Lear. 1'll talk a word with this same learned the

ban.

What is your study?

Edg. How to prevent the fiend, and to kill vermin. Lear. Let me ask you a word in private.

Kent. His wits are quite unsettled; good sir, let's force him hence.

Glost. Can'st blame him? his daughters seek his death.

This bedlam but disturbs him the more; fellow be

gone.

Edg. Child Rowland to the dark tower came, His word was still fie, foh, and fum,

I smell the blood of a british man.-o, torture!

[exit Edgar into the hovel Glost. Now, I pr'ythee, friend, let's take him in our

arms;

There is a litter ready; lay him in't,

And drive towards Dover, friend, where thou shalt meet

But welcome and protection.

Good, sir, along with us.

Lear. You say right; let 'em anatomize Regan, seé what breeds about her heart. Is there any cause in nature for these hard hearts?

Kent. I beseech your grace,

Lear. Hist!-make no noise, make no noise draw the curtains; closer, closer :-so, so, so,-we'll go to supper i' the morning-so, so, so.

[king Lear falls asleep, and is carried off by Glos ter and Kent-thunder and lightning.

enter CORDELIA and ARANTHE.

Aran. Dear madam, rest you here, our search is vain;

Look here's a shed; 'beseech you, enter here.
Cord. Pr'ythee, go in thyself, seek thy own ease
Where the mind's free, the body's delicate;
This tempest diverts me from the thought
Of what would hurt me more.

enter two RUFFIANS.

1 Ruff. We've dogg'd them far enough; this place 1 is private; I'll keep them prisoners here within this hovel, whilst you return and bring lord Edmund hither: but help me first to house them.-Now, despatch. (they seize Cordelia and Aranthe)

Cord. Help!-murder!-help-Gods, some kind

thunderbolt

To strike me dead!

Aran. Help! help!

enter EDGAR, from the hovel.

Edg. What cry was that ?-ha! women seized by ruffians!

Is this a time and place for villany ?

Avaunt, ye bloodhounds!

(drives them off with his quarter staff)

O, speak, what are ye, that appear to be

O' th' tender sex, and yet ungarded wander

Through the dead mazes of this dreadful night,

Where, though at full, the clouded moon scarce darts Imperfect glimmerings ?

Cord. First, say, what art thou?

Our guardian angel, that were pleased to assume
That horrid shape to fright the ravishers?
We'll kneel to thee.

Edg. O, my tumultuous blood!

By all my trembling veins, Cordelia's voice!

Tis she herself!-my senses, sure, conform

To my wild garb, and I am mad indeed.

Cord. Whate'er thou art, befriend a wretched virgin,

And, if thou canst, direct our weary search.

Edg. Who relieves poor Tom, that sleeps on the nettle, with the hedgehog for his pillow?

Whilst Smug ply'd the bellows,
She truck'd with her fellows;
The freckle-faced Mab

Was a blouse and a drab,

Yet Swithin made Oberon jealous.—o, torture! Aran. Alack, madam! a poor wandering lunatic. Cord. And yet his language seem'd but now, well temper'd.

Speak, friend, to one more wretched than thyself;
And if thou hast one interval of sense,

Inform us, if thou canst, where we may find

A poor old man, who through this heath hath stray'd
The tedious night. Speak, saw'st thou such a one ?
Edg. The king her father, whom she's come to seek
Through all the terrors of this night: o gods!
That such amazing piety, such tenderness,
Should yet to me be cruel!

Yes, fair one, such a one was lately here,
And is convey'd by some that came to seek him
To a neighboring cottage; but distinctly where
I know not.

Cord. Blessings on them!

Let's find him out, Aranthe; for thou seest
We are in heaven's protection. (going off)
Edg. O, Cordelia !

Cord, Ha! -thou know'st my name.
Edg. As you did once know Edgar's.

Cord. Edgar!

Edg. The poor remains of Edgar, what Your scorn has left him.

Cord. Do we wake. Aranthe ?

Edg. My father seeks my life: which I preserved, In hope of some blest minute to oblige

Distrest Cordelia, and the gods have given it;
That thought alone prevail'd with me to take
This frantic dress, to make the earth my bed,
With these bare limbs all change of season 'bide,
Noon's scorching heat, and midnight's piercing cold,
To feed on offals, and to drink with herds,
To combat with the winds, and be the sport
Of clowns, or what's more wretched yet, their pity.
Cord. Was ever tale so full of misery!

Edg. But such a fall as this, I grant, was due To my aspiring love; for twas presumptuous, Though not presumptuously pursued ;

For, well you know, I wore my flame conceal'd,

And silent, as the lamps that burn in tombs ;

Till you perceived my grief, with modest grace

Drew forth the secret, and then seal'd my pardon. Cord. You had your pardon, nor can you challenge

more.

Edg. What do I challenge more?

Such vanity agrees not with these rags :

When in my prosp'rous state, rich Gloster's heir,
You silenced my pretences, and enjoin'd me
To trouble you upon that theme no more;
Then what reception must love's language find
From these bare limbs, and beggar's humble weeds?
Cord. Such as a voice of pardon to a wretch com
demn'd;

Such as the shouts

Of succoring forces to a town besieged.

Edg Ah! what new method now of cruelty? Cord. Come to my arms, thou dearest, best of men, ¦ And take the kindest vows, that e'er were spoke By a protesting maid.

Edg. Is't possible?

Cord. By the dear vital stream, that bathes my
heart,

These hallow'd rags of thine, and naked virtue,
These abject tassels, these fantastic shreds,
To me are dearer than the richest pomp
Of purpled monarchs.

Edg. Generous, charming maid!

The gods alone, that made, can rate thy worth!
This most amazing excellence shall be

Fame's triumph in succeeding ages, when
Thy bright example shall adorn the scene,
And teach the world perfection.

Cord. Cold and weary,

We'll rest awhile, Aranthe, on that straw,
Then forward to find out the poor old king,

Edg. Look, I have flint and steel, the implements, Of wand'ring lunatics; I'll strike a light,

And make a fire beneath this shed, to dry

Thy storm-drench'd garments, ere thou liest to rest thee:

Then, fierce and wakeful as th' hesperian dragon,
I'll watch beside thee to protect thy sleep:

Meanwhile the stars shall dart their kindest beams,
And angels visit my Cordelia's dreams.

END OF THE THIRD ACT.

[exeunt

ACT IV.

SCENE I-an apartment in the earl of Gloster's castle. enter the duke of CORNWALL, REGAN, EDMUND, EDWARD and servants.

Corn. I will have my revenge ere I depart his house.

Regan, see here, a plot upon our state;
Tis Gloster's character, that has betray'd
His double trust, of subject and of host.

Reg. Then double be our vengeance; this confirms Th' intelligence that we but now received,

That he has been this night to seek the king.

But who, sir, was the kind discoverer?

Corn. Our eagle, quick to spy, and fierce to seize, Our trusty Edmund.

Reg. Twas a noble service:

O Cornwall, take him to thy trust,

And wear him as a jewel at thy heart.

Edm. Think, sir, how hard a fortune I sustain,

That makes me thus repent of serving you.

O, that this treason had not been, or 1

Not the discoverer!

Corn. Edmund, thou shalt find

A father in our love, and from this minute
We call thee earl of Gloster; but there yet
Remains another justice to be done,