Reg. Good sir, no more; these are unsightly tricks : Return you to my sister. Lear. Never, Regan: She hath abated me of half my train; Look'd black upon me; struck me with her tongue, All the stor❜d vengeances of heaven fall On her ingrateful top! Strike her young bones, Corn. Fye, fye, fye! Lear. You nimble lightnings, dart your blinding flames Into her scornful eyes! Infect her beauty, You fen-suck'd fogs, drawn by the powerful sun, To fall and blast her pride! O the blest gods! Reg. Thee o'er to harshness; her eyes are fierce, but thine To grudge my pleasures, to cut off my train, Reg. Good sir, to the purpose. [Trumpets within. What trumpet's that? Lear. Who put my man i'the stocks? Corn. Enter Steward. Reg. I know't, my sister's: this approves her letter, That she would soon be here.-Is your lady come? n tender-hefted—] i. e. Moved with tenderness. Hefted is the same as heaved.-NARES. — to scant my sizes,[ i. e. To contract my allowances. Sises are certain portions of bread, beer, or other victuals, which in publick societies are set down to the account of particular persons. The word is still used in colleges.JOHNSON and STEEVENS. Lear. This is a slave whose easy borrowed pride Dwells in the fickle grace of her he follows: Out, varlet, from my sight! Corn. What means your grace? Lear. Who stock'd my servant? Regan, I have good hope Thou didst not know of't.-Who comes here? Oh, heavens, Enter GONERIL. If you do love old men, if your sweet sway Make it your cause; send down, and take my part! [To GONERIL. O, Regan, wilt thou take her by the hand? And dotage terms so. Lear. Will O, sides, you are too tough! you yet hold?-How came my man i'the stocks? Corn. I set him there, sir: but his own disorders Deserv'd much less advancement." Lear. You! did you? Reg. I pray you, father, being weak, seem so." Lear. Return to her, and fifty men dismiss'd? To be a comrade with the wolf and owl,— Necessity's sharp pinch!-Return with her? Why, the hot-blooded France, that dowerless took P Allow-] i. e. Approve.-UPTON. Deserv'd much less advancement.] Cornwall means that Kent's disorders had entitled him even to a post of less honour than the stocks.-STEEVENS. being weak, seem so.] Since you are so weak, be content to think yourself weak.-JOHNSON. Our youngest born, I could as well be brought Gon. [Looking on the Steward. At your choice, sir. Lear. I pr'ythee, daughter, do not make me mad; In my corrupted blood. But I'll not chide thee; Nor tell tales of thee to high-judging Jove: I, and my hundred knights. Reg. Not altogether so, sir; For your fit welcome: Give ear, sir, to my sister; Must be content to think you old, and so— But she knows what she does. Lear. Is this well spoken now? Reg. I dare avouch it, sir: What, fifty followers? Is it not well? What should you need of more? Yea, or so many? sith that both charge and danger Speak 'gainst so great a number? How, in one house, Should many people, under two commands, Hold amity? "Tis hard: almost impossible. Gon. Why might not you, my lord, receive attendance From those that she call servants, or from mine? Reg. Why not, my lord? If then they chanc'd to slack you, and sumpter-] i. e. A horse that carries necessaries on a journey, though sometimes used for the case to carry them in.-STEEVENS. embossed-] i. e. Swelling, protuberant. We could control them: If you will come to me, To bring but five-and-twenty; to no more Lear. I gave you all Reg. And in good time you gave it. Lear. Made you my guardians, my depositaries; With such a number: What, must I come to you Reg. And speak it again, my lord; no more with me. Lear. Those wicked creatures yet do look well-favour'd, When others are more wicked; not being the worst, Stands in some rank of praise:-I'll go with thee; Thy fifty yet doth double five-and-twenty, · And thou art twice her love, [To GONERIL. Hear me, my lord; Gon. Reg. What need one? Lear. O, reason not the need: our basest beggars Are in the poorest thing superfluous : Allow not nature more than nature needs, Man's life is cheap as beast's: thou art a lady; If only to go warm were gorgeous, Why, nature needs not what thou gorgeous wear'st, That all the world shall-I will do such things,- The terrors of the earth. You think, I'll weep; I have full cause of weeping; but this heart [Exeunt LEAR, GLOSTER, KENT, and Fool. Corn. Let us withdraw, 'twill be a storm. [Storm heard at a distance. Reg. Gon. This house "Tis his own blame; he hath put Himself from rest, and must needs taste his folly. Reg. For his particular, I'll receive him gladly, But not one follower. Gon. Where is my lord of Gloster? So am I purpos'd. Re-enter GLOSTER. Corn. Follow'd the old man forth :-he is return'd. Corn. Whither is he going? Glo. He calls to horse; but will I know not whither. Corn. 'Tis best to give him way; he leads himself. Gon. My lord, entreat him by no means to stay. Glo. Alack, the night comes on, and the bleak winds Do sorely ruffle; for many miles about There's scarce a bush. Reg. O, sir, to wilful men, The injuries, that they themselves procure, Must be their schoolmasters: Shut up your doors; And what they may incense him to," being apt To have his ear abus'd, wisdom bids fear. Corn. Shut up your doors, my lord; 'tis a wild night; My Regan counsels well: come out o'the storm. [Exeunt. |