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SCENE

Gon. Do you mark that?

XVI,

Alb. I cannot be fo partial, Gonerill, To the great love I bear you,

Gon. Pray you, be content. What, Ofwald, ho! -You, Sir, more knave than fool, after your master, [To the Fool. Fool. Nuncle Lear, nuncle Lear, tarry, take the fool with thee.

A Fox, when one has caught her,
And fuch a daughter,

Should fure to the laughter,

If my cap would buy a halter,

So the fool follows after..

[Exit.

Gon. This man hath had good counfel.-a hundred Knights!

'Tis politick, and safe, to let him keep

At point a hundred Knights; yes, that on ev'ry dream,
Each buz, each fancy, each complaint, dislike,
He may enguard his dotage with their pow'rs,
And hold our lives at mercy. Ofwald, I fay.
Alb. Well, you may fear too far-
Gon. Safer than trust too far,

Let me ftill take away the harms I fear,
Not fear ftill to be taken. I know his heart.
What he hath utter'd, I have writ my fifter;
If fhe'll fuftain him and his hundred Knights,
When I have fhew'd th' unfitnefs-

Enter Steward.

How now, Ofwald?

What, have you writ that letter to my fister?

Stew. Ay, Madam.

Gon. Take you fome company, and away to horfe Inform her full of my particular fear,

And

And thereto add fuch reafons of your own,

7

As may compact it more. So, get you gone,
And haften your return.

No, no, my Lord,

[Exit Steward.

This milky gentleness and courfe of yours,
Though I condemn it not, yet, under pardon,
You are much more at tafk for want of wisdom,
Than prais'd for harmful mildness.

Alb. How far your eyes may pierce, I cannot tell; Striving to better, oft we mar what's well.

Gon. Nay, then-

Alb. Well, well, th' event.

SCENE

[Exeunt.

XVII.

A Court-Yard belonging to the Duke of Albany's

Palace.

Re-enter Lear, Kent, Gentleman and Fool.

before to Glofter with thefe letters.

Lear.G Acquaint my daughter no further with any

thing you know, than comes from her demand out of the letter; if your diligence be not speedy, I fhall be *there afore you.

Kent. I will not fleep, my Lord, 'till I have delivered your letter.

[Exit. Fool. If a man's brain were in his heels, wer't not

in danger of kibes?

Lear. Ay, boy.

Fool. Then, I pr'ythee, be merry, thy wit fhall not go flip-fhod.

Lear. Ha, ha, ha.

Fool. Shalt fee, thy other daughter will use thee

7-compact it more. ] Unite one circumftance with another, fo as to make a confiftent account.

there afore you.] He feems to intend to go to his daughter, but it appears afterwards that he is going to the houfe of Glofter.

kindly; for though he's as like this as a crab's like an apple, yet I can tell what I can tell.

Lear. What can't tell, boy?

Fool. She will tafte as like this, as a crab does to a crab. Can't thou tell, why one's nofe ftands i'th' middle of one's face?

Lear. No.

Fool. Why, to keep one's eyes of either fide one's nofe, that what a man cannot fmell out, he may fpy into.

8

Lear. I did her wrong

Fool. Can't tell how an oyster makes his fhell?
Lear. No.

Fool. Nor I neither; but I can tell, why a fnail has a house.

Lear. Why?

Fool. Why, to put's head in, not to give it away to his daughters, and leave his horns without a cafe. Lear. I will forget my nature.-So kind a father!my horses ready?

Be

Fool. Thy affes are gone about 'em. The reason, why the seven stars are no more than seven, is a pretty reafon.

Lear. Because they are not eight.

Fool. Yes, indeed. Thou wouldst make a good fool. Lear. To tak't again perforce!-Monfter ingra9 titude!

Fool. If you were my fool, nuncle, I'd have thee beaten for being old before thy time.

Lear. How's that?

Fool. Thou fhouldft not have been old, 'till thou hadft been wife.

Lear. O, let me not be mad, not mad. Sweet heav'n, Keep me in temper; I would not be mad.

I did her wrong.] He is

mufing on Cordelia.

9 To tak't again perforce!] He

is meditating on the refumption of his royalty.

Enter

Enter Gentleman.

How now, are the horfes ready?

Gent. Ready, my Lord.

Lear. Come, boy.

Fool. She that's a maid now, and laughs at my de

parture,

Shall not be a maid long, unless things be cut fhorter.

ACT II.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I.

A Cafle belonging to the Earl of Glo'fter.

Enter Edmund and Curan, feverally.

EDMUND.

AVE thee, Curan.

SA

Cur. And you, Sir. I have been with your father, and given him notice that the Duke of Cornwall, and Regan his Dutchefs, will be here with him this night.

Edm. How comes that?

Cur. Nay, I know not; you have heard of the news abroad; I mean the whisper'd ones; for they are yet but ear-kisling * arguments.

Edm. Not I; pray you, what are they?

Cur. Have you heard of no likely wars toward 'twixt the Dukes of Cornwall and Albany?

Edm. Not a word.

Cur. You may do then in time. Fare you well, Sir. [Exit. Edm. The Duke be here to-night! The better! Best! This weaves itself perforce into my business;

Subjects of difcourfe; topicks.

My

My father hath fet guard to take
my brother,
And I have one thing of a* queazy question
Which I must act. Briefnefs, and fortune work!
Brother, a word. Defcend. Brother, I fay;

Enter Edgar.

My father watches; O Sir, fly this place,
Intelligence is giv'n where you are hid;

You've now the good advantage of the night-
Have you not spoken 'gainst the Duke of Cornwall?
He's coming hither, now i'th' night, i'th' haste,
And Regan with him; have you nothing faid
Upon his Party 'gainst the Duke of Albany?
Advise yourself.

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Edg. I'm fure on't, not a word.
Edm. I hear my father coming.

Pardon me.

In cunning, I muft draw my fword upon you
Draw, feem to defend yourself.

Now, quit you well

Yield-Come before my father-Light hoa, here! Fly, brother-Torches !-So farewel- [Ex. Edgar Some blood, drawn on me, would beget opinion

Wounds bis arm. Of my more fierce endeavour. I've feen drunkards Do more than this in fport. Father! father! Stop, ftop. No help?

To him, Enter Glo'fter, and fervants with torches. Glo. Now, Edmund, where's the villain?

Edm. Here food he in the dark, his sharp fword

out,

-queazy queftion] Something of a fufpicious, questionable and uncertain nature. This is, I think, the meaning.

1 bave you nothing faid Upon his party 'gainst the Duke of Albany?] The meaning

is, have you faid nothing upon the party formed by him against the Duke of Albany? HANMER. I cannot but think the line corrupted, and would read, Against his party, for the Duke of Albany?

Mumb

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