Enter Gloucester.

Gloucester. Kent banish'd thus? and France in

choler parted?

And the king gone to-night? prescrib'd his power?

Confin'd to exhibition? All this done

Upon the gad !

Edmund, how now ! what news?

Edmund. So please your highness, none.

Gloucester. Why so earnestly seek you to put up

that letter?

Edmund. I know no news, my lord.

Gloucester. What paper were you reading?

Edmund. Nothing, my lord.

Gloucester. No? What needed then that terrible

dispatch of it into your pocket? the quality of nothing hath not such need to hide itself. Let's see; come, if it be nothing, I shall not need spectacles.

24. to-night: the night just past, this night. It is now early morning.

prescrib'd, etc.: dictated to, limited as to the exercise of his power. 25. exhibition: an allowance or pension for support.

26. gad: spur or goad; on the spur of the momert, an impulse of passion.

32. terrible: terrified,

25

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Gloucester enters in sad meditation upon the sudden and doombringing events of the previous day, the very reality of which he can scarcely believe. It is noticeable, however, that he says nothing as to the injustice to Cordelia. His attention centers entirely upon those points wherein a wise statecraft has been overthrown. The personal break between the father and daughter moves him not at al!. Gloucester has no appreciation of family ties, no power of true love; it has been perverted. He feels but lightly his own family bonds; and their violation elsewhere disturbs him not.

Seeing Edmund, he accosts him with a commonplace greeting, but is aroused to suspicion by the elaborate secrecy with which Edmund bides a letter which he seems to have been reading. Gloucester has no reasoned confidence in his son, based upon a knowledge of his character; just as little has he any reasoned doubt of his honesty; but from the very fact that he does not know arises his suspicion; and Edmund's pretended reluctance to surrender the letter is calculated further to arouse his father's doubts.

Edmund. I beseech you, sir, pardon me; it is a letter from my brother, that I have not all o'er-read; and for so much as I have perused, I find it not fit for your o 'er-looking.

Gloucester. Give me the letter, sir.

Edmund. I shall offend, either to detain or give it. The contents, as in part I understand them, are to blame.

Gloucester. Let's see, let's see.

40

Edmund. I hope, for my brother's justification, he 45 wrote this but as an essay or taste of my virtue.

Gloucester. (Reads.) This policy and reverence of age makes the world bitter to the best of our times, keeps our fortunes from us till our oldness cannot relish them. I begin to find an idle and fond bondage in the oppression of aged tyranny; 50 who sways, not as it hath power, but as it is suffered. Come to me. that of this I may speak more. If our father would sleep till I waked him, you should enjoy half his revenue for ever, and live the beloved of your brother,

Edgar.

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42, 43. to blame: blameworthy.

46. essay or taste: a test or trial.

47. policy and reverence: policy of reverence. Hendiadys.

The power of contrary suggestion is great; and Edmund, by seeming to shield his brother, cunningly guides his father's condemnation and at the same time wins a favourable impression for himself. The forged letter would in itself hardly have deceived a rational man; but Gloucester, like Lear, is a man of emotion unschooled in self-control.

Hum-conspiracy! - Sleep till I waked him, you should enjoy half his revenue. -My son Edgar! Had he a hand to write this? a heart and brain to breed it in?-When came this to you? who brought it?

Edmund. It was not brought me, my lord; there's 60 the cunning of it; I found it thrown in at the casement of my closet.

Gloucester. You know the character to be your brother's?

Edmund. If the matter were good, my lord, I durst 65 swear it were his; but, in respect of that, I would fain think it were not.

Gloucester. It is his.

Edmund. It is his hand, my lord; but I hope his

heart is not in the contents.

58, breed: originate. The word conceive is commonly so used.

62. closet: room or private apartment.

63. character: handwriting.

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