Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB
[blocks in formation]

Reg. And in good time you gave it.

Lear. Made you my guardians, my depositaries; But kept a reservation to be follow'd

With such a number; must I come to you

With five and twenty? Regan, said you so ?

Reg. And speak't again, my Lord, no more

with me.

[favour'd, Lear. Those wrinkled creatures yet do look wellWhen others are more wrinkled. Not being worst, Stands in some rank of praise; I'll go with thee:

[To Gon.

Thy fifty yet doth double five-and-twenty;
And thou hast twice her love.

5, before pointed out in fig. 83), may not have suggested

the number here alluded to, and drawn in

Fig. 93.

23

Gon. Hear me, my Lord.

What need you five-and-twenty, ten, or five,
To follow in a house, where twice so many
Have a command to tend you ?

Reg. What needs one? (55)

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

wear'st,

Allow not nature more than nature needs,
Man's life is cheap as beast's. Thou art a lady;
If only to go warm were gorgeous,
Why, nature needs not what thou gorgeous
Which scarcely keeps thee warm; but for true need,
You heav'ns, give me that patience which I need?
You see me here, you gods, a poor old man,
As full of grief as age; wretched in both!
If it be you that stir these daughters' hearts
Against their father, fool me not so much
To bear it tamely; touch me with noble anger:

(55) This number, one, may refer, perhaps, to the dark shadow of that shape, on Lear's breast, as drawn in

Fig. 94.

[ocr errors]

O let not womens' weapons, water drops,
water-drops,
Stain my man's cheeks. No, you unnátʼral hags,
I will have such revenges on you both,

[ocr errors]

That all the world shall-I will do such things,
What they are, yet I know not; but they shall be
The terrors of the earth. You think I'll weep.
No, I'll not weep,-I have full cause of weeping.-
This heart shall break into a thousand flaws
Or e'er I weep. O fool, I shall

go mad!!
[Exeunt Lear, Glo'ster, Kent, and Fool.

SCENE XIII.

Corn. Let us withdraw, 'twill be a storm.

[Storm and tempest. Reg. This house is little; the old man and his

Cannot be well bestow'd.

[people

Gon. 'Tis his own blame hath put himself from

And must needs taste his folly.

[rest,

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'ster?

Enter GLO'STER.

[ocr errors]

Corn. Follow'd the old man forth;—he is re

turn'd.

[not whither.

Glo. The king is in high rage, and will I know Corn. 'Tis best to give him way, he leads him

self.

Gon. My Lord, intreat him by no means to stay. Glo. Alack, the night comes on; and the high Do sorely rustle, for many miles about There's scarce a bush.

Reg. O Sir, to wilful men,

[winds

The injuries that they themselves procure,
Must be their schoolmasters: shut up your doors.
He is attended with a desp'rate train;

And what they may incense 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 counsels well : come out o' th' storm.

A CT III.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I.

A Storm is heard, with Thunder and Lightning.

Enter KENT, and a Gentleman, severally.

Kent. WHO's there, besides foul weather?
Gent. One minded like the weather, most un-
Kent. I know you; where's the King? [quietly.
Gent. Contending with the fretful elements; (56)

(56) I should refer this Gentleman to the same prototype as Reynoldo in Hamlet,

[ocr errors]

Bids the wind blow the earth into the sea,
Or swell the curled water 'bove the main,

[hair; That things might change or cease; tears his white Which the impetuous blasts with eyeless rage Catch in their fury and make nothing of; Strives in his little world of man to outscorn The to-and-fro-conflicting wind and rain.

This night, wherein the cub-drawn bear would

The lion, and the belly-pinced folk

Keep their fur dry; unbonneted he runs,

And bids what will, take all.

Kent. But who is with him?

[couch,

Gent. None but the fool, who labours to out-jest His heart-struck injuries.

Kent. Sir, I do know you,

And dare upon the warrant of my note,
Commend a dear thing to you. There's division
(Although as yet the face of it is cover'd [wall.
With mutual cunning) 'twixt Albany and Corn-
But true it is from France there comes a power
Into this scattered kingdom; who already,
Wise in our negligence, have secret feet
In some of our best ports, and are in point
To shew their open banner.Now to you,
If on my credit you dare build so far,

To make your speed to Dover, you shall find
Some that will thank you, making just report
Of how unnatural and bemadding sorrow

« AnteriorContinuar »