That thou hast power to shake my manhood thus ;
That these hot tears, which break from me per-

force,

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 ye out,
And cast you, with the waters that you lose,
To temper clay. Yea, 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 wolvish 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! [To the Fool You, sir, more knave than fool, after

your master.

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 politic and safe to let him keep

320

330

340

322. untented, not to be 328. comfortable, ready to

probed by a tent, incurable.

comfort.

At point a hundred knights: yes, that on every

dream,

y!

Each buzz, 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 too far:
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,—

Re-enter OSWALD.

How now, Oswald

What, have you writ that letter to my sister?

Osw. Yes, 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.

And hasten your return.

no, my lord,

Get you gone;

[Exit Oswald.] No,

This milky gentleness and course of yours
Though I condemn not, yet, under pardon,
You are much more attask'd for want of wisdom
Than praised for harmful mildness.

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

350

360

370

Enter LEAR, Kent, and Fool.

Lear. Go you before to Gloucester 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 afore you.

Kent. I will not sleep, my lord, till I have delivered your letter.

[Exit. Fool. If a man's brains were in 's heels, were 't not in danger of kibes?

Lear. Ay, boy.

Fool. Then, I prithee, be merry; thy wit shall ne'er 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's 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 on's face?

Lear. No.

Fool. Why, to keep one's eyes of either side's nose; that what a man cannot smell out, he may spy into.

Lear. I did her wrong—

Fool. Canst tell how an oyster makes his shell ?

1. Gloucester; the city. 15. kindly (used equivocally), after her nature.

25. I did her wrong.

This

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and Lear's subsequent ejaculations to himself are in verse; his distracted replies to the Fool in prose.

Lear. No.

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

Lear. Why?

Fool. Why, to put's head in; not to give it away to his daughters, and leave his horns with

out 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 wouldst make a good fool.

Lear. To take 't again perforce ! Monster ingratitude!

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

Lear. How's that?

Fool. Thou shouldst not have been old till 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's a maid now, and laughs at

my departure,

Shall not be a maid long, unless things be cut

30

40

50

shorter.

[Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I. The Earl of Gloucester's castle.

Enter EDMUND, and CURAN meets him.

Edm. Save thee, Curan.
Cur. And you, sir.

I have been with your

father, and given him notice that the Duke of Cornwall and Regan his duchess will be here with him this night.

Edm. How comes that?

Cur. Nay, I know not.

You have heard of

the news abroad, I mean the whispered ones,
for they are yet but ear-kissing arguments?
Edm. Not I: pray you, what are they?

Cur. Have you heard of no likely wars toward, 'twixt the Dukes of Cornwall and Albany? Edm. Not a word.

Cur. You may do, then, in time. well, sir.

Fare you

[Exit. Edm. The duke be here to-night? The better! best!

This weaves itself perforce into my business.
My father hath set guard to take my brother;
And I have one thing, of a queasy question,
Which I must act: briefness and fortune, work!
Brother, a word; descend: brother, I say!

Enter EDGAR.

My father watches: O sir, fly this place;

9. arguments, topics.

19. of a queasy question, requiring delicate discussion.

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