To wage against thy foes; nor fear to lose it, Lear. Out of my fight! Kent. See better, Lear, and let me fill remain The true blank of thine eye. Lear. Now by Apollo Kent. Now by Apollo, King, Thou fwear'ft thy gods in vain. Lear. O vaffal! mifcreant! [Laying his band on his fword. Alb. Corn. Dear Sir, forbear. Kent. Kill thy physician, and thy fee bestow Lear. Hear me, recreant! Since thou haft fought to make us break our vow, Kent. Fare thee well, King; fith thus thou wilt appear, He'll shape his old course in a country new. [Exit Enter Glo'fter, with France and Burgundy, and Attendants. Glo. Here's France and Burgundy, my noble lord." Lear. t Lear. My lord of Burgundy, We firft addrefs tow'rd you, who with this King Bur. Moft royal Majefty, I crave no more than what your Highness offer'd, Lear. Right noble Burgundy, When the was dear to us, we held her fo; And nothing more, may fitly like your Grace, Bur. I know no answer. Lear. Will you with thofe infirmities the owes, Unfriended, new-adopted to our hate, Dower'd with our curfe, and ftranger'd with our oath, Take her, or leave her? Bur. Pardon, royal Sir; Election makes not up on fuch conditions. Lear. Then leave her, Sir; for by the pow'r that made me, I tell you all her wealth. -For you, great King, [To France. I would not from your love make fuch a stray, To match you where I hate; therefore beseech you, Than on a wretch, whom nature is afham'd France. This is most strange! That the, who ev'n but now was your beft object, That monfters it; or your fore-vouch'd affection Muft Must be a faith, that reason without miracle Cor. I yet befeech your Majefty, (If, for I want that glib and oily art, To fpeak and purpofe not; fince what I well intend That hath depriv'd me of your grace and favour: That I am glad I've not; though, not to have it, Lear. Better thou Hadft not been born, than not have pleas'd me better. Which often leaves the history unfpoke, Aloof from th' intire point. Say, will you have her? Bar. Royal King, Give but that portion which your felf propos'd, Dutchefs of Burgundy. Lear. Nothing: I've fworn. Bur. I'm forry then, you have fo loft a father, That you muft lose a husband. Cor. Peace be with Burgundy, Since that refpects of fortune are his love, I fhall not be his wife. France. Fairest Cordelia, that art moft rich, being poor, Moft choice, forfaken; and moft lov'd, defpis'd! Be't lawful, I take up what's caft away. Gods, Gods! 'tis ftrange, that from their cold'ft neglect My love fhould kindle to enflam'd respect. Thy dow'rlefs daughter, King, thrown to my chance, Is Queen of us, of ours, and our fair France: Lear. Thou haft her, France; let her be thine, for we Have no fuch daughter; nor fhall ever fee That face of hers again; therefore be gone Without our grace, our love, our benizon: Come, noble Burgundy. [Flourish. Exeunt Lear and Burgundy. France. Bid farewel to your fifters. Cor. Ye jewels of our father, with wash'd eyes Cordelia leaves you: I know what you are, And, like a fifter, am most loth to call Your faults, as they are nam'd. Love well our father: To your profeffing bofoms I commit him; Reg. Prefcribe not us our duty. Be to content your lord, who hath receiv'd you France. Come, my fair Cordelia. [Exeunt France and Cor. Gon. Sister, it is not little I've to say, Of what most nearly appertains to us both; I think, our father will go hence to night. (2) And well are worth the Want that you have wanted.] This is a very obfcure Expreffion, and must be piec'd out with an implied Senfe, to be understood. This I take to be the Poet's Meaning, ftript of the Jingle which makes it dark: "You well deferve to meet with that Want of Love from your Husband, which you have profefs'd to want for our "Father." Reg. Reg. That's certain, and with you; next month with us. Gon. You fee how full of changes his age is, the obfervation we have made of it hath not been little; he always lov'd our fifter moft, and with what poor judgment he hath now caft her off, appears too grossly. Reg. 'Tis the infirmity of his age; yet he hath ever but flenderly known himself. Gon. The beft and foundest of his time hath been but rash; then must we look, from his age, to receive not alone the imperfections of long-engrafted condition, but therewithal the unruly waywardness, that infirm and cholerick years bring with them. Reg. Such unconftant ftarts are we like to have from him, as this of Kent's banishment. Gon. There is further complement of leave-taking between France and him; pray you, let us hit together: if our father carry authority with fuch difpofition as he bears, this laft furrender of his will but offend us. Reg. We fhall further think of it. Gon. We must do fomething, and i' th' heat. [Exeunt. SCENE changes to a Caftle belonging to the Earl of Glo'fter. Edm. Enter EDMUND, with a Letter. THou, Nature, art my Goddess; to thy law My fervices are bound; wherefore should I Stand in the plague of cuftom, and permit The curtefie of nations to deprive me, (3) For that I am fome twelve or fourteen moon-fhines (3) The Nicety of Nations] This is Mr. Pope's Reading, ex Cathedra; for it has the Sanction of none of the Copies, that I have met with. They all, indeed, give it, Us, by a foolish Corruption, the Curiofity of Nations; but I fome time ago prov'd, that our Author's Word was, Curtefie. Nor must we forget that Tenure in our Laws, whereby fome Lands are held by the Curtefie of England. Lag |