lawyer; you gave me nothing for't: Can you make no use of nothing, nuncle?

Lear. Why, no, boy; nothing can be made out of nothing.

Fool. Fr'ythee, tell him, so much the rent of his land comes to; he will not believe a fool. [To Kent. Lear. A bitter fool!

Fool. Dost thou know the difference, my boy,
between a bitter fool and a sweet fool?
Lear. No, lad; teach me.

Fool. That lord, that counsel'd thee
To give away thy land,
Come place him here by me,-
Or do thou for him stand:
The sweet and bitter fool
Will presently appear;
The one in motley here,

The other found out there.
Lear. Dost thou call me fool, boy?
Fool. All thy other titles thou hast given away;
that thou wast born with.

Kent. This is not altogether fool, my lord.
Fool. No, 'faith, lords and great men will not let
me; if I had a monopoly out, they would have part
on't: and ladies too, they will not let me have all
fool to myself; they'll be snatching.-Give me an
egg, nuncle, and I'll give thee two crowns.

Lear. What two crowns shall they be?

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 gavest away both parts, thou borest thine ass on thy back over the dirt: Thou hadst little wit in thy bald crown, when thou gavest 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;
And know not how their wits to wear,
Their manners are so apish.

[Singing.

Lear. When were you wont to be so full of songs, sirrah ?

Fool. I have used it, nuncle, ever since thou madest thy daughters thy mother: for when thou gavest them the rod, and put'st down thine own breeches,

Then they for sudden joy did weep,
And I for sorrow_sung,
That such a king should play bo-peep,
And go the fools among.

[Singing.

Pr'ythee, nuncle, keep a school-master that can teach thy fool to lie; I would fain learn to lie.

361

no need to care for her frowning; now thou art an O' without a figure: I am better than thou art now; am a fool, thou art nothing.-Yes, forsooth, I will hold my tongue; so your face [To Gon.] bids me, though you say nothing. Mum, mum,

I

He that keeps nor crust nor crumb,
That's a sheal'd peascod.
Weary of all, shall want some.—

[Pointing to Lear. Gon. Not only, sir, this your all-licens'd fool, 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,
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:
Might in their working do you that offence,
Which, in the tender of a wholesome weal,
Which else were shame, that then necessity
Will call discreet proceeding.

Fool. For you trow, nuncle,

The hedge-sparrow fed the cuckoo so long,
That it had its head bit off by his young.
So out went the candle, and we were left darkling.
Lear. Are you our daughter?

of that good wisdom whereof I know you are
Gon. Come, sir, I would, you would make use
fraught;" and put away these dispositions, which
of late transform you from what you rightly are.

the horse?-Whoop, Jug! I love thee.
Fool. May not an ass know when the cart draws

Lear. Does any here know me?-Why this is not Lear: does Lear walk thus? speak thus? Where are his eyes? Either his notion weakens, or his discernings are lethargied.-Sleeping or waking? -Ha! suretis not so.-Who is it that can tell me who I am?-Lear's shadow? I would learn that; reason, I should be false persuaded I had daughfor by the marks of sovereignty, knowledge, and

ters.

Fool. Which they will make an obedient father.
Lear. Your name, fair gentlewoman?
Gon. Come, sir;

This admiration is much o'the favour
Of other your new pranks. I do beseech you
To understand my purposes aright:

As you are old and reverend, you should be wise: Here do you keep a hundred knights and squires That this our court, infected with their manners, Men so disorder'd, so debauch'd, and bold, Lear. If you lie, sirrah, we'll have you whipp'd. Make it more like a tavern or a brothel, Shows like a riotous inn: epicurism and lust Fool. I marvel, what kin thou and thy daughters Than a grac'd palace. The shame itself doth speak are: they'll have me whipp'd for speaking true, For instant remedy: Be then desired thou'lt have me whipp'd for lying; and, sometimes, By her, that else will take the thing she begs, I am whipp'd for holding my peace. I had rather A little to disquantity your train; be any kind of thing, than a fool; and yet I would And the remainder, that shall still depend, not be thee, nuncle; thou hast pared thy wit o'both To be such men as may besort your age, sides, and left nothing i'the middle: Here comes And know themselves and you. one of the parings.

Enter Goneril.

Lear.
Darkness and devils!
Saddle my horses; call my train together.-
Yet have I left a daughter.
Degenerate bastard! I'll not trouble thee;

Gon. You strike my people; and your disorder'd
Make servants of their betters.
rabble,

(4) A mere husk which contains nothing.
(5) Approbation. (6) Well governed state..
(7) Stored.

(8) Complexion.

(9) Continue in service.

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 more than seven, is a pretty reason.

Lear. Because they are not eight?

Fool. Yes, indeed: Thou would'st make a good fool.

Lear. To take it again perforce!-Monster ingratitude!

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

Edm. How comes that?

Cur. Nay, I know not: You have heard of the news abroad; I mean, the whispered ones, for they are yet but ear-kissing arguments?

Edm. Not I; Pray you, what are they?
Cur. Have you heard of no likely wars toward,
'twixt the dukes of Cornwall and Albany?
Edm. Not a word.

Cur. You may then, in time. Fare you well, sir.

[Exit. Edm. The duke be here to-night? The better!

Best!

This weaves itself perforce into my business!
My father hath set guard to take my brother;
And I have one thing, of a queazy' question,

Glo. Pursue him, ho!-Go after.-[Exit. Serv.]
By no means,-what?

Edm. Persuade me to the murder of your lord-
ship;

But that I told him, the revenging gods
Gainst parricides did all their thunders bend;
Spoke, with how manifold and strong a bond
The child was bound to the father;-Sir, in fine,
Seeing how loathly opposite I stood
To his unnatural purpose, in fell motion,
With his prepared sword, he charges home
My unprovided body, lanc'd mine arm:
But when he saw my best alarum'd spirits,
Bold in the quarrel's right, rous'd to the encounter,
Or whether gasted' by the noise I made,
Full suddenly he fled.

Glo.

Let him fly far:
Not in this land shall he remain uncaught;
And found-Despatch.-The noble duke my

master,

My worthy arch and patron, comes to night:
That he, which finds him, shall deserve our thanks,
By his authority I will proclaim it,
Bringing the murderous coward to the stake;
He, that conceals him, death.

Edm. When I dissuaded him from his intent,
And found him pight' to do it, with curst" speech
threaten'd to discover him: He replied,
Thou unpossessing bastard! dost thou think,

I

I would stand against thee, would the reposal
Of any trust, virtue, or worth, in thee

Make thy words faith'd? No: what I should deny
(As this I would; ay, though thou didst produce
My very character," Pd turn it all

Which I must act:-Briefness, and fortune, work!-To thy suggestion, plot, and damned practice:

Brother, a word; descend:-Brother, I say;

Enter Edgar.

My father watches:-O sir, fly this place;

Intelligence is given where you are hid;

And thou must make a dullard of the world,
If they not thought the profits of my death
Were very pregnant and potential spurs
To make thee seek it.

Glo.

Strong and fasten'd villain!

You have now the good advantage of the night:-Would he deny his letter?-I never got him.

[Trumpets within.

Stew. Good dawning to thee, friend: Art of the letter!-My lord, if you will give me leave, I will house?

the wall of a jakes' with him.-Spare my grey Drew on me here.

beard, you wagtail?

Corn. Peace, sirrah!

You beastly knave, know you no reverence?
Kent. Yes, sir; but anger has a privilege.
Corn. Why art thou angry?

Kent. That such a slave as this should wear a
sword,

Who wears no honesty. Such smiling rogues as these,

Like rats, oft bite the holy cords atwain,

Kent. None of these rogues, and cowards,
But Ajax is their fool."
Corn.

Fetch forth the stocks, ho!
You stubborn ancient knave, you reverend brag-
gart,
We'll teach you-

Kent.

Sir, I am too old to learn:

Call not your stocks for me: I serve the king,
On whose employment I was sent to you:
You shall do small respect, show too bold malice
Stocking his messenger.

Which are too intrinse t'unloose: smooth every Against the grace and person of my master,

passion

That in the natures of their lords rebels;
Bring oil to fire, snow to their colder moods;
Renege,' affirm, and turn their halcyon beaks
With every gale and vary of their masters,
As knowing nought, like dogs, but following.-
A plague upon your epileptic visage!
Smile you my speeches, as I were a fool?
Goose, if I had you upon Sarum plain,
I'd drive ye cackling home to Camelot.
Corn. What, art thou mad, old fellow?
Glo.
How fell you out?

Say that.

Kent. No contraries hold more antipathy, Than I and such a knave.

Corn. Why dost thou call him knave? What's his offence?

Kent. His countenance likes me not.

Corn.
Fetch forth the stocks:
As I've life and honour, there shall he sit till noon.
Reg. Till noon! till night, my lord; and all night

too.

Kent. Why, madam, if I were your father's dog,
You should not use me so.
Reg.

Sir, being his knave, I will.
[Stocks brought out.
Corn. This is a fellow of the self-same colour
Our sister speaks of :-Come, bring away the stocks.
Glo. Let me beseech your grace not to do so:
His fault is much, and the good king his master
Will check him for't: your purpos'd low correction
Is such, as basest and contemned'st wretches,
For pilferings, and most common trespasses,
Are punish'd with the king must take it ill,
That he's so slightly valued in his messenger,

Corn. No more, perchance, does mine, or his, or Should have him thus restrain'd.

hers.

Corn.
I'll answer that.
Reg. My sister may receive it much more worse,
To have her gentleman abus'd, assaulted,
For following her affairs.--Put in his legs.-

[Kent is put in the stocks. [Exeunt Regan and Cornwall. Glo. I am sorry for thee, friend; 'tis the duke's pleasure,

Come, my good lord; away.

Whose disposition, all the world well knows,
Will not be rubb'd, nor stopp'd: I'll entreat for
thee.

Kent. Pray do not, sir: I have watch'd, and
travell'd hard;

Some time I shall sleep out, the rest I'll whistle.
A good man's fortune may grow out at heels:
Give you good morrow!

Glo. The duke's to blame in this; 'twill be ill
taken.
[Exit.
Kent. Good king, that must approve the common

saw !9

Thou out of heaven's benediction com'st
To the warm sun!

Approach, thou beacon to this under globe,
That by thy comfortable beams I may
Peruse this letter!-Nothing almost sees miracles,
But misery;-I know 'tis from Cordelia;
Who hath most fortunately been inform'd
Of my obscured course; and shall find time
From this enormous state,-seeking to give
Losses their remedies :-All weary and o'erwatch'd,
Take vantage, heavy eyes, not to behold
This shameful lodging.

Fortune, good night; smile once more; turn thy
wheel!
[He sleeps.

SCENE III-A part of the heath.
Edgar.

Edg. I heard myself proclaim'd;

Enter

(6) i. e. Pleases me not. (7) Simple or rustic.
(8) i. e. Ajax is a fool to them.
(9) Saying or proverb.