on 't. And ladies, too, they will not let me have all the fool to myself; they'll be snatching.] Nuncle, give me an egg, and I'll give thee two crowns. Lear. What two crowns shall they be? 172 Fool. Why, after I have cut the egg i' the middle, and eat up the meat, the two crowns of the egg. When thou clovest thy crown i' the middle, and gav'st away both parts, thou bor'st thine ass on thy back o'er the dirt. Thou hadst little wit in thy bald crown, when thou gav'st thy golden one away. If I speak like myself in this, let him be whipp'd that first finds it so. "Fools had ne'er less grace in a year; For wise men are grown foppish, 180 Lear. When were you wont to be so full of songs, sirrah? 186 Fool. I have used it, nuncle, e'er since thou mad'st thy daughters thy mothers; for when thou gav'st them the rod, . . . "Then they for sudden joy did weep, And I for sorrow sung, That such a king should play bo-peep, 194 Prithee, nuncle, keep a schoolmaster that can teach thy Fool to lie. I would fain learn to lie. Lear. An you lie, sirrah, we 'll have you whipp'd. 198 Fool. I marvel what kin thou and thy daughters are. They'll have me whipp'd for speaking true, thou 'lt have me whipp'd for lying; and sometimes I am whipp'd for holding my peace. I had rather be any kind o' thing than a Fool; and yet I would not be thee, 182. foppish=foolish. Cf. I, ii, 127. nuncle ; thou has pared thy wit o' both sides, and left nothing i’ the middle. Here comes one o' the parings. Enter GONERIL. Lear. How now, daughter! what makes that frontlet on? [Methinks] you are too much of late i’ the frown. 209 Fool. Thou wast a pretty fellow when thou hadst no need to care for her frowning; now thou art an O without a figure. I am better than thou art now; I am a Fool, thou art nothing. [To Gon.] Yes, forsooth, I will hold my tongue; so your face bids me, though you say nothing. Mum, mum. 216 “He that keeps nor crust nor crumb, Weary of all, shall want some.” [Pointing to Lear.] That's a sheal'd peascod. Gon. Not only, sir, this your all-licens’d Fool, 220 But other of your insolent retinue Do hourly carp and quarrel, breaking forth In rank and not-to-be-endured riots. Sir, I had thought, by making this well known unto you, To have found a safe redress; but now grow fearful, By what yourself, too, late have spoke and done, 226 That you protect this course, and put it on By your allowance; which if you should, the fault Would not scape censure, nor the redresses sleep, Which, in the tender of a wholesome weal, 230 207. frontlet : a frown like a frontlet (a band of cloth worn at night on the forehead to keep it smooth). 227. put it on=encourage. 230. tender of a wholesome weal=care for a healthy commonwealth. The remainder of the passage may be parapbrased: "might in their working do you an offence, otherwise shameful, but then excused by its necessity as a discreet proceeding.” Might in their working do you that offence, 'The hedge-sparrow fed the cuckoo so long, 235 That it had it head bit off by it young." Lear. Are you our daughter? Gon. [Come, sir,] I would you would make use of your good wisdom, Whereof I know you are fraught, and put away 241 These dispositions, which of late transport you From what you rightly are. Fool. May not an ass know when the cart draws the horse ? “ Whoop, Jug! I love thee.” 245 Lear. Doth any here know me? This is not Lear. Doth Lear walk thus? speak thus ? Where are his eyes ? Either his notion weakens, his discernings Are lethargied - Ha! waking? 'T is not so. Who is it that can tell me who I am ? 250 Fool. Lear's shadow. [Lear. I would learn that; for, by the marks of sovereignty, knowledge, and reason, I should be false persuaded I had daughters. Fool. Which they will make an obedient father.] Lear. Your name, fair gentlewoman ? 256 Gon. This admiration, sir, is much o' the savour 236. it head ... it young : it=its. The possessive its was not in use in Shakespeare's time. 245. Whoop, Jug! I love thee : intentional nonsense, or a bit from some song. 248. notion=mind. Of other your new pranks. I do beseech you 260 270 And the remainders, that shall still depend, To be such men as may besort your age, Which know themselves and you. Lear. Darkness and devils ! Saddle my horses; call my train together! Degenerate bastard! I'll not trouble thee; 275 Yet have I left a daughter. Gon. You strike my people; and your disorder'd rabble Make servants of their betters. Enter ALBANY. Lear. Woe, that too late repents! - [O, sir, are you come?] Is it your will ? Speak, sir. — Prepare my horses. — Ingratitude, thou marble-hearted fiend, 281 More hideous when thou show'st thee in a child Than the sea-monster! 263. debosh'd : old spelling for debauched. Alb. Pray, sir, be patient. Lear. [To Gon.] Detested kite! thou liest. My train are men of choice and rarest parts, 285 That all particulars of duty know, And in the most exact regard support The worships of their name. O most small fault, How ugly didst thou in Cordelia show! 289 Which, like an engine, wrench'd my frame of nature From the fix'd place; drew from my heart all love, And added to the gall. O Lear, Lear, Lear! Beat at this gate, that let thy folly in, [Striking his head.] And thy dear judgement out! Go, go, my people. Alb. My lord, I am guiltless as I am ignorant 295 It may be so, my lord. 300 285. choice and rarest=choicest and rarest. 290. an engine : the rack. 294. dear=precious, but applied to whatever affects one potently for good or bad. 296-311. This speech, usually known as Lear's curse, shows both the extravagance of his passion and the concentrated energy of his intellect. 302. derogate=depraved. 305. thwart=perverse. |