Let it stamp wrinkles in her brow of youth,
With cadent tears fret channels in her cheeks,
Turn all her mother's pains and benefits
To laughter and contempt, that she may feel
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is

310 To have a thankless child! Away, away! [Erit.

Alb. Now, gods that we adore, whereof comes this?

Gon. Never afflict yourself to know more of it;
But let his disposition have that scope
As dotage gives it.

315
Re-enter LEAR.
Lear. What, fifty of my followers at a clap!
Within a fortnight!
Alb.

What's the matter, sir?
Lear. I 'll tell thee. [To Gon.] Life and death! I

am asham'd That thou hast power to shake my manhood thus ; That these hot tears, which break from me perforce, Should make thee worth them. Blasts and fogs upon thee!

321
The untented woundings of a father's curse
Pierce every sense about thee! Old fond eyes,
Beweep this cause again, I'll pluck ye out,
And cast you, with the waters that you loose, 325
To temper clay. Ha! [is it come to this ?]
Let it be so: I have another daughter,
Who, I am sure, is kind and comfortable.
When she shall hear this of thee, with her nails
She 'll flay thy wolfish visage. Thou shalt find 330

307. cadent=falling.
322. untented : that cannot be probed, incurable.
328. comfortable: comforting.

That I'll resume the shape which thou dost think
I have cast off for ever. [Thou shalt, I warrant thee.]

[Exeunt (Lear, Kent, and Attendants.] Gon. Do you mark that?

Alb. I cannot be so partial, Goneril, To the great love I bear you,

335 Gon. Pray you, content. — What, Oswald, ho! [To the Fool.] You, sir, more knave than fool, after

your master.
Fool. Nuncle Lear, nuncle Lear, tarry! Take the
Fool with thee.
A fox, when one has caught her,

340
And such a daughter,
Should sure to the slaughter,
If my cap would buy a halter.
So the Fool follows after.

[Erit. Gon. This man hath had good counsel, - a hundred knights!

345 ’T is politic and safe to let him keep At point a hundred knights ; yes, that, on every

dream,
Each buzz, each fancy, each complaint, dislike,
He may enguard his dotage with their powers,
And hold our lives in mercy. Oswald, I say! 350

Alb. Well, you may fear too far.
Gon.

Safer than trust too far.
Let me still take away the harms I fear,
Not fear still to be taken. I know his heart.
What he hath utter'd I have writ my sister. .
If she sustain him and his hundred knights, 355
When I have show'd the unfitness,
Re-enter Steward [OSWALD].

How now, Oswald ! What, have you writ that letter to my sister?

347. At point : fully accoutred.

Osw. Ay, madam.

Gon. Take you some company, and away to horse. Inform her full of my particular fear;

360 And thereto add such reasons of your own As may compact it more. Get you gone ; And hasten your return. [Exit Oswald.] No, no, my

lord, This milky gentleness and course of yours Though I condemn not, yet, under pardon, 365 You are much more at task for want of wisdom Than prais'd for harmful mildness.

Alb. How far your eyes may pierce I cannot tell. Striving to better, oft we mar what 's well. Gom. Nay, then

370 Alb. Well, well; the event.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V. Court before the same.

Enter LEAR, KENT, and Fool. Lear. Go you before to Gloucester with these letters. Acquaint my daughter no further with anything you

know than comes from her demand out of the letter. If your diligence be not speedy, I shall be there

5 Kent. I will not sleep, my lord, till I have delivered

[Erit.

afore you.

your letter.

360. my particular=my own personal. 362. compact it=fit with it. Cf. I, ii, 7.

364. milky gentleness and course of yours : hendiadys for milky (weak) gentleness of your course.

366. at task : cf.“ to take one to task.”

1. Gloucester: probably the city, the residence of Regan and Cornwall.

10

Fool, If a man's brains were in 's heels, were 't not in danger of kibes?

Lear. Ay, boy.

Fool. Then, I prithee, be merry; thy wit shall not go slip-shod.

Lear. Ha, ha, ha!

Fool. Shalt see thy other daughter will use thee kindly; for though she's as like this as a crab 's like an apple, yet I can tell what I can tell.

15 Lear. What canst tell, boy ?

Fool. She will taste as like this as a crab does to a crab. Thou canst tell why one's nose stands i' the middle on 's face?

20 Lear. No.

Fool. Why, to keep one's eyes of either side 's nose, that what a man cannot smell out, he may spy into. Lear. I did her wrong

25 Fool. Canst tell how an oyster makes his shell ? Lear. No.

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

30 Lear. Why?

Fool. Why, to put's head in ; not to give it away to his daughters, and leave his horns without a case. 34

Lear. I will forget my nature. So kind a father! Be my horses ready?

Fool. Thy asses are gone about 'em. The reason why the seven stars are no moe than seven is a pretty reason.

9. kibes=chilblains.

11. thy wit shall not go slip-shod : your brains are n't in your heels ; there is no danger of their wearing slippers because of chilblains : i. e. there is no sense in your journey.

Lear. Because they are not eight?

40 Fool. Yes, indeed. Thou wouldst make a good Fool.

Lear. To take 't again perforce! Monster ingratitude!

Fool. If thou wert my Fool, nuncle, I'd have thee beaten for being old before thy time.

46 Lear. How's that?

Fool. Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been wise.

Lear. O, let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heaven! Keep me in temper; I would not be mad!

51 [Enter Gentleman.) How now ! are the horses ready?

Gent. Ready, my lord.
Lear. Come boy. ...

[Exeunt.

ACT II

SCENE I. The EARL OF GLOUCESTER's castle.

Enter Bastard [EDMUND] and CURAN, severally. Edm. Save thee, Curan.

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

Edm. How comes that? 42. To take 't again perforce: to resume his power by means of force.

50. Lear's passion has exhausted itself and left him repentant for the wrong done Cordelia (1.25), and conscious that his mind is becoming weak and bewildered. Throughout this scene, as in the preceding one, the Fool tries now to win Lear's attention from his troubles by some foolish jest and now to recall his errors to him.