LEAR. Who wouldst thou serve? KENT. You.

LEAR. Dost thou know me, fellow? KENT. No, sir; but you have that in your countenance which I would fain call master.

LEAR. What's that?

KENT. Authority.

LEAR. What services canst thou do?

KENT. I can keep honest counsel, ride, run, 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 dote on her for any thing: I have years on my back forty-eight.

LEAR. Follow me; thou shalt serve me, if I like thee no worse after dinner. I will not part from thee yet. Dinner, ho, dinner!—Where's my knave? my fool? Go you and call my fool hither. [Exit an Attendant.

LEAR. He would not!

KNIGHT. My lord, I know not what the matter is; but, to my judgment, your highness is not entertained with that ceremonious affection as you were wont; there's a great abatement of kindness appears as well in the general dependants as in the duke himself also, and your daughter.

LEAR. Ha! sayest 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 wronged.

LEAR. Thou but rememberest me of mine own

F 2

FOOL. Sirrah, you were best take my coxcomb. KENT. Why, fool?

FOOL. Why, for taking one's part that's out of favour. Nay, an thou canst not smile as the wind sits, thou'lt catch cold shortly: there, take my coxcomb. Why, this fellow has banished two on's daughters, and did the third a blessing against his will; if thou follow him, thou must needs wear my coxcomb.-How now, nuncle! Would I had two coxcombs and two daughters!

LEAR. Why, my boy?

FOOL. If I gave them all my living, I'd keep my coxcombs myself. There's mine; beg another of thy daughters.

LEAR. Take heed, sirrah,-the whip.

FOOL. Truth's a dog must to kennel; he must be whipped out, when the lady brach may stand by the fire and stink.

LEAR. A pestilent gall to me!

FOOL. Sirrah, I'll teach thee a speech.
LEAR. DO.

FOOL. Mark it, nuncle :

Have more than thou showest,
Speak less than thou knowest,
Lend less than thou owest,
Ride more than thou goest,

FOOL. Dost thou know the difference, my boy,
between a bitter fool and a sweet one?
LEAR. No, lad, teach me.a
FOOL. That lord, that counsell'd thee
To give away thy land,
Come place him here by me,-

Or do thou for him stand;
The sweet and bitter fool

Will presently appear;
The one in motley here,

The other found out there.
LEAR. Dost thou call me fool, boy?
FOOL. All thy other titles thou hast given
away; that thou wast born with.

KENT. This is not altogether fool, my lord.

FOOL. No, 'faith, lords and great men will not let me; if I had a monopoly out,(3) they would have part on't and ladies too, they will not let me have all fool to myself; they'll be snatching.— Nuncle, give me an egg, and I'll give thee two

crowns.

LEAR. What two crowns shall they be?

FOOL. Why, after I have cut the egg i' the middle, and eat up the meat, the two crowns of the egg. When thou clovest thy crown i' the middle, and gavest away both parts, thou borest thine ass on thy back o'er the dirt: thou hadst little wit in thy bald crown, when thou gavest thy golden one away. If I speak like myself in this, let him be whipped that first finds it so.

[Singing.
Fools had ne'er less grace in a year;
For wise men are grown foppish,
And know not how their wits to wear,
Their manners are so apish.

(*) Old copies omit, Or.

(+) Old copies, loades, lodes. (1) First folio, Crownes.

down to and including the words in the Fool's speech, "they 'll be snatching," are omitted in the folio.

• Fools had ne'er less grace in a year;] The quartos have,"ne'er less wit in a year;"

perhaps the true reading: as in Lyly's "Mother Bombie," 1594, we find, "I think gentlemen had never less wit in a year."

FOOL. I have used it, nuncle, ever since thou madest thy daughters thy mothers: for when thou gavest them the rod, and putt'st down thine own breeches,

[Singing.

Pr'ythee, nuncle, keep a school-master that can teach thy fool to lie; I would fain learn to lie.

LEAR. An you lie, sirrah, we'll have you whipped.

FOOL. I marvel what kin thou and thy daughters are they'll have me whipped for speaking true, thou'lt have me whipped for lying; and sometimes I am whipped for holding my peace. I had rather be any kind o' thing than a fool; and yet I would not be thee, nuncle; thou hast pared thy wit o' both sides, and left nothing i' the middle. Here comes one o' the parings.

Enter GONERIL.

LEAR. How now, daughter! what makes that frontlet on ?(4)

Methinks you are too much of late i' the frown. FOOL. Thou wast a pretty fellow when thou hadst no need to care for her frowning; now thou art an O without a figure. I am better than thou art now; I am a fool, thou art nothing.-Yes, forsooth [To GoN.], I will hold my tongue, so your face bids me, though you say nothing. Mum,

A

(†) First folio omits, Methinks.

Then they for sudden joy did weep,
And I for sorrow sung," &c.]

So in Heywood's "Rape of Lucrece,"—

"When Tarquin first in court began,
And was approved King,

Some men for sudden joy gan weep,
And I for sorrow sing."

b That it's had it head bit off by it young.] Meaning, That it has had its head bit off, &c.] See note (3), Vol. I. p. 330. e-darkling.] This word, which, like the Scotch darklins, implied in the dark, occurs again in "A Midsummer Night's Dream,'

fault

Would not 'scape censure, nor the redresses sleep,
Which, in the tender of a wholesome weal,
Might in their working do you that offence,—
Which else were shame--that then necessity
Will call discreet proceeding.

FOOL. For you trow,* nuncle,

The hedge-sparrow fed the cuckoo so long,
That it's had it head bit off by it young."

So, out went the candle, and we were left darkling.
LEAR. Are you our daughter?

GON. I would you would make use of that ✈ good wisdom

Whereof I know you are fraught; and put away These dispositions, which of late transport you From what you rightly are.

FOOL. May not an ass know when the cart draws the horse?-Whoop, Jug! I love thee. LEAR. Does any here know me ?-This is not Lear: [his eyes ? Where are

Does Lear walk thus? speak thus ?
Either his notion weakens, his discernings
Are lethargied.-Ha! Waking ?-'tis not so.-
Who is it that can tell me who I am?-

father.R

obedient

LEAR. Your name, fair gentlewoman? GON. This admiration, sir, is much o' the favour Of other your new pranks. I do beseech you To understand my purposes aright: [wise. As you are old and reverend, you should be Here do you keep a hundred knights and squires; Men so disordered, so debosh'd, and bold, That this our court, infected with their manners, Shows like a riotous inn: epicurism and lust Make it more like a tavern or a brothel, Than a grac'd palace. The shame itself doth

speak

For instant remedy: be, then, desir'd
By her, that else will take the thing she begs,

(*) First folio, know.

(+) First folio, your. (1) First folio omits, you.

Act II. Sc. 3; and is found in the ancient comedy of "Roister Doister," Act III. Sc. 1,-" He will go darklyng to his grave.'

d for, by the marks of sovereignty, knowledge, and reason, I should be false persuaded," &c.] This is certainly obscure, Warburton reads, "of sovereignty of knowledge," &c.; but possibly the meaning may be restored by simply omitting the comma after sovereignty, "by the marks of sovereignty know, ledge and reason," i.e. of supreme or sovereign knowledge, &c. e an obedient father.] This and the three preceding lines are only found in the quartos.

69

drew from my heart all

O Lear, Lear, Lear!

From the fix'd place;
love,
And added to the gall.
Beat at this gate, that let thy folly in,
[Striking his head.
And thy dear judgment out!-Go, go, my people.
ALB. My lord, I am guiltless, as I am ignorant
Of what hath mov'd you.

LEAR.
It may be so, my lord.—
Hear, Nature, hear; dear goddess, hear!
Suspend thy purpose, if thou didst intend
To make this creature fruitful!
Into her womb convey sterility!
Dry up in her the organs of increase;
And from her derogate body never spring
A babe to honour her! If she must teem,
Create her child of spleen; that it may live,
And be a thwart disnatur'd torment to her!
Let it stamp wrinkles in her brow of youth;
With cadent tears fret channels in her cheeks;

(*) First folio omits, O sir, are you come?

aan engine,-] By an engine is meant the instrument of torture called the rack.

buntented woundings-] "Untented wounds," Steevens says, "may possibly signify here, such as will not admit of having a tent put into them." The expression, there can be no doubt, means unsearchable wounds-wounds too deep to be probed, cloose,-] That is, discharge.

perforce,

me

Should make thee worth them.-Blasts and fogs upon thee!

The untented woundings of a father's curse
Pierce every sense about thee !-Old fond eyes,
Beweep this cause again, I'll pluck ye out,
And cast you, with the waters that you loose,
To temper clay.-Ha! is it come to this?
Let it be so; yet have I left a daughter,
Who, I am sure, is kind and comfortable;
When she shall hear this of thee, with her nails
She'll flay thy wolfish visage. Thou shalt find
That I'll resume the shape which thou dost think
I have cast off for ever; thou shalt, I warrant
thee.

[Exeunt LEAR, KENT, and Attendants.
GON. Do you mark that, my lord? §
ALB. I cannot be so partial, Goneril,.
To the great love I bear you,—
GON. Pray you, content.

ho!

-

What, Oswald,