kindly; for though fhe's as like this as a crab's like an apple, yet I can tell what I can tell.

Lear. What can't tell, boy?

Fool. She will tafte as like this, as a crab does to a crab. Can't thou tell, why one's nofe stands i' th' middle of one's face?

Lear. No.

Fool. Why, to keep one's eyes of either fide one's nofe, that what a man cannot fmell out, he may spy into.

8

Lear. I did her wrong

Fool. Can't tell how an oyfter makes his shell?
Lear. No.

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

Lear. Why?

Fool. Why, to put's head in, not to give it away to his daughters, and leave his horns without a cafe. Lear. I will forget my nature.-So kind a father!Be my horfes ready?

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

Lear. Because they are not eight.

Fool. Yes, indeed. Thou wouldst make a good fool. Lear. To tak't again perforce !-Monfter ingratitude!

Fool. If you were my fool, nuncle, I'd have thee beaten for being old before thy time.

Lear. How's that?

Fool. Thou shouldft not have been old, 'till thou hadft been wife.

Lear. O, let me not be mad, not mad. Sweet heav'n, Keep me in temper; I would not be mad.

8 I did her wrong.] He is mufing on Cordelia.

9 To tak't again perforce!] He

is meditating on the refumption of his royalty.

7

Enter

Enter Gentleman.

How now, are the horfes ready?

Gent. Ready, my Lord.

Lear. Come, boy.

Fool. She that's a maid now, and laughs at my de

parture,

Shall not be a maid long, unless things be cut shorter.

[Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE Í.

A Caftle belonging to the Earl of Glo'fter.

Enter Edmund and Curan, feverally.

EDMUND.

AVE thee, Curan.

SA

Cur. And you, Sir. I have been with your father, and given him notice that the Duke of Cornwall, and Regan his Dutchefs, will be here with him this night.

Edm. How comes that!

Cur. Nay, I know not; you have heard of the news abroad; I mean the whisper'd ones; for they are yet but ear-kiffing arguments.

*

Edm. Not I; pray you, what are they?

Cur. Have you heard of no likely wars toward twixt the Dukes of Cornwall and Albany?

Edm. Not a word.

Cur. You may do then in time. Fare you well, Sir.

Edm. The Duke be here to-night! The better! best! This weaves itself perforce into my bufinefs;

Subjects of difcourfe; topicks.

My

*

My father hath fet guard to take my brother,
And I have one thing of a queazy question
Which I must act. Briefnefs, and fortune work!
Brother, a word.

Defcend.

Brother, I fay ;-

Enter Edgar.

My father watches; O Sir, fly this place,
Intelligence is giv'n where you are hid;

You've now the good advantage of the night-
Have you not spoken 'gainst the Duke of Cornwall?
He's coming hither, now i'th' night, i'th' hafte,
And Regan with him; have you nothing faid
Upon his party 'gainst the Duke of Albany?
Advise yourself.

Edg. I'm fure on't, not a word.
Edm. I hear my father coming.

Pardon me.

In cunning, I must draw my fword upon you--
Draw, feem to defend yourself.

Now, quit you well——

Yield-Come before my father-Light hoa, here! Fly, brother Torches !-So farewel

[Ex. Edgar. Some blood, drawn on me, would beget opinion

[Wounds his arm. Of my more fierce endeavour. I've feen drunkards. Do more than this in fport. Father! father! Stop, ftop. No help?

To him, Enter Glo'fter, and fervants with torches. Glo. Now, Edmund, where's the villain?

Edm. Here ftood he in the dark, his fharp fword out,

-queazy question] Something of a fufpicious, questionable This is, I

and uncertain nature. think, the meaning.

-bave you nothing faid Upon his party 'gainst the Duke of Albany?] The meaning.

is, have you faid nothing upon the party formed by him against the Duke of Albany? HANMER. I cannot but think the line corrupted, and would read, Against his party, for the Duke of Albany?

Mumb

2

* Mumbling of wicked Charms, conj'ring the moon: To ftand's aufpicious miftrefs.

Glo. But where is he?

Edm. Look, Sir, I bleed.

Glo. Where is the villain, Edmund ?

Edm. Fled this way, Sir, when by no means he could-

Glo. Purfue him, ho. Go after.-By no means, what?

Edm. Perfuade me to the murther of your lordship;
But that I told him, the revenging Gods

'Gainft Parricides did all 3 their thunder bend,
Spoke with how manifold and ftrong a bond
The child was bound to th' father. Sir, in fine,
Seeing how lothly oppofite I ftood

To his unnat'ral purpofe in fell motion
With his prepared fword he charges home
My unprovided body, lanc'd my arm;

And when he faw my beft alarmed fpirits,
Bold in the quarrel's right, rous'd to th' encounter,
Or whether gafted by the noife I made,

4

Full fuddenly he fled.

Glo. Let him fly far;

5 Not in this land fhall he remain uncaught; And found.-Defpatch. The noble Duke my mafter; My worthy arch and patron, comes to-night;

ble Duke, &c.] This nonfenfe fhould be read and pointed thus,

Not in this land shall be remain
uncaught;

And found, difpatch'd.-
WARBURTON.

I do not fee how this change mends the fenfe: I think it may -be better regulated as in the page above. The fenfe is interrupted. He fhall be caught--and found be fhall be punished. Defpatch.

By

By his authority I will proclaim it.

That he, who finds him, fhall deferve our thanks,
Bringing the 'murtherous coward to the stake;
He that conceals him, death.

Edm. When I diffwaded him from his intent,
And found him pight to do it, with curft speech
I threaten'd to difcover him. He replied,
Thou unpoffeffing Baftard! do'st thou think,
If I would ftand against thee, would the repofal
Of any truft, virtue, or worth in thee

Make thy words faith'd? no; when I should deny,
As this I would, although thou didst produce
My very character, I'd turn it all

To thy fuggeftion, plot, and damned practice;
And thou must make a dullard of the world,
If they not thought the profits of my
death
Were very pregnant and potential fpurs
To make thee feek it

[Trumpets within.

Glo. Oftrange, faften'd villain!
Would he deny his letter?-I never got him.--
Hark, the Duke's trumpets! I know not why he

comes.

-All Ports I'll bar; the villain fhall not 'fcape;
The Duke muft grant me that; befides, his picture
I will fend far and near, that all the Kingdom
May have due note of him. And of my land,
Loyal and natural Boy, I'll work the means
To make thee capable.