Melt, and no more be seen. O come, be buried | Shall marry her at Pentapolis. And now, A second time within these arms. Mar. My heart Leaps to be gone into my mother's bosom, Thy burden at the sea, and call'd Marina, Thai. Bless'd and mine own! Hel. Hail, madam, and my queen! Thai. I know you not. This ornament" that makes me look so dismal, Per. Heavens make a star of him! Yet there, We'll celebrate their nuptials, and ourselves Per. You have heard me say, when I did Lord Cerimon, we do our longing stay, fly from Tyre, I left behind an ancient substitute Can you remember what I call'd the man? I have nam'd him oft. Thai. 'Twas Helicanus then. Per. Still confirmation: Embrace him, dear Thaisa; this is he. Thai. Lord Cerimon, my lord; this man Through whom the gods have shown their power; that can From first to last resolve you. The gods can have no mortal officer More like a god than you. Will you deliver Cer. I will, my lord. Beseech you, first go with me to my house, How she came placed here within the temple; Per. Pure Diana! I bless thee for thy vision, and will offer To hear the rest untold.-Sir, lead the way. Enter GoWER. [Exeunt. Gow. In Antioch,t and his daughter, you Of monstrous lust the due and just reward: (Although assail'd with fortune fierce and Led on by heaven, and crown'd with joy at last. I. e. His beard. te. The king of Antioch. [name t Ever. Enter KENT, GLOSTER, and EDMUND. Kent. I thought, the king had more affected the duke of Albany, than Cornwall. Glo. It did always seem so to us: but now, in the division of the kingdom, it appears not which of the dukes he values most; for equalities are so weigh'd, that curiosity in neither can make choice of either's moiety.t Kent. Is not this your son, my lord? Glo. His breeding, Sir, hath been at my charge: I have so often blush'd to acknowledge him, that now I am brazed to it. Kent. I cannot conceive you. Glo. Sir, this young fellow's mother could: whereupon she grew round-wombed; and had, indeed, Sir, a son for her cradle, ere she had a husband for her bed. Do you smell a fault? Kent. I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it being so proper. Glo. But I have, Sir, a son by order of law, some year elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my account: though this knave came somewhat saucily into the world before he was sent for, yet was his mother fair; there was good sport at his making, and the whoreson must be acknowledged. Do you know this noble gentleman, Edmund? Edm. No, my lord. Edm. Sir, I shall study deserving. Glo. He hath been out nine years, and away he shall again:-The king is coming. [Trumpets sound within. Enter LEAR, CORNWALL, ALBANY, GONERIL, Glo. I shall, my liege. [Exeunt GLOSTER and EDMUND. Lear. Meantime we shall express our darker purpose. divided, Give me the map there.-Know, that we have And you, our no less loving son of Albany, May be prevented now. The princes, France Great rivals in our youngest daughter's love, And here are to be answer'd.-Tell me, my Glo. My lord of Kent: remember him here- Which of you, shall we say, doth love us most? after as my honourable friend. Edm. My services to your lordship. That we our largest bounty may extend Kent. I must love you, and sue to know you. Our eldest-born, speak first. better. • Most scrupulous nicety + Part or division. I Handsome. Gon. Sir, I [matter Do love you more than words can wield the Dearer than eye-sight, space and liberty; As much as child e'er lov'd, or father found. Beyond all manner of so much I love you. Cor. What shall Cordelia do? Love, and be silent. [Aside. Leur. Of all these bounds, even from this line to this, With shadowy forests and with champains rich'd, issue With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads, We make thee lady: To thine and Albany's [daughter, Be this perpetual.-What says our second Our dearest Regan, wife to Cornwall? Speak. Reg. I am made of that self metal as my sister, And prize me at her worth. In my true heart Cor. Then poor Cordelia! [Aside. And yet not so; since, I am sure, my love's More richer than my tongue. Lear. To thee, and thine, hereditary ever, Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom; No less in space, validity, and pleasure, Than that coufirm'd on Goneril.-Now, our joy, Although the last, not least; to whose young love The vines of France, and milk of Burgundy, Strive to be interess'd: what can you say, to draw A third more opulent than your sisters? Speak. Cor. Nothing, my lord. Lear. Nothing? Cor. Nothing. Lear. Nothing can come of nothing: speak again. Cor. Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave My heart into my mouth: I love your majesty According to my bond; nor more, nor less. Lear. How, how, Cordelia? mend your speech a little, Lest it may mar your fortunes. Cor. Good my lord, You have begot me, bred me, lov'd me: I shall carry Half my love with him, half my care, and duty: Lear. But goes this with thy heart? Cor. Ay, good my lord. Lear. So young, and so untender? Cor. So young, my lord, and true. Lear. Let it be so.-Thy truth then be thy dower: For, by the sacred radiance of the sun; The mysteries of Hecate, and the night; By all the operations of the orbs, From whom we do exist, and cease to be; Here I disclaim all my paternal care, Propinquity and property of blood, Or he that makes his generation‡ messes Come not between the dragon and his wrath: Call Burgundy.-Cornwall, and Albany, judgement, Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least; Nor are those empty-hearted, whose low sound Reverbs¶ no hollowness. Lear. Kent, on thy life, no more. Kent. My life I never held but as a pawn To wage against thine enemies; nor fear to lose it, Thy safety being the motive. Kent. See better, Lear; and let me still reThe true blank** of thine eye. Lear. Now, by Apollo,- Thou swear'st thy gods in vain. [main [Laying his Hand on his Swora. Alb. Corn. Dear Sir, forbear. Kent. Do; Kill thy physician, and the fee bestow * Kindred. +From this time. ↑ His children Reverberes Vow, Lear. Hear me, recreant! On thine allegiance hear me !Since thou hast sought to make us break our [pride, (Which we durst never yet,) and, with strain'd To come betwixt our sentence and our power; (Which nor our nature nor our place can bear,) Our potency make good, take thy reward. Five days we do allot thee, for provision To shield thee from diseases of the world; And, on the sixth, to turn thy hated back' The argument of your praise, balm of your Cor. I yet beseech your majesty, Upon our kingdom: if, on the tenth day follow-(If fort I want that glib and oily art, [intend, ing, Thy banish'd trunk be found in our dominions, Kent. Fare thee well, king: since thus thou Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here. The gods to their dear shelter take thee, maid, [To CORDELIA. That justly think'st, and has most rightly said! And your large speeches may your deeds approve, [To REGAN and GONERIL. That good effects may spring from words of love. Thus Kent, O princes, bids you all adieu; He'll shape his old course* in a country new. [Exit. Re-enter GLOSTER; with FRANCE, BURGUNDY, and Attendants. To speak and purpose not; since what I well Lear. Better thou Hadst not been born, than not to have pleas'd France. Is it but this? a tardiness in nature, Bur. Royal Lear, lord. Lear. My lord of Burgundy, We first address towards you, who with this king [least, Hath rivall'd for our daughter; What, in the Bur. Most royal majesty, I crave no more than hath your highness offer'd, Lear. Right noble Burgundy, When she was dear to us, we did hold her so; If aught within that little seeming substance, Bur. I know no answer. Will you, with those infirmities she owes,§ Take her, or leave her? Bur. Pardon me, royal Sir; I tell you all her wealth.--For you, great king, I would not from your love make such a stray, To avert your liking a more worthier way, [ject, That she, that even but now was your best ob Duchess of Burgundy. Lear. Nothing: I have sworn; I am firm. Bur. I am sorry then, you have so lost a That you must lose a husband. [father, Cor. Peace be with Burgundy! France. Fairest Cordelia, thou art most rich, My love should kindle to inflam'd respect.- Is queen of us, of ours, and our fair France: Lear. Thou hast her, France: let her be thine; for we Have no such daughter, nor shall ever see eyes [Flourish. Exeunt LEAR, BURGUNDY, Corn- * Former declaration of. I would prefer him to a better place. Gon. Prescribe not us our duties. [you Be, to content your lord; who hath receiv'd At fortune's alms. You have obedience scanted, [wanted. And well are worth the want that you have Cor. Time shall unfold what plaited* cunning hides; Who cover faults, at last shame them derides. France. Come, my fair Cordelia. [Exeunt FRANCE and CORDELIA. Gon. Sister, it is not a little I have to say, of what most nearly appertains to us both. I think, our father will hence to-night. Reg. That's most certain, and with you; next month with us. Gon. You see how full of changes his age is; the observation we have made of it hath not been little he always loved our sister most; and with what poor judgement he hath now cast her off, appears too grossly. Reg. "Tis the infirmity of his age: yet he hath ever but slenderly known himself. Gon. The best and soundest of his time hath been but rash; then must we look to receive from his age, not alone the imperfections of long-engrafted condition, but therewithal, the unruly waywardness that infirm and choleric years bring with them. Reg. Such unconstant starts are we like to have from him, as this of Kent's banishment. Gon. There is further compliment of leavetaking between France and him. Pray you, let us hit together: If our father carry authority with such dispositions as he bears, this last surrender of his will but offend us. Reg. We shall further think of it. Enter EDMUND, with a Letter. us My services are bound: Wherefore should I Enter GLOSTER. And the king gone to-night! subscrib'd his Edm. So please your lordship, none. [Putting up the Letter. Glo. Why so earnestly seek you to put up that letter? Edm. I know no news, my lord. Glo. No? What needed then that terrible despatch of it into your pocket? the quality of nothing hath not such need to hide itself. Let's see: Come, if it be nothing, I shall not need spectacles. Edm. I beseech you, Sir, pardon me : it is a letter from my brother, that I have not all o'erread; for so much as I have perused, I find it not fit for your over-looking. Glo. Give me the letter, Sir. Edm. I shall offend, either to detain or give The contents, as in part I understand them, are to blame. it. Glo. Let's see, let's see. Edm. I hope, for my brother's justification, he wrote this but as an essays or taste of my virtue. Glo. [Reads.] This policy, and reverence of age, makes the world bitter to the best of our times, keeps our fortunes from us, till our oldness cannot relish them. I begin to find an idle and fond || bondage in the oppression of aged tyranny; who sways, not as it hath power, but as it is suffered. Come to me, that of this I may speak more. If our father would sleep till I waked him, you should enjoy half his revenue for ever, and live the beloved of your brother, Edgar.-Humph --Conspiracy!-Sleep till I waked him-you should enjoy half his revenue,—My son Edgar! Had he a hand to write this? a heart and brain to breed it in?-When came this to you? Who brought it? Edm. It was not brought me, my lord, there's the cunning of it; I found it thrown in at the casement of my closet. Glo. You know the character to be your brother's? Edm. If the matter were good, my lord, I durst swear it were his; but, in respect of that, I would fain think it were not. Glo. It is his. Edm. It is his hand, my lord; but, I hope, his heart is not in the contents. Glo. Hath he never heretofore sounded you in this business?' Edm. Never, my lord: But I have often heard him maintain it to be fit, that, sons at perfect age, and fathers declining, the father should be as ward to the son, and the sou manage his revenue. Glo. O villain, villain!-His very opinion in the letter-Abhorred villain! Unnatural, detested, brutish villain! worse than brutish! -Go, sirrah, seek him; I'll apprehend him :— Abominable villain !-Where is he? Edm. I do not well know, my lord. If it shall please you to suspend your indignation against my brother, till you can derive from him better testimony of his intent, you shall run a certain course; where, if you violently proceed against him, mistaking his purpose, it would make a great gap in your own honour, Glo. Kent banish'd thus! And France in and shake in pieces the heart of his obedience. choler parted! Folded, doubled. 1 Strike while the iron's hot. The Injustice. + Qualities of mind. The nicety of civil institution. I dare pawn down my life for him, that he Yielded, surrendered. + Allowance. 1 Suddenly. |