Of men's impoffibilities, have preferv'd thee.
Glou. I do remember now. Henceforth I'll bear
Affliction, 'till it do cry out itself,

Enough, enough, and die. That thing you fpeak of,
I took it for a man; often 'twould fay,
The fiend, the fiend-He led me to that place.
Edg. Bear free and patient thoughts.

SCENE

Enter Lear, mad.

But who comes here?.

VII.

The fafer fenfe will ne'er accommodate
His malter thus.

Lear. No, they cannot touch me for coining; I am the King himself.

Edg. O thou fide-piercing fight!

Lear. Nature's above art in that refpect. There's your prefs-money. That fellow handles his bow like a crow-keeper t. Draw me a clothier's yard. Look, look, a moufe! Peace, peace ;-this piece. of toasted cheese will do't.-There's my gauntlet, I'll prove it on a giant. Bring up the brown bills. O, well flown, bird! i' th' clout, i' th' clout: hewgh. Give the word ..

Edg. Sweet marjorain.

Lear. Pafs.

Glou. I know that voice..

Lear. Ha! Gonerill!-With a white beard ?They flattered me like a dog, and told me I had white hairs in my beard, ere the black ones were there. To fay ay, and no, to every thing that I faid-Ay and no too was no good divinity. When the rain came to wet me once, and the wind to make me chatter; when the thunder would not peace at my bidding; there I found 'em, there I

The fober fenfe. Warburton.

i. e. a feare-crow. Theobald.

Lear fuppofes himself in a garrifon, and before he lets Edgar pais, requires the watch-word. Jobnjon. -

fmelt 'em out.

Go to, they are not men o' their words; they told me I was every thing; 'tis a lie, I am not ague-proof.

Glou. The trick of that voice I do well remember:

Is't no: the King?

Lear. Ay, every inch a king.

When I do ftare, fee how the fubject quakes.
I pardon that man's life.

Adultery?

What was the caufe?

Thou shalt not die; die for adultery? No,
The wren goes to't, and the fmall gilded flie
Does lecher in my fight.

Let copulation thrive, for Glo'fter's bastard fon
Was kinder to his father, than my daughters.
Got 'tween the lawful fheets.

To't, luxury, pell mell; for I lack foldiers.
Behold yond fimpering dame,
Whofe face between her forks

prefages fnow

That minces virtue, and does thake the head

To hear of pleafure's name.

The fitchew t, nor the foyled horfe, goes to't

With a more riotous appetite.

Down from the waift they're centaurs,

Though women all above;

But to the girdle do the Gods inherit,

Beneath is all the fiend's; there's hell, there's darknefs,

There is the fulphurous pit, burning, fcalding, ftench, confumption. Fy, fy, fy; pali, pah; Give me an ounce of civet, good apothecary, To fweeren my imagination! there's money for thee.

* I believe that the forks were two prominences of the ruff rifing on each fide of the face. Johnson.

+ A polecat. Pope.

A horfe is faid to be foyled when he is turned out, after being long ftalled, for a few weeks in the Spring, to take the first flush of new grafs, which both cleanfes him, and fills him with blood. Revifal.

Glou. O, let me kiss that hand. Lear. Let me wipe it first, it finells of mortality.. Glou O ruin'd piece of nature! This great world. Shall fo wear out to nought. Doft thou know me

Lear. I remember thine eyes well enough: doft thou fquint at me? No, do thy worst, blind Cupid; 'I'll not love. Read thou this challenge, mark but the penning of it.

Glou Were all the letters funs, I could not fee

one.

Edg. I would not take this from report. It is, And my heart breaks at it.

Lear. Read.

Glou. What, with this cafe of eyes?

Lear. Oh, ho, are you there with me? no eyes in your head, nor no money in your purfe? your eyes are in a heavy cafe, your purfe in a light; yet you fee how this world goes?

Glou. I fee it feelingly.

Lear. What, art mad? a man may fee how this world goes, with no eyes. Look with thine ears: fee how yond juftice rails upon yond fimple thief. Hark in thine ear. Change places, and handydandy, which is the juftice, which is the thief? Thou haft seen a farmer's dog bark at a beggar? Glou. Ay, Sir.

Lear. And the creature run from the cur. There thou might'it behold the great image of authority a dog's obey'd in office

Thou rafcal beadle, hold thy bloody hand;

Why doft thou lafh that whore? ftrip thy own back; Thou hotly luft'ft to use her in that kind

For which thou whip'st her. Th' ufurer hangs the

Cozener.

Through tatter'd cloaths fmall vices do appear; Robes and furr'd gowns hide all. Plate fin with gold,

And the ftrong lance of justice hurtlefs breaks: Arm it in rags, a pigmy's ftraw doth pierce it. None does offend, none, 1 fay, none; I'll able 'em; Take that of me, my friend, who have the pow'r

To feal th' accufer's lips. Get thee glafs eyes,
And, like a fcurvy politician, feem

To fee the things thou doft not.

Now, now, now, now. Pull off my boots. Hare der, harder. So.

Edg. O matter and impertinency mix'd!

Reafon in madness!

Lear. If thou wilt weep my fortunes, take my

eyes.

;

I know thee well enough, thy name is Glo'fter. Thou must be patient; we came crying hither Thou know'ft the first time that we fmell the air,. We wawle and cry. I will preach to thee. MarkGlou. Alack, alack the day!

Lear. When we are born, we cry that we are

come

To this great ftage of fools.-This a good block!—
It were a delicate ftratagem to thoe

A troop of horfe with felt; I'll put't in proof;
And when I've ftol'n upon thefe fons-in-law,.
Then kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill.

Enter a Gentleman with Attendants.

Gent. O, here he is, lay hand upon

Your moft dear daughter

him.-Sir,

Lear. No refcue? What, a prifoner? I am even The natural fool of fortune. Ufe me well,

You fhall have rantom. Let me have furgeons,
I am cut to th' brains *.

Gent. You fhall have any thing.

Lear. No feconds? all myfelf?

Why, this would make a man a man of salt,
To ufe his eyes for garden water-pots,

And laying Autumn's duft. I will die bravely,
Like a finug bridegroom.

What? I will be jovial. Come, come, I am a king, my masters; know you that?

*He imagines himself taken captive, and mortally! wounded. Warton.

Gent. You are a royal one, and we obey you. Lear. Then there's life in't. Come, an you get it, you fhall get it by running. Sa, fa, fa, fa. [Exit. Gent. A fight moft pitiful in the meaneft wretch, Paft fpeaking of in a king. Thou haft one daughter, Who redeems nature from the general curfe Which twain have brought her to.

Edg. Hail, gentle Sır.

Gent. Sir, speed you. What's your will?

Edg. Do you hear aught, Sir, of a battle toward?

Gent. Moft fure, and vulgar; every one hears

that,

Which can diftinguish found.

Edg. But by your favour, How near's the other army?

Gent. Near, and on fpeedy foot.. The main: defcry *

Stands on the hourly thought.

Edg. I thank you, Sir. That's all..

Gent. Though, that the Queen on special caufa

is here,

Her army is mov'd on.

Edg. I thank you, Sir.

[Exit Gent.

Glou. You ever gentle Gods, take my breath

from me;

Let not my worfer fpirit tempt me again

To die before you please!

Edg. Well pray you, father.

Glou. Now, good Sir, what are you?

Edg. A moft poor man, made tame to fortune's blows,

Who, by the art of known and feeling forrows t Am pregnant to good pity. Give me your hand, I'll lead you to fome bidding.

Glou. Hearty thanks;

The main body is expected to be defcry'd every hour.. The expreffion is harth. Johnson.

te forrows paft and prefent, Warburton.