Enter EDGAR. Edg. Yet better thus, and known to be contemn'd [worst, Than still contemn'd and flatter'd. + To be The lowest and most dejected thing of fortune, Stands still in esperance, lives not in fear : The lamentable change is from the best; The worst returns to laughter. Welcome then, Thou unsubstantial air, that I embrace! The wretch, that thou hast blown unto the worst, [here ?Owes nothing to thy blasts. But who comes Enter GLOSTER, led by an OLD MAN. My father, poorly led ?-World, world, O world! But that thy strange mutations make us hate thee, Life would not yield to age. Edg. Poor Tom's a-cold-I cannot daub it further. [Aside. Glo. Come hither, fellow. sweet eyes, they bleed. Glo. Know'st thou the way to Dover? Edg. Both stile and gate, horse-way and footpath. Poor Tom hain been scared out of his good wits: Bless the good man from the foul fiend! [Five fiends have been in poor Tom at once; of lust, as Obidicut; Hobbididance, prince of dumbness; Mahu, of stealing; Modo of mur. der; and Flibbertigibbet, of mopping and mow ing; who since possesses chamber-maids and waiting-women. So, bless thee, master!] Glo. Here, take this purse, thou whom the heaven's plagues Have humbled to all strokes: that I am wretched, Makes thee the happier :-Heavens, deal so still! Let the superfluous, and lust-dieted man, [Dover? Old Man. O my good lord, I have been your tenant, and your father's tenant, these four-So distribution should undo excess, score years. And each man have enough.-Dost thou know Edg. Ay, master. Glo. Away, get thee away; good friend, beThy comforts can do me no good at all, [gone: Thee they may hurt. Old Man. Alack, Sir, you cannot see your way. Glo. I have no way, and therefore want no eyes; I stumbled when I saw: Full oft 'tis seen, I'd say, I had eyes again! Old Man. How now? Who's there? Glo. There is a cliff, whose high and bend. ing head Looks fearfully in the confined deep : Edg. Give me thy arm; [Exeunt SCENE II.-Before the Duke of ALBANY'S Edg. [Aside. O gods! Who is't can say, I Enter GONERIL and EDMUND; STEWARD am at the worst? I am worse than e'er I was. Old Man. 'Tis poor mad Tom. Edg. [Aside.] And worse I may be yet: The worst is not, So long as we can say, This is the worst. Glo. Is it a beggar-man? Old Man. Madman and beggar too. Glo. He has some reason, else he could not beg. I'the last night's storm I such a fellow saw; As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods; Edg. How should this be? Bad is the trade must play the fool to sorrow, Ang'ring itself and others. thee, master! [Aside.] Bless Glo. Is that the naked fellow? Old Man. Ay, my lord. Glo. Then, pr'ythee, get thee gone: If, for my sake, Thou wilt o'ertake us, hence a mile or twain, • Madman. + I. e. It is better to be thus contemned and know it, than to be flattered by those who secretly contemn us. In hope. Changes. Alb. O Goneril ! Oppos'd against the act, bending his sword But not without that harmful stroke, which Hath pluck'd him after. Alb. This shows you are above, You justicers, that these our nether crimes Mess. Both, both, my lord. This letter, madam, craves a speedy answer; Gon. [Aside.] One way I like this well; You are not worth the dust which the rude The news is not so tart.-I'll read and answer. wind Enter a MESSENGER. Alb. What news? {Exit. Alb. Where was his son, when they did take his eyes? Mess. Come with my lady hither. Alb. He is not here. Mess. No, my good lord; I met him back And quit the house on purpose, that their pun- Might have the freer course. To thank thee for the love thou show'dst the And to revenge thine eyes. Come hither, [Exeunt, SCENE III.-The French Camp near Dover. Gent. Something he left imperfect in the state, Which since his coming forth is thought of; which Imports to the kingdom so much fear and That his personal return was most requir'd, Kent. Who hath he left behind him general? Gent. Ay, Sir; she took them, read them in my presence; And now and then an ample tear trill'd down Kent. Oh! then it mov'd her. Gent. Not to a rage: patience and sorrow strove [seen Who should express her goodliest. You have Sunshine and rain at once: her smiles and tears Were like a better day: Those happy smiles, As pearls from diamonds dropp'd.-In brief, sorrow Would be a rarity most belov'd, if all Mess. O my good lord, the Duke of Corn. Could so become it. wall's dead; Slain by his servant, going to put out The other eye of Gloster. Alb. Gloster's eyes! Gent. Made she no verbal question ?* Pantingly forth, as if it press'd her heart; Mess. A servant that he bred, thrill'd with Cried, Sisters! sisters!-Shame of ladies! Gent. Why, good Sir? Kent. A sovereign shame so elbows him his own unkindness, That stripp'd her from his benediction, turn'd her To foreign casualties, gave her dear rights To his dog-hearted daughters,-these things sting His mind so venomously, that burning shame Gent. Alack, poor gentleman! It was great ignorance, Gloster's eyes being To let him live; where he arrives, he moves In pity of his misery, to despatch His nighted life; + moreover, to descry Kent. Of Albany's and Cornwall's powers The strength o'the enemy. you heard not? Gent. 'Tis so; they are afoot. Kent. Well, Sir, I'll bring you to our master Lear, And leave you to attend him : some dear cause Will in concealment wrap me up awhile; When I am known aright, you shall not grieve Lending me this acquaintance. I pray you, go Along with me. [Exeunt. SCENE IV.-The same.-A Tent. Enter CORDELIA, PHYSICIAN, and SOLDIERS. Cor. Alack, 'tis he; why, he was met even now As mad as the vex'd sea: singing aloud; Daruel, and all the idle weeds that grow [Exit an OFFICER. Cor. All bless'd secrets, All you unpublish'd virtues of the earth, Lest his ungovern'd rage dissolve the life Enter a MESSENGER. Mess. Madam, news; Stew. I must needs after him, madam, with my letter. Reg. Our troops set forth to-morrow; stay with us; The ways are dangerous. Stew. I may not, madam; My lady charg'd my duty in this business. Transport her purposes by word? Belike, Stew. Madam, I had rather Reg. I know your lady does not love her hus band; I am sure of that: and, at her late being here, She gave strange œiliads, and most speaking looks To noble Edmund: I know you are of her bo Peasant. Glo. When shall we come to the top of that same hill? Edg. You do climb up it now: look, how we Edg. Why, then your other senses grow im- | Look up a-height;-the shrill-gorg'd perfect By your eyes' anguish. Glo. So may it be, indeed: Methinks thy voice is speak'st alter'd; and thou In better phrase, and matter, than thou didst. But in my garments. Glo. Methinks, you are better spoken. Edg. Come on, Sir; here's the place :-stand And dizzy 'tis, to cast one's eyes so low! Show scarce so gross as beetles: Half way Hangs one that gathers samphire; + dreadful Methinks he seems no bigger than his head : Diminish'd to her cock! her cock, a buoy Edg. Why I do trifle thus with his despair, Is done to cure it. Glo. O you mighty gods! This world I do renounce; and, in your sights, To quarrel with your great opposeless wills, [He leaps and falls along. Edg. Gone, Sir? farewell.- thought, he By this, had thought been past.-Alive, or dead? Ho, you Sir! friend!-Hear you, Sir ?-speak! Glo. Away, and let me die. Edg. Hadst thou been aught but gossomer, So many fathom down precipitating, Hast heavy substance: bleed'st not; speak'st; art sound. Ten masts at each make not the altitude, far lark so Glo. Too well, too well. Edg. This is above all strangeness. Glo. A poor unfortunate beggar. Edg. As I stood here below, methought, his eyes Were two full moons; he had a thousand noses, Horns whelk'd and wav'd like the enridged sea; It was some fiend: Therefore, thou happy father, Think that the clearest gods, who make them bonours Of men's impossibilities, have preserv'd thee. Affliction, till it do cry out itself, I took it for a man; often 'twould say, Enter LEAR, fantastically dressed up with The safer sense will ne'er accommodate Lear. No, they cannot touch me for coining; Edg. O thou side-piercing sight! Lear. Nature's above art in that respect.There's your press-money. That fellow haudles 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. -0, well flown, bird -i'the clout, i'the clout: Thewgh!-Give the word... Edg. Sweet marjoram. Glo. I know that voice. Lear. Ha! Goneril!-with a white beard !They flatter'd me like a dog; and told me I had white hairs in my beard, ere the black ones were there. To say aye and no to every that I said aye and no to, 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 them, there I smelt them out. Go to, they are not men o'their words: they told me I was every thing; 'tis a lie: I am not ague-proof. Glo. The trick of that voice I do well remember: Is't not the king? Lear. Ay, every inch a king: Thou shalt not die: Die for adultery! No: Let copulation thrive, for Gloster's bastard son Edg. From the dread summit of this chalky Got 'tween the lawful sheets. • Daws. bourn : ¶ A vegetable gathered for pickling. Thus might he die in reality. To't, luxury, pell-mell, for I lack soldiers.- Whose face between her forks presageth snow; The fitchew, nor the soiled horse, goes to't Down from the waist they are centaurs, But to the girale do the gods inherit, + There is the sulphurous pit, burning, scalding, stench, consumption;-Fie, fie, fie! pah; pah! Give me an ounce of civet, good apothecary, to sweeten my imagination: there's money for thee. Glo. O, let me kiss that hand! Leur. Let me wipe it first; it smells of mortality. Glo. O ruin'd piece of nature! This great world [me? Shall so wear out to nought.-Dost thou know Lear. I remember thine eyes well enough. Dost thou squiny at me? No, do thy worst, blind Cupid; Pll not love.-Read thou this challenge; mark but the penning of it. Glo. Were all the letters suns, I could not see Take that of me, my friend, who have the power To seal the accuser's lips. Get thee glass eyes; And, like a scurvy politician, seem To see the things thou dost not.-Now, now, now, now: Pull off my boots :-harder, harder; so. Edg. O, matter and impertinency mix'd! Reason in madness! Lear. If thou wilt weep my fortunes take my eyes. I know thee well enough; thy name is Gloster: Thou must be patient; we came crying hither. Thou know'st, the first time that we smell the air, [me. We wawl, and cry:-1 will preach to thee; inark Gle. Alack, alack the day! Lear. When we are born, we cry, that we are coine It were a delicate stratagem to shoe A troop of horse with felt: I'll put it in proof; And when I have stolen upon these sons-in-law, Then, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill. Enter a GENTLEMAN, with Attendants. Gent. O here he is, lay hand upon him,-Sir Your most dear daughter Lear. No rescue? What, a prisoner? I am even The natural fool of fortune.-Use me well; Gent. Good Sir, Gent. Sir, speed you: What's your will? Edg. Do you hear aught, Sir, of a battle to ward? Gent. Most sure, and vulgar: every one hears that, Which can distinguish sound. 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, ⚫ 1. e. A rian of tears. The main body is expected to be descried every Lour. |