Strives in his little world of man to out-scorn
The to-and-fro-conflicting wind and rain.

This night, wherein the cub-drawn bear would couch,

The lion and the belly-pinched wolf

Keep their fur dry, unbonnetted he runs,

And bids.what will take all.

Kent.

But who is with him?

Gent. None but the fool; who labours to out-jest His heart-struck injuries.

Kent.

Sir, I do know you; And dare, upon the warrant of my art,

Commend a dear thing to you. There is division,
Although as yet the face of it be cover'd

With mutual cunning, 'twixt Albany and Cornwall;
Who have (as who have not, that their great stars
Thron'd and set high?) servants, who seem no less;
Which are to France the spies and speculations
Intelligent of our state; what hath been seen,
Either in snuffs and packings of the dukes;
Or the hard réin which both of them have borne
Against the old kind king; or something deeper,
Whereof, perchance, these are but furnishings';-
But, true it is, from France there comes a power
Into this scatter'd kingdom; who already,
Wise in our negligence, have secret feet
In some of our best ports, and are at point
To show their open banner.-Now to you:
If on my credit you dare build so far

To make your speed to Dover, you shall find
Some that will thank you, making just report
Of how unnatural and bemadding sorrow
The king hath cause to 'plain.

I am a gentleman of blood and breeding;

Whose dugs are drawn dry by its young.

Snuffs are dislikes, and packings underhand contrivances. 7 Samples.

And, from some knowledge and assurance, offer
This office to you.

Gent. I will talk further with you.

Kent.

No, do not. For confirmation that I am much more Than my out wall, open this purse, and take What it contains: If you shall see Cordelia, (As fear not but you shall,) show her this ring; And she will tell you who your fellow is That yet you do not know. Fye on this storm! I will go seek the king.

Gent. Give me your hand: Have you no more to say?

Kent. Few words, but, to effect, more than all

yet;

That, when we have found the king, (in which your

pain

That way; I'll this ;) he that first lights on him, Holla the other.

[Exeunt severally.

SCENE II.

Another Part of the Heath. Storm continues.

Enter LEAR and Fool.

Lear. Blow, wind, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow!

You cataracts, and hurricanoes, spout

Till you have drench'd our steeples, drown'd the cocks!

8

You sulphurous and thought-executing fires

9

Vaunt couriers to oak-cleaving thunder-bolts,

Singe my white head! And thou, all-shaking thun

der,

Strike flat the thick rotundity o' the world! Crack nature's moulds, all germens spill at once, That make ingrateful man!

8 Quick as thought. 9 Avant couriers, French.

Fool. O nuncle, court holy-water in a dry house is better than this rain-water out o' door. Good nuncle, in, and ask thy daughter's blessing; here's a night pities neither wise men nor fools. Lear. Rumble thy belly-full! Spit, fire! spout, rain!

Nor rain, wind, thunder, fire, are my daughters:
I tax not you, you elements, with unkindness,
I never gave you kingdom, call'd you children,
You owe me no subscription 2; why then let fall
Your horrible pleasure; here I stand your slave,
A poor, infirm, weak, and despis'd old man :
But yet I call you servile ministers,

That have with two pernicious daughters join'd
Your high engender'd battles 'gainst a head
So old and white as this. O! O! 'tis foul!
Fool. He that has a house to put his head in, has
a good head-piece.

The man that makes his toe

What he his heart should make,

Shall of a corn cry woe,

And turn his sleep to wake.

-for there was never yet fair woman, but she made mouths in a glass.

Enter KENT.

Lear. No, I will be the pattern of all patience, I will say nothing.

Kent. Alas, sir, are you here? things that love

night,

Love not such nights as these: the wrathful skies
Gallow the very wanderers of the dark,
And make them keep their caves: Since I was man,
Such sheets of fire, such bursts of horrid thunder,
Such
groans of roaring wind and rain, I never

1 A proverbial phrase for fair words.

2 Obedience.

3 Scare or frighten.

Remember to have heard: man's nature cannot carry The affliction, nor the fear.

Lear.

Let the great gods, That keep this dreadful pother o'er our heads,

Find out their enemies now. Tremble, thou wretch,
That hast within thee undivulged crimes,

Unwhipp'd of justice: Hide thee, thou bloody hand;
Thou perjur'd, and thou simular man of virtue
That art incestuous: Caitiff, to pieces shake,
That under covert and convenient seeming
Hast practis'd on man's life:-Close pent-up guilts,
Rive your concealing continents, and cry
These dreadful summoners grace. —I am a man,
More sinn'd against, than sinning.

Kent.

Alack, bare-headed! Gracious my lord, hard by here is a hovel;

Some friendship will it lend you 'gainst the tempest;
Repose you there: while I to this hard house,
(More hard than is the stone whereof 'tis rais'd;
Which even but now, demanding after you,
Denied me to come in,) return, and force
Their scanted courtesy.

Lear.

My wits begin to turn,

-

Come on, my boy: How dost, my boy? Art cold?

I am cold myself.

Where is this straw, my fellow?

The art of our necessities is strange,

That can make vile things precious. Come, your hovel,

Poor fool and knave, I have one part in my heart That's sorry yet for thee.

Fool. He that has a little tiny wit,

With heigh, ho, the wind and the rain,
Must make content with his fortunes fit;
For the rain it raineth every day.

-

Lear. True, my good boy.- Come, bring us to this hovel. [Exeunt LEAR and KENT.

6 Part of the Clown's song in Twelfth Night.

Fool. I'll speak a prophecy ere I go:

When priests are more in word than matter;
When brewers mar their malt with water ;
When every case in law is right;

No squire in debt, nor no poor knight;
When slanders do not live in tongues;
Nor cutpurses come not to throngs;
Then shall the realm of Albion

Come to great confusion.

Then comes the time, who lives to see't,
That going shall be us'd with feet.

This prophecy Merlin shall make; for I live before his time.

[Exit.

SCENE III.

A Room in Gloster's Castle.

Enter GLOSTER and EDMund.

Glo. Alack, alack, Edmund, I like not this unnatural dealing: When I desired their leave that I might pity him, they took from me the use of mine own house; charged me, on pain of their perpetual displeasure, neither to speak of him, entreat for him, nor any way sustain him.

Edm. Most savage, and unnatural!

Glo. Go to say you nothing: There is division between the dukes; and a worse matter than that: I have received a letter this night;-'tis dangerous to be spoken;-I have locked the letter in my closet: these injuries the king now bears will be revenged home; there is part of a power already` footed: we must incline to the king. I will seek him, and privily relieve him: go you, and maintain talk with the duke, that my charity be not of him perceived: If he ask for me, I am ill, and gone to bed. If I die for it, as no less is threatened me, the king my old master must be relieved. There is