GLO. What, is he dead? EDG. Sit you down, father; rest you.Let's see his pockets: these § letters, that he speaks of, May be my friends.-He's dead; I am only sorry He had no other death's-man.-Let us see :Leave, gentle wax: and, manners, blame us not: To know our enemies' minds, we rip their hearts; Their papers, is more lawful. [Reads.] Let our reciprocal vows be remembered. 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 gaol; from the loathed warmth whereof deliver me, and supply the place for your labour. Your (wife, so I would say,) affectionate servant, GONERIL. O, undistinguish'd space of woman's will!" Of murderous lechers: and, in the mature time, [Exit, dragging out the body. GLO. The king is mad: how stiff is my vile a O, undistinguish'd space of woman's will!] In the quartos we read, "O undistinguisht space of womans wit"; in the folio, "Oh indinguish'd space of Womans will; and Mr. Collier's annotator suggests, "O, unextinguish'd blaze of woman's will!" Whatever may have been the original lection, it was plainly an exclamation against the indiscriminate caprice of woman as exhibited by Goneril in plotting against a virtuous husband's life merely to gain a villain like Edmund, and not, as Mr. Collier asserts, against the "unextinguishable appetite" of the sex: his annotator's emendation is therefore indefensible. We should, perhaps read “O, undistinguishable sense of woman's will." paid. All my reports go with the modest truth; KENT. CORD. Then be't so, my good lord.-How does Cure this great breach in his abused nature! PHYS. I' the sway of your own will. Is he array'd? GENT. Ay, madam; in the heaviness of sleep, We put fresh garments on him. PHYS. Be by, good madam, when we do awake him; I doubt not* of his temperance. (*) First folio omits, not. Very well.. bsoft music playing.] This part of the stage direction was judiciously interpolated by Mr. Dyce. e-made intent:] This may import purposed intent; but Mr. Collier's annotator proposes a very plausible change-" My main intent." d Madam, sleeps still.] In the folio, the Physician and Gentleman form one character; the parts were combined probably, as Mr. Collier surmises, to suit the economy of performers. e CORD. Very well. PHYS. Please you, draw near.-Louder the music there.] These two speeches are not in the folio. CORD. O my dear father! Restoration, hang Thy medicine on my lips; and let this kiss Repair those violent harms that my two sisters Have in thy reverence made! KENT. Had challeng'd pity of them. Was this a face Of quick, cross-lightning? to watch (poor perdu!) In short and musty straw? Alack, alack! CORD. How does my royal lord? How fares your majesty? LEAR. You do me wrong to take me out o' the I'm mightily abus'd.-I should e'en die with pity, CORD. O, look upon me, sir, And hold your hands in benediction o'er me:No, sir,† you must not kneel. LEAR. Pray, do not mock me: I fear I am not in my perfect mind. To be my child Cordelia. If CORD. And so I am, I am. LEAR. Be your tears wet? yes, faith. I pray, weep not: you have poison for me, I will drink it. I know you do not love me; for your sisters LEAR. Am I in France? ΚΕΝΤ. In your own kingdom, sir. LEAR. Do not abuse me. [rage, PHYS. Be comforted, good madam; the great You see, is kill'd in him and yet it is danger To make him even o'er the time he has lost. Desire him to go in; trouble him no more, Till further settling. COR. Will't please your highness walk? LEAR. You must bear with me: Pray you now, forget and forgive: I am old, and foolish. [Exeunt LEAR, CORDELIA, Physician, and Attendants.b GENT. Holds it true, sir, that the duke of Cornwall was so slain? a That thought abuses you.] The folio omits both this and the following speech. b I had rather lose the battle, &c.] This speech is omitted in the folio. c Where 1 could not be honest, &c.] The remainder of the speech and Edmund's answer are omitted in the folio. d I shall attend you presently at your tent.] Omitted in the folio. e-carry out my side,-] A metaphor from the card-table, where to carry out a side meant to carry out the game with your partner successfully. So to set up a side, was to become partners Hear me one word. ALB. I'll overtake you.-Speak. [Exeunt EDM. REG. GON. Officers, Soldiers, and Attendants. EDG. Before you fight the battle, ope this letter. ALB. Why, fare thee well; I will o'erlook thy Re-enter EDMUND. EDM. The enemy's in view, draw up your powers. Here is the guess of their true strength and forces ALB. Each jealous of the other, as the stung Are of the adder. Which of them shall I take? (*) First folio, loves. [Exit. in the game; to pull or pluck down a side, was to lose it. Thus in Ben Jonson's "Silent Woman," Act III. Sc. 2, "Mavis and she will set up a side." Thus also in Massinger's "Great Duke of Florence," Act IV. Sc. 1, where Cozimo, declining to do Petronella right in a bowl of wine, says, "Pray you pause a little; If I hold your cards, I shall pull down the side: I am not good at the game." |