Should sure to the slaughter, So the fool follows after. [Exit. Gon. This man hath had good counsel―a hundred knights? Is't politic, and safe, to let him keep A hundred knights? yes, that on ev'ry dream, Each buz, each fancy, each complaint, dislike, He may inguard his dotage with their pow'rs, And hold our lives at mercy. Oswald, I say. Alb. Well, you may fear too far ;— Gon. Safer than trust too far. Let me still take away the harms I fear, Enter Steward. How now, Oswald ? What, have you writ that letter to my sister? Stew. Ay, Madam. [horse; (40) Gon. Take you some company, and away to Inform her full of my particular fears, (40) This is one of the frequent allusions made, as before observed, to the steward's travelling on horseback. Vide note 25. This milky gentleness and course of your's, Though I condemn it not, yet, under pardon, You are much more at task for want of wisdom, Than praised for harmful mildness. Alb. How far your eyes may pierce, I cannot Striving to better, oft we mar what's well. [tell; Gon. Nay then- Alb. Well, well, th' event. SCENE XVII. [Exeunt. Re-enter LEAR, KENT, Gentlemen, and Fool. Lear. Go you before to Glo'ster with these letters; acquaint my daughter no further with any thing you know, than comes from her demand out of the letter; if your diligence be not speedy, I shall be there afore you. Kent. I will not sleep, my Lord, till I have delivered your letter. [Exit. Fool. If a man's brain were in his heels, were't not in danger of kibes? Lear. Ay, boy. Fool. Then, I pr'ythee, be merry, thy wit shall not go slip-shod. Lear. Ha, ha, ha. Fool. Shalt see thy other daughter will use thee kindly; for though she's as like this as a crab's like an apple, yet I can tell what I can tell. Lear. What canst tell, boy? Fool. She will taste as like this as a crab does to a crab. Canst thou tell why one's nose stands i’ th' middle of one's face? Lear. No. Fool. Why, to keep one's eyes of either side one's nose; that what a man cannot smell out, he may spy out. Lear. I did her wrong Fool. Canst tell how an oyster makes his shell? Lear. No. Fool. Nor I neither; but I can tell why a snail has a house. Lear. Why? Fool. Why, to put's head in; not to give it away to his daughters, and leave his horns without a case. be Lear. I will forget my nature: so kind a father! my horses ready? Fool. Thy asses are gone about 'em; the reason why the seven stars are no more than seven, is a pretty reason. Lear. Because they are not eight. Fool. Yes, indeed; thou wouldst make a good fool. Lear. To tak't again perforce!Monster ingratitude! Fool. If you were my fool, nuncle, I'd have thee beaten for being old before thy time. Lear. How's that? Fool. Thou should'st not have been old, till thou hadst been wise. Lear. O, let me not be mad; not mad, sweet Keep me in temper, I would not be mad. [heav'n! Enter Gentleman. (41) How now, are the horses ready? Gent. Ready, my Lord. Lear. Come, boy. Fool. She that's a maid now, and laughs at my departure, Shall not be a maid long, unless things be cut [Exeunt. shorter. (41) It is scarcely necessary to fix the original of so inconsiderable a character as the Gentleman: the horses may be those of Ralph and Hudibras, and various others already drawn or pointed out. ACT II. SCENE I. Enter EDMUND and CURAN, severally. Edm. Save thee, Curan. (42) Cur. And you, Sir. I have been with your father, and given him notice that the Duke of Cornwall, and Regan his Duchess, will be here with him this night. Edm. How comes that? Cur. Nay, I know not; you have heard of the news abroad, I mean the whisper'd ones, for they are yet but ear-kissing arguments. Edm. Not I; pray you, what are they? Cur. Have you heard of no likely wars towards, (43) twixt the Dukes of Cornwall and Albany? Edm. Not a word. Cur. You may then in time. Fare you well, Sir. [Exit. (42) Curan may be the same as Fortinbras in Hamlet, drawn in fig. 52. (43) Wars. This (and numerous other like expressions,) alludes to the oppositions or librations of the moon towards contrary parts. |