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 am guiltless, as I am ignorant Of what hath mov'd you.

Lear. It may be so, my lord,-Hear, nature, hear; Dear goddess, hear! Suspend thy purpose, if Thou didst intend to make this creature fruitful! Into her womb convey sterility!

Dry up in her the organs of increase;

And from her derogate body' never spring
A babe to honour her! If she must teem,
Create her child of spleen; that it may live,
And be a thwart disnatur'd torment to her!
Let it stamp 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 serpent's tooth it is
To have a thankless child!-Away, away!

3

[Exit.

Alb. Now, gods, that we adore, whereof comes this? Gon. Never afflict yourself to know the cause;

But let his disposition have that scope

That dotage gives it.

Re-enter LEAR.

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 asham'd

That thou hast power to shake my manhood thus:

[To GONERIL.

2 -from her derogate body -] Derogate for degraded,

blasted.

3

cadent tears-] i. e. falling tears.

▲ Turn all her mother's pains, and benefits,]

Her maternal cares

and good offices.

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

thee!

The untented woundings of a father's curse

Pierce every sense about thee;-Old fond eyes,
Beweep this cause again, I'll pluck you out;
And cast you, with the waters that you lose,
To temper clay.-Ha! is it come to this?
Let it be so-Yet have I left a daughter,
Who, I am sure, is kind and comfortable;
When she shall hear this of thee, with her nails
She'll flay thy wolfish visage. Thou shalt find,
That I'll resume the shape which thou dost think
I have cast off for ever; thou shalt, I warrant thee.
[Exeunt LEAR, KENT, and Attendants.

Gon. Do you mark that, my lord?

Alb. I cannot be so partial, Goneril,

To the great love I bear you,

Gon. Pray you, content.-What, Oswald, ho!

You, sir, more knave than fool, after your master.

[To the Fool.

Fool. Nuncle Lear, nuncle Lear, tarry, and take the fool with thee.

A fox, when one has caught her,
And such a daughter,

Should sure to the slaughter,

If my cap would buy a halter;

So the fool follows after.

[Exit.

Gon. This man hath had good counsel:-A hundred

knights!

'Tis politick, and safe, to let him keep

At point, a hundred knights. Yes, that on every dream,

5 The untented woundings -] Untented wounds, means wounds in their worst state, not having a tent in them to digest them : and may possibly signify here such as will not admit of having a tent put into them for that purpose.

6 At point,] Completely armed, and consequently ready at appointment or command on the slightest notice.

Each buz, each fancy, each complaint, dislike,
He may enguard his dotage with their powers,
And hold our lives in mercy.-Oswald, I say!-
Alb. Well, you may fear too far.
Gon

Safer than trust +:

Let me still take away the harms I fear,
Not fear still to be taken. I know his heart:
What he hath utter'd, I have writ my sister;
If she sustain him and his hundred knights,
When I have show'd the unfitness.-How now, Oswald?

Enter Steward.

What, have you writ that letter to my sister?

Stew. Ay, madam.

Gon. Take you some company, and away to horse: Inform her full of my particular fear;

And thereto add such reasons of

your own,

As may compact it more. Get you gone;

And hasten your return. [Exit Stew.] No, no, my lord,
This milky gentleness, and course of yours,
Though I condemn it not, yet, under pardon,

You are much more attask'd' for want of wisdom,
Than prais'd for harmful mildness.

Alb. How far your eyes may pierce, I cannot tell;
Striving to better, oft we mar what's well.

7

Gon. Nay, then

Alb. Well, well; the event.

"trust too far "-MALONE.

[Exeunt.

compact it more.] Unite one circumstance with another,

so as to make a consistent account.

8

— more attask'd-] To be at task, is to be liable to reprehension and correction.

SCENE V.

Court before the same.

Enter LEAR, KENT, and Fool.

Lear. Go you before to Gloster with these letters: acquaint my daughter no further with any thing you know, than comes from her demand out of the letter: If your diligence be not speedy I shall be there before you'.

Kent. I will not sleep, my lord, till I have delivered your letter. [Exit. Fool. If a man's brains were in his heels, were't not in danger of kibes?

Lear. Ay, boy.

Fool. Then, I pr'ythee, be merry; thy wit shall not go slip-shod.

Lear. Ha, ha, ha!

Fool. Shalt see, thy other daughter will use thee kindly for though she's as like this as a crab is like an apple, yet I can tell what I can tell.

:

Lear. Why, what canst thou tell, my boy?

Fool. She will taste as like this, as a crab does to a crab. Thou canst tell, why one's nose stands i'the middle of his face?

Lear. No.

Fool. Why, to keep his eyes on either side his nose; that what a man cannot smell out, he may spy into. Lear. I did her wrong' :

9

1

there before you.] He means the town of Gloster. thy other daughter will use thee kindly:] The fool uses the word kindly here in two senses: it means affectionately, and like the rest of her kind.

2 I did her wrong:] He is musing on Cordelia.

Fool. Can'st tell how an oyster makes his shell?
Lear. No.

Fool. Nor I neither; but I can tell why a snail has a house.

Lear. Why?

Fool. Why, to put his head in; not to give it away to his daughters, and leave his horns without a case.

Lear. I will forget my nature.-So kind a father!Be my horses ready?

Fool. Thy asses are gone about 'em. The reason why the seven stars are no more than seven, is a pretty

reason.

Lear. Because they are not eight?

Fool. Yes, indeed: Thou wouldest make a good fool. Lear. To take it again perforce!-Monster ingratitude!

Fool. If thou wert my fool, nuncle, I'd have thee beaten for being old before thy time.

Lear. How's that?

Fool. Thou should'st not have been old, before thou hadst been wise.

Lear. O let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heaven! Keep me in temper; I would not be mad!

Enter Gentleman.

How now! are the horses ready?

Gent. Ready, my lord.

Lear. Come, boy.

Fool. She that is maid now, and laughs at my depar

ture,

Shall not be a maid long, unless things be cut shorter. [Exeunt.

3 To take it again perforce !] The subject of Lear's meditation is the resumption of that moiety of the kingdom which he had given to Goneril.