Yet to be known, shortens my made intent: Till time and I think meet. Cor. Then be it so, my good lord.-How does the king? Phys. Madam, sleeps still. Cor. O you kind gods, Cure this great breach in his abused nature! [To the Physician Phys. I' the sway of your own will. Is he array'd? Gent. Ay, madam; in the heaviness of his sleep. We put fresh garments on him. Phys. Be by, good madam, when we do awake him; I doubt not of his temperance. Cor. Very well. Phys. Please you, draw near. Cor. O my dear father! Restoration, hang Thy medicine on my lips; and let this kiss Repair those violent harms, that my two sisters Have in thy reverence made! Kent. Kind and dear princess! Cor. Had you not been their father, these white flakes Had challeng'd pity of them. Was this a face To be expos'd against the warring winds? To stand against the deep dread-bolted thunder? Of quick, cross-lightning? to watch (poor perdu !) Though he had bit me, should have stood that nigh Cor. How does my royal lord? How fares your majesty Upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears Do scald like molten lead. Cor. Sir, do you know me? Lear. You are a spirit, I know; When did you die? Cor. Still, still, far wide! Phys. He's scarce awake; let him alone awhile. Lear. Where have I been? Where am I?-Fair daylight! I am mightily abus'd.—I should even die with pity, To see another thus.-I know not what to say.- Cor. O, look upon me, sir, And hold your hands in benediction o'er me ;- Lear. Pray, do not mock me: I am a very foolish fond old man, Fourscore and upward; and, to deal plainly, I fear, I am not in my perfect mind. Methinks, I should know you, and know this man; To be my child Cordelia. If Cor. And so I am, I am. Lear. Be your tears wet? Yes, 'faith. I pray, weep not: I know, you do not love me; for your sisters You have some cause, they have not. Cor. Lear. Am I in France! Lear. Do not abuse me. No cause, no cause. In your own kingdom, sir. Phys. Be comforted, good madam; the great rage, Cor. Will't please your highness walk? You must be with me Pray now, forget and forgive: I am old, and foolish, [Exeunt LEAR, CORDELIA, Physician, and Attend. ACT V. Lear is restored to reason, and aided by the forces of Frano, makes war against the Dukes of Cornwall and Albany, whose armies are led on by Edmund, created by theu Earl of Gloster. The King, and Cordelia are defeated, and made prisoners. SCENE.-The British Camp neur Dover. Enter, in conquest, with drum and colors, EDMUND; LEAR, and COR. DELIA, as prisoners; Officers, Soldiers, &c. Edm. Some officers take them away: good guard; Until their greater pleasures first be kr.own That are to censure them. Cor. We are not the first, As if we were Heaven's spies: And we'll wear out, Edm. Take them away. The gods themselves throw incense. Have I caught thee? And fire us hence, like foxes. Wipe thine eyes; They shall not make us weep: we'll see them starve first. [Exeunt LEAR, and CORDELIA, guarded. Lear and his daughter are conveyed to Prison, and orders are given by Albany to hang Cordelia. Punishment now overtakes the guilty Regan and Goneril. In pursuing thei. unlaw ful love towards Edmund, Regan, through jealousy, poisons her sister, and then dies by her own hand. Edmund receives the reward of his crimes from Edgar, who challenges him to single combat and slays him. Gloster is reconciled to his son, and the Play ends with the death of Lear. SCENE.-A Prison. Enter LEAR, with CORDELIA dead in his arms; EDGAR, Officer, and others. Lear. Howl, howl, howl, howl!-O, you are men of stones; That heaven's vault should crack :-O, she is gone for ever!— 'She's dead as earth :-Lend me a looking-glass; If that her breath will mist or stain the stone, Kont. Is this the promis'd end? Edg. Or image of that horror? Lear. This feather stirs; she lives! if it be so, It is a chance that does redeem all sorrows That ever I have felt. Kent. O my good master! [Kneeling. Lear. Pr'y hee away. 'Tis noble Kent. your friend What is't thou say'st?-Her voice was ever soft, Off. 'Tis true, my lords, he did. Lear. Lear. This is a dull sight: Are you not Kent? Kent. That, from your first of difference and decay, Lear. You are welcome hither. Kent. Nor no man else; all's cheerless, dark, and dead. y.~ Your eldest daughters have fore-doom'd themselves, And desperately are dead. Lear. And my poor fool is hang'd! No, no, no life: Why should a dog, a horse, a rat, have life, And thou no breath at all? O, thou wilt come no more. Never, never, never, never, never!— Pray you, undo this button: Thank you, sir Do you see this? Look on her,-look,-her lips, Look there, look there!— [He dies. MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREÁM. This Play is considered by the critics to have "all the merit of entire originality of ➜ot and incident." The traditions of all Europe and the East, furnished the leading dea of fairy character, while classical and mythological history has been drawn upon for he heroical personages. Our selections from this brilliant poetical composition, are confined to the action of the Drama, as connected with the "princely loves" of Theseus and Hippolyta, and the Athenian Lovers. The humorous under-plots we are unwillingly compelled to omit from want of space. HIPPOLYTA, Queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus. HERMIA, daughter to Egeus, in love with Lysander. HELENA, in love with Demetrius. OBERON, king of the fairies. TITANIA, queen of the fairies. PUCK, or Robin-goodfellow, a fairy. PEAS-BLOSSOM, COBWEB, MOTH, MUSTARD-SEED, fairies. Pyramus, Thisbe, Wall, Moonshine, Lion, characters in the In. terlude performed by the Clowns. Other Fairies attending their King and Queen. Attendants on Theses and Hippolyta. SCENE, ATHENS; and a Wood not far from it. |