Horns within. Enter LEAR, Knights, and Attend

ants.

Lear. Let me not stay a jot for dinner; go, get

it ready.

How now, what art thou?

Kent. A man, Sir.

[To Kent.

Lear. What dost thou profess? what would'st thou with us?

Kent. I do profess to be no less than I seem; to serve him truly that will put me in trust; to love him that is honest; to converse with him that is wise; to say little; to fear judgment; to fight when I cannot choose; and to eat no fish.

Lear. What art thou?

Kent. A very honest-hearted fellow, and as poor as the King.

Lear. If thou beest as poor for a subject as he's for a King, thou art poor enough. What would'st thou?

Kent. Service.

Lear. What would'st thou serve?
Kent. You.

Lear. Dost thou know me fellow?

Kent. No Sir; but you have that in tenance which I would fain call master.

Lear. What's that?

Kent. Authority.

Lear. What services canst thou do?

your coun

Kent. I can keep honest counsels, ride, run, (27) mar a curious tale in telling it, and deliver a plain message bluntly: that which ordinary men are fit for, I am qualified in; and the best of me is diligence.

Lear. How old art thou?

Kent. Not so young, Sir, to love a woman for singing, nor so old to doat on her for any thing. I have years on my back forty-eight. (28)

Lear. Follow me, thou shalt serve me. If I like thee no worse after dinner, I will not part from thee. Yet no dinner? ho, dinner-where's my knave? my fool? Go you, and call my fool hither. You, you, sirrah, where's my daughter?

Enter Steward.

Stew. So please you

[Exit.

(27) Ride, run, &c. Compare the different apparent actions of the prototype of Hamlet's Horatio in the moon, now become that of Kent, with this passage.

(28) This proves that Kent is now become the same as Hamlet's Horatio; for, on the back of his head, the streaks of light form the numerical figures 48, as drawn in

Fig. 88.

4

Lear. What says the fellow there? call the clotpole back: where's my fool, ho?———I think the -I world's asleep. How now? where's that mongrel? Knight. He says my Lord, your daughter is not well.

Lear. Why came not the slave back to me when I call'd him?

Knight. Sir, he answer'd me in the roundest manner he would not.

Lear. He would not?

Knight. My Lord, I know not what the matter is; (29) but, to my judgment, your Highness is not entertain'd with that ceremonious affection as you were wont; there's a great abatement of kindness appears, as well in the general dependents, as in the Duke himself also and your daughter.

Lear. Ha! say'st thou so?

Knight. I beseech you pardon me, my Lord, if I be mistaken; for my duty cannot be silent, when I think your Highness is wrong'd.

Lear. Thou but remember'st me of my own conception. I have perceiv'd a most faint neglect of late, which I have rather blamed as my own jealous

(29) The knight, perhaps, may be the same as Orsin, in Hudibras, (fig. 15,) but his character in the play is so inconsiderable, as not to call for much pains to search for his original.

curiosity, than as a very pretence and purpose of unkindness. I will look farther into't. But where's my fool? I have not seen him these twodays.

Knight. Since my young lady's going into France, Sir, the fool hath much pined away.

Lear. No more of that, I have noted it well; go you, and tell my daughter, I would speak with her. Go you, call hither my fool. O, you, Sir, come you hither, Sir; who am I, Sir?

Enter Steward.

Stew. My Lady's father.

Lear. My Lady's father? my Lord's knave! You whoreson dog, you slave, you cur. (30) Stew. I am none of these, my Lord; I beseech your pardon.

Lear. Do you bandy looks with me, you rascal?

[Striking him. Stew. I shall not be struck, my Lord. Kent. Nortript neither, you base foot-ball player. [Tripping up his heels. Lear. I thank thee, fellow. Thou serv'st me, and I'll love thee.

Kent. Come, Sir, arise, away; I'll teach you differ

(30) You dog, you cur. By turning the steward's prototype upside down, he will be seen to be the dog, drawn ante, in fig. 13, worrying the bear.

ences; away, away; if you will measure your lubber's length again, tarry. But away, go to; have you wisdom? so- [Pushes the Steward out.

Lear. Now, my friendly knave, I thank thee; there's earnest of thy service. (31)

SCENE XIII.

To them, enter Fool. (32)

Fool. Let me hire him too, here's my coxcomb. [Giving his cap.

(31) Earnest of service; as giving him money: vide the apparent action of Lear towards Kent, (now Hamlet's Horatio,) in the moon.

(32) Lear's fool is the little thin fox-like figure close adjoining to him, and having his face formed out of Lear's face. He is drawn in

Fig. 89.