Some other time for that.-Beloved Regan, REG. I pray you, sir, take patience: I have hope, You less know how to value her desert, LEAR. LEAR. My curses on her! O, sir, you are old; LEAR. Do you Ask her forgiveness? but mark how this becomes the house: (5) LEAR. This is a slave, whose easy-borrow'd pride Dwells in the fickle grace of her he follows.— CORN. have good hope Thou didst not know on't.-Who comes here? O heavens, Enter GONERIL. If you do love old men, if your sweet sway Allowf obedience, if yourselves are old, (*) First folio inserts, you. d Thy tender-hefted nature-] Tender-hefted is a very doubtful expression; and "tender hested," the reading of the quartos, is not much less so: but we have not sufficient confidence in the substitution, "tender-hearted," which Rowe and Pope adopt, to alter the ancient text. eto scant my sizes,-] "Sizes" are allowances of provision. f Allow obedience,-] That is, approve obedience. REG. I pray you, father, being weak, seem so. If, till the expiration of your month, You will return and sojourn with my sister, Dismissing half your train, come then to me; I am now from home, and out of that provision Which shall be needful for your entertainment. LEAR. Return to her, and fifty men dismiss'd! No, rather I abjure all roofs, and choose To wage against the enmity o'the air; To be a comrade with the wolf and owl,Necessity's sharp pinch!-Return with her! Why, the hot-blooded France, that dowerless took Our youngest born, I could as well be brought To knee his throne, and, squire-like, pension beg To keep base life afoot.-Return with her! Persuade me rather to be slave and sumpter To this detested groom. [Pointing to OSWALD. At your choice, sir. GON. LEAR. I pr'ythee, daughter, do not make me mad: I will not trouble thee, my child; farewell: In my corrupted blood. But I'll not chide thee; REG. Not altogether so : I look'd not for you yet, nor am provided For your fit welcome. Give ear, sir, to my sister; For those that mingle reason with your passion, Is this well spoken? Must be content to think you old, and so- Should many people, under two commands, GON. Why might not you, my lord, receive attendance From those that she calls-servants, or from mine? . REG. Why not, my lord? If then they chanc'd to slack ye, We could control them. If you will come to me, But kept a reservation to be followed REG. And speak 't again, my lord; no more with me. LEAR. Those wicked creatures yet do look well-favour'd, When others are more wicked; not being the You see me here, you gods, a poor old man, my (*) First folio, high. e Who have (as who have not, &c.] This and the seven following lines are omitted in the quartos, and the remainder of the speech commencing," But, true it is," is left out of the folio. Which are to France the spies and speculations To make your speed to Dover, you shall find I am a gentleman of blood and breeding; GENT. I will talk further with you. C No, do not. For confirmation that I am much more Than my out-wall, open this purse, and take What it contains. If you shall see Cordelia, (As fear not but you shall) show her this ring; And she will tell you who *fellow is your That yet you do not know.-Fie on this storm! I will go seek the king. GENT. Give me your hand: have you no more to say? KENT. Few words, but, to effect, more than all yet, That, when we have found the king, (in which (*) First folio, that. (†) First folio, drown. Which are to France the spies and speculations Intelligent of our state;] For "speculations" we should perhaps read speculators, which formerly meant watchers, overlookers, observers, &c. Johnson proposed speculators, and Mr. Singer found the correction in a marginal note of his copy of the second folio. b Either in snuffs and packings of the dukes ;] "Snuffs " mean petty dissentions, tiffs: and "packings" signify plats, intrigues, &c. c-furnishings;-] That is, according to Steevens, samples: but You sulphurous and thought-executing fires, Strike flat the thick rotundity o'the world! FOOL. O nuncle, court holy-water in a dry house is better than this rain-water out o' door. Good nuncle, in, and † ask thy daughters' blessing; here's a night pities neither wise men nor fools. Spit, fire! LEAR. Rumble thy bellyfull! spout, rain! Nor rain, wind, thunder, fire, are my daughters: The cod-piece that will house, Before the head has any, So beggars marry many. What he his heart should make, And turn his sleep to wake. For there was never yet fair woman, but she made mouths in a glass. LEAR. No, I will be the pattern of all patience; I will say nothing. Enter KENT. KENT. Who's there? FOOL. Marry, here's grace and a cod-piece; that's a wise man and a fool. [night, KENT. Alas, sir, are you here? things that love Love not such nights as these; the wrathful skies (*) First folio, of. (+) First folio omits, and. the illustration he cites from the Epistle prefixed to Greene's "Groats-worth of Witte,"-"For to lend the world a furnish of witte, she lays her owne to pawne," is not conclusive. dcourt holy-water-] Glozing speeches. Florio translates, Dare l'allodola, "To cog, to foist, to flatter, to give one Court-hollie water," &c. and Mantellizzare, "To court one with faire words or give court-holy-water" That have with two pernicious daughters join'd-] The folio reads, "That will with two pernicious daughters join," &c. |