King LEAL

J.

e, though hoping of this good fuccefs,
is bleffing, and from first to laft

my pilgrimage. But his flaw'd heart,
Teak the Conflict to fupport,

"reams of paffion, joy and grief,

peech of yours hath mov'd me, perchance, do good; but speak you on, , as you had fomething more to say.

If there be more, more woful, hold it in, or I am almost ready to diffolve,

Hearing of this.

Edg. This would have feem'd a Period, (61)
To fuch as love not Sorrow: but Another,

To amplify too much, would make much more,
And top Extremity!-

Whilft I was big in Clamour, came there a Man,
Who having feen me in my worfer State,

Shun'd my abhorr'd Society; but now finding
Who 'twas, had fo endur'd, with his ftrong Arms
He fasten'd on my Neck; and bellow'd out,
As he'd burft Heaven; threw him on my Father;
Told the moft piteous Tale of Lear and him,
That ever Ear receiv'd; which in recounting
His Grief grew puiffant, and the Strings of Life
Began to crack.-Twice then the Trumpets founded,
And there I left him traunc'd.-

(61) Edg. This would have feem'd a Period, &c.] This fine and neceffary Defcription I have thought fit to restore from the Old 4to; as it artfully opens to Albany the Concealment of Kent at home, during his Banifhment; and gives a beautiful Picture of the Emotions that good Old Man felt for the Death of his Friend Glofter, and the Piety of Edgar towards his diftreft Father. Edmund had taken Notice, that Edgar feem'd to have fomething more to fay; but Albany was already fo touch'd with Compaffion, that he was for hearing of no more Sorrow. From the different Behaviour of these two different Characters, with how exquifite a Reflection, drawn from the very Fountain of Nature, has our Poet furnish'd his Introduction to Edgar's fecond Narrative! As the Paffage firft was left out by the Players, in their Edition; we are not to doubt, but it was one of their judicious Retrenchments. However that be, fome Readers, I am perfwaded, will owe me their Thanks for retrieving it ta the Author.

Gon. Say, ifI do; the Laws are mine, not thine; Who can arraign me for❜t?

Alb. Monster, know'st thou this paper?

Gon. Ask me not, what I know

[Exit Gon.

Alb. Go after her, fhe's defperate, govern her.

Edm. What you have charg'd me with, That I have done, And more, much more; the time will bring it out. 'Tis paft, and fo am I: but what art thou,

That haft this fortune on me? If thou'rt noble,
I do forgive thee.

Edg. Let's exchange charity:

K

I am no less in blood than thou art, Edmund;
If more, the more thou'ft wrong'd me.
My name is Edgar, and thy father's fon.
The Gods are juft, and of our pleasant vices
Make inftruments to fcourge us:

The dark and vicious place, where thee he got,
Coft him his eyes.

Edm. Thou'ft fpoken right, 'tis true,

The wheel is come full circle; I am here.

Alb. Methought, thy very gate did prophefie
A royal Noblenefs; I muft embrace thee:
Let Sorrow split my heart, if ever I
Did hate thee, or thy father!

Edg. Worthy Prince, I know't.

Alb. Where have you hid your felf?

How have you known the miseries of your father?
Edg. By nurfing them, my lord. Lift a brief tale,
And when 'tis told, O, that my heart would burst!
The bloody Proclamation to escape,

That follow'd me fo near, (O our lives fweetnefs!
That we the pain of death would hourly bear,
Rather than die at once) taught me to fhift
Into a mad-man's rags; t affume a Semblance,
The very Dogs difdain'd: and in this habit
Met I my father with his bleeding rings,
Their precious gems new loft; became his guide,
Led him, beg'd for him, fav'd him from defpair;
Never (O fault!) reveal'd my felf unto him,
Until fome half hour paft, when I was arm'd,

Not

Not fure, though hoping of this good fuccefs,
I ask'd his bleffing, and from first to last
Told him my pilgrimage. But his flaw'd heart,
Alack, too weak the Conflict to fupport,

'Twixt two extreams of paffion, joy and grief,
Burft fmilingly.

Baft. This fpeech of yours hath mov'd me,
And fhall, perchance, do good; but fpeak you on,
You look, as you had fomething more to fay.

Alb. If there be more, more woful, hold it in,
For I am almost ready to diffolve,

Hearing of this.

Edg. This would have feem'd a Period, (61)
To fuch as love not Sorrow: but Another,

To amplify too much, would make much more,
And top Extremity!

Whilft I was big in Clamour, came there a Man,
Who having feen me in my worfer State,

Shun'd my abhorr'd Society; but now finding
Who 'twas, had fo endur'd, with his ftrong Arms
He faften'd on my Neck; and bellow'd out,
As he'd burft Heaven; threw him on my Father;
Told the most piteous Tale of Lear and him,
That ever Ear receiv'd; which in recounting
His Grief grew puiffant, and the Strings of Life
Began to crack.- -Twice then the Trumpets founded,
And there I left him traunc'd.-

(61) Edg. This would have feem'd a Period, &c.] This fine and neceffary Description I have thought fit to restore from the Old 4to; as it artfully opens to Albany the Concealment of Kent at home, during his Banifhment; and gives a beautiful Picture of the Emotions that good Old Man felt for the Death of his Friend Glofter, and the Piety of Edgar towards his diftreft Father. Edmund had taken Notice, that Edgar seem'd to have fomething more to fay; but Albany was already fo touch'd with Compaffion, that he was for hearing of no more Sorrow. From the different Behaviour of these two different Characters, with how exquifite a Reflection, drawn from the very Fountain of Nature, has our Poet furnish'd his Introduction to Edgar's fecond Narrative! As the Paffage firft was left out by the Players, in their Edition; we are not to doubt, but it one of their judicious Retrenchments. However that be, fome Readers, I am perfwaded, will owe me their Thanks for retrieving it ta the Author.

was

Alb. But who was this?

Edg. Kent, Sir; the banish'd Kent, who in difguife Follow'd his enemy King, and did him Service Improper for a Slave.

Of

Enter a Gentleman.

Gent. Help, help!

Edg. What kind of help?

Alb. Speak, man.

Edg. What means this bloody knife?

Gent. 'Tis hot, it fmoaks; it came even from the heart --O! fhe's dead.

Alb. Who's dead? fpeak, man.

Gent. Your lady, Sir, your lady; and her fifter By her is poifon'd; fhe confeffes it.

Edm. I was contracted to them both; all three

Now marry in an inftant.

Edg. Here comes Kent.

Enter Kent.

Alb. Produce the bodies, be they alive or dead.

[Gonerill and Regan's Bodies brought out.

This Judgment of the heav'ns, that makes us tremble,
Touches us not with pity.-O! is this He?
The time will not allow the compliment,

Which very manners urge.

Kent. I am come

To bid my King and Mafter aye good night;
Is he not here?

Alb. Great thing of us forgot!

Speak, Edmund, where's the King? and where's Cordelia? See'ft thou this Object, Kent?

Kent. Alack, why thus?

Edm. Yet Edmund was belov'd:

The one the other poifon'd for my fake,

And after flew her felf.

Alb. Even fo; cover their faces.

Edm. I pant for life; fome Good I mean to do, Defpight of mine own nature. Quickly send, (Be brief) into the Caftle; for my Writ

Is

Is on the life of Lear and on Cordelia:

Nay, fend in time.

Alb. Run, run, O run

Edg. To whom, my lord? who has the office?

Send thy token of reprieve.

Edm. Well thought on, take my fword,

Give it the Captain

Edg. Hafte thee for thy life.

[Exit Meffenger.

Edm. He hath Commiffion from thy wife and me

To hang Cordelia in the prison, and

To lay the blame upon her own despair.

Alb. The Gods defend her! bear him hence a while.

[Edmund is born off.

O you are men

Enter Lear, with Cordelia dead in his arms.

Lear. Howl, howl, howl, howl,

of stone,

Had I your tongues and eyes, I'd use them fo,

That heaven's vault should crack: fhe's gone for ever!

I know, when one is dead, and when one lives;

She's dead as earth! lend me a looking-gla

If that her Breath will mift or stain the stone,
Why then she lives.

Kent. Is this the promis'd End?

Lear. This feather ftirs, fhe lives; if it be fo, It is a Chance which do's redeem all forrows, That ever I have felt.

Kent. O my good master !

Lear. Pr'ythee, away

Edg. 'Tis noble Kent, your friend.

[Kneeling,

Lear. A plague upon you, murth'rous traitors all!
I might have fav'd her; now fhe's gone for ever!
Cordelia, Cordelia, ftay a little. Ha!

What is't thou fay'ft? her voice was ever soft,
Gentle, and low; an excellent thing in woman.
I kill'd the flave, that was a hanging thee,
Gent. 'Tis true, my lords, he did.
Lear. Did I not, fellow?

I've seen the day, with my good biting faulchion
I would have made them fkip: I am old now,

O 4

And