is used for pickling. The gathering of samphire was a regular trade in Shakespeare's time, and Dover Cliff appears to have been particularly famous for the herb. Cf. Drayton's Polyolbion, the Eighteenth Song (Spenser Society Publications, 1889, p. 300): “ Rob Dovers neighboring cleeues of sampyre, to excite His dull and sickly taste, and stirre vp appetite.” 19. cock, i.e. cock-boat.' 39. My snuff, the useless remnant of my life. The metaphor is taken from the smoking wick of a candle. 42–43. The illusion of death may actually cause death. For conceit, see Glossary. 46. Edgar here assumes a different character, and pre that he has come upon Gloucester at the bottom of the cliff. 47. pass, i.e. pass away. Cf. v. 3. 313. 53. at each, one on the top of the other. 57. bourn, boundary, i.e. to the sea. 68. a-height, i.e. on high, aloft. shrill-gorged, shrill-throated. 71. whelkd, rugged as with whelks. 72. father, a term of address to an old man, though used by Edgar to insinuate his relationship. See v. 3. 192. 73. clearest, most puré, as frequently in Shakespeare. Cf. The Tempest, iii. 3. 82," a clear life.” 81. The safer sense, i.e. sanity; safer = sounder, saner. 87-93. Lear's thought wanders from collecting recruits (“ press-money ”) to archery, then to mouse-catching, then to battle, then back again to archery and hawking, and then to sentry duty. 88. crow-keeper, one who keeps crows off fields. The comparison to a crow-keeper appears to have been common in describing an awkward archer; cf. Ascham, Toxophilus (ed. Arber, p. 145), “ An other coureth downe, and layeth out his buttockes, as though he shoulde shoote at crowes. 88–89. clothier's yard, a “cloth-yard shaft,” a common for an arrow of the long-bow. Cf. the ballad of Chevy Chase: name “ An arrow that a cloth-yarde was lang To the harde stele halyde he.” Cf. also The Lay of the Last Minstrel, iv. 15. 92. brown bills, halberds painted brown, used by footsoldiers. clout, the mark shot at in archery. Cf. Love's Labour's Lost, iv. 1. 136, “ Indeed, a' must shoot nearer, or he'll never hit the clout." 98–99. had white hairs, etc., had the wisdom of age while yet a boy. 108. trick, characteristic, peculiarity. 111. What was thy cause? What were you accused of ? 137. piece, equivalent to “masterpiece." Cf. The Tempest, i. 2. 56, “ Thy mother was a piece of virtue”; and Antony and Cleopatra, v. 2. 99, to imagine An Antony, were nature's piece 'gainst fancy." 140. squiny, squint, make eyes at. Lear does not yet recognize that Gloucester is blind. He is incapable in his madness of sympathizing with, or even appreciating, Gloucester's fate. 148. are you there with me? is that what you mean? 167-158. handy-dandy. A children's game in which the onlookers are asked to say in which hand an object, that has frequently been changed from one hand to the other, finally remains; hence equivalent here to “ choose which you will." 169-174. Plate sin . . . lips. Omitted in the Qq. 172. able, warrant, vouch for. 187. The " reason in Lear's madness is but fitful. He has no sooner begun to moralize to Gloucester on the folly of this world than his thoughts again wander. this', this is. block, probably the shape of a hat; hence the succeeding thought, the hat being of felt. 199. a man of salt, i.e. a man of tears. Cf. Hamlet, i. 2. 154," the salt of most unrighteous tears ”; and Coriolanus, v. 6. 93, “ for certain drops of salt." 212. speed you, i.e. God speed you. 214. vulgar, commonly known. 217. the main descry, etc., the appearance of the main body is hourly expected. 226. art, acquired faculty, experience. feeling, heartfelt; a quasi-passive sense. 230. To boot, and boot. By the repetition Gloucester wishes to convey both meanings of' to boot,' in addition (to my thanks) and (the bounty of heaven) be your help” (Herford). 231. framed, formed. 240. Edgar adopts the Somersetshire dialect. It is commonly put into the mouths of rustics in the Elizabethan drama. Chill is a contraction of “ ich will," chud of “ ich would ”; while the v in vurther, volk, etc. represents the southwestern pronunciation of f. Che vor ye stands for “ I warn you," and ise for “ I shall.” 247. costard, a humorous term for the head, literally a large kind of apple. Cf. the modern“ nut.” ballow, cudgel; a dialectal word. 251. foins, thrusts in fencing. 256. British. So the Qq. The Ff read “ English.” Cf. iii. 4. 189. 264. Leave, by your leave. A similar expression occurs in Cymbeline, iii. 2. 35, “ Good wax, thy leave," and in Twelfth Night, ii. 5. 103, “ By your leave, wax.” 275. servant, a regular term for a lover. 278. undistinguish'd space, undefinable scope. See note on i. 1. 262. will, desire. 284. death-practised, whose death was plotted. See note on i. 2. 198. 286. ingenious, sensitive, lively. SCENE 7 This is another of the great scenes of the play. In point of bearing on the action of the drama, it is less important than i. 4 or ii. 4, the scenes with which it ranks in dramatic power. But the play contains no more affecting picture than that of Cordelia's care for Lear, his restoration to reason in her presence, and his recognition of her. 6. suited, clothed. 9. Yet to be known shortens to be known as yet would impair the plan I have made. 17. child-changed, changed by the conduct of his children. 24. temperance, calmness. 38. Against, at, before, over against; as commonly in E. E. 42. all, altogether; used adverbially. Cf. i. 1. 102. 47. that, so that. 53. abused, deceived. Cf. l. 77 and iv. 1. 24. 66. mainly, perfectly. See Glossary. 67. nor not, one of the commonest forms in E. E, of the double negative. Cf. v. 3. 290. 70.“ The ' so I am’of Cordelia gushes from her heart like a torrent of tears, relieving it of a weight of love and of supposed ingratitude which had pressed upon it for years (Hazlitt). 80. even o'er, account for, fill in fully, remember clearly. The metaphor is apparently from the language of accountants. Craig compares Macbeth, v. 8. 60-62: “ We shall not spend a large expense of time Before we reckon with your several loves, And make us even with you." 85-97. Holds it true . . . fought. Omitted in the Ff, like the concluding lines of ïïi. 7. 91. It will be remembered that Kent had declared his intention to “shape his old course in a country new” (i. 1. 190). 96. period, end aimed at. Cf. Henry VIII, i. 2. 209, There's his period, ACT V - SCENE 1 This scene is a preparation for the catastrophe. It shows how the evildoers are hastening to their destruction. Whatever Albany's sympathy for Lear, he has to oppose the French invasion; but his life is plotted against by Edmund, whose patriotism is subordinate to his ambition to assume the supreme power; and Goneril and Regan are now so bitterly divided by jealousy of Edmund that the issue of the battle is to them of secondary interest. 4. constant pleasure, fixed, final resolve. Cf. i. 1. 44. 13. bosom'd, in her confidence. Cf. iv. 5. 26. as far as we call hers, as far as anything is hers; to the utmost. 16. Fear, doubt. Cf. iii. 1. 47, and contrast iii. 5. 4 and iv. 2. 31. 23–27. Where I could not be honest, etc. In these words Albany gives the explanation of his weakness at the beginning of the play. But he is not the weak character that Goneril thought him, or that he is so often said to be. 26. bolds, emboldens: “ not in so far as France emboldens (i.e. supports) the king." 32. ancient of war, experienced soldiers, veterans. 61. carry out my side, succeed in my plan, win my object. The metaphor is taken from games. Mason quotes from Massinger's Great Duke of Florence (iv. 2): “ If I hold your cards, I shall pull down the side; I am not good at the game. 68. Shall, i.e. they shall. Cf. i. 1. 213. 69. Stands on me, requires me. See note, iii. 6. 102. SCENE 2 Mr. Spedding suggested (New Shakspere Society's Transactions, 1877–1879, pt. i) that the acts of King Lear have been wrongly divided, and that the fourth act ends at the fourth line of this scene. According to his arrangement, the battle would take place between the fourth and fifth acts. He was prompted to this suggestion by the unsatisfactory description of the battle compared with other similar descriptions in Shakespeare. “In other cases a few skilful touches bring the whole battle before us - a few rapid shiftings from one part of the field to another, a few hurried greetings of friend or foe, a few short passages of struggle, pursuit, or escape, give us token of the conflict which is raging on all sides; and, when the hero falls, we feel that his army is defeated. A page or two does it; but it is done.” But in this scene the army so long looked for, and on which everything depends, passes over the stage, and all |