ACT II.

Lear's indignation at Goneril's unkindness.

I pr'ythee, daughter, do not make me mad;
I will not trouble thee, my child; farewell:
We'll no more meet, no more see 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 boil,
A plague-sore, an embossed* 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,
Nor tell tales of thee to high-judging Jove.

Lear on the Ingratitude of his Daughters.
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!
O, let not women's weapons, water-drops,
Stain my man's cheeks!—No, you unnatural hags,
I will have such revenges on you both,

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, but this heart
Shall break into a hundred thousand flaws,
Or ere I'll weep.

* Swollen.
F

ACT III.

Lear's Exclamations in the Tempest.

Blow, wind, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow! You cataracts and hurricanoes spout

Till you have drench'd our steeples, drowned the cocks!
You sulphurous and thought-executing fires,
Vaunt couriers to oak-cleaving thunderbolts,

Singe my white head! And thou, all-shaking thunder,
Strike flat the thick rotundity o' the world!

*

*

*

*

Rumble thy bellyful! Spit, fire! spout, rain!
Nor rain, wind, thunder, fire, are my daughters:
I tax you not, you elements with unkindness,
I never gave you kingdom, call'd you children,
You owe me no subscription ;* why then, let fall
Your horrible pleasure; here I stand, your slave,
A poor, infirm, weak, and despis'd old man :
But yet I call you servile ministers,
That have with two pernicious daughters join'd
Your high-engender'd battles 'gainst a head
So old and white as this. O! O! 'tis foul!

Reflections on Man.

Is man no more than this? Consider him well: thou owest the worm no silk, the beast no hide, the sheep no wool, the cat no perfume!-Ha! here's three of us are sophisticated!-Thou art the thing itself: unaccommodated man is no more but such a poor, bare, forked animal as thou art.-Off, off, you lendings.

* Allegiance.

AcT IV.

Cordelia's emotion on hearing of her Sister's cruelty.

Patience and sorrow strove

Who should express her goodliest.

You have seen

Sunshine and rain at once: her smiles and tears
Were like a better day: Those happy smiles,
That play'd on her ripe lip, seem'd not to know
What guests were in her eyes; which parted thence,
As pearls from diamonds dropp'd.

Description of Dover Cliff.

How fearful

And dizzy 'tis to cast one's eyes so low!
The crows, and choughs, that wing the midway air,
Show scarce so gross as beetles: half way down
Hangs one that gathers samphire; dreadful trade!
Methinks he seems no bigger than his head:
The fishermen, that walk upon the beach,
Appear like mice; and yon tall anchoring bark,
Diminished to her cock;* her cock, a buoy
Almost too small for sight: the murmuring surge
That on the unnumber'd idle pebbles chafes,
Cannot be heard so high :-I'll look no more;
Lest my brain turn, and the deficient sight
Topple down headlong.

Glos'ter's Farewell to the World.

O you mighty gods!

This world I do renounce; and, in your sights,
Shake patiently my great affliction off:

If I could bear it longer, and not fall

* Cock-boat, a small boat belonging to the "anchoring bark."

To quarrel with your great opposeless wills,
My snuff, and loathed part of nature should
Burn itself out.

Lear on his Flatterers.

They flatter'd me like a dog; and told me I had white hairs in my beard, ere the black ones were there. To say ay and no, to everything I said!-Ay and no too was no good divinity. When the rain came to wet me once, and the wind to make me chatter; when the thunder would not peace at my bidding; there I found them, there I smelt them out. Go to, they are not men o' their words; they told me I was everything; 'tis a lie; I am not ague-proof.

Scene between Lear and Cordelia.

CORDELIA. How does my royal lord? How fares your majesty?

LEAR. You do me wrong to take me out o' the grave. Thou art a soul in bliss: but I am bound

Upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears
Do scald like molten lead.

CORDELIA.

Sir, do you know me ?

LEAR. You are a spirit, I know; when did you die? CORDELIA. Still, still, far wide!

PHYSICIAN. He's scarce awake; let him alone awhile. LEAR. Where have I been?-Where am I?—Fair day-light?

I am mightily abused.—I should even die with pity,
To see another thus.I know not what to say.
I will not swear these are my hands: let's see;
I feel this pin prick. Would I were assured

Of my

condition.

CORDELIA. O, look upon me, sir,

And hold your hands in benediction o'er me :-
No, sir, you must not kneel.

LEAR.

Pray do not mock me:

I am a very foolish fond old man,

Fourscore and upwards; and, to deal plainly,

I fear I am not in my perfect mind.

Methinks I should know you, and know this man :
Yet I am doubtful: for I am mainly ignorant
What place this is; and all the skill I have
Remembers not these garments, nor I know not
Where I did lodge last night. Do not laugh at me ;
For, as I am a man, I think this lady

To be my child Cordelia.

CORDELIA.

And so I am, I am.

LEAR. Be your tears wet? Yes, faith, I pray, weep

not:

If you have poison for me, I will drink it.

I know you do not love me; for your sisters
Have, as I do remember, done me wrong:

You have some cause, they have not.

CORDELIA.

No cause, no cause.

In your own kingdom, sir.

LEAR. Am I in France?
KENT.

LEAR. Do not abuse me.

PHYSICIAN. Be comforted, good madam: the great

rage,

You see, is cured in him; and yet it is danger

To make him even o'er the time he has lost

Desire him to go in; trouble him no more,
Till further settling.

CORDELIA. Will't please your highness walk?
LEAR.

You must bear with me:

Pray now forget and forgive: I am old and foolish.