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Fool. Lear's shadow,

Lear. I would learn that; for by the marks of sovereignty, knowledge, and reason, I should be false persuaded I had daughters.

Fool. Which they will make an obedient father.

Lear. Your name, fair gentlewoman?
Gon. Come, sir;

This admiration is much o'the favour

Of other your new pranks. I do beseech you To understand my purposes aright:

As you are old and reverend, you should be wise:

Here do you keep a hundred knights and squires;
Men so disorder'd, so debauch'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,
A little to disquantity your train:

And the remainder, that shall still depend
To be such men as may besort your age,
And know themselves and you.

Lear.

Darkness and devils!

Saddle my horses; call my train together.-
Degenerate bastard! I'll not trouble thee;

Yet have I left a daughter.

Gon. You strike my people;

der'd rabble

Make servants of their betters.

Enter ALBANY.

and

your disor

Lear. Woe, that too late repents,-O, sir, are

you come?

Is it your will? [To ALB.] Speak, sir.-Prepare my horses.

Ingratitude! thou marble-hearted fiend,

More hideous, when thou show'st thee in a child, Than the sea-monster!

Alb.

'Pray, sir, be patient. Lear. Detested kite! thou liest: [To GON. My train are men of choice and rarest parts, That all particulars of duty know:

And in the most exact regard support

The worships of their name.-O most small fault,

How ugly didst thou in Cordelia show!

Which, like an engine, wrench'd my frame of

nature

From the fix'd place: drew from my heart all
love,
And added to the gall. O Lear, Lear, Lear!
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:
Turn all her mother's pains, and benefits,
To laughter and contempt; that she may feel
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is
To have a thankless child!-Away, away !
[Exit.
Alh. Now, gods, that we adore, whereof comes

this?

Gon. Never afflict yourself to know the cause; But let his disposition have that scope

That dotage gives it.

Re-enter LEAR.

Lear. What, fifty of my followers, at a clap! Within a fortnight?

Alb.
What's the matter, sir?
Lear. I'll tell thee;-Life and death! I am

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That these hot tears, which break from me perforce,

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 you out;
And cast you, with the waters that you lose,
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 Attend.
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.-What, Oswald, ho! You, sir, more knave than fool, after your mas[To the Fool. Fool. Nuncle Lear, nuncle Lear, tarry, and take the fool with thee.

ter.

A fox when one has caught her,
And such a daughter,

Should sure to the slaughter,
If my cap would buy a halter;
So the fool follows after.

Exit.

Gon. This man hath had good counsel:-A hundred knights!

'Tis politick, and safe, to let him keep At point, a hundred knights. Yes, that on every dream,

Each buz, each fancy, each complaint, dislike, He may enguard his dotage with their powers, And hold our lives in mercy. Oswald, I say!Alb. Well, you may fear too far.

Gon. Safer than trust: Let me still take away the harms I fear, Not fear still to be taken. I know his heart: What he hath utter'd, I have writ my sister; If she sustain him and his hundred knights, When I have show'd the' unfitness,-How now, Oswald?

Enter Steward.

What, have you writ that letter to my sister? Stew. Ay, madam.

Gon. Take you some company, and away to

horse:

Inform her full of my particular fear;

And thereto add such reasons of your own,
As may compact it more. Get you gone;
And hasten your return. [Exit Stew.] No, no,
my lord,

This milky gentleness, and course of yours,
Though I condemn it not, yet, under pardon,
You are much more attask'd 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; the event.

SCENE V. Court before the same.

Enter LEAR, KENT, and Fool.

[Exeunt.

Lear. Go you before to Gloster with these letters: 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 shall be there before you.

Kent. I will not sleep, my lord, till I have delivered your letter.

[Exit. Fool. If a man's brains were in his heels, were't not in danger of kibes?

Lear. Ay, boy.

Fool. Then, I pr'ythee, be merry; thy wit shall not go slip-shod.

Lear. Ha, ha, ha!

Fool. Shalt see, thy other daughter will use thee kindly; for though she's as like this as a crab is like an apple, yet I can tell what I can tell.

Lear. Why, what canst thou tell, my boy?

Fool. She will taste as like this, as a crab does to a crab. Thou canst tell, why one's nose stands i' the middle of his face?

Lear. No.

Fool. Why, to keep his eyes on either side his

nose; that what a man cannot smell out, he may spy into.

Lear. I did her wrong:

Fool. Can'st tell how an oyster makes his shell? Lear. No.

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

Lear. Why?

Fool. Why, to put his head in; not to give it away to his daughters, and leave his horns without a case.

Lear. I will forget my nature. So kind a father!-Be my horses ready?

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

Lear. Because they are not eight?

Fool. Yes, indeed: Thou wouldest make a good fool.

Lear. To take it again perforce !-Monster, ingratitude!

Fool. If thou wert my fool, nuncle, I'd have thee beaten for being old before thy time. Lear. How's that?

Fool. Thou should'st not have been old, before thou hadst been wise.

Lear. O let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heaven!

Keep me in temper; I would not be mad!

Enter Gentleman.

How now! Are the horses ready?

Gent. Ready, my lord.

Lear. Come, boy.

Fool. She that is maid now, and laughs at my departure,

Shall not be a maid long, unless things be cut

shorter.

[Exeunt.

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