KIN G L E A R.

A C Τ Ι.

.

Ś CEN E 1.

The KING'S PALACE.

Enter Kent, Glo'ster, and Edmund the Bastard.

I

KENT.
Thought, the King had more affected the Duke of
Albany than Cornwall.

Gló. It did always seem so to us, but now, ' in the Division of the Kingdom, it appears not, which of the Dukes he values moft ; for qualities are so weigh'd, that curiosity in neither can make choice of either's moiety.

Kent. Is not this your son, my Lord?
Glo. His Breeding, Sir, hath been at my charge. I

in the division of the king- performed as subsequent reasons dom ] There is something of ob- should determine him. scurity or inaccuracy in this 2 Equalities. 4to. preparatory scene. The King 3 that curiosity in neither] Cu. has already divided his kingdom, riafity, for exactest scrutiny. The and yet when he enters he exa- sense of the whole sentence is, mines his daughters, to discover The qualities and properties of in what proportions he should the several divifions are fo divide it. Perhaps Kent and weighed and balanced against Gloucester only were privy to his one another, that the exactest design, which he still kept in his fcrutiny could not determine in own hands, to be changed or preferring one share to the other.

WARBURTON.,

have

B 2

have so often blush'd to acknowledge him, that now I am braz'd to't.

Kent. I cannot conceive you.

Glo. Sir, this young fellow's mother could, whereupon

she
grew

round-womb'd; 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 a son, Sir, by order of law, - some year elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my account. Though this knave came somewhat faucily to 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 Nobleman, Edmund ?

Edm. No, my Lord.

Glo. My Lord of Ken!.
Remember him hereafter as my honourable friend.

Edm. My services to your Lordship.
Kent. I must love you, and sue to know you better.
Edm. Sir, I shall study your deserving.
Glo. He hath been out nine years, and away he shall
again.

[Trumpets found, wilhin. - The King is coming.

Enter King Lear, Cornwall, Albany, Gonerill, Regan,

Cordelia, and Attendants.
Lear. Attend the Lords of France and Burgundy,

Glo'ster.
Glo. I shall, my Liege.

[Exit. Lear. Mean time we

shall s express our darker purpose. Give me the Map here. Know, we have divided, In three, our Kingdom ; and 'tis our fast intent, To shake all cares and business from our age, Conferring them on younger itrengths, while we Unburden'd crawl tow'rd death. Our son of Çorn

wall, And you, our no less loving son of Albany, We have this hour a ' conftant will to publish Our daughters sev'ral Dow'rs, that future strife May be prevented now. The Princes France and

Burgundy, is express our darker purpose.) 1608, and firft folio of 1623 ; Darker, for more secret ; not for where we find it, indirect, oblique.

-and' is our FIRST intent, WARBURTON. which is as Shakespear wrote it: This word may admit a fur- who makes Lear declare his purther explication.' We shall ex- pose with a dignity, becoming press our darker purpose: that is, his character: 'That the firt reawe have already made known fon of his abdication was the in some measure our design of love of his people, that they parting the kingdom; we will might be protected by such as now discover what has not been were better able to discharge told before, the reasons by which the truit; and his natural affecwe shall regulate the partition. tion for his daughters, only the This interpretation will justify second.

WARBURTON. or palliate the exordial dialogue. Fast is the reading of the first

and 'ris our fast intent,] folio, and I think the true readThis is an interpolation of Mr. ing. Lewis Theobald, for want of 7 Confiant will seems a confir. knowing the meaning of the mation of faft intent. old reading in the quarto of B 3

Great

1

;

Great rivals in our younger daughter's love,

Long in our Court have made their am'rous sojourn, · And here are to be answer'd. Tell me, daughters,

Since now we will divest us both of rule,
Int'rest of territory, cares of state,
Which of you, shall we say, doth love us moft,
That we our largest bounty may extend,
Where nature doth with merit challenge. Gonerill,
Our eldest born, speak first.

Gon. Sir,
I love you more than words can wield the matter,
Dearer than eye-light, space and liberty ;
Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare;
No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour;
As much as child e'er lov'd, or father found
A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable,
$ Beyond all manner of fo much ! love you.
Cor. What shall Cordelia odo? love and be silent.

Afide.
Lear. Of all thefe Bounds, ev'n from this line to

this,
With shadowy forests and with champions richid,
With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads,
We make thee lady. To thi::e and Albany's issue
Be this perpetual.—What says our second daughter ?
Qur dearest Regan, wife of Cornwall, speak.

Reg. I'm made of that felf-metal as my fifter,
And prize me at her worth, in my true heart.
I find, the names my very deed of love,
Only she comes too short'; 'that I profess

8 Beyand all manner, &c.] 1. e. 9 So the quarto : the folio has beyond all expression.

Apeak.
WARBURTON. "-ikat I profess] That seems
Pe crdall manner of fo much-] to stand without relation, but
B yond all assignable quanti- is referred to find, the first con.
ty. I love you beyond limits, junction being inaccurately fup-
and cannot say it is so much, pressed. I find that she names any
for how much' foever 1 should deed, that I projesi, &c.
name it would yet

be
more.

My

Myself an enemy to all other joys,
2 Which the most precious square of sense pofseffes ;
And find, I am alone felicitate
In your dear Highness' love.
Cor. Then poor Cordelia !

(Aside. And yet not fo, since, I am sure, my love's 3 More pond'rous 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 conferr'd on Gönerill. Now our joy,
Although our last, not least, to whose young love,
The vines of France, and milk of Burgundy,
Strive to be intress'd; what say you, to draw
A third, more opulent than your sisters ? Speak.

Cor. Nothing, my Lord.
Lear. Nothing?
Cor. Nothing

2 Which the most precious Square 4 No lefs in Space, validity, ]

of Irke porijes;] By the Validity, for worth, value ; not square of ienfe, we are, here, for integrity, or good title. to understand the four nobler

WARBURTON. senses, viz. the fight, hearing, tafie, and smell. For a young

s Now our joy,) Here the true lady could not, with decency, reading is picked out of two infinuate that she knew of

copies. Butler's quarto reads,

any pleasures which the fifth afford

-But ow our joy, ed. This is imagined and ex.

Alebough the lall, not leaf in pressed with great propriety and Our dear love, delicacy. But the Oxford Edi. What can you say 10 win a ter, for squa, e, reads fpirit.

third, &c. WARBURTON. This is acute, but perhaps

The folio. Square means only compas, om

Now our jos, prebenfion.

Althouzh our last, and leaft; i Mre fond'r rus shan MY to whose young love,

tongue.) We fhould read, The vines of France, and milk THEIR tongue, meaning her filt

of Burgundy, WARBURTON.

Strive to be int'ress'd. What I think the present reading

can you say. . right,

Lear,

e.s.

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