the touching of her lips I may (Although assail'd with fortune fierce and keen,), Melt, and no more be seen. O come, be buried Virtue preserv'd from fell destruction's blast, A second time within these arms. Mar. My heart Leaps to be gone into my mother's bosom. Thy burden at the sea, and call'd Marina, Bless'd and mine own! I know you not. Per. You have heard me say, when I did fly from Tyre, I left behind an ancient substitute. Can you remember what I call'd the man? Led on by heaven, and crown'd with joy at last. That this tragedy has some merit, it were rain to deny; but that it is the entire composition of Shakspeare, is more than can be hastily granted. I shall not venture, with Dr. Farmer, to determine that the hand of our great poet is only visible in the last act, for I think it appears in several passages dispersed over each of these divisions. I find it difficult, however, to persuade myself that he was the original fabricator of the plot, or the author of every dialogue, chorus, &c. STEEVENS. The story is of great antiquity; and is related by various ancient authors-in Latin, French, and English. (3) i. e. The king of Antioch. (4) Ever. I THOUGHT, the king had more affected the duke of Albany, than Cornwall. Glo. It did always seem so to us: but now, in the division of the kingdom, it appears not which of the dukes he values most; for equalities are so weigh'd, that curiosity in neither can make choice of either's moiety.2 Kent. Is not this your son, my lord? Glo. His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge: I have so often blushed to acknowledge him, that now I am brazed to it. Kent. I cannot conceive you, An Officer, employed by Edmund. Servants to Cornwall. Goneril, Regan, daughters to Lear. Knights attending on the King, Officers, Messen gers, Soldiers, and Attendants. Scene, Britain. Enter Lear, Cornwall, Albany, Goneril, Regan, Lear. Attend the lords of France and Burgundy, Glo. I shall, my liege. [Exe. Glo. and Edm. purpose. Give me the map there.-Know, that we have di And you, our no less loving son of Albany, Glo. Sir, this young fellow's mother could: whereupon she grew round-wombed; and had, in- Great rivals in our youngest daughter's love, deed, sir, a son for her cradle, ere she had a hus-Long in our court have made their amorous so band for her bed. Do you smell a fault? journ, Kent. I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue And here are to be answer'd.-Tell me, my daugh of it being so proper.3 ters, Glo. But I have, sir, a son by order of law, some (Since now we will divest us, both of rule, year elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my ac-Interest of territory, cares of state,) count: though this knave came somewhat saucily Which of you, shall we say, doth love us most 1 into the world before he was sent for, yet was his That we our largest bounty may extend mother fair; there was good sport at his making, Where merit doth most challenge it.-Goneril, and the whoreson must be acknowledged.-Do you Our eldest-born, speak first. know this noble gentleman, Edmund? Edm. No, my lord. Gon. Sir, f Do love you more than words can wield the matter, Glo. My lord of Kent: remember him hereafter Dearer than eye-sight, space and liberty; as my honourable friend. Edm. My services to your lordship. Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare; Kent. I must love you, and sue to know you As much as child e'er lov'd, or father found. better. A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable; (4) More secret. (5) Determined resolution. M stirs ? Call Burgundy.-Cornwall, and Albany, With shadowy forests and with champains' rich'd, | Her father's heart from her!—Call France ;—Who Which the most precious square of sense possesses; In your dear highness' love. Lear. To thee, and thine, hereditary ever, Lear. Nothing? Nothing. Cor. Lear. How, how, Cordelia ? mend your speech Lest it may mar your fortunes. Cor. That lord, whose hand must take my plight, shall course, With reservation of a hundred knights, Revenue, execution of the rest, 10 Beloved sons, be yours: which to confirm, the shaft. Kent. Let it fall rather, though the fork invade The region of my heart: be Kent unmannerly, When Lear is mad. What would'st thou do, old man ? Think'st thou, that duty shall have dread to speak, When majesty stoops to folly. Reverse thy doom; This hideous rashness: answer my life my judg ment, Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least; Lear. Kent, on thy life, no more. Lear. Out of my sight! Kent. See better, Lear; and let me still remain Now, by Apollo, king, Ay, good my lord. Thou swear'st thy gods in vain. Lear. So young, and so untender? Lear. Let it be so.-Thy truth then be thy dower : From whom we do exist, and cease to be; Scythian, The barbarous Or he that makes his generation messes Kent. Lear. Peace, Kent! Good my liege, Come not between the dragon and his wrath: O, vassal! miscreant! [Laying his hand on his sword. Alb. Corn. Dear sir, forbear. Kill thy physician, and the fee bestow Lear. Hear me, recreant! On thine allegiance hear me !— pride, To come betwixt our sentence and our power On her kind nursery.-Hence, and avoid my sight!-Thy banish'd trunk be found in our dominions, Kent. Fare thee well, king: since thus thou wilt appear, Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here.The gods to their dear shelter take thee, maid, [To Cordelia. That justly think'st, and hast most rightly said!1 And your large speeches may your deeds approve, [To Regan and Goneril. 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. [Ex. 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 Most royal majesty, Lear. Bur. Lear. Sir, I know no answer. Will you, with those infirmities she owes,* Unfriended, new-adopted to our hate, France. Is it but this? a tardiness in nature, Which often leaves the history unspoke, That it intends to do?-My lord of Burgundy, What say you to the lady? Love is not love, When it is mingled with respects, that stand Aloof from the entire point, 19 Will you have her? She is herself a dowry. Bur. Royal Lear, Lear. Nothing: I have sworn; I am firm. Cor. France. Fairest Cordelia, thou art most rich, Most choice, forsaken; and most lov'd, despis'd! Is My love should kindle to inflam'd respect.- Dower'd with our curse, and stranger'd with our Bid them farewell, Cordelia, though unkind: oath, Take her, or leave her? Bur. 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, I would not from your love make such a stray, That monsters it, or your fore-vouch'd' affection Cor. I vet 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 (1) Follow his old mode of life. (2) Amorous expedition. (3) Specious. (4) Owns, is possessed of. (5) Concludes not. (6) Turn. (7) Former declaration of. Thou losest here, a better where to find. Lear. Thou hast her, France: let her be thine; for we Have no such daughter, nor shall ever see [Flourish. Exeunt Lear, Burgundy, Cornwall, France. Bid farewell to your sisters. Cor. The jewels of our father, with wash'd eyes Gon. Prescribe not us our duties. Let your study Be, to content your lord; who hath receiv'd you 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. 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. Gon. The best and soundest of his time hath Edm. I hope, for my brother's justification, he been but rash; then must we look to receive from wrote this but as an essay or taste of my virtue. his age, not alone the imperfections of long-engraft- Glo. [Reads.] This policy and reverence of age, ed condition, but therewithal, the unruly way-makes the world bitter to the best of our times; wardness that infirm and choleric years bring with keeps our fortunes from us, till our oldness canthem. Reg. Such unconstant starts are we like to have from him, as this of Kent's banishment. Gon. There is further compliment of leavetaking between France and him. Pray you, let us hit together: 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. For that I am some twelve or fourteen moon-shines Edm. I know no news, my lord. Glo. No? What needed then that terrible despatch of it into your pocket? the quality of nothing hath not such need to hide itself. Let's see: Come, if it be nothing, I shall not need spectacles. If not relish them. I begin to find an idle and fond bondage in the oppression of aged tyrrany; who sways, not as it hath power, but as it is suffered. Come to me, that of this I may speak more. our father would sleep till I waked him, you should enjoy half his revenue for ever, and live the beloved of your brother, Edgar.-Humph-Conspiracy!-Sleep till I waked him, you should enjoy half his revenue,-My son Edgar! Had he a hand to write this? a heart and brain to breed it in ?When came this to you? Who brought it? Edm. It was not brought me, my lord, there's the cunning of it; I found it thrown in at the casement of my closet. Glo. You know the character to be your bro ther's? Edm. If the matter were good, my lord, I durst swear it were his; but, in respect of that, I would fain think it were not. Glo. It is his. Edm. It is his hand, my lord; but, I hope, his heart is not in the contents. Glo. Hath he never heretofore sounded you in this business? Edm. Never, my lord: But I have often heard him maintain it to be fit, that, sons at perfect age, and fathers declining, the father should be as ward to the son, and the son manage his revenue. Glo. O villain, villain!-His very opinion in the letter!-Abhorred villain! Unnatural, detested, brutish villain! worse than brutish!-Go, sirrah, seek him; I'll apprehend him ;-Abominable villain!-Where is he? Edm. I do not well know, my lord. If it shall please you to suspend your indignation against my brother, till you can derive from him better testimony of his intent, you shall run a certain course; where, if you violently proceed against him, mistaking his purpose, it would make a great gap in your own honour, and shake in pieces the heart of his obedience. I dare pawn down my life for him, that he hath writ this to feel my affection to your honour," and to no other pretence12 of danger. Glo. Think you so? Edm. If your honour judge it meet, I will place you where you shall hear us confer of this, and by an auricular assurance have your satisfaction; and that without any further delay than this very evening. Glo. He cannot be such a monster. Glo. To his father, that so tenderly and entirely loves him.-Heaven and earth!-Edmund, seek him out; wind me into him, I pray you: frame the Edm. I beseech you, sir, pardon me: it is a let-business after your own wisdom: I would unstate ter from my brother, that I have not all o'cr-read; myself, to be in a due resolution.13 |