5 of most of Kemble's successors. Dramatic custom of late years has exhibited a tendency towards the restoration of Shakespeare. Macready and Charles Kean acted Shakespeare's Lear, and more recently, Shakespeare's Lear has been acted by Barrett and McCullough. Macready's opinion of Tate's piece was expressed in the vigourous statement that it is a "miserable debilitation and disfigurement of Shakespeare's sublime tragedy." The present version,-which follows the plan and contains the stage directions of Edwin Booth,-if not literally the original, is a faithful condensation of it. Omissions and transpositions will be observed; but, to re-arrange, for a stage that is furnished with abundant scenes, a play which was written for a stage that had no scenes at all,—not to urge the expedient due of a public taste which craves directness, and is intolerant of even the semblance of prolixity,-is surely not to use it with unwarrantable freedom. The text of this version is entirely Shakespeare; the Fool occupies his rightful place in the action, to which he supplies a most strange, wistful element of lamentable mirth; and the story is unmarred by change. "King Lear" was first acted, December 26th, 1606, at Whitehall, in London. The dramatic company of the Globe Theatre, Southwark, presented it, and King James I. was its predominant auditor. There can never come a time when it will cease to irradiate the imagination and melt the heart of the world. New-York, March 25th, 1878. W. W. "The finest of Shakespeare's imaginary characters are essentially typical. While they embody truths the most subtle, delicate and refining in the life and organization of men, those truths are so assorted as to combine with the elements which humanity has most in common."—BULWER. "But who forgets that white, discrowned head, In doubt more touching than despair!"—CAMpbell. * * I am * * * "My life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing. forgotten as a dead man out of mind. I am like a broken vessel. Horror hath overwhelmed me. * * * * I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness.-THE Psalms of David. "Crowned with wild flowers and with heather, A king! a king!"-Longfellow. "Let the doubly pointed wreath of his fire be hurled at me, and ether be torn piecemeal by thunder and spasm of savage blasts; and let the wind rock earth from her base, roots and all, and, with stormy surge, mingle in rough tide the billow of the deep and the paths of the stars, and fling my body into black Tartarus!"-ÆSCHYLUS. "Grief and care Stalked forth upon the theatre of his heart The world, his base and hollow auditory, Left but a ghastly phantom."-Motherwell. "All free from the knot Glide the thread of the skein, And rest to the labour, And peace to the pain!"-BULwer. "Quieter is his breath, his breast more cold, Than daisies in the mould. Pray for him, gentle souls, whoe'er you be."-Landor. "Tis the infirmity of his age: yet he hath ever but slenderly known himself. "The best and soundest of his time hath been but rash." If you do love old men, if your sweet sway Make it your cause; send down and take my part." "The sea, with such a storm as his bare head, "I am a very foolish, fond old man, Fourscore and upward; not an hour more nor less: And, to deal plainly, I fear I am not in my perfect mind." KNIGHTS, attending on King Lear; LORDS, OFFICERS, SOLDIERS, MESSENGERS, and ATTENDANTS. SCENE.-Ancient Britain; the southern part of the country, ranging through the counties from Somerset to Kent. PERIOD.—Anno Mundi, 3105; or about 900 years B. C. TIME OF ACTION.-About six weeks.-See Appendix. Scene First. KING LEAR. { A ROOM OF STATE IN KING LEAR'S KENT L., GLOS TER C. AND EDMUND R. C., DISCOVERED. Kent. [L. I thought the king had more affected the Duke of Albany than Cornwall. It did always seem so to us: but now, in the division of the kingdom, it appears not which of the dukes he values most; for qualities are so weighed that curiosity in neither can make choice of either's moiety. Kent. Is not this your son, my lord? Glos. His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge. I have so often blushed to acknowledge him, that now I am brazed to it. Do you know this noble gentleman, Edmund? No, my lord. Edm. [R. My lord of Kent: remember him hereafter as my honourable friend. |