Thy fifter's naught: oh Regan, fhe hath tied Reg. I pray you, Sir, take patience; I have Hope, You lefs know how to value her defert, Than fhe to fcant her duty. Lear. Say? How is that? Reg. I cannot think my fifter in the leaft Would fail her obligation. If, perchance, She have reftrain'd the riots of your followers; 'Tis on fuch ground, and to fuch wholesome end, As clears her from all blame. Lear. My curfes 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 Lear. Afk her forgiveness ? Do you but mark, how this becomes the House? Lear. Never, Regan: She hath abated me of half my train ; *Look'd black upon me; ftruck me with her tongue, *Look'd black upon me;] So all the Editions. Mr. Theobald alters it to blank. A fmall Alteration, only turning black to white. His Reason is, because to look black upon him is a Phrafe he does not underftand. But it alludes to a Serpent's turning black, when it swells with Rage and Venom, the very Creature to which Lear here compares his Daughter. VOL. VII. D Moft Moft ferpent-like, upon the very heart. Corn. Fie, Sir! fie! [flames Lear. You nimble lightnings, dart your blinding Into her fcornful eyes! infect her beauty, You fen-fuck'd fogs, drawn by the pow'rful fun Reg. O the bleft Gods! So will you wish on me, when the rash mood is on. Thee o'er to harshness; her eyes are fierce, but thine Thy half o'th' kingdom thou haft not forgot, Reg. Good Sir, to th' purpose. [Trumpets within. Lear. Who put my man i'th' Stocks? Enter Steward. Corn. What trumpet's that? Reg. I know't, my mafter's: this approves her letter, That he would foon be here. Is your lady.come? Lear. This is a flave, whose easy-borrow'd pride Dwells in the fickle grace of her he follows. Out, varlet, from my fight. Corn. What means your Grace? Lear. W SCENE Enter Gonerill. XII. HO ftockt my fervant? Regan, I've good hope, Thou Thou didst not know on't.--Who comes here? If you do love old men, if your sweet sway Make it your caufe; fend down, and take my part: Art not afham'd to look upon this beard? O Regan, will you take her by the hand? [fended? Gon. Why not by th' hand, Sir? how have I ofAll's not offence, that indifcretion finds, And dotage terms fo. Lear. O fides, you are too tough! Will you yet hold?-how came my man i'th'Stocks? Corn. I fet him there, Sir: but his own disorders Deferv'd much lefs advancement. Lear. You? did you? Reg. I pray you, Father, being weak, deem't fo. If, 'till the expiration of your month, You will return and fojourn with my fifter, Gon. At your choice, Sir. Lear. I pr'ythee, daughter, do not make me mad; I will not trouble thee, my child. Farewel; We'll no more meet, no more fee one another; But yet thou art my flesh, my blood, my daughter,Or rather a disease that's in my flesh, D 2 Which Which I muft needs call mine; thou art a bile, In my corrupted blood; but I'll not chide thee, Reg. Not altogether fo; I look'd not for you yet, nor am provided Lear. Is this well spoken? Reg. I dare avouch it, Sir; what fifty followers ? Is it not well? what fhould you need of more? Yea, or fo many? fince both charge and danger Speak 'gainst fo great a number: how in one house Should many people under two commands Hold amity? 'tis hard, almoft impoffible. Gon. Why might not you, my lord, receive atten dance From those that she calls fervants, or from mine? Reg. Why not, my lord? if then they chanc'd to flack ye, We could controul them; if you'll come to me, (For now I fpy a danger) I intreat you To bring but five and twenty; to no more Will I give place or notice. Lear. I give you all Reg. And in good time you gave it. Lear. Made you my Guardians, my depofitaries; But kept a refervation to be follow'd With fuch a number; muft I come to you Reg. And speak't again, my lord, no more with me. Lear. Lear. *Those wrinkled creatures yet do look well favour'd, When others are more wrinkled. Not being worst, Stands in fome rank of praife; I'll go with thee; Thy fifty yet doth double five and twenty; And thou art twice her love. Gon. Hear me, my lord; What need you five and twenty, ten, or five, Reg. What needs one? Lear. O, reafon not the need: our baseft beggars Are in the pooreft thing fuperfluous; Allow not nature more than nature needs, Why, nature needs not what thou gorgeous wear'ft, Stain my man's cheeks. No, you unnat❜ral hags, I will do fuch things, Thofe wicked creatures yet do look well-favour'd, When others are more wicked: As a little before, in the Text [like flatterers] the Editors had made a Similitude where the Author intended none; fo here, where he did, they are not in the Humour to give it us, because not introduced with the formulary Word, like. Lear's fecond Daughter proving ftill more Unkind than the firft, he begins to entertain a better Opinion of this, from the other's greater Degree of Inhumanity; and expreffes it by a Similitude taken from the Deformities which old Age brings on. Thofe wrinkled creatures yet do look well-favour'd, D 3 Warburton. What |