2 Were like a better way. Those happy smiles, Could so become it. Kent. Made she no verbal question ?* Gent. 'Faith, once, or twice, she heaved the name of father Pantingly forth, as if it pressed her heart; Cried, Sisters! sisters!—Shame of ladies! sisters! Kent! father! sisters! What! i'the storm? i' the night? Let pity not be believed!5—There she shook The holy water from her heavenly eyes, 6 And clamor moistened; then away she started It is the stars, Kent. 8 Such different issues. You spoke not with her since? Gent. No. Kent. Was this before the king returned? Gent. No; since. Kent. Well, sir; the poor, distressed Lear is i' the town; Who sometime, in his better tune, remembers 66 a 1 Both the quartos read, "Were like a better way.' Steevens reads, upon the suggestion of Theobald," a better day." Warburton reads, wetter May." Malone adopts a part of his emendation, and reads, "a better May." Mr. Boaden proposes to read, 2 The quartos read smilets, which may be a diminutive of the Poet's coining. 3 Steevens would read dropping ; but as must be understood to signify as if. 4 i. e. discourse, conversation. 5 i. e. let not pity be supposed to exist. 6 That is, "her outcries were accompanied with tears." 7 Conditions are dispositions. 8 i. e. the self-same husband and wife. Gent. Why, good sir? Kent. A sovereign shame so elbows him; his own unkindness, That stripped her from his benediction, turned her To his dog-hearted daughters,-these things sting Gent. Alack, poor gentleman! Kent. Of Albany's and Cornwall's powers you heard not? Gent. 'Tis so; they are afoot. 1 Kent. Well, sir, I'll bring you to our master Lear, And leave you to attend him. Some dear cause 1 Will in concealment wrap me up awhile; When I am known aright, you shall not grieve Lending me this acquaintance. I pray you, go Along with me. SCENE IV. The same. A Tent. [Exeunt. Enter CORDELIA, Physician, and Soldiers. Cor. Alack, 'tis he; why, he was met even now As mad as the vexed sea; singing aloud; Crowned with rank fumiter,2 and furrow weeds, 4 In our sustaining corn.-A century send forth; And bring him to our eye. [Exit an Officer.]-What can man's wisdom do,5 1 Important business. 2 i. e. fumitory, written by the old herbalists fumittery. 3 The quartos read hardocks, the folio hardokes. Drayton mentions harlocks in one of his Eclogues. Perhaps the charlock (sinapis arvensis), or wild-mustard, may be meant. 4 Darnel, according to Gerard, is the most hurtful of weeds among corn. 5 Steevens says that do should be omitted as needless and injurious to the metre. Do is found in none of the old copies but quarto B. In the restoring his bereaved sense? He that helps him, take all my outward worth. Our foster-nurse of nature is repose, The which he lacks; that to provoke in him, Cor. All blessed secrets, All you unpublished virtues of the earth, Spring with my tears! be aidant, and remediate, That wants the means to lead it.1 Mess. Enter a Messenger. Madam, news; The British powers are marching hitherward. It is thy business that I go about; Therefore great France My mourning, and important 2 tears hath pitied. 3 But love, dear love, and our aged father's right. [Exeunt. SCENE V. A Room in Gloster's Castle. Enter REGAN and Steward. Reg. But are my brother's powers set forth? Stew. Ay, madam. Madam, with much ado; Your sister is the better soldier. 1 i. e. the reason which should guide it. 2 Important for importunate. 3 No inflated, no swelling pride. Reg. Lord Edmund spake not with your lord at home? Stew. No, madam. Reg. What might import my sister's letter to him? Stew. I know not, lady. Reg. 'Faith, he is posted hence on serious matter. It was great ignorance, Gloster'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 despatch His nighted life; moreover, to descry The strength o'the enemy. Stew. I must needs after him, madam, with my letter. Reg. Our troops set forth to-morrow; stay with us; The ways are dangerous. Stew. I may not, madam ; My lady charged my duty in this business. Reg. Why should she write to Edmund? Might not you Transport her purposes by word? Belike, Something-I know not what.-I'll love thee much, Let me unseal the letter. Stew. Madam, I had rather————— Reg. I know your lady does not love her husband; I am sure of that; and, at her late being here, She gave strange œiliads,' and most speaking looks To noble Edmund. I know you are of her bosom. Stew. I, madam? Reg. I speak in understanding; you are, I know it; Therefore, I do advise you, take this note.2 My lord is dead; Edmund and I have talked; 1 Eillade (Fr.), a cast or significant glance of the eye. 2 That is, observe what I am saying. 3 You may infer more than I have directly told you. 4 4 Perhaps a ring, or some token, is given to the steward by Regan to be conveyed to Edmund. And when your mistress hears thus much from you, If you do chance to hear of that blind traitor, Preferment falls on him that cuts him off. Stew. 'Would I could meet him, madam! I would show What party I do follow. Reg. Fare thee well. [Exeunt. SCENE VI. The Country near Dover. Enter GLOSTER and EDGAR, dressed like a Peasant. Glo. When shall we come to the top of that same hill? Edg. You do climb up it now; look, how we labor. Glo. Methinks the ground is even. Edg. Hark, do you hear the sea? Glo. No, truly.2 Horrible steep. Edg. Why, then your other senses grow imperfect By your eyes' anguish. Glo. Edg. You are much deceived; in nothing am I changed But in my garments. Glo. Methinks you are better spoken. Edg. Come on, sir; here's the place; stand still. -How fearful 1 This scene, and the stratagem by which Gloster is cured of his desperation, are wholly borrowed from Sidney's Arcadia, book ii. Something to complete the measure seems wanting in this or the foregoing hemistich. The quartos read, as one line :— "Horrible steep: hark, do you hear the sea?” 3 Edgar alters his voice in order to pass afterwards for a malignant spirit. |