Iach. I am down again : But now my heavy conscience sinks my knee, [Kneels. Post. Kneel not to me: The power that I have on you, is to spare you; Cym. Nobly doom'd: We'll learn our freeness of a son-in-law ; As Arv. You holp us, sir. you did mean indeed to be our brother; Joy'd are we, that you are. Post. Your servant, princes.Good of Rome, my lord To pay our wonted tribute, from the which Sooth. The fingers of the powers above do tune 15 Which shines here in the west. Cym. Laud we the gods; And let our crooked smokes climb to their nostrils Call forth your soothsayer: As I slept, methought, 20 A Roman and a British ensign wave Great Jupiter, upon his eagle back'd, Is so from sense in hardness, that I can Make no collection of it: let him shew Friendly together: so thro' Lud's town march; Our peace we'll ratify; seal it with feasts.—— 30 a stately cedar shall be lopt branches, which, 35 "being dead many years, shall after revive, be 66 40 joined to the old stock, and freshly grow; then "shall Posthumus end his miseries, Britain be "fortunate, and flourish in peace and plenty." Thou, Leonatus, art the lion's whelp; The fit and apt construction of thy name, Being Leo-natus, doth import so much; The piece of tender air thy virtuous daughter, [To Cymbeline. Which we call mollis aer ; and mollis aer 45 We term it mulier : which mulier, I divine, [now Is this most constant wife; [To Post.] who, even Answering the letter of the oracle, Personates thee: and thy lopt branches point, For many years thought dead, are now reviv'd, 55 Or 'midst the chace on ev'ry plain, Sprightly shews are ghostly appearances; but should be read spritely shews. ? A collection is a corollary, a consequence deduced from premises. Knights attending on the King, Officers, Messengers, Soldiers, and Attendants. Enter Kent, Gloster, and Edmund. Kent.T THOUGHT, the king had more affected 5 I 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 weighed, that curiosity' in neither can make 10 choice of either's moiety. Kent. Is not this your son, my lord? Glo. His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge: I have so often blush'd to acknowledge him, that now I am braz'd to 't. Kent. I cannot conceive you. Glo. Sir, this young fellow's mother could: whereupon she grew round-womb'd; and had, indeed, sir, a son for her cradle, ere she had a husband for her bed. Do you smell a fault? Kent. I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it being so proper. 15 -Do you know this noble gentleman, Edinund? Edm. No, my lord. Glo. My lord of Kent. Remember him hereafter as my honourable friend. [ter. Edm. My services to your lordship. Glo. He hath been out nine years, and away he shall again:-The king is coming. [Trumpets sound within. Enter Lear, Cornwall, Albany, Goneril, Regan, Cordelia, and Attendants. Lear. Attend the lords of France and Burgundy, Gloster. Glo.Ishall, myliege. [ExeuntGloster and Edmund. Lear. Mean time we shall express our darker' purpose. The map there.-Know, that we have divided Glo. But I have, sir, a son by order of law, some years elder than this, who is yet no dearer in my account, though this knave came somewhat 25 saucily into the world before he was sent for: yet was his mother fair; there was good sport at his making, and the whoreson must be acknowledged.| • Curiosity is scrupulousness, or captiousness. And you, our no less loving son of Albany, 2 The strict sense of the word moiety is half, one of two equal parts: but Shakspeare commonly uses it for any part or division. • Durker, for more secret; not for indirect, oblique. • Constant is firm, determined. 2 Great 5 [ter, 10 Do love you more than words can wield the mat- They love you all? Haply, when I shall wed, carry Half my love with him, half my care, and duty: Lear. But goes thy heart with this? Lear. So young, and so untender? Cor. So young, my lord, and true. [dower: 15 From whom we do exist, and cease to be; Lear. Of all these bounds, even from this line 20 to this, With shadowy forests and with champains rich'd, Reg. I am made of that self metal as my sister, Cor. Then poor Cordelia ! (sesses; And yet not so; since I am sure, my love's 30 Or he that makes his generation messes Kent. Good my liege,- Come not between the dragon and his wrath: Call Burgundy.Cornwall, and Albany, Lear. To thee, and thine, hereditary ever, A third, more opulent than your sisters? Speak. 45 Beloved sons, be yours: which to confirm, Cor. Nothing, my lord. Lear. Nothing? Cor. Nothing. [again. Lear. Nothing can come of nothing: speak Lest it may mar your fortunes. Cor. Good my lord, You have begot nie, bred me, lov'd me: I This coronet part between you. [Giving the crown. Whom I have ever honour'd as my king, the shaft. Kent. Let it fall rather, though the fork invade The region of my heart: be Kent unmannerly, 55 When Lear is mad. What would'st thou do, old man? Think'st thou that duty shall have dread to speak, When power to flattery bows? To plainness honour's bound, 60 When majesty stoops to folly. Reverse thy doom; That is, beyond all assignable quantity. 2 That seems to stand without relation, but is referred to find; the first conjunction being inaccurately suppressed.-I find that she names my deed, I find that I profess, &c. • Square here means compass, comprehension. * Validity, for worth, value. i. e. from this time. i. e. the execution of all the other business. Alb. Corn. Dear sir, forbear. Kent.Do; kill thy physician, and the fee bestow Or, whilst I can vent clamour from my throat, Lear. Hear me, recreant; On thine allegiance hear me!— 5 10 15 20 Since thou hast sought to make us break our vow, 25 (Which we durst never yet,) and, with strain'd pride', To come betwixt our sentence and our power, Kent. Why, fare thee well, king: since thus Election makes not up on such conditions. Lear. Then leave her, sir; for by the that made me, I tell power you all her wealth.-For you, great king, [To France. I would not from your love make such a stray, To match you where I hate; therefore beseech you To avert your liking a more worthier way Than on a wretch whom nature is asham'd Almost to acknowledge hers. France. This is most strange! That she, who even but now was your best object, Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here.- 40 Glo. Here's France and Burgundy, my noble Lear. My lord of Burgundy, We first address towards you, who with this king 1 Means the same as reverberates. 50 55 [tend, Cor. I yet beseech your majesty, Lear. Better thou [better. France. Is it no more but this? a tardiness in Hadst not been born, than not to have pleas'd me Give but that portion which yourself propos'd, 2 The blank is the white or exact mark at which the arrow is shot. See better, says Kent, and keep me always in your view. i. e. pride exorbitant; pride • Quest of love is amorous expe dition. The term originated from romance.-A quest was the expedition in which a knight was engaged. Seeming is specious. • i. e. makes not advances. 9 Taint And here used for corruption and for disgrace. 10 Entire for single. 302 And here I take Cordelia by the hand, Lear. Nothing; I have sworn: I am firm. Bur. I am sorry then you have so lost a father, That you must lose a husband. Cor. Peace be with Burgundy! Since that respects of fortune are his love, France. Fairest Cordelia, thou art most rich, Most choice, forsaken; and most lov'd, despis'd! Be it lawful, I take up what's cast away. My love should kindle to inflam'd respect.- Is queen of us, and ours, and our fair France :: Lear. Thou hast her, France: let her be thine; Have no such daughter, nor shall ever see Gon. You see how full of changes his age is! the observation we have made of it hath not been little! he always lov'd our sister most; and with what poor judgement he hath now cast her off, 5 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 been but rash; then must we look to receive 10 from his age, not alone the imperfections of longengrafted condition, but therewithal the unruly waywardness that infirm and choleric years bring with them. Reg. Such unconstant starts are we like to 15 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 sur20 render of his will but offend us. 25 30 Reg. We shall further think of it. SCENE N. A Castle belonging to the Earl of Gloster. Edm. Thou, nature, art my goddess; to thy law [Flourish. Exeunt Lear, Burgundy, &c. - Reg. Prescribe not us our duties. Be, to content your lord; who hath receiv'd you Cor. Time shall unfold what plaited' cunning Who cover faults, at last shame them derides. France. Come, my fair Cordelia. Than doth, within a dull, stale, tired bed, As to the legitimate: Fine word,-legitimate! Reg. That's most certain, and with you; next 55 month with us. 2 Enter Gloster: Glo. Kent banish'd thus! And France in choler parted! And the king gone to-night! subscrib'd his power! Confin'd to exhibition 10! All this done Here and where have the power of nouns.-Thou losest this residence to find a better residence in another place. The meaning is, "You well deserve to meet with that want of love from your husband, which you have professed to want for our father." i. e. complicated, involved cunning. * i. e. agree. 'i. e. We must strike while the iron's hot. That is, Wherefore should I acquiesce, submit tamely to the plagues and injustice of custom? Curiosity, in the time of Shakspeare, was a word that signified an over-nice scrupulousness in manners, dress, &c.-The curiosity of nations means, the idle, nice distinctions of the world. To deprive was, in our author's time, synonymous to disinherit. ? Subscrib'd for transferred, alienated. 10 Exhibition is allowance. 8 7 |