Lear. O, how this mother swells up toward my
heart!

Hysterica passio! down, thou climbing sorrow,
Thy element's below! Where is this daughter?
Kent. With the Earl, Sir, here within.

Re-enter LEAR, with GLOSTER.

Lear. Deny to speak with me? They are sick? they are weary?

They have travell'd hard to-night? Mere fetches;

The images of revolt and flying off!
Fetch me a better answer.

Glo. My dear Lord,

You know the fiery quality of the Duke;
How unremoveable and fix'd he is

In his own course.

Lear. Vengeance! plague! death! confusion! Fiery? what quality? Why, Gloster, Gloster, I'd speak with the Duke of Cornwall, and his wife. Glo. Well, my good Lord, I have inform'd them so.

Lear. Inform'd them! Dost thou understand me, man? Glo. Ay, my good Lord.

Lear. The King would speak with Cornwall ; the dear father

Would with his daughter speak, commands her

service:

Are they inform'd of this? My breath and blood!

Fiery? the fiery Duke? Tell the hot Duke, thatNo, but not yet: - may be, he is not well: Infirmity doth still neglect all office,

Whereto our health is bound; we are not ourselves, When nature, being oppress'd, commands the mind To suffer with the body: I'll forbear;

And am fallen out with my more headier will,
To take the indispos'd and sickly fit

For the sound man.- Death on my state! where-
fore [looking on KENT.
Should he sit here? This act persuades me,
That this remotion of the Duke and her

VOL. XIX.

Is practice only. Give me my servant forth:
Go, tell the Duke and his wife, I'd speak with them,
Now, presently: bid them come forth and hear me,
Or at their chamber door I'll beat the drum,
Till it cry, Sleep to death.

[Exit.

Glo. I'd have all well betwixt you. Lear. O me, my heart, my rising heart! but, down.

Fool. Cry to it, nuncle, as the cockney did to the cels, when she put them i' the paste alive; she rapp'd'em o' the coxcombs with a stick, and cry'd, Down, wanton's, down: 'Twas her brother, that, in pure kindness to his horse, butter'd his hay. Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, GLOSTER, and Servants.

Lear. Good morrow to you both.

Corn. Hail to your Grace! [KENT is set at liberty. Reg. I am glad to see your Highness.

Lear. Regan, I think you are; I know what reason I have to think so; if thou should'st not be glad, I would divorce me from thy mother's tomb, Sepulch'ring an adultress. O, are you free?

[to KENT.

Beloved Regan,

Some other time for that.
Thy sister's naught: O Regan, she hath tied
Sharp-tooth'd unkindness, like a vulture, here,

[points to his heart. I can scarce speak to thee; thou'lt not believe, Of how deprav'd a quality

O Regan!

Reg. I pray you, Sir, take patience; I have hope, You less know how to value her desert,

Than she to scant her duty.

Lear. Say, how is that?

Reg. I cannot think, my sister in the least Would fail her obligation: If, Sir, perchance, She have restrain'd the riots of your followers,

'Tis on such ground, and to such wholesome end, As clears her from all blame.

Lear. My curses on her!

Reg. O, Sir, you are old;

Nature in you stands on the very verge

Of her confine: you should be rul'd, and led
By some discretion, that discerns your state
Better than you yourself: Therefore, I pray you,
That to our sister you do make return;
Say, you have wrong'd her, Sir.

Lear. Ask her forgiveness?

Do you but mark how this becomes the house:
Dear daughter, I confess that I am old;
Age is unnecessary: on my knees I beg, [kneeling.
That you'll vouchsafe me raiment, bed, and food.
Reg. Good Sir, no more; these are unsightly
tricks:

Return you to my sister.

Lear. Never, Regan:

She hath abated me of half my train;

Look'd black upon me; struck me with her tongue, Most serpent-like, upon the very heart:

-

Do comfort, and not burns 'Tis not in thee

To grudge my pleasures, to cut off my train,
To bandy hasty words, to scant my sizes,
And, in conclusion, to oppose the bolt
Against my coming in: thou better know'st
The offices of nature, bond of childhood,
Effects of courtesy, dues of gratitude;

Thy half o' the kingdom hast thou not forgot,,
Wherein I thee endow'd.

Reg. Good Sir, to the purpose. [Trumpets within.
Lear. Who put my man i' the stocks?
Corn. What trumpet's that?

Enter STEWARD.

Reg. I know't, my sister's: this approves her
letter,

That she would soon be here. Is your lady come?
Lear. This is a slave, whose easy-borrow'd pride
Dwells in the fickle grace of her he follows:
Ont, varlet, from my sight!

Corn. What means your Grace?

Lear. Who stock'd my servant? Regan, I have

Thou didst not know of't.

good hope

Who comes here?

O heavens,

Enter GONERIL.

If you do love old men, if your sweet sway
Allow obedience, if yourselves are old,

Make it your cause; send down, and take my part!-
Art not asham'd to look upon this beard? - [to GoN.
O, Regan, wilt thou take her by the hand?

Gon. Why not by the hand, Sir? How have I
offended?

All's not offence, that indiscretion finds,
And dotage terms so.