To hear of pleasure's name ; The fitchew, nor the foyled horfe 2, goes to 't Down from the waist they are centaurs, But to the girdle do the gods inherit,' [nef, Beneath is all the fiends'; there's hell, there's darkThere is the fulphurous pit, burning, fcalding, itench, confumption;-Fie, fie, fie! pah! pah! Give me an ounce of civet, good apothecary, To fweeten my imagination! there's money for thee. Glo. O, let me kils that hand! Through tatter'd cloaths fmall vices do appear; And the ftrong lance of juftice hurtlefs breaks: Edg. O, matter and impertinency mixt! Lear. Let me wipe it firft; it smells of mortality. Glo. O ruin'd piece of nature! This great world Lear. If thou wilt weep my fortunes, take my eyes. Shall fo wear out to nought.-Dost thou know me ? I know thee well enough; thy name is Glotter: Lear. I remember thine eyes well enough. Doft Thou must be patient; we came crying hither. thou fquiny at me? No, do thy worst, blind Cu-Thou know'ft, the first time that we fmeli the air, pid; I'll not love. Read thou this challenge; We wawle, and cry:—I will preach to thee; marit mark but the penning of it. Gla. Alack, alack the day! Glo. 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. Glo. What, with the cafe 3 of eyes? Lear. O, 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. Glo. I fee it feelingly. Lear. What, art mad? A man may see how this world goes, with no eyes. Look with thine ears fee how yon' juftice rails upon yon' fimple thief. Hark, in thine ear: Change places; and handy-dandy, which is the juftice, which is the thief?-Thou haft feen a farmer's dog bark at a beggar ? Glo. Ay, fir. Leay. And the creature run from the cur? There thou might'ft behold the great image of authority a dog's obey'd in office. Thou rafcal beadle, hold thy bloody hand : [me. Lear. When we are born, we cry, that we are [block 5To this great stage of fools This a good It were a delicate ftratagem, to shoe come --- A troop of horfe with felt: I'll put it in proof; Enter a Gentleman, with attendants. Lear. No refcue? What, a prifoner? I am even Gent. You fhall have any thing. Gent. Good fir, Lear. I will die bravely, like a bridegroom; what? I will be jovial; come, come, I am a king, Why doft thou lafh that whore? Strip thine own My masters, know you that ? A polecat. 2 Sayled horse is a term used for a horse that has been fed with hay and corn in the ftable during the winter, and is turned out in the fpring to take the first flush of grafs, or has it cut and carried in to him. This at once cleanfes the animal, and fills him with blood. 3 The cafe of eyes is the focket of either eye. 4 This is an old phrafe, fignifying to qualify, or uphold them. 5 Dr. Johnfon proposes to read, a good fock. "Flocks (he adds) are wool moulded together. It is very common for madmen to catch an accidental hunt, and strain it to the purpose predominant in their minds. Lear picks up a flock, and immediately thinks to furprize his enemies by a troop of horfe fhod with flocks or felt. Yet block may ftand, if we fuppofe that the fight of a block put him in mind of mounting his horfe."-Mr. Steevens thinks Dr. Johnfon's explanation is very ingenious; but believes there is no occafion to adopt it, as the speech itself, or at least the action that Thould accompany it, will furnish all the connection which he has fought from an extraneous circumftance. Upon the king's faying, I will preach to thee, the poet leems to have meant him to pull of his hat, and keep turning it and feeling it, in the attitude of one of the picachers of those times (whom Mr. Steevens has feen fo reprefented in ancient prints), till the idea of felt, which the good hat or block was made of, raifes the ftratagem in his brain of thocing a troop of horse with a fubitance foft as that which he held and moulded between his hands. This makes him start from is preachment.- Block anciently fignified the head part of the hat, or the thing on which a hat is formed, and fometimes the hat itself. 5 Mr Malone believes a man of falt is a man made up of Edg. Hail, gentle fir. Gent. Sir, fpeed you: What's your will? Edg. Do you hear aught, fir, of a battle toward Which can diftinguish found. Edg. But, by your favour, How near's the other army ? Stew. Slave, thou haft flain me :-Villain, take If ever thou wilt thrive, bury my body; Upon the English party :-0, untimely death, Glo. What, is he dead? Edg. Sit you down, father; rest you.— Gent. Near, and on fpeedy foot; the main defery Let's fee his pockets: thefe letters, that he speaks of, Stands on the hourly thought '. Edg. 1 thank you, fir: that's all. [here, Gent. Though that the queen on special caufe is May be my friends.-He's dead; I am only forry Reads the letter. "Let our reciprocal vows be remember'd. "You have many opportunities to cut him off: "if your will want not, time and place will be "fruitfully offered. There is nothing done, if he [blows;" return the conqueror: Then am I the prisoner, and his bed my gaol; from the loath'd warmth "whereof deliver me, and fupply the place for your labour. Glo. Now, good fir, what are you? Glo. Hearty thanks : The bounty and the benizon of heaven Enter Steward. Stew. A proclaim'd prize! Most happy! Glo. Now let thy friendly hand Put ftrength enough to it. Stew. Wherefore, bold peafant, [Edgar oppofes. Dar'ft thou fupport a publish'd traitor? Hence; Like hold on thee. Let go his arm. "Your (wife, fo I would fay) affectionate O undistinguish'd space of woman's will!- [Exit Edgar, removing the body. Glo. The king is mad: How stiff is my vile fenfe, That I ftand up, and have ingenious feeling 11 Edg. Chill not let go, zir, without vurther 'cafion. And woes, by wrong imaginations, lose 1 The main body is expelled to be defery'd every hour. 2 i. e. forrows paft and prefent. 4 Gang 3. i. e. quickly recollect the pait offences of thy life, and recommend thy felf to heaven. si. e. I warn you. Edgar counterfeits the your gate is a common expreffion in the North. 6 i. e. head. 7 i. e. club. western dialect. 8 To foyn is to make what we call a thrust 9 i. e. I'll cover. In Staffordshire, to rake the fire, is to cover it with fuel for the in fencing. night. 10 The duke of Albany, whofe death is machinated by practice or treafon. nious feeling fignifies a feeling from an understanding not disturbed or difordered, but which, repres jenting things as they are, makes the sense of pain the more exquisite. 11 Inge .To To match thy goodness? My life will be too fhort, Do feald like molten lead. Kent. To be acknowledg'd, madam, is o'erpay'd. Cor. Be better fuited 2: Thefe weeds are memories 3 of those worfer hours; Kent. Pardon me, dear madam; Yet to be known, fhortens my made intent 4: Cor. Then be it fo, my good lord. How does the king? Phyf. Madam, fleeps ftill. Cor. O you kind gods, [To the Physician. Cure this great breach in his abused nature! Phyf. So please your majesty, That we may wake the king? he hath flept long. ceed I' the fway of your own will. Is he array'd? Cor. Sir, do you know me? [die Lear. You are a fpirit, I know: When did you Phyf. He's fcarce awake; let him alone awhile. I am mightily abus'd 3⁄4.—I should even die with To fee another thus.-I know not what to fav.- I feel this pin prick. 'Would I were affur'd Cor. O, look upon me, fir, And hold your hands in benediction o'er me :- Lear. Pray do not mock me: I am a very foolish fond old man, Not an hour more, nor lefs: and, to deal plainly, Cor. Be govern'd by your knowledge, and pro-Methinks, I should know you, and know this man; Gent. Ay, madam; in the heaviness of his fleep, [fic there! Phyf. Please you, draw near-Louder the mu- Kent. Kind and dear princefs! [flakes Cor. Had you not been their father, these white Againft my fire; And waft thou fain, poor father, Cor. And fo I am, I am. I know, you do not love me; for your fifters Cor. No caufe, no caufe. Phy. Be comforted, good madam: the great Cor. Will't pleate your highness walk? Pray you now, forget and forgive: I am old and [Exeunt Lear, Cordelia, Phyfitian, and attendants. Had not concluded all.-He wakes; speak to him. That the duke of Cornwall was so flain? Cor. How does my royal lord? How fares your majefty? Lear. You do me wrong, to take me out o' the Kent. Moft certain, fir. Gent. Who is conductor of his people? Kent. As it is faid, the baftard fon of Glofter. His banifh'd fon, is with the earl of Kent 1 i. e. All good which I fhall allot thee, or measure out to thee, will be feanty. dreft, put on a better fuit of cloaths. 3 i. e. memorials, remembranceis. 2 i. e. Be better 4 An intent mudt, is an intent formed. So we fay in common language, to make a defign, and to make a refolution. si. e. changed to a child by his years and wrongs. Refloration is recovery perfonified. 7 The allufion, Dr. Warburton fays, is to the forlorn-hope in an army, which are put upon desperate adventures, and called, in French, enfans perdus; the therefore calls her father, poor perdu. 8 Jam ftrangely impofed on by appearances; I ain in a ftrange mift of uncertainty. 9 i. c. to reconcile it to his apprehenfion. Kent. Reg. Now, fweet lord, You know the goodness I intend upon you: but truly,-but then fpeak the truth, Do you not love my fister? Edm. In honour'd love. Alb. Let us then determine With the ancient of war on our proceedings. [us. Reg. 'Tis moft convenient; pray you, go with go. As they are going out, enter Edgar difguiled. Edg. If e'er your grace had speech with man fo poor, Hear me one word. Alb. I'll overtake you. -Speak. [Exeunt Edm. Reg. Gon. and Attendants. Edg. Before you fight the battle, ope this letter. If you have victory, let the trumpet found [way For him that brought it: wretched though I feem, Reg. But have you never found my brother's I can produce a champion, that will prove To the fore-fended 2 place? Edm. That thought abuses you. [junct Reg. I am doubtful that you have been conAnd bofom'd with her, as far as we call hers. Edm. No, by mine honour, madam. What is avouched there: If you mifcarry, Reg. I never fhall endure her: Dear my lord, When time fhall ferve, let but the herald cry, Be not familiar with her. And I'll appear again. [Exit. Alb. Why, fare thee well; I will o'erlook Not holds the king +; with others, whom, I fear, Each jealous of the other, as the ftung Mott just and heavy caufes make oppofe. Reg. Why is this reafon'd Gon. Combine together 'gainst the enemy: Are of the adder. Which of them fhall I take? Her husband being alive. Now then, we'll ufe His fettled refolution. 2 Fore-fended means prohibited, forbidden. 3 The meaning of this fpeech is, The king and others whom we have oppofed are come to Cordelia. I could never be valiant but in a juft quarrel. We muft diftinguifh; it is juft in one fenfe and unjust in another. As France invades our land, I am concerned to repel him; but as he holds, entertains, and fupports the king, and others whom I fear many juft and heavy caufes make, or compel, as it were, to oppose us, I elteem it unjuft to engage against them. 4 This bufinefs (fays Albany) touches us as France invades si. e. bring our land, not as it bolds the king, &c. i. e. emboldens him to affert his former title. my purpose to a fuccesful fue, to completion. Side feems here to have the fenfe of the French word partie, in prendre partie, to take his refolution. ૦ ૧ ૧ Hi, . His countenance for the battle; which being done, II. Edm. Take them away. Lear. Upon fuch facrifices, my Cordelia, The gods themselves throw incenfe. Have I caught thee? He, that parts us, fhall bring a brand from heaven, And fire us hence, like foxes 4. Wipe thine eyes; [Exit. The goujeer, 5 fhall devour them, flefh, and fell ®, Ere they fhall make us weep: we'll fee them ftarve first. A Field between the two Camps. excunt. Enter Edgar, and Glofter. Edg. Here, father, take the shadow of this tree Glo. Grace go with you, fir! [Exit Edgar. [Alarum, and retreat within. Re-enter Edgar. Edg. Away, old man, give me thy hand, away; King Lear hath loft, he and his daughter ta'en: Give me thy hand, come on. . No further, fir; a man may rot even here. Edg. What, in ill thoughts again? Men muft SCENE 111. Cor. We are not the first, ; Who, with best meaning, have incurr'd the worst. We two alone will fing like birds i' the cage: | Come. [Exeunt Lear, and Cordelia, guarded. Capt. I'll do't, my lord. Edm. About it; and write happy, when theu Mark,-1 fay, inftantly; and carry it fo, Capt. I cannot draw a cart, nor eat dry'd oats; ftrain, And fortune led you well: You have the captives Edm. Sir, I thought it fit To fend the old and miferable king queen; My reafon all the fame; and they are ready And the beft quarrels, in the heat, are curs'd Tak of court news; and we'll talk with them too,--The queftion of Cordelia, and her father, As if we were God's fpies: And we'll wear out, Requires a fitter place. Alb. Sir, by your patience, I hold you but a subject of this war, Reg. That's as we lift to grace him. Dr. Johnfon thinks that for does not ftand in this place as a word of inference or caufality. The meaning is rather: Such is my determination concerning Lear; as for my ftate it requires now, not deliberation, but defence and fupport. 21. e. To be ready, frepared, is all. 3 Packs is used for combinations or collection, as is a pack of cards. For felts, fets might be more commodiously read. Thus we fay, affairs are now managed by a new fet, 4 It is ufualto fuckt foxes out of their holes. 5i. e. Morbus Gallicus. Gouge, Fr fignifies one of the common women attending a camp; and as that disease was firft difperfed over Emope by the French army, and the women who followed it, the first name it obtained among us was the gougeries, i. e. the difcale of the • Flesh and fkin. 7 The meaning is, that the im portant bulinels he now had in hand, did not admit of debate: he must inftantly refolve to do it, or i. c. turn the launcemen which are profs'd into our fervice, against us. DOL. Methinks, |