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. (49) 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, Barb! (50) i' th' clout, i' th' clout: hewgh.-Give the word. Edg. Sweet Marjoram. Lear. Pafs. Glo. I know that voice. Lear. Ha! Gonerill! hah! Regan! they flatter'd me (49) That fellow handles his borv like a cow-keeper.] Thus Mr. Pope in his last edition; but I am afraid, I betrayed him into the error by an abfurd conjecture of my own, in my SHAKESPEARE reftored. 'Tis certain we must read crow-keeper here; as likewife in this paffage of Romeo and Juliet: We'll have no Cupid hooded with a scarf, Bearing a Tartar's painted bow of lath, And, it feems, in feveral counties to this day, they call a stuffed figure, representing a man, and armed with a bow and arrow, (fet up to fright the crows, and other birds of prey, from the fruit and corn;) a crow-keeper, as well as a feare-crow. To fome fuch figure our author again alludes in Meafure for Measure. We must not make a fcare-crow of the law, And let it keep one shape, 'till custom make it But Beaumont and Fletcher in their Bonduca have a paffage which will excellently well explain our author's reading. -Can thefe fight? They look Like empty fcabbards all; no metal in 'em : Like men of clouts, fet to keep crows from orchards. (50) O well flown bird,] Lear is here raving of archery, and fhooting at buts, as is plain by the words ' th' clout, that is, the white mark they fet up and aim at: hence the phrafe, to hit the white. So that we must certainly read, O well-flown, barb! i. c. the barbed, or bearded arrow. Mr. Warburton. 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 that 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 'em, there I fmelt 'em 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. What was thy cause? Adultery thou shalt not die; die for adultery? no, the wren goes to't, and the fmall gilded fly does letcher in my fight. Let copulation thrive: for Glo'fter's baftard 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, whole face 'tween her forks prefages fnow; that minces virtue, and does shake the head to hear of pleasure's name. The fit-chew, nor the foiled horfe goes to't with a more riotous appetite: down from the waift 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, ftench, confumption: fie, fie, fie; pah, pah; give me an ounce of civet, good apothecary, to fweeten my imagination! there's money for thee. Glo. O, let me kifs that hand. Lear. Let me wipe it firft, it fmells of mortality. Glo. O ruin'd piece of nature! this great world Shall fo wear out to nought. Do'st thou know me? Lear. I remember thine eyes well enough: doft thou fquiny at me no, do thy worft, blind Cupid; I'll not Jove. Read thou this challenge, mark but the penning of it. Glo. Were all the letters funs, I could not fee one. Edg. Edg. I would not take this from report; it is, And my heart breaks at it. Lear. Read. Glo. What, with this cafe of eyes? Lear. Oh, ho, are you there with me? no eyes in your head, nor no money in your purfe? your eyes are in a heavy cafe, your purse in a light; yet you fee how this world goes. Glo. I fee it feelingly. Lear. What, art mad? a man may fee how this world goes, with no eyes. Look with thine ears: fee, how yond juflice rails upon yond fimple thief. Hark in thine ear change places, and handy-dandy, which is the juftice, which is the thief? Thou haft feen a farmer's dog bark at a beggar? (51) Glo. Ay, Sir. Lear. And the creature run from the cur? there thou might'ft behold the great image of authority; a dog's obey'd in office. Thou rafcal beadle, hold thy bloody hand: Why doft thou lafh that whore? ftrip thy own back; For which thou whip'ft her. Th' ufurer hangs the cozener. (51) Thou baft feen a farmer's dog bark at a beggar? &c.] This exquifite piece of fatire, dreft up in a figure and method of imagining from abfent circumftances, has greatly the air of imitation from the ancients. It is that fort of figure, by which (as Minturnus has obferved in his elaborate treatife De Poeta) oftenditur interdum, quafi ante oculos fit, fita imago: a feigned image of things is fometimes reprefented, as if really in view. Plautus is very full of this imagery: and I'll fubjoin two inftances that have very much the caft of this in our author, only more ludicrous in their turn: In his Menæchmei, A&. 1. Sc. 2. Men. Dic mihi, nunquàm tu vidisfi tabulam pi&tam in pariete, Pen. Sæpè. Sed quid ifte picturæ ad me attinent ? Men. Age, me afpice. And in his Moftellaria. A&t. 3. Sc. 2. Tra. Viden' pium, ubi ludificatur cornix una volturios duo ? Quafo, huc ad me fpecta, cornicem ut confpicere poffies. Robes Robes and furr'd gowns hide all. Plate fins with g To fee the things thou do'ft not. Now, now, now, now. Pull off my boots: harder, harde Edg. O matter and impertinency mixt, Reason in madness! Lear. If thou wilt weep my fortunes, take my eye I know thee well enough, thy name is Glofter; Thou must be patient; we came crying hither: Thou know'ft, the first time that we smell the air, We wawle and cry. I will preach to thee: markGlo. Alack, alack the day! Lear. When we are born, we cry, that we are com To this great ftage of fools.-This a good block !— It were a delicate ftratagem to fhoe A troop of horse with felt; I'll put't in proof; Enter a Gentleman, with attendants. Gent. O, here he is, lay hand upon him; Sir, Your most dear daughter Lear. No rescue ? what, a prifoner? I am even You shall have ranfom. Let me have furgeons, Gent. You fhall have any thing. Lear. No feconds? all myfelf? Why this would make a man, a man of falt; And laying autumn's duft. I will die bravely, Yo You fhall get it by running: fa, fa, fa, fa. [Exit. Gent. A fight moft pitiful in the meanest wretch, Paft fpeaking of in a King. Thou haft one daughter, Who redeems nature from the general curfe Which twain have brought her to. Edg. Hail, gentle Sir. Gent. Sir, fpeed you: what's your will? Edg. Do you hear ought, Sir, of a battle toward? Gent. Moft fure, and vulgar: every one hears that, Which can diftinguish found. Edg. But by your favour, How near's the other army? Gent. Near, and on speedy foot: the main descry Stands on the hourly thought. Edg. I thank you, Sir; that's all. Gent. Though that the Queen on special cause is here, Her army is mov'd on. Edg. I thank you, Sir. [Exit. Glo. You ever gentle gods, take my breath from me; Let not my worfer spirit tempt me again To die before you please. Edg. Well pray you, father. Glo. Now, good Sir, what are you? Edg. A moft poor man, made tame to fortune's blows, Who, by the art of known and feeling forrows, Am pregnant to good pity. Give me your hand, I'll lead you to fome biding. Glo. Hearty thanks: The bounty and the benizon of heav'n To boot, and boot! Enter Steward. Stew. A proclaim'd prize! moft happy! That eyelefs head of thine was firft fram'd flesh, To raife my fortunes. Old unhappy traitor, Briefly thyfelf remember: the fword is out, That must deftroy thee. Glo. Let thy friendly hand Put ftrength enough to't. Stew. Wherefore, bold peafant, VOL. VI. E Dar' |