Saw Borth as " Lear" Nov. 21, 1883. Knights attending on the King, Officers, Messengers, Soldiers, and Attendants. SCENE, Britain. ACT I. SCENE I. A Room of State in LEAR'S Palace. Kent. I thought the King had more affected the Duke of Albany than Cornwall. Glos. It did always seem so to us: but now, in the division of the kingdom, it appears not which of the Dukes he values most for equalities are so weigh'd, that curiosity in neither can make choice of either's moiety.1 Kent. Is not this your son, my lord? Glos. His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge: I have so often blush'd to acknowledge him, that now I am braz'd to't. Do you smell a fault ? Kent. I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it being so proper. Glos. But I have, sir, a son by order of law, some year elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my account. -Do you know this noble gentleman, Edmund ? 1 Moiety properly means half, but is used by Shakespeare for any part or portion. So Hotspur calls his third of the kingdom a moiety. Curiosity is scrupulous exactness. Equalities means the equality of the portions. - This speech goes far to interpret Lear's subsequent action, as it shows that the division of the kingdom has already been concluded, and the several portions allotted, and so infers the trial of professions to be a sort of pet device with the old King, a thing that has no purpose but to gratify a childish whim. The opening thus forecasts Lear's madness, which is the great feature of the play, by indicating that dotage has already got the better of his reason and judgment. Edm. No, my lord. Glos. My Lord of Kent: remember him hereafter as my honourable friend. Edm. My services to your lordship. Kent. I must love you, and sue to know you better. Edm. Sir, I shall study deserving. Glos. He hath been out nine years, and away he shall again.2-[Sennet within.] The King is coming. Enter LEAR, CORNWALL, ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, CORDELIA, and Attendants. Lear. Attend the Lords of France and Burgundy, Gloster. Glos. I shall, my liege. [Exeunt GLOSTER and EDMUND. Lear. Meantime we shall express our darker pur pose.3 Give me the In three our kingdom: and 'tis our fast intent To shake all cares and business from our age; We have this hour a constant will to publish May be prevented now. The Princes, France and Burgundy, Great rivals in our youngest daughter's love, Long in our Court have made their amorous sojourn, And here are to be answer'd. - Tell me, my daughters,Since now we will divest us both of rule, Interest of territory, cares of state, - Which of you shall we say doth love us most? That we our largest bounty may extend Where nature doth with merit challenge."- Goneril, 2 As Edmund's villainy is a leading force in the dramatic action, an intimation of the causes which have been at work preparing him for crime is judiciously given here in the outset of the play. From his father's loose way of speaking about him and to him we naturally gather that certain malign influences have all along been perverting his character and poisoning his springs of action. In fact, this opening is a notable instance of skilful preparation for the events that follow. 8 Lear's" darker purpose" probably is his secret plan for surprising his daughters into a rivalry of affection. 4 Constant will means a firm, determined will. That future strife may be prevented by what we now do. 6 Where natural affection joins with personal excellence in challenging our bounty, or perhaps where filial love vies with individual worth, which has the higher claim to reward. The quartos read, "Where merit most doth challenge it." Gon. Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter; Beyond what can be valu'd, rich or rare; No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour; A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable; Cord. Aside.] What shall Cordelia do? Love, and be silent. Lear. Of all these bounds, even from this line to this, I'm made of that self" metal as my sister, 10 Which the most precious square of sense possesses; In your dear Highness' love. Then poor Cordelia! Lear. To thee and thine hereditary ever Than that conferr'd on Goneril. . 11 - Now, our joy, Although our last, not least; 18 to whose young love cut 7 Beyond all assignable quantity. I love you beyond limits, and cannot say it is so much. The lord of a thing is, strictly speaking, the owner of it. And lady is here used as the counterpart of lord in this sense. So that to make one the lady of a thing is to make her the owner or possessor of it. 9 The Poet often uses self with the sense of self-same. See vol. i. page 177, note 9. 10 She comes short of me in this, that I profess, &c. 11 This strange expression, which is indeed something awkward as well as obscure, has provoked much comment, and several changes have been proposed, none of which takes. By square of sense I understand fulness or wealth of sensibility, or capacity of joy. So that the meaning seems to be, Which the finest susceptibility, or the highest capacity of happiness, can grasp or take in. 12 Validity is several times used to signify worth, value, by Shakespeare. See vol. i. page 176, note 4. 18 The folio reads, "Although our last and least"; which is ably con The vines of France and milk of Burgundy Strive to be interess'd; 14 what can you say, to draw Lear. Nothing! Cord. Nothing. Lear. Nothing will come of nothing: speak again. My heart into my mouth: 15 I love your Majesty Lear. How, how, Cordelia! mend your speech a little, Lest it may mar your fortunes. Cord. Good my lord, That lord whose hand must take my plight shall carry To love my father all. Lear. But goes thy heart with this? Lear. So young, and so untender? Ay, good my lord. Lear. Let it be so; thy truth, then, be thy dower: For, by the sacred radiance of the Sun, The mysteries of Hecate, and the night; By all the operations of the orbs From whom we do exist, and cease to be; Hold thee, from this, for ever. The barbarous Scythian, messes To gorge his appetite, shall to my bosom tended for by Mr. White. I find it not easy to stand out against his argument: still the phrase "though last, not least" appears to have been so much a favorite with the Poet, and withal is so good in itself, that I feel constrained to read with Dyce and the majority of editors. 14 To interest and to interesse are not, perhaps, different spellings of the same verb, but two distinct words, though of the same import; the one being derived from the Latin, the other from the French interesser. 15 We have the same thought well expressed in The Maid's Tragedy of Beaumont and Fletcher, Act i. sc. 1: My mouth is much too narrow for my heart." Bond, next line, was used of any thing that binds or obliges; that is, duty. 66 Be as well neighbour'd, pitied, and reliev'd, Kent. Lear. Peace, Kent! Good my liege, – Come not between the dragon and his wrath. I lov'd her most, and thought to set my rest On her kind nursery. Hence, and avoid my sight! 17. Her father's heart from her! Call France; — who stirs? Call Burgundy.- Cornwall and Albany, With my two daughters' dowers digest this third: Pre-eminence, and all the large effects That troop with majesty. Ourself, by monthly course, With reservation of an hundred knights By you to be sustain'd, shall our abode Make with you by due turns. Only we still retain [Giving the Crown. Lear. The bow is bent and drawn, make from the shaft. Kent. Let it fall rather, though the fork invade The region of my heart be Kent unmannerly, When Lear is mad. What would'st thou do, old man? Think'st thou that duty shall have dread to speak, When power to flattery bows? To plainness honour's bound, When majesty falls to folly. Reverse thy doom; my judgment,19 17 It is somewhat in question whether this is addressed to Cordelia or to Kent. I have always understood it as addressed to the former, for Kent has said nothing to provoke such a speech. It is true, Lear says to him a little after, "Out of my sight!" but Kent has then said something to kindle his wrath. On the other hand, Cordelia remains in presence, and takes part in the subsequent dialogue, as if she did not understand the order as meant for her. Perhaps the true explanation is, that Lear anticipates remonstrance from Kent, and, in his excited mood, flares up at any offer in that kind. 18 All the titles belonging to a king. 19 Let my life be answerable for my judgment, or I will stake my life on the truth of what I say. |