Fool. Thou wast a pretty fellow when thou hadst no need to care for her frowning; now thou art an O without a figure: I am better than thou art now; I am a fool, thou art nothing. [To Gon.] Yes, forsooth, I will hold my tongue; so your face bids me, though you say nothing. Mum, mum He that keeps nor crust nor crum,* Weary of all, shall want some.— That's a shealed peascod. [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-endurèd riots. Sir, I had thought, by making this well known unto you, Fool. For, you trow, nuncle, The hedge-sparrow fed the cuckoo so long, So, out went the candle, and we were left darkling. Gon. Come, sir, I would you would make use of that good wisdom 46 * He that keeps nor crust nor crum, &c.] This couplet and the nex. are, no doubt, parts of some satirical ballad [or ballads]." COLLIER. (32) That it had its head bit off by its young.] The old eds. have "That it [and "it's "] had it head bit off beit [and "by it"] young."-See Pre face to the second edition, p. 7, note. Fool. May not an ass know when the cart draws the horse? -Whoop, Jug! I love thee. Lear. Doth any here know me ?-Why, this is not Lear: Doth Lear walk thus? speak thus? Where are his eyes? Either his notion weakens, or his discernings Are lethargied-Ha! waking? 'tis not so. Who is it that can tell me who I am?— Fool. Lear's shadow. Lear. I would learn that; for, by the marks of sovereignty, Knowledge, and reason, I should be false-persuaded I had daughters. (83) Fool. Which they will make an obedient father. Gon. This admiration, sir, is much o' the savour(4) Of other your new pranks. I do beseech you As you are old and reverend, should be wise.() Here do you keep a hundred knights and squires; Than a grac'd palace. The shame itself doth speak By her, that else will take the thing she begs, A little to disquantity your train; And the remainder, that shall still depend, (33) I had daughters.] Walker (Crit. Exam., &c., vol. i. p. 4) would read "That I had daughters."—This speech is only in the quartos, where it stands as prose. (3) savour] "The folios, Steevens's reprint of the 4tos, [Rowe,] Pope, Theobald, [Hanmer,] and Knight have savour' here; while Capell, Var. 1821, and Collier, [Staunton, and Grant White] have 'favour,' all in silence." W. N. LETTSOM, note on Walker's Shakespeare's Versification, &c., p. 230.- "Whether the word of some old editions be 'favour' or 'savour' is hard pronouncing; nor is there much choice between them, in this place all the moderns have inclined towards' savour.' "CAPELL, Notes, &c., vol. i. P. ii. p. 152.-"favour,' i.e. complexion. So in Julius Caesar, In favour's like the work we have in hand.'" STEEVENS. (5) As you are old and reverend, should be wise.] So the folio.-The quartos have "As you are old and reverend, you should be wise." -Rowe printed "You, as you are old and reverend, should be wise."-Steevens proposes “As you are old and reverend, be wise.” To be such men as may besort your age, Lear. Darkness and devils:- Saddle my horses; call my train together.- Gon. You strike my people; and your disorder'd rabble Make servants of their betters. Enter ALBANY. Lear. Woe, that too late repents,-[To Alb.] O, sir, are you come? Is it your will? Speak, sir.-Prepare my horses.— More hideous when thou show'st thee in a child Alb. Pray, sir, be patient. Lear. [to Gon.] Detested kite! thou liest: My train are men of choice and rarest parts, That all particulars of duty know, And in the most exact regard support The worships of their name.(36)_O most small fault, Which, like an engine, wrench'd my frame of nature And added to the gall. O Lear, Lear, Lear! Beat at this gate, that let thy folly in, [Striking his head. And thy dear judgment out!-Go, go, my people. Alb. My lord, I'm guiltless, as I'm ignorant Of what hath mov'd you. Lear. It may be so, my lord.—(37) (36) The worships of their name.] Qy. "The worships of their names," or The worship of their name" ? 66 (37) Lear. It may be so, my lord, &c.] So this passage (which, slightly different, stands as prose in the quartos) is divided in the folic.A modern arrangement is "Lear. It may be so, my lord.-Hear, nature, hear; Hear, nature, hear; dear goddess, hear! Into her womb convey sterility! To have a thankless child-Away, away! Alb. Now, gods that we adore, whereof comes this? That dotage gives it. Re-enter LEAR. Lear. What, fifty of my followers at a clap! Within a fortnight? Alb. What's the matter, sir? [Exit. Lear. I'll tell thee,-[To Gon.] Life and death! I am asham'd That thou hast power to shake my manhood thus; That these hot tears, which break from me perforce, Should make thee worth them.-Blasts and fogs upon thee i Th' untented woundings of a father's curse Pierce every sense about thee!-Old fond eyes, Beweep this cause again, I'll pluck ye out, :— (38) I have another daughter,] So the folio; which I follow in preference to the reading of the quartos, "yet haue I left a daughter," because we have already had, p. 32, VOL. VIII. "Degenerate bastard! I'll not trouble thee: Who, I am sure, is kind and comfortable: Gon. Do you mark that, my lord? Alb. I cannot be so partial, Goneril, (39) To the great love I bear you, Gon. Pray you, content.-What, Oswald, ho!— [To the Fool.] You, sir, more knave than fool, after your master. Fool. Nuncle Lear, nuncle Lear, tarry, and take the fool with thee. A fox, when one has caught her, Should sure to the slaughter, If my cap would buy a halter: So the fool follows after. [Exit. :—a hundred Gon. This man hath had good counsel: knights! 'Tis politic and safe to let him keep At point a hundred knights: yes, that, on every dream. Each buzz, each fancy, each complaint, dislike, Safer than trust too far: He may enguard his dotage with their powers, (39) Alb. I cannot be so partial, Goneril, &c.] "Arrange 'I cannot be so partial, Goneril, To the great love I bear you, Gon. Pray you, content. What, Oswald, ho!--You, sir, more knave than fool, After your master.'" Walker's Crit. Exum., &c., vol. iii. p. 277. |