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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.

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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.

[Singing.

Lear. When were you wont to be so full of songs, sirrah?

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,

Then they for sudden joy did weep,

And I for sorrow sung,

That such a king should play bo-peep,2
And go the fools among.

[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?3 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, I will hold my tongue!

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1. There never was a time when fools were less in favour; and the reason is, they never were so little wanted, for wise men now supply their place. 2. Bo-peep means child's play: The looking out from behind some object, and drawing back as if frightened, crying at the same time, bo-peep, to amuse little children.

3. A frontlet was a forehead-cloth, used formerly by ladies at night, to render that part smooth. Lear, probably, means to say that Goneril's brow was as completely covered by a frown as it would be by a frontlet. To make was formerly often used where we should now use the verb, to do.

so your face [To GON.] bids me, though you say nothing. Mum, mum:

He that keeps nor crust nor crum,

Weary of all, shall want some.

That's a shealed peascod.1

Goneril. Not only, Sir, this your all-licens'd fool, But other of your insolent retinue

Do hourly carp and quarrel; breaking forth

In rank and not-to-be-endured riots. Sir,

I had thought, by making this well known unto you,
To have found a safe redress, but now grow fearful,
By what yourself too late have spoke and done,
That you protect this course, and put it on,
By your allowance;2 which if you should, the fault
Would not 'scape censure, nor the redresses sleep,
Which, in the tender of a wholesome weal,3
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 had its head bit off by its young.

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

Gon. I would, you would make use of your good

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

wisdom,

Fool. May not an ass know when the cart draws the

Whoop, Jug! I love thee.

-

horse?

Lear. Does any here know me? This is not Lear:

1. i. e. a mere husk, which contains in order to restore a wholesome state nothing. The outside of a king remains, of things. but all the intrinsic parts of royalty are gone: he has nothing to give. To sheal, or shale, is to shell.

2. And encourage it by your approbation.

3. Which, if applied, as is necessary

4. This line is nothing but a fag end of an old song, added by the fool to keep up his character for uttering nonsense, and at the same time to take off the sharp edge of his former speech.

Does Lear walk thus? speak thus? Where are his eyes? Either his notion weakens, his discernings

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Are lethargied. Ha! waking? 't is not so. -
Who is it that can tell me who I am?

Fool. Lear's shadow?

Lear. I would learn that; for, by the marks of sov

Knowledge, and reason,

I should be false persuaded I had daughters. 1

ereignty,

Fool. Which they will make an obedient father.
Lear. Your name, fair gentlewoman?

Goneril. This admiration, Sir, 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, 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,
Show's 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 disquantity5 your train;

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

Lear.

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Darkness and devils!

Saddle my horses; call my train together.
Degenerate bastard! I'll not trouble thee:
Yet have I left a daughter.

3

Gon. You strike my people; and your disorder'd rabble Make servants of their betters.

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Enter ALBANY.

Lear. Woe, that too late repents,

O, Sir! [To ALB.]

are you come?

Is it your will? Speak, Sir. — Prepare my horses.
Ingratitude, thou marble-hearted fiend,

More hideous, when thou show'st thee in a child,
Than the sea-monster! 1

Albany.

Pray, Sir, be patient.

[To GONERIL.

Lear. Detested kite! thou liest:

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.2 - O, most small fault!
How ugly didst thou in Cordelia show,

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Which, like an engine,3 wrench'd my frame of nature
From the fix'd place, drew from my heart all love,
And added to the gall. 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!5
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,

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1. Mr. Upton observes, that the seamonster is the hippopotamus, the hieroglyphical symbol of impiety and ingratitude.

2. And in every respect maintain most exactly the dignity of him whom they serve.

3. By an engine is meant the instrument of torture called the rack.

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4. Derogate, degraded, blasted. 5. And be a mischievous, unnatural torment to her. Disnatured is not in

use.

6. Cadent tears, falling tears. 7. Turn all her maternal cares and good offices.

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.

Albany. Now, gods that we adore, whereof comes this?
Goneril. 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! [To GONERIL.]
I am ashamed,

That thou hast power to shake my manhood thus:
That these hot tears, which break from me perforce,
Should make thee worth them. Blasts and fogs upon thee!
Th' untented woundings1 of a father's curse
Pierce every sense about thee!
Old fond 2 eyes,
Beweep this cause again, I'll pluck you out,
And cast you, with the waters that you lose,3
To temper clay. - Ha!

Let it be so: I have another 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.

[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. - What, Oswald, ho! You, Sir, more knave than fool, after your master.

[To the Fool. Fool. Nuncle Lear, nuncle Lear! tarry, and take the fool with thee.

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