On her kind nursery.. Hence, and avoid my sight! So be my grave my peace, as here I give [TO CORDELIA. Her father's heart from her !-Call France ;-Who stirs ? Call Burgundy.-Cornwall, and Albany, With my two daughters' dowers digest this third. Let pride, which she calls plainness, marry her. I do invest you jointly with my power, Pre-eminence, and all the large effects That troop with majesty.-Ourself, by monthly course, By you to be sustain'd, shall our abude Make with you by due turns. Only we still retain Kent. Royal Lear, Whom I have ever honor'd as my king, Lov'd as my father, as my master follow'd, As my great patron thought on in my prayers, [Giving the crow1L Lear. The bow is bent and drawn, make from the shaft. The region of my heart: be Kent unmannerly, When Lear is mad. What would'st thou do, old man? When power to flattery bows? To plainness honor's bound, This hideous rashness: answer my life my judgment, Nor are those empty-hearted, whose low sound Lear. Kent, on thy life, no more. Kent. My life I never held but as a pawn To wage against thine enemies; nor fear to lose it, Thy safety being the motive. Lear. Out of my sight! Kent. See better, Lear; and let me still remain The true blank of thine eye. Kent. Thou swear'st thy gods in vain Alb. Corn. Dear sir, forbear. Now, by Apollo, king, [Laying his hand on his sword O, vassal! miscreant ! Kill thy physician, and the fee bestow Or, whilst I can vent clamor from my throat, I'll tell thee thou dost evil. Lear. Hear me, recreant! On thine allegiance hear me ! Since thou hast sought to make us break our vow, Upon our kingdom: if, on the tenth day following, [TO CORDELIA, Kent. Fare thee well, king; since thus thou wilt appear, [TO REGAN and GONERIL, That good effects may spring from words of love.— [Exit Re-enter GLOSTER: with FRANCE, BURGUNDY, and Attendants. Glo. Here's France and Burgundy, my noble lord. We first address towards you, who with this king Bur. Most royal majesty, I crave no more than hath your highness offer'd, Nor will you tender less. Lear. Right noble Burgundy, When she was dear to us, we did hold her so; But now her price is fall'n: Sir, there she stands; And nothing more may fitly like your grace, Bur. Lear. Sir, I know no answer Will you, with those infirmities she owes, Unfriended, new-adopted to our hate, Dower'd with our curse, and stranger'd with our oath, Bur. Pardon me, royal sir; Election makes not up on such conditions. [To France Lear. Then leave her, sir; for, by the power that made me, To match you where I hate; therefore beseech you France. This is most strange ! That she, that even but now was your best object, That monsters it, or your fore-vouch'd affection Must be a faith, that reason without miracle Cor. I yet beseech your majesty, (If for I want that glib and oily art, To speak, and purpose not; since what I well intend, It is no vicious blot, murder, or foulness, No unchaste action, or dishonor'd 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 pleas'd me better. Which often leaves the history unspoke, That it intends to do?-My lord of Burgundy, Bur. Royal Lear, Give but that portion which yourself propos'd, 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; Be it lawful, I take up what's cast away. Gods, gods! 'tis strange, that from their cold'st neglect Thy dowerless daughter, king, thrown to my chance, Not all the dukes of waterish Burgundy Shall buy this unpriz'd precious maid of me.— Bid them farewell, Cordelia, though unkind; 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 That face of hers again :-Therefore be gone, Without our grace, our love, our benison. Come, noble Burgundy. [Flourish. Exeunt LEAR, BURGUNDY, CORNWALL, ALE ANY France. Bid farewell to your sisters. GLOSTER, and Attendants Cor. The jewels of our father, with wash'd eyes Cordelia leaves you: I know you what you are; And, like a sister, am most loath to call Your faults as they are nam'd. Use well our father: 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 receiv'd you Come, my fair Cordelia. [Exeunt FRANCE and CORDELIA. Confining ourselves to the main incidents connected with the story of Lear,-his wropes and sufferings,-we are necessarily compelled to omit much of the under plot of this Play, in which Shakspeare introduces, as a counterpart to Lear suffering under the ingratitude of his children, Edgar, the son of Gloster, as a pattern of filial piety and love, unjustly persecuted by his father. Gloster is persuaded by the machinations of Edmund, to believe that Edgar seeks his life. The next scene we extract, introduces Kent in the disguise of a Peasant, under the uame of Carus, seeking to engage himself in the service of the King, whom he fears will be improperly treated by Regan and Goneril. SCENE IV.-A Hall in the Duke of Albany's Palace. Kent. If but as well I other accents borrow, For which I raz'd my likeness.-Now, banish'd Kent, Horns within. Enter LEAR, Knights, and Attendants. Lear. Let me not stay a jot for dinner; go, get it ready.-[Exit an Attendant.]-How now, what art thou? Kent. A man, sir. Lear. What dost thou profess? What would'st thou with us? Kent. I do profess to be no less than I seem; to serve him truly, that will put me in trust; to love him that is honest; to converse with him that is wise, and says little; to fear judgment; to fight, when I cannot choose; and to eat no fisn. 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'st thou ? Kent. Service, Lear. Who would'st thou serve? Kent. You. Lear. Dost thou know me, fellow ? Kent. No, sir; but you have that in your countenance, which I would fain call master. Lear. What's that? Kent. Authority. Lear. What services canst thou do? Kent. I can keep honest counsel, ride, run, mar a curious tale in telling it, and deliver a plain message bluntly; that which ordinary men are fit for, I am qualified in: and the best of me is diligence. Lear. How old art thou? Kent. Not so young, sir, to love a woman for singing; nor so old to dote on her for any thing: I have years on my back forty-eight. Lear. Follow me; thou shalt serve me; If I like thee no worse after dinner, I will not part from thee yet.-Dinner, ho, dinner.— Where's my knave? my fool? Go you, and call my fool hither; Enter Steward. You, you, sirrah, where's my daughter ? Stew. So please you,— [Exit. Lear. What says the fellow there? Call the clodpoll back.Where's my fool, ho?—I think the world's asleep. How now? where's that mongrel ? Knight. He says, my lord, your daughter is not well. |