What can man's wisdom do,

867

Kent. O, then it mov'd her.

strove

Gent. Not to a rage: patience and sorrow [seen Who should express her goodliest. You have Sunshine and rain at once: her smiles and

tears

Were like a better day: Those happy smiles,
That play'd on her ripe lip, seem'd not to know
What guests were in her eyes; which parted
thence,
[sorrow
As pearls from diamonds dropp'd.-In brief,
Would be a rarity most belov'd, "if all
Could so become it.

Kent. Made she no verbal question ?*
Gent. 'Faith, once, or twice, she heav'd the
name of father

Pantingly forth, as if it press'd her heart;
Cried, Sisters! sisters? Shame of ladies!
sisters!
[night?
Kent! father! sister's! What? i'the storm? i'the
Let pity not be believed!t-There she shook
The holy water from her heavenly eyes,
And clamour moisten'd: then away she started
To deal with grief alone.

Kent. It is the stars,

The stars above us, govern our conditions ; Else one self mate and mate could not beget Such different issues. You spoke not with her since?

Gent. No.

sting

His mind so venomously, that burning shame Detains him from Cordelia.

Gent. Alack, poor gentleman!

In the restoring his bereaved sense?
He, that helps him, take all my outward worth.
Phy. There is means, madam:
Our foster-nurse of nature is repose,
The which he lacks; that to provoke in him,
Are many simples operative, whose power
Will close the eye of anguish.

Cor. All bless'd secrets,

ate,

All you unpublish'd virtues of the earth,
Spring with my tears! be aidant, and remedi-
[him;
In the good man's distress!-Seek, seek for
Lest his ungovern'd rage dissolve the life
That wants the means to lead it.*

Enter a MESSENGER.

Mess. Madam, news;

The British powers are marching hitherward. Cor. "Tis known before; our preparation stands

In expectation of them.-O dear father,
It is thy business that I go about;
My mourning, and important tears, hath
Therefore great France
[pitied.
No blown ambition doth our arms incite,
But love, dear love, and our ag'd father's right:
Soon may I hear, and see him. [Exeunt.

SCENE V.-A Room in GLOSTER'S Castle.

Enter REGAN and STEWARD.

Reg. But are my brother's powers set forth? Stew. Ay, madam.

Reg. Himself

In person there?

Stew. Madam, with much ado: Your sister is the better soldier. Reg. Lord Edmund spake not with your lord at home? Stew. No, madam.

Reg. What might import my sister's letter to him?

Stew. I know not, lady.

Reg. 'Faith, he is posted hence on serious

matter.

[out,

Lear. Ha! Goneril!-with a white beard! They flatter'd me like a dog; and told me, I had white hairs in my beard, ere the black ones were there. To say ay, and no, to every thing I said!-Ay and no too was no good divinity. When the rain came to wet me once, and the wind to make me chatter; when the thunder would not peace at my bidding; there I found them, there I smelt them out. Go to, they are not men o'their words: they told me I was every thing; 'tis a lie; I am not ague-proof. Glo. The trick of that voice I do well reIs't not the king? [member:

Lear. Ay, every inch a king: When I do stare, see, how the subject quakes. I pardon that man's life: what was thy cause?Adultery.

Thou shalt not die: Die for adultery! No: The wren goes to't, and the small gilded fly Does lecher in my sight.

Let copulation thrive, for Gloster's bastard son Was kinder to his father, than my daughters Got 'tween the lawful sheets.

To't, luxury, pell-mell, for I lack soldiers.Behold yon' simpering dame,

Whose face between her forks presageth snow;
That minces virtue, and does shake the head'
To hear of pleasure's name;

The fitchew, nor the soiled horse, goes to't
With a more riotous appetite.

Down from the waist they are centaurs,
Though women all above:

But to the girdle do the gods inherit,*
Beneath is all the fiends'; there's hell, there's

darkness,

There is the sulphurous pit, burning, scalding, stench, consumption;-Fie, fie, fie! pah; pah! Give me an ounce of civet, good apothecary, to sweeten my imagination: there's money for thee.

Glo. O, let me kiss that hand!

Lear. Let me wipe it first; it smells of mortality.

world

Glo. O ruin'd piece of nature! This great [me? Shall so wear out to nought.-Dost thou know Lear. I remember thine eyes well enough. Dost thou squinytt at me? No, do thy worst, blind Cupid; I'll not love.-Read thou this challenge, mark but the penning of it.

Glo. Were all the letters suns, I could not

thine ears: see how yon' justice rails upon yon' simple thief. Hark, in thine ear: Change places; and, handy-dandy, which is the justice, which is the thief?-Thou hast seen a farmer's dog bark at a beggar? Glo. Ay, sir.

Lear. And the creature run from the cur? There thou might'st behold the great image of authority: a dog's obeyed in office.

Thou rascal beadle, hold thy bloody hand: Why dost thou lash that whore? Strip thine own back;

Thou hotly lust'st to use her in that kind
For which thou whipp'st her. The usurer
hangs the cozener.

Through tatter'd clothes small vices do appear;
Robes, and furr'd gowns, hide all. Plate sin
with gold,
And the strong lance of justice hurtless breaks:
Arm it in rags, a pigmy's straw doth pierce it
None does offend, none, I say, none; I'll able
'em :
[power
Take that of me, my friend, who have the
To seal the accuser's lips. Get thee glass eyes;
And, like a scurvy politician, seem
To see the things thou dost not.-Now, now,

To this great stage of fools;-This a good block?*

It were a delicate stratagem, to shoe
A troop of horse with felt: I'll put it in proof;
And when I have stolen upon these sons-in-
Then, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kıll. [law,

Enter a GENTLEMAN, with Attendunts.
Gent. O, here he is, lay hand upon him,-
Your most dear daughter-
[Sir,

Lear. No rescue? What, a prisoner? I am

even

The natural fool of fortune.-Use me well; You shall have ransom. Let me have a sur[geon,

I am cut to the brains.

Gent. You shall have any thing. Lear. No seconds? All myself? Why, this would make a man, a man of salt, To use his eyes for garden water-pots, Ay, and for laying autumn's dust. Gent. Good Sir,

Lear. I will die bravely, like a bridegroom: What?

will be jovial; come, come; I am a king, My masters, know you that?

Gent. You are a royal one, and we obey

Who redeems nature from the general curse Which twain have brought her to.

Edg. Hail, gentle Sir.

Gent. Sir, speed you: What's your will? Edg. Do you hear aught, Sir, of a battle toward?

Gent. Most sure, and vulgar: every one hears that,

Which can distinguish sound.
Edg. But, by your favour,
How near's the other army?

Gent. Near, and on speedy foot; the main Stands on the hourly thought."

[descry

Edg. I thank you, Sir: that's all. Gent. Though that the queen on special cause is here,

Her army is mov'd on.

Edg. I thank you, Sir.

[Exit GENT.

Glo. You ever-gentle gods, take my breath from me;

Let not my worser spirit+ tempt me again
To die before you please!

Edg. Well pray you, father.

Glo. Now, good Sir, what are you?

Edg. A most poor man, made tame by fortune's blows;

Who, by the art of known and feeling sorrows,
Am pregnant to good pity. Give me your
I'll lead you to some biding.
[hand,

Glo. Hearty thanks:

The bounty and the benison of heaven To boot, and boot!§

[traitor,

To raise my fortunes.-Thou old unhappy Briefly thyself remember:-The sword is out That must destroy thee.

Glo. Now let thy friendly hand Put strength enough to it.

[EDGAR opposes. Stew. Wherefore, bold peasant, Dar'st thou support a publish'd traitor? Hence;

Lest that the infection of his fortune take
Like hold on thee. Let go his arm.

Edg. Ch'ill not let go, Zir, without vurther 'casion.

Stew. Let go, slave, or thou diest.

Edg. Good gentleman, go your gait, and let poor volk pass. And ch'ud ha' been zwagger'd out of my life, 'twould not ha' been zo long as 'tis by a vortnight. Nay, come not near the old man; keep out, che vor'ye, or ise try whether your costard** or my battt be the harder: Ch'ill be plain with you.

Stew. Out, dunghill!

Edg. Ch'ill pick your teeth, Zir: Come; no matter vor your foins.‡‡

[They fight; and EDGAR knocks him down. Stew. Slave, thou hast slain me :-Villain, take my purse;

If ever thou wilt thrive, bury my body; [me, And give the letters, which thou find'st about To Edmund earl of Gloster; seek him out Upon the British party :- -O, untimely death! [Dies. Edg. I know thee well: A serviceable vilAs duteous to the vices of thy mistress, [lain; As badness would desire.

Glo. What, is he dead?

The main body is expected to be descried every hour. + Evil genius. ↑ Blessing. Reward, recompense. # Quickly recollect the offences of thy life. Go your way. ** Head. ti Club. # Thrusts.

not:

[Reads.] Let our reciprocal rows be remem bered. You have many opportunities to cut him off: if your will want not, time and place will be fruitfully offered. There is nothing done, if he return the conqueror: Then am I the prisoner, and his bed my jail; from the loathed warmth whereof deliver me, and supply the place for your labour.

Your wife, (so I would say,) and your affectionate servant, GONERIL. O undistinguish'd space of woman's will!A plot upon her virtuous husband's life; And the exchange, my brother!-Here, in the sands,

Thee I'll rake up,t the post unsanctified
Of murderous lechers; and, in the mature time,
With this ungracious paper strike the sight
Of the death-practis'd duke: For him 'tis well,
That of thy death and business I can tell.

[Exit EDGAR, dragging out the Body. Glo. The king is mad: How stiff is my vile

Re-enter EDGAR.

Edg. Give me your hand:

Far off, methinks I hear the beaten drum.
Come, father, I'll bestow you with a friend.
[Exeunt.
SCENE VII-A Tent in the French Camp.-
LEAR on a Bed, asleep: PHYSICIAN, GENTLE-
MAN, and others, attending.

Enter CORDELIA and KENT, Cor. O thou good Kent, how shall I live, and work, To match thy goodness? My life will be too [short, And every measure fail me.

Kent. To be acknowledg'd, madam, is o'erpaid.

Nor more, nor clipp'd, but so.
All my reports go with the modest truth;

Cor. Be better-suited:‡

[hours;

These weeds are memories of those worser I pr'ythee, put them off.

Kent. Pardon me, dear madam; Yet to be known, shortens my made intent: My boon I make it, that you know me not, Till time and I think meet.

Cor. Then be it so, my good lord.-How does the king? [To the PHYSICIAN. Phys. Madam, sleeps still. Cor. O you kind gods, The untun'd and jarring senses, O, wind up Cure this great breach in his abused nature! Of this child-changed father!

Phys. So please your majesty, [long. That we may wake the king? he hath slept

To rip their papers is more lawful.

↑ I'll cover thee (the dead steward) in the sands ✰ Dressed. {Memorials. Intent formed.