I am fure 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 bofom.
Stew. I, madanı ?

Reg. I speak in understanding; you are, I know it:
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 mistress hears thus much from you,
I pray, defire her call her wisdom to her.

So, fare you well.

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, dress'd like a Peasant.

Glo. When shall we 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.

Hark, do you hear the sea?

Glo.

Horrible steep:

No, truly.

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

Glo.

So may it be, indeed :
G 4

Methinks

Methinks, thy voice is alter'd; and thou speak'st
In better phrase, and matter, than thou didst.

Edg. You are much deceiv'd; in nothing am I chang'd, But in my garments.

Glo.

Methinks, you are better spoken. Edg. Come on, fir; here's the place:-stand still.How fearful

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

The crows, and choughs, that wing the midway air,
Show scarce fo grofs as beetles: Half way down
Hangs one that gathers famphire; dreadful trade!
Methinks, he seems no bigger than his head :
The fishermen, that walk upon the beach,
Appear like mice; and yon' tall anchoring bark,
Diminish'd to her cock; her cock, a buoy
Almoft too fmall for fight: The murmuring furge,
That on the unnumber'd idle pebbles chafes,
Cannot be heard fo high:-I'll look no more;
Left my brain turn, and the deficient fight
Topple down headlong.

Glo.

Set me where you stand.

Edg. Give me your hand: You are now within a foot Of the extreme verge: for all beneath the moon

Would I not leap upright.

Glo.

Let go my

hand.

Here, friend, is 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 farewell, and let me hear thee going.
Edg. Now fare you well, good fir.

[Seems to go.

With all my heart.

Glo.
Edg. Why I do trifle thus with his defpair,
Is done to cure it.

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 opposeless wills,
My snuff, and loathed part of nature, should

Burn itself out. If Edgar live, O, blefs him !—
Now, fellow, fare thee well. [He leaps, and falls along.
Edg.
Gone, fir? farewell.-

And yet I know not how conceit may rob

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?
Ho, you fir! friend!-Hear you, fir?-speak!
Thus might he pafs indeed :-Yet he revives :
What are you, fir?

Glo.

Away, and let me die.

Edg. Had'ft thou been aught but goffomer, feathers, air, So many fathom down precipitating,

Thou had'st shiver'd like an egg: but thou doft breathe;
Haft heavy substance; bleed'ft not; fpeak'ft; art found.
Ten mafts at each make not the altitude,
Which thou haft perpendicularly fell;
Thy life's a miracle: Speak yet again.
Glo. But have I fallen, or no?

Edg. From the dread fummit of this chalky bourn :

Look up a-height;—the fhrill-gorg`d lark fo far
Cannot be feen or heard: do but look up.

Glo. Alack, I have no eyes.~

Is wretchednefs depriv'd that benefit,

To end itself by death? 'Twas yet fome comfort,
When mifery could beguile the tyrant's rage,
And fruftrate his proud will.

Edg.

Give me your arm :

Up-So;-How is't? Feel you your legs? You stand.

Glo.

Glo. Too well, too well.

Edg.

This is above all strangeness.

Upon the crown o' the 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 noses, Horns whelk'd, and wav'd like the enridged sea; It was fome fiend: Therefore, thou happy father, Think that the clearest gods, who make them honours Of men's impoffibilities, have preserv'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 say,

The fiend, the friend: he led me to that place.

Edg. Bear free and patient thoughts.-But who comes here?

Enter LEAR, fantastically dreffed up with flowers.

The fafer fenfe will ne'er accommodate

His mafter thus.

Lear. No, they cannot touch me for coining; I am the king himself.

Edg. 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 mouse! Peace, peace; this piece of toasted cheese will do't.-There's my gauntlet; I'll prove it on a giant.— Bring up the brown bills.-O, well flown, bird!—i' the clout, i' the clout: hewgh!-Give the word.

Edg. Sweet marjoram.

Lear. Pafs.

Glo. I know that voice.

Lear.

Lear. Ha! Goneril!-with a white beard!-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 I faid!-Ay 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 them, there I smelt them out. Go to, they are not men o' their words: they told me I was every thing; 'tis a lie; I am not agueproof.

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 thy cause ?—
Adultery.-

Thou shalt not die: Die for adultery! No:

The wren goes to't, and the small gilded fly
Does lecher in my fight.

Let copulation thrive, for Glofter's bastard fon
Was kinder to his father, than my daughters
Got 'tween the lawful sheets.

To't, luxury, pell-mell, for I lack foldiers.-
Behold yon' fimpering dame,

Whofe face between her forks prefageth fnow;
That minces virtue, and does shake the head
To hear of pleasure's name;

The fitchew, nor the foiled horfe, goes to't

With a more riotous appetite.

Down from the waist they are centaurs,

Though women all above:

But to the girdle do the gods inherit,

Beneath is all the fiends'; there's hell, there's darkness, There is the fulphurous pit, burning, fcalding, stench,

confumption;