Lear. If you lye, firrah, we'll have you whipt. Fool. I marvel, what kin thou and thy daughters are they'll have me whipt for speaking true, thou'lt have me whipt for lying; and, fometimes, I am whipt for holding my peace. I had rather be any kind o'thing than a fool, and yet I would not be thee, nuncle; thou haft pared thy wit o'both fides, and left nothing i'th'middle; here comes one o'th' parings.

Lear. How now, daughter, what makes that frontlet on You are too much of late i'th' frown.

Fool. Thou waft a pretty fellow, when thou hadst no need to care for her frowning; now thou art an o without a figure; I am better than thou art now; I am a fool, thou art nothing. Yes, forfooth, I will hold my tongue; [To Gonerill.] fo your face bids me, tho' you fay nothing.

Mum, mum, He that keeps nor cruft nor crum, [Singing. Weary of all, fhall want fome.

That's a fheal'd peascod,

[Pointing to Lear. Gon. Not only, Sir, thus your all-licens'd fool, But others of your infolent retinue,

Do hourly carp and quarrel, breaking forth

In rank and not to be endured riots.

I thought, by making this well known unto you,
T'have found a fafe redrefs; but now grow fearful,
By what yourself too late have spoke and done,
That you protect this course, and put it on
By your allowance; if you fhould, the fault
Would not 'fcape cenfure, nor the redreffes fleep,
Which, in the tender of a wholesome weal,
Might in their working do you that offence,

Which else were shame, that then neceffity
Will call difcreet proceeding.

Fool. For you know, nuncle,

The hedge Sparrow fed the Cuckoo fo long,
That it had its bead bit off by its Young.

So out went the candle, and we were left darkling.
Lear. Are you our daughter?

Gon. I would, you would make ufe of your good wisdom,

Whereof I know you are fraught, and put away
Thefe difpofitions, which of late transport you
From what you rightly are.

Fool. May not an Afs know when the cart draws the horse? Whoop, Jug, I love thee.

Lear. Does any here know me? This is not Lear. Does Lear walk thus? fpeak thus? where are his eyes? Either his notion weakens, his difcernings

Are lethargy'd-Ha! waking?-'tis not fo.
Who is it that can tell me who I am?

9 Fool. Lear's fhadow.

D 4

lowing note:

for by the marks Of fovereignty, of knowledge,

and of reafon.] His daughters prove fo unnatural, that, if he were only to judge by the reafon of things, he muft conclude, they cannot be his daughters. This is the thought. But how does his kingship or fovereignty enable him to judge in this matter? The line, by being false pointed, has loft its fenfe. We fhould read,

Of fovereignty of knowledge,— i e. the understanding. He calls it, by an equally fine phrafe, in Ham'et, Sov'reignty of reafon. And it is remarkable that the Editors had depraved it there too. See Note, A&t 1. Scene 7. of that play. WARBURTON.

Lear.

Lear. Your name, fair gentlewoman ?—

Gon. This admiration, Sir, is much o'th' favour
Of other your new pranks. I do beseech you,
To understand my purposes aright.

You, as you're old and reverend, fhould be wife.
Here do you keep a hundred Knights and Squires,
Men fo disorder'd, fo debauch'd and bold,

That this our Court, infected with their manners,
Shews like a riotous Inn; Epicurism and luft
Make it more like a tavern or a brothel,
Than a grac'd palace. The fhame itself doth speak
For inftant remedy. Be then defir'd

By her that elie will take the thing she begs,

Of fifty to difquantity your train;

And the remainders, that shall still depend,
To be fuch men as may befort your age,
And know themselves and you.

Lear. Darkness and devils!

Saddle my horfes, call my train together.
-Degen'rate bastard! I'll not trouble thee;

Yet have I left a daughter.

Gon. You ftrike my people, and your diforder'd rabble

Make fervants of their betters.

SCENE XV.

To them, Enter Albany.

Lear. Woe! that too late repents-O, Sir, are you come?

Is it your will? Speak, Sir.-Prepare my horfes.[To Albany.

Ingratitude! thou marble-hearted fiend,

More hideous, when thou fhew'ft thee in a child,

Than the fea monster.

Alb. Pray, Sir, be patient.

Lear. Detefted kite! thou lieft.

[To Gonerill.

My train are men of choice and rareft parts,

That all particulars of duty know;
And in the most exact regard fupport

The worships of their names.

O moft fmall fault!

How ugly didft thou in Cordelia fhew?

Which, like an engine, wrencht my frame of nature
From the fixt place; drew from my heart all love,
And added to the gall. O Lear, Lear, Lear!
Beat at this gate that let thy folly in, [Striking his head.
And thy dear judgment out.-Go, go, my people.
Alb. My Lord, I'm guiltlefs, as I'm ignorant,
Of what hath moved you.

Lear. It may be fo, my Lord

Hear, Nature, hear; dear Goddess, hear!
Sufpend thy purpose, if thou didst intend
To make this creature fruitful;
Into her womb convey fterility,
Dry up in her the organs of increase,
And from her derogate body never spring
A Babe to honour her! If fhe muft teem,
Create her child of fpleen, that it may live,
And be a thwart difnatur'd torment to her;
Let it ftamp wrinkles in her brow of youth,
With cadent tears fret channels in her cheeks:

Turn all her mother's pains and benefits
To laughter and contempt; that she may feel,
How sharper than a ferpent's tooth it is,

To have a thanklefs child.-Go, go, my people.
Alb. Now, Gods, that we adore, wherefore comes
this?

Gon. Never afflict yourself to know more of it, But let his difpofition have that scope,

That dotage gives it.

Lear. What, fifty of my followers at a clap? Within a fortnight?

Alb. What's the matter, Sir?

Lear. I'll tell thee-Life and death! I am afham'd That thou haft power to fhake my manhood thus;

[To Gonerill. That these hot tears, which break from me perforce, Should make thee worth them.-blafts and fogs upon

thee!

Th' untented woundings of a father's curfe
Pierce every sense about thee! Old fond eyes,
Beweep this cause again, I'll pluck ye out,
And caft you, with the waters that you lofe,
To temper clay. Ha! is it come to this?
"Let it be fo: I have another daughter,
Who, I am fure, is kind and comfortable;
When she shall hear this of thee, with her nails
She'll flea thy wolfifh vifage. Thou shalt find,
That I'll refume the shape, which thou dost think
I have caft off for ever. [Exeunt Lear and attendants.

5 I will transcribe this paffage from the first edition, that it may appear to thofe who are unac-, quainted with old books, what is the difficulty of revifion, and what indulgence is due to thofe that endeavour to restore corrupted paffages.

from me perforce, fould make the woft blafts and fogs upon the untender woundings of a father's curse, perufe every ferfe about the old fond eyes, beweep this caufe again, &c.

The reading is here gleaned up, part from the first, and part That theje hot tears, that breake from the fecond edition.

SCENE