2 A collection is a corollary, a confequence deduced from

:

Knights attending on the King, Officers, Messengers, Soldiers, and Attendants.

SCENE, Britain.

Kent.

Enter Kent, Glofter, and Edmund.

I THOUGHT, the king had more affected
the duke of Albany, than Cornwali.

Glo. It did always feem so to us: but now, in the divifion of the kingdom, it appears not which of the dukes he values most; for equalities are fo weighed, that curiofity in neither can make choice of either's moiety 2.

Kent. Is not this your fon, my lord ?

G1o. His breeding, fir, hath been at my charge: I have so often blush'd to acknowledge him, that now I am braz'd to't.

ged.-Do you know this noble gentleman, Edmund? Edm. No, my lord.

Glo. My lord of Kent: remember him hereafter as my honourable friend.

[ter.

Edm. My services to your lordship.
Kent. I must love you, and fue to know you bet-
Edm. Sir, I shall study deferving.

Glo. He hath been out nine years, and away he shail again:--The king is coming.

[Trumpets found within. Enter Lear, Cornwall, Albany, Goneril, Regan, Cordelia, and Attendants.

Lear. Attend the lords of France and Burgundy, Glofter.

Glo. 1 fhall, my liege. [Exeunt Glofter, and Edmund. Lear. Mean time we shall express our darker 3 purpose.

Kent. I cannot conceive you. Glo. Sir, this young fellow's mother could : whereupon the grew round-womb'd; and had, indeed, fir, a fon for her cradle, ere the had a hufband for her bed. Do you fmell a fault? To thake all cares and business from our age;

Kent. I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it being fo proper.

The map there. - Know, that we have divided,
In three, our kingdom: and 'tis our faft intent
Conferring them on younger strengths, while we
Unburden'd crawl toward death. Our fon of

Cornwall,

Glo. But I have, fir, a son by order of law, fome year elder than this, who yet is no dearer in And you, our no less loving fon of Albany, my account, though this knave came somewhat We have this hour a constant 4 will to publish faucily into the world before he was fent for: yet Our daughters' feveral dowers, that future strife was his mother fair; there was good sport at his May be prevented now. The princes, France and making, and the whorefon must be acknowled

Burgundy,

Curiofity is fcrupulousness, or captiousness. 2 The strict sense of the word moiety is the 'f, one of two equal parts; but Shakspeare commonly uses it for any part or division. 3 Darker, for more fecret; not for indirect, oblique. 4 Constant is firm, determined.

Great

Π

!

Great rivals in our youngest daughter's love,
They love you, all? Haply, when I shall wed,
Long in our court have made their amorous fojourn, That lord, whose hand must take my plight, sha.

(Since now we will divest us, both of rule, [ters, Half my love with him, half my care, and duty: Interest of territory, cares of state,)

Think'st thou that duty shall have dread to speak,
When power to flattery bows? To plainness ho-

When majefty stoops to folly. Reverse thy doom;

1 That is, beyond all affignable quantity. 2 That seems to stand without relation, but is referred to fied, the firit conjunction being inaccurately suppressed. I find that the names my deed, I find that I profefs, &c. 3 Square here means combafs, comprehenfion. 4 Validity, for worth, value. = • i. e. the execution of all the other business. And,

T

مجت

1

And, in thy best confideration, check [ment, I crave no more than hath your highness offer'd,

This hideous rashness: answer my life my judg-
Thy youngest daughter does not love thee leaft;
Nor are those empty-hearted, whose low found
Reverbs no hollowness.

Lear. Kent, on thy life, no more.

Kent. My life I never held but as a pawn

Nor will you tender less.

Lear. Right noble Burgundy,
When she was dear to us, we did hold her fo;
But now her price is fall'n: Sir, there she stands;
If aught within that little feeming substance,
Or all of it, with our difpleasure piec'd,

She's there, and she is yours.

Bur. I know no anfwer.

To wage againft thine enemies: nor fear to lose it, And nothing more, may fitly like your grace,
Thy fafety being the motive.

Lear. Out of my fight!

Kent. See better, Lear; and let me ftill remain

The true blank 2 of thine eye.

Lear. Now, by Apollo,

Thou swear'ft thy gods in vain.

Lear. O, vassal! mifcreant!

Kent. Now, by Apollo, king,

[Laying bis band on his fword.

Alb. Corn. Dear fir, forbear.

Kent. Do; kill thy physician, and the fee bestow
Upon the foul disease. Revoke thy gift;
Or, whilft I can vent clamour from my throat,
I'll tell thee, thou doft evil.

Lear. Hear me, recreant;
On thine allegiance hear me!-
Since thou hast fought to make us break our vow,
(Which we durft never yet,) and, with ftrain'd

pride 3,

To come betwixt our fentence and our power 4,
(Which nor our nature nor our place can bear,)
Our potency made good, take thy reward.
Five days we do allot thee for provifion
To shield thee from difafters of the world;
And, on the fixth, to turn thy hated back
Upon our kingdom: if, on the tenth day following,
Thy banish'd trunk be found in our dominions,
The moment is thy death: Away! By Jupiter,
This shall not be revok'd.

Kent. Why, fare thee well, king: fince thus
thou wilt appear,

Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here.
The gods to their dear shelter take thee, maid,

[To Cordelia.

[owes 7,

Lear. Sir, will you, with those infirmities the
Unfriended, new-adopted to our hate, [oath,
Dower'd with our curse, and stranger'd with our
Take her, or leave her?

Bur. Pardon me, royal fir;
Election makes not up on fuch conditions.

Lear. Then leave her, fir; for, by the power
that made me,

I tell you all her wealth. For you, great king,
[To France.
I would not from your love make fuch a ftray,
To match you where I hate; therefore beseech you
To avert your liking a more worthier way,
Than on a wretch whom nature is afham'd
Almost to acknowledge hers.

France. This is most strange!

That the, who even but now was your best object,
The argument of your praise, balm of your age,
The best, the dearest; should in this trice of time
Commit a thing fo monstrous, to difmantle
So many folds of favour! Sure, her offence
Must be of fuch unnatural degree,

That monfters it, or your fore-vouch'd affection
Fall into taint 9: which to believe of her,
Must be a faith, that reason without miracle
Should never plant in me.

Cor. I yet befecch your majesty,
(If for I want that glib and oily art,
To fpeak and purpose not; fince what I well intend,
I'll do't before I speak) that you make known
It is no vicious blot, murder, or foulness,
No unchaste action, or dishonour'd step,

That juftly think'ft, and haft most rightly faid! That hath depriv'd me of your grace and favour:
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. [Exit.
Re-enter Glofter, with France, Burgundy, and at-

But even for want of that, for which I am richer
A ftill-foliciting eye, and fuch a tongue
That I am glad I have not, though not to have it,
Hath loft me in your liking.

Means the fame as reverberates. 2 The blank is the white or exact mark at which the

arrow is shot. See better, tays Kent, and keep me always in your view.

3 i. e. pride exorbitant;

pride pafling due bonnds. 4 i. c. our power to execute that fentence.
ous expedition. The term originated from Romance. A quest was the expedition in which a knight

Be, to content your lord; who hath receiv'd you
At fortune's alms: You have obedience fcanted,
And well are worth the want that you have wanted2.
Cor. Time shall unfold what plaited 3 cunning
hides,

Who cover faults, at last shame them derides.
Well may you profper!

France. Come, my fair Cordelia.

[Exeunt France, and Cordelia. Gon. Sifter, it is not a little I have to say, of what moft nearly appertains to us both. I think, our father will hence to-night.

Reg. That's most certain, and with you; next

Gon. You see how full of changes his age is; the obfervation we have made of it hath not been little: he always lov'd our fisker most; and with what poor judgment he hath now caft her off, appears too grofily.

Reg. 'Tis the infirmity of his age: yet he hath ever but flenderly known himself.

Gon. The best and foundeft of his time hatia been but rafh; then must we look to receive from his age, not alone the imperfections of long-engrafted condition, but, therewithal, the unruly waywardness that infirm and cholerick years bring with them.

Reg. Such unconftant 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 4: If our father carry authority with fuch difpofitions as he bears, this last surrender of his will but offend us.

Reg. We shall further think of it.
Gon. We must do fomething, and i' the heat 5.
[Excunt.

5 i. e. We must strike while the iron's hot.

Here and where have the power of nouns. Thou lofest this refidence to find a better refidence in another place. 2 The meaning is, " You well deferve to meet with that want of love from your husband, which you have professed to want for our father." 3 i. c. complicated, involved eunning. 4 i. e. agree. That is, Wherefore should I acquiesce, submit tamely to the plagues and injuftice of custom? 7 Curiofity, in the time of Shakspeare, was a word that fignified an over-nice fcrupulousness in manners, dress, dec. The ruriofity of nations means, the idle, nice distinctions of the world. 8 To deprive was, in our author's time, fynonymous to difinherit. 9 Subfcrib'd, for transferred, alienated. 10 Exhibition is