Have no such daughter, nor shall ever see [Flourish. Exeunt LEAR, BURGUNDY, CORNWALL, ALBANY, GLOSTER, and Attendants. France. Bid farewell to your sisters. Cor. The jewels of our father, with washed eyes Cordelia leaves you. I know you what you are, And, like a sister, am most loath to call Your faults as they are named. father: Love well our To your professéd bosoms I commit him; Reg. Prescribe not us our duty. Gon. Let your study Be, to content your lord, who hath received you At fortune's alms: you have obedience scanted, And well are worth the want that wanted. you have Cor. Time shall unfold what plaited cunning hides; Who cover faults, at last shame them derides. Well may you prosper ! France. Come, my fair Cordelia. [Exeunt FRANCE and CORDELIA. Gon. Sister, it is not little I have to say Of what most nearly appertains to us both. I think, our father will hence to-night. Reg. That's most certain, and with you; next month with us. Gon. You see how full of changes his age is; the observation we have made of it hath not been little he always loved our sister most; and with what poor judgment he hath now cast her off, appears too grossly. Reg. "T is the infirmity of his age; yet he hath ever but slenderly known himself. Gon. The best and soundest of his time hath been but rash; then must we look to receive from his age not alone the imperfections of longengraffed condition, but therewithal the unruly waywardness that infirm and choleric years bring with them. Reg. Such unconstant starts are we like to have from him as this of Kent's banishment. Gon. There is further compliment of leave-taking between France and him. Pray you, let us hit together if our father carry authority with such disposition as he bears, this last surrender of his will but offend us. Reg. We shall further think of it. Gon. We must do something, and i' the heat. [Exeunt. SCENE II-A Hall in the Earl of GLOSTER'S Castle Enter EDMUND, with a letter Edm. Thou, Nature, art my goddess; to thy law My services are bound. Wherefore should I Stand in the plague of custom, and permit The curiosity of nations to deprive me, For that I am some twelve or fourteen moonshines Lag of a brother? Why bastard? wherefore base? My mind as generous, and my shape as true, Who in the lusty stealth of nature take Than doth, within a dull, stale, tired bed, Go to creating a whole tribe of fops Enter GLOSTER Glo. Kent banished thus, and France in choler parted, And the king gone to-night, subscribed his power Confined to exhibition! All this done Upon the gad !-Edmund ! How now! what news? Edm. So please your lordship, none. [Putting up the letter. Glo. Why so earnestly seek you to put up that letter? Edm. I know no news, my lord. Glo. What paper were you reading? Glo. No! What needed then that terrible despatch 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. Edm. I beseech you, sir, pardon me: it is a letter from my brother, that I have not all o'erread and for so much as I have perused, I find it not fit for your o'erlooking. Glo. Give me the letter, sir. Edm. I shall offend, either to detain or give it. The contents, as in part I understand them, are to blame. Glo. Let's see, let's see. Edm. I hope, for my brother's justification, he wrote this but as an essay or taste of my virtue. Glo. [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, 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. Humph!-Conspiracy? "Sleep till I waked him,-you should enjoy half his revenue.”—My son Edgar! Had he a hand to |