brother's evil difpofition made him feek his death: but a provoking merit, fet a-work by a reprovable badness in himself. Edm. How malicious is my fortune, that I must repent to be juft? this is the letter, which he spoke of; which approves him an intelligent party to the advantages of France. Oh heavens! that this treafon were not; or not I the detector. Corn. Go with me to the Dutchefs. Edm. If the matter of this paper be certain, you have mighty business in hand. Corn. True or falfe, it hath made thee Earl of Glofter: feek out where thy father is, that he may be ready for our apprehenfion. Edm. If I find him comforting the King, it will fuff bis fufpicion more fully--[afide.] I will perfevere in my courfe of loyalty, though the conflict be fore between that and my blood. Corn, I will lay truft upon thee; and thou fhalt find a dearer father in my love. Glo. [Exeunt. SCENE, a Chamber, in a Farm-house. Enter Kent and Glo'fter.. Ere is better than the open air, take it thankfully; I will piece out the comfort with what addition I can; I will not be long from you. He on [Exit. Kent. All the power of his wits has given way to his impatience: the gods reward your kindness! Enter Lear, Edgar, and Fool. Edg. Fraterreto calls me, and tells me, Nero is an angler in the lake of darkness; pray innocent, and beware the foul fiend. (32) (32) Fraterrito cal's me,] As Mr. Pope had begun to insert several fpeeches in the mad way, into this fcene, from the old edition; I. have ventur'd to replace feveral others, which ftand upon the fame footing, and had an equal right of being reftor'd, Fool. Fool. Pr'ythee, nuncle, tell me, whether a madman be a gentleman, or a yeoman? Lear. A King, a King. Fool. No, he's a yeoman that has a gentleman to his fon for he's a mad yeoman, that fees his fon a gentle man before him. Lear. To have a thousand with red burning fpits Come hizzing in upon 'em Edg. The foul fiend bites my back. Fool. He's mad that trufts in the tamenefs of a wolf, the health of a horse, the love of a boy, or the oath of a whore. Lear. It fhall be done, I will arraign 'em ftrait. Wanteft Edg. The foul fiend haunts poor Tom in the voice of a nightingale. Hopdance cries in Tom's belly for two white herrings. Croak not black angel I have no food for thee. Kent. How do you, Sir? ftand you not so amaz'd; Will you lye down, and reft upon the cushions? Lear. I'll fee their tryal firft, bring me in the evidence. Thou robed man of justice, take thy place; And thou his yoke fellow of equity, Bench by his fide. You are o' th' commiffion, fit you too. Edg. Let us deal juftly.. Sleepeft, or wakeft thou, jolly Shepherd ? Thy Sheep be in the Corn; And for one Blaft of thy minikin Mouth, Purre, the cat, is grey. Lear. Arraign her firft, 'tis Gonerill. I here take my Oath before this honourable Affembly, she kick'd the poor King her father. Fool. Come hither, Mistress, is your name Gonerill? 3 Lear. Lear. She cannot deny it. Fool. Cry you mercy, I took you for a Joint-ftool. Lear. And here's another, whofe wrapt looks proclaim What flore her heart is made of. Stop her there; Arms, arms, fword, fire, -Corruption in the place! Falfe jufticer, why haft thou let her scape? Edg. Blefs thy five wits. Kent. O pity! Sir, where is the patience now, That you fo oft have boafted to retain ? Edg. My tears begin to take his part fo much, They mar my counterfeiting. Lear. The little dogs and all, [Afide Tray, Blanch, and Sweet-heart; fee, they bark at meEdg. Tom will throw his head at them; avaunt, you curs! Be thy mouth or black or white, Tooth that poifons if it bite; Maftiff, grey-hound, mungril grim, Do, de, de, de: Seffey, come, march to wakes and fairs, Lear. Then let them anatomize Regan-fee what breeds about her heart-Is there any caufe in nature that makes these hard hearts? You, Sir, I entertain for one of my hundred; only, I do not like the fashion of your garments. You will fay, they are Perfian; but let them be chang'd. Re-enter Glo'fter. Kent. Now, good my Lord, lye here and reft a while. Lear. Make no noife, make no noife, draw the curtains; So, fo, we'll go to fupper i' th' morning. Fool. And I'll go to bed at noon. Glo. Come hither, friend; where is the King, my mafter? Kent. Here, Sir, but trouble him not; his wits are gore. Glas Glo. Good friend, I pr'ythee, take him in thy arms: I have o'er heard a plot of death upon him: There is a litter ready, lay him in't, And drive tow'rd Dover, friend, where thou shalt meet Kent. Oppreft Nature fleeps: (33) This reft might yet have balm'd thy broken fenfes, Come, help to bear thy mafter; Stand in hard cure. Thou must not stay behind. Glo. Come, come, away. [To Fool. [Excunt, bearing off the King. Manet Edgar. Edg. When we our betters fee bearing our woes, We fcarcely think our miseries our foes. Who alone fuffers, fuffers moft i' th' mind; Leaving free things, and happy fhows behind: But then the mind much fuff'rance does o'erskip, When grief hath mates, and bearing fellowship. How light, and portable, my pain feems now, When that, which makes me bend, makes the King bow; He childed, as I father'd!-Tom, away; Mark the high noifes, and thyself bewray, When falfe opinion, whofe wrong thought defiles thee, In thy juft proof repeals, and reconciles thee. (33) opprefi Nature fleeps:] These two concluding speeches by Kent and Edgar, and which by no means ought to have been cut off, I have restored from the old quarto. The foliloquy of Edgar is extremely fine; and the fentiments of it are drawn equally from nature and the fubject. Besides, with regard to the stage it is abfolutely neceflary: For as Edgar is not defign'd, in the conftitution of the play, to attend the king to Dover; how abfurd would it look for a character of his importance to quit the fcene without one word faid, or the least intimation what we are to expect from him? What What will, hap more to night; fafe fcape the King! Lurk, lurk.. [Exit Edgar. SCENE changes to Glofter's Castle. Enter Cornwall, Regan, Gonerill, Edmund and Corn.POA fpeedily to my Lord your husband, fhew him this letter; the army of France is landed; feek out the traitor Glo'fter. Reg. Hang him inftantly. Corn. Leave him to my difpleasure. Edmund, keep you our fifter company; the revenges, we are bound to take upon your traiterous father, are not fit for your beholding. Advise the Duke, where you are going, to a moft feftinate preparation; we are bound to the like. Our Pofts fhall be swift, and intelligent betwixt us. Farewel, dear fifter; farewel, my lord of Glo'fter, Enter Steward. How now? where's the King? Stew. My Lord of Glo'fter hath convey'd him hence, Some five or fix and thirty of his Knights, Hot Queftrifts after him, met him at gate; Corn. Get horfes for your mistress. Gon. Farewel, sweet Lord, and sister. [Exeunt Gon. and Edm. Corn. Edmund, farewel :- -go feek the traitor Glo'fter; Pinion him like a thief, bring him before us; VOL. VI. D Enter |