One peculiarity of this play is, that we shall find in it, without suspecting extraordinary corruption, a much greater number of hypermetrical lines than any of the others will furnish; but these hypermeters do not consist of the redundant and super-redundant endings, so often infesting the measure of Jonson, Fletcher, and Massinger, as shewn in the Introduction, but that kind of superfluity which the ear will admit of by intermediate contraction in the utterance of the vowels, such as:

"Like Cæsar's sister, the wife of Antony."

"The soldier's virtue rather makes choice of loss."

Where "rather" must be delivered in the time of a monosyllable. Lines of this kind, not too frequently occurring, are a grace rather than an imperfection, in dramatic verse; and Milton has invigorated and enriched his numbers by the use of them, in his two great poems. In this tragedy, I fear, they are too numerous,

1

KING LEA R.

ACT I. SCENE I.

Enter Kent, Gloster, and Edmund.

This scene, in which Gloster speaks of the division that Lear makes of his kingdom, before that event takes place, is a very idle anticipation, of no sort of use or convenience, and I cannot suppose it to have proceeded from the poet. 307. "I shall, my liege."

These words are unnecessary, and interrupt the measure it would be sufficient for Gloster to bow, and retire.

"Our darker purpose" is "our close intent." 308. "Give me the map there. Know, that we have divided."

"That" should be omitted.

"In three, our kingdom: and 'tis our fast intent."

"And" should be withdrawn to preserve the

metre.

Our fast intent.”

"First intent," the reading of the quarto, is, I think, right: our main, or leading purpose, that which is first or uppermost in our mind.

Conferring them on younger strengths." Here, too, I must prefer the quarto, which has confirming. The "cares and business" of state had already been exercised by those "younger strengths," and now their authority was to be formally confirmed: thus, afterwards, Lear says, "To thee and thine

"Remain this ample third-
"No less in space, &c.

"Than that confirm'd on Goneril."

Which the folio editors, as before, altered to conferr❜d.

"And you, our no less loving son of Albany." There appears to be corruption here. I would read:

"And you, our no less lov'd, of Albany."

Again, the exuberance in the following line should be removed:

May be prevented now. The princes, France and Burgundy."

"May be prevented. France and Burgundy." 309. "Where merit doth most challenge it."

I would adopt the alteration in the folio, and read:

"Where nature doth with merit challenge."

And regulate the metre thus:

"Where nature doth with merit challenge it. "Goneril, our eldest born, speak first."

Sir, I

"Do love," &c.

Again, in the following line, the exuberance what says might be removed:

310. "Be this perpetual. (What says) our second daughter",

"I am made of that self metal as my sister, "And prize me at her worth."

This abrupt change of the mood after the conjunction is not warrantable: it occurs again in As You Like It:

"I almost die for food, and let me have it."

My love's

"More richer than my tongue."

There appears to be something lost here. Cordelia's love was far from being rich, if it were not richer than her tongue.-Perhaps the passage ran thus:

"More richer than my tongue, outvalues theirs.” 313. "Strive to be interess'd; what can you say, to draw”.

The hypermeter here might be removed thus:

"Strive to be interess'd; what say you, to draw".

The succeeding disorder might be repaired in this manner:

Cord. " Nothing, my lord.”

Lear. "

Cord."

Again:

Lear, "

How! nothing!"

Nothing, sir."

314. "To love my father all."

But goes this with

We might read, without a hemistic, "Peace,-come not 'twixt (or 'tween) the dragon and his wrath."

316. "That troop with majesty. Ourself, by monthly course."

We might obtain tolerable measure by reading: "That troop with majesty. We by monthly

course.

Of the rest."

These words, which have no meaning, or no useful meaning, are, I am persuaded, an interpolation, and their dismissal will restore order to the passage, which they encumber and deform.— It may proceed thus:

We shall our abode

"Make with you by due turns, only, we still "Retain the name and all the addition

"To ǎ king-the sway, revenue, execution. "Beloved sons be yours," &c.

We might regulate :

"When power to flattery bows, to plainness honour

"Is bound, when majesty to folly stoops: