To bandy hafty words, to fcant my fizes,
And, in conclufion, to oppofe the bolt
Against my coming in. Thou better know'ft
The offices of nature, bond of child-hood,
Effects of court'fy, dues of gratitude :

Thy half o'th' Kingdom thou haft not forgot,
Wherein I thee endow'd.

Reg. Good Sir, to th' purpofe.

[Trumpet within. Lear. Who put my man i'th' Stocks?

Enter Steward.

Corn. What trumpet's that?

Reg. I know't, my fifter's: this approves her letter, That the would foon be here. Is your lady come ? Lear. This is a dave, whofe eafy-borrowed pride Dwells in the fickle grace of her he follows. Out, varlet, from my fight.

Corn. What means your Grace?

Enter Gunerill.

-Who comes here?

Lear. Who ftockt my fervant? Regan, I've good hope, Thou didst not know on't.

O Heav'ns,

If you do love old men, if your fweet sway (11)
Hallow obedience, if yourfelves are old,

Make it your caufe; fend down, and take my part.
Art not asham'd to look upon this beard?
O Regan, will you take her by the hand?

Gon. Why not by th' hand, Sir? how have I offended? All's not offence, that indifcretion finds,

And dotage terms fo.

Lear. O fides, you are too tough!

Will you yet hold?

(11)

-how came my man i'th' Stocks?

if your feet fasay

Allow Obedience,] Could any Man in his Senfes, and Lear has 'em yet, make it a Question whether Heaven aliw'd Obedience? Undoubtedly, the Poet wrote Hallow Obedience, i. e. if by your Ordinances you hold and pronounce it janctified; and purifh the Violators of it as facrilegious Perfons.

Mr. Warburton.

Corn.

Corn. I fet him there, Sir: but his own diforders Deferv'd much lefs advancement. Lear. You? did you?.

Reg. I pray you, Father, being weak, feem fo.. If, 'till the expiration of your month, You will return and fojourn with my fifter, Difmiffing half your train, come then to me; I'm now from home, and out of that provifion Which shall be needful for your entertainment.

Lear. Return to her, and fifty men dismiss'd? No, rather I abjure all roofs, and chufe (12) To be a comrade with the wolf and owl; To wage, against the enmity o'th' air, Neceffity's fharp pinch-Return with her? Why, the hot blooded France, that dow'rlefs took Our youngest born, I could as well be brought To knee his throne, and 'Squire-like penfion beg, To keep bafe life a-foot:

-Return with her? Perfuade me rather to be flave, and fumpter, To this detefted groom.

Gon. At your choice, Sir.

Lear. I pr'ythee, daughter, do not make me mad;
I will not trouble thee, my child. Farewel;
We'll no more meet, no more fee one another;
But yet thou art my flesh, my blood, my daughter,
Or rather a disease that's in my flesh,

Which I must needs call mine; thou art a bile,
A plague-fore, or imboffed carbuncle,

In my corrupted blood; but I'll not chide thee.
Let shame come when it will, I do not call it ;
I do not bid the thunder-bearer shoot,

(12)

and chufe

To wage against the enmity o'th Air,

To be a Comrade with the Wolf and Owl,

Neceffity's harp Pinch.] The Breach of the Senfe here is a manifeft Proof, that thefe Lines were tranfpofed by the firft Editors : Neither can there be any Syntax or Grammatical Coherence, unless we fuppofe Neceffity's fharp Pinch to be the Accufative to wage. As I have placed the Verfes, the Senfe is fine and eafy; and the Sentence compleat and finished.

Nor

Nor tell tales of thee to high-judging Jove.
Mend when thou canft; be better at thy leifure.
I can be patient, I can ftay with Regan;
I, and my hundred Knights.

Reg. Not altogether fo;

I look'd not for you yet, nor am provided
For your fit welcome; give ear to my fifter
For those that mingle reason with your paffion,
Must be content to think you old, and so-
But fhe knows what fhe does.

Lear. Is this well spoken?

Reg. I dare avouch it, Sir; what, fifty followers? Is it not well? what should you need of more? Yea, or fo many? fince both charge and danger Speak 'gainst fo great a number: how in one house Should many people under two commands

Hold amity? 'tis hard, almoft impoffible.

Gon. Why might not you, my Lord, receive attendance
From those that the calls fervants, or from mine?
Reg. Why not, my Lord? if then they chanc'd to
flack ye,

We could controul them; if you'll come to me,
(For now I fpy a danger) I intreat you
To bring but five and twenty; to no more
Will I give place or notice.

Lear. I gave you all

Reg. And in good time you gave it.

Lear. Made you my Guardians, my depofitaries;

But kept a refervation to be follow'd

With fuch a number; muft I come to you

With five and twenty? Regan, faid you fo?

Reg. And fpeak't again, my Lord, no more with me. Lear.Thofe wicked creatures yet do look well-favour'd, When others are more wicked: Not being worft, Stands in fome rank of praife; I'll go with thee; Thy fifty yet doth double five and twenty; And thou art twice her love.

Gon. Hear me, my Lord;

What need you five and twenty, ten, or five,
To follow in a house, where twice fo many
VOL. VI.

C

Have

Have a command to tend you?

Reg. What needs one?

Lear. O, reafon not the need: our basest beggars Are in the poorest thing fuperfluous;

Allow not nature more than nature needs,

Man's life is cheap as beasts'. Thou art a lady;
If only to go warm were gorgeous,

Why, nature needs not what thou gorgeous wear'ft,
Which scarcely keeps thee warm; but for true need,
You heav'ns, give me that patience which I need!
You fee me here, you Gods, a poor old man,
As full of grief as age; wretched in both!
If it be you, that stir thefe daughters' hearts
Against their father, fool me not fo much
To bear it tamely; touch me with noble anger;
O let not women's weapons, water-drops,
Stain my man's cheeks. No, you unnat❜ral hags,
I will have fuch revenges on you both,

'That all the world fhall- I will do fuch things,
What they are, yet I know not; but they fhall be
The terrors of the earth: you think, I'll weep:
No, I'll not weep. I have full caufe of weeping:
This heart fhall break into a thousand flaws
Or ere I weep. O fool, I fhall go mad.

[Exeunt Lear, Glo'fter, Kent and Fool. Corn. Let us withdraw, 'twill be a storm.

[Storm and tempeft.

Reg. This houfe is little; the old man and his people Cannot be well beftow'd.

Gon. 'Tis his own blame hath put himself from reft, And must needs tafte his folly.

Reg. For his particular, I'll receive him gladly'; But not one follower.

Gon. So am I purpos'd.

Where is my Lord of Glo'fter?

Enter Glo'fter.

Corn. Follow'd the old man forth;- -he is return'd. Glo. The King is in high rage, and will I know not

whither.

Corn.

Corn. 'Tis beft to give him way, he leads himself. Gon. My Lord, intreat him by no means to stay. Glo. Alack, the night comes on: and the high winds Do forely ruffle, for many miles about There's fcarce a bufh.

Reg. O Sir, to wilful men,

The injuries, that they themselves procure,
Must be their school-mafters: fhut up your
He is attended with a defp'rate train;

doors;

And what they may incenfe him to, being apt
To have his ear abus'd, wisdom bids fear.

Corn. Shut up your doors, my Lord, 'tis a wild night. My Regan counfels well: come out o'th' ftorm. [Exeunt.

A form is heard, with thunder and lightning. Enter Kent, and a Gentleman, feverally.

KENT.

WHO's there, befides foul weather?

WHO'S

Gent. One minded like the weather, moft un-
quietly.

Kent. I know you; where's the King?
Gent. Contending with the fretful elements;
Bids the wind blow the earth into the fea;
Or fwell the curled waters 'bove the main,

That things might change, or ceafe: tears his white hair;
(Which the impetuous blafts with eyeless rage
Catch in their fury, and make nothing of.)
Strives in his little world of man t'outfcorn
The to-and-fro-conflicting wind and rain.

This night, wherein he cub-drawn bear would couch,
The lion, and the belly-pinched wolf"
Cz

Keep