The British pow'rs are marching hitherward.
Cor. 'Tis known before. Our preparation ftands
O dear father,

In expectation of them.

It is thy business that I go about: therefore great France
My mourning and important tears hath pitied.
No blown ambition doth our arms incite,

But love, dear love, and our ag'd father's right.
Soon may I hear, and fee him!

[Exeunt

Enter Regan and Steward.

Reg. But are my brother's powers set forth?

Stew. Ay, Madam.

Reg. Himfelf in person there?

Stew. With much ado.

Your fifter is the better foldier.

Reg. Lord Edmund fpake not with your Lady at home?

Stew. No, Madam..

Reg. What might import my fifter's letter to him?
Stew. I know not, Lady.

Reg. 'Faith, he is pofted hence on serious matter.
It was great ign'rance, Glo'fter's eyes being out,
To let him live; where he arrives, he moves

All hearts against us. Edmund, I think, is gone,.
In pity of his misery, to dispatch

His nighted life; moreover, to descry

The strength o' th' enemy.

Stew. I must needs after him, Madam, with my letter.

Reg. Our troops fet forth to-morrow: stay with us;; The ways are dangerous.

Stew. I may not, Madam;

My Lady charg'd my duty in this bufinefs.

Reg. Why fhould the write to Edmund? might not

Tranfport her purposes by word? Belike

Something I know not what-I'll love thee much
Let me unfeal the letter.

Stew. Madam, I had rather

[you.

Reg. I know your Lady does not love her husband; I'm fure of that: and, at her late being here,

She

She gave strange œillades, and moft speaking looks
To Noble Edmund. I know you're of her bofom.
Stew. I, Madam?

Reg. I fpeak in understanding: you are; I know't; Therefore I do advise you, take this note.

My Lord is dead; Edmund and I have talk'd,
And more convenient is he for my hand,

Than for your Lady's: you may gather more:
If you do find him, pray you, give him this;
And when your miftrefs hears thus much from you,
I pray, defire her call her wisdom to her.

So farewel. If you do chance to hear of that blind traitor, Preferment falls on him that cuts him off.

Ster. Would I could meet him, Madam, I fhould fhew

What party I do follow.

Reg. Fare thee well.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VI. The country near Dover.

Enter Glofter, and Edgar as a peafant.

Glo. When fhall I come to the top of that fame hill? Edg. You do climb up it now. Look how we labour, Glo. Methinks the ground is even.

Edg. Horrible fteep,

Hark, do you hear the fea?

Glo. No, truly.

Edg. Why then your other fenfes grow imperfect By your eyes' anguish.

Glo. So may it be indeed.

Methinks thy voice is alter'd; and thou speak'st

In better phrase and matter than thou didft.

Edg. You're much deceiv'd: in nothing am I chang'd,

But in my garments.

Glo. Sure you're better spoken.

Edg. Come on, Sir, here's the placeftand ftill. How fearful

'And dizzy 'tis to caft one's eyes fo low!

'The crows and choughs, that wing the midway air, 'Shew fcarce fo grofs as beetles. Half way down Hangs one that gathers famphire; dreadful trade! 'Methinks he feems no bigger than his head.

The fishermen that walk upon the beach,

• Appear

Appear like mice; and yond tall anchoring bark, • Diminish'd to her cock; her cock, a buoy

Almoft too fmall for fight. The murmuring furge,
That on th' unnumbred idle † pebbles chafes,
Cannot be heard fo high. l'il look no more,
Left my brain turn, and the deficient fight
Topple down headlong.'

Glo. Set me where you ftand.

Edg. Give me your hand: you're now within a foot Of th' extreme verge: for all below the moon Would I not leap outright.

Glo. Let go my hand.

Here, friend, 's another purfe, in it a jewel

Well worth a poor man's taking. Fairies and gods
Profper it with thee! Go thou further off,
Bid me farewel, and let me hear thee going.
Edg. Now fare you well, good Sir.

Glo. With all my heart.

[Seems to go.

Edg. Why do I trifle thus with his despair? 'Tis done to cure it.

Glo. "O you mighty gods!

"This world I do renounce ; and in your fights
"Shake patiently my great affliction off:
"If I could bear it longer and not fall

"To quarrel with your great oppofelefs wills,
"My fnuff and lothed part of nature should

"Burn itfelf out. If Edgar live, O bless him!

Now, fellow, fare thee well. [He leaps, and falls along. Edg. Good Sir, farewel.

may rob

And yet I know not how conceit
The treasury of life, when life itself

Yields to the theft.

Had he been where he thought,

By this had thought been past-Alive or dead?

Hoa, you, hear you, friend! Sir! Sir! speak!
Thus might he pafs indeed-yet he revives.

What are you, Sir?

Glo. Away, and let me die.

Edg. Hadft thou been ought but Gofs'mer, feathers, So many fathom down precipitating,

[air,

Thou'd'ft-fhiver'd like an egg: but thou doft breathe, Haft heavy fubftance, bleed'st not; speak, art found?

tidie, for barren, uncultivated.

Ten

Ten mafts attach'd make not the altitude
Which thou haft perpendicularly fall'n.
Thy life's a miracle. Speak yet again.
Glo. But have I fall'n, or no?

Edg. From the dread summit of this chalky borne !
Look up a-height, the fhrill-gorg'd lark fo far
Cannot be seen or heard: do but look up.

Clo. Alack, I have no eyes.

"Is wretchedness depriv'd that benefit,

"To end itself by death? 'twas yet some comfort,
"When Mifery could beguile the tyrant's rage,
"And frustrate his proud will."

Edg. Give me your arm.

Up, fo-how is't? feel you your legs? you ftand.
Glo. Too well, too well.

Edg. This is above all strangeness.

Upon the crown o' th' cliff, what thing was that
Which parted from you?

Glo. A poor unfortunate beggar.

Edg. As I ftood here below, methought his eyes Were two full moons; he had a thousand nofes, Horns welk'd †, and wav'd like the enridged fea : It was fome fiend. Therefore, thou happy father, Think that the clearest ‡ gods, who make them honours Of mens' impoffibilities, have preferv'd thee.

Glo. I do remember now. Henceforth I'll bear
Affliction, till it do cry out itself,

Enough, enough, and die. That thing you speak of,
I took it for a man; often 'twould fay,
The fiend, the fiend he led me to that place.
Edg. Bear free and patient thoughts.

SCENE VII.

Enter Lear, drefs'd madly with flowers.

But who comes here?

The fober fenfe will ne'er accommodate

His mafter thus.

Lear. No; they cannot touch me for coining: I am

the King himself.

VOL. VI.

ti. e. twisted.

cleareft, for most righteous,

Fdg. O thou fide-piercing fight!

Lear. Nature's above art in that refpect. There's your prefs-money. That fellow handles his bow like a crow-keeper: draw me a clothier's yard. Look, look, a moufe! Peace, peace ;this piece of toafted cheese will do't-There's my gauntlet, I'll prove it on a giant. Bring up the brown bills. O, well flown, barb i' th' clout, i' th' clout: hewgh.-Give the word. Edg. Sweet marjoram.

Lear. Pafs.

Glo. I know that voice.

Lear. Ha! Gonerill! ha! Regan! They flatter'd me like a dog, and told me, I had white hairs in my beard ere the black ones were there. To fay Ay and No to every thing that I faidAy 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 'em there I fmelt 'em out. Go to, they are not men o' their words; they told me I was every thing; 'tis a lye, I am not ague-proof.

Glo. The trick of that voice † I do well remember; Is't not the King?

Lear. Ay, every inch a King.

When I do ftare, fee how the fubject quakes.

I pardon that man's life. What was the caufe? Adultery thou shalt not die; die for adultery? no; the wren goes to't, and the fmall gilded fly does lecher in my fight. Let copulation thrive: for Glo'fter's baftard fon was kinder to his father, than my daughters got 'tween the lawful fheets. To't, Luxury, pell-mell; for I lack foldiers. Behold yon fimpering dame, whose face 'tween her forks prefages fnow; that minces virtue, and does fhake the head to hear of Pleasure's name. The fitchew, nor the ftalled horfe, goes to't with a more riotous appetite. Down from the waste they are centaurs, tho' women all above: but to the girdle do the gods inherit, beneath it is all the fiends. There's hell, there's darknefs, there is the fulphurous pit, burning, fcalding, ftench, confumption. Fie, fie, fie; pah, pah; give

fi. e. the particular tone and manner of fpeaking. As the air of a face fignifies the particular turn and spirit of the features.