None does offend, none, I fay, none; ' I'll able 'em ;
Take that of me, my friend, who have the pow'r
To feal th' accufer's lips. Get thee glass eyes,
And, like a fcurvy politician, feem

To fee the things thou doft not.

Now, now, now, now. Pull off my boots. Harder, harder. So.

Edg. O matter and impertinency mixt. Reafon in madness !

Lear. If thou wilt weep my fortunes, take my eyes. I know thee well enough, thy name is Glo'fter. Thou must be patient; we came crying hither; Thou know'ft, the first time that we smell the air, We wawle and cry. I will preach to thee. MarkGlo. Alack, alack the day!

Lear. When we are born, we cry, that we are come To this great stage of fools.-This a good block!— It were a delicate ftratagem to shoe

A troop of horse with felt; I'll put't in proof;
And when I've ftol'n upon these fons-in-law,
Then kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill.

-I'll able 'em ;] An old phrafe fignifying to qualify, or uphold them. So Scogan, conSo Scogan, contemporary with Chaucer, fays, Set all my life after thy ne ordi

nance

And able me to mercie or thou deme.

But the Oxford Editor alters it to abfolve. WARBURTON.

2 -This a good block!] I do not fee how this block correfponds either with his foregoing or following train of thoughts. Madmen think not wholly at random. I would read thus, a good Flock. Flocks are wooll moulded together. The fentence then follows properly: It were a delicate ftratagem to fhoe 8

A troop of horse with felt; that is, with flocks kneaded to a mafs, a practice I believe fometimes ufed in former ages, for it is mentioned in Ariosto.

-Fece nel cader firepito quanto Aveffe avuto fotto i pi di il feltro.

It is very common for madmen to catch an accidental hint, and ftrain it to the purpose predominant in their minds. Lear picks up a flock, and immediately thinks to furprise his enemies by a troop of horse fhod with fucks or felt. Yet block may ftand, if we fuppofe that the fight of a block put him in mind of mounting his horte.

SCENE

Enter a Gentleman, with Attendants.

Gent. O, here he is, lay hand upon him.-Sir, Your most dear daughter

Lear. No refcue? What, a prifoner? I am ever The natural fool of fortune. Ufe me well,

You fhall have ranfome.

I am cut to th' brains.

Let me have furgeons,

Gent. You fhall have any thing.
Lear. No feconds? all myself ?

Why, this would make a man, 3 a man of falt;
To ufe his eyes for garden-water-pots,

And laying autumn's duft. I will die bravely,
Like a fmug bridegroom. What? I will be jovial.
Come, come, I am a King, my mafters; know you
that?

Gent. You are a royal one, and we obey you.
Lear. Then there's life in't. Come, an' you get it,
You shall get it by running. Sa, sa, sa, sa.

[Exit. Gent. A fight moft pitiful in the meaneft wretch,

Paft fpeaking of in a King. Thou haft one daughter, Who redeems nature from the general curfe

Which twain have brought her to.

Edg. Hail, gentle Sir.

Gent. Sir, fpeed you. What's your Will?

Edg. Do you hear aught, Sir, of a battle toward ? Gent. Moft fure, and vulgar; every one hears that,

Which can diftinguish found.

Edg. But by your favour, How near's the other army?

Gent. Near, and on speedy foot. † The main descry Stands on the hourly thought.

3-a man of falt ;] Would make a man melt away like falt in hot weather.

Then there's life in it.] The cafe is not yet defperate.

+ The main defery

Stands on the hourly thought.] The main body is expected to be defery'd every hour. The expreffion is harsh. K 2

Edg.

Edg. I thank you, Sir.
Gent. Though that the
here,

Her army is mov'd on.

Edg. I thank you, Sir.

[Exit Gent:

Glo. You ever gentle Gods, take my breath from me;

Let not my worfer fpirit tempt me again

To die before you please!

Edg. Well pray you, father.

Glo. Now, good Sir, what are you?

Edg. A most poor man, made tame to fortune's blows,

Who, by the art of known and feeling forrows, Am pregnant to good pity. Give me your hand, I'll lead you to fome biding.

Glo. Hearty thank ;

The bounty and the benizon of heav'n

To boot, and boot!

SCENE IX.

Enter Steward.

Stew. A proclaim'd prize! moft happy! -That eyelefs head of thine was first fram'd fileft, To raise my fortunes. Old unhappy traitor, 5 Briefly thyfelf remember. The fword is out, That must destroy thee.

Glo. Let thy friendly hand

Put ftrength enough to it.

Stew. Wherefore, bold peafant,

[Edgar opposes.

Dar'st thou fupport a publish'd traitor? Hence,

4 Who, by the art of known and feeling forrows.] i. e. forrows paft and prefent; but the Oxford Editor lofes all this fenfe, by altering it to

-knowing and feeling. WARB.

s Briefly thyfelf remember:] i. e. quickly recollect the paft offences of thy life, and recommend thyself to heaven.

WARBURTON.

Left

Left that th' infection of his fortune take
Like hold on thee. Let go his arm.

Edg. Chill not let go, Zir, without vurther 'cafion. Stew. Let go, flave, or thou dy'st.

6

Edg. Good gentleman, go your gaite, and let poor volk país. And 'chud ha' been zwagger'd out of my. life, 'twould not ha' been zo long as 'tis by a vortnight. Nay, come not near the old man; keep out, che vor'ye, or ife try whether your coftard or my bat be the harder, chill be plain with you. Stew. Out, dunghill ! Edg. Chill pick your teeth, Zir. yor your foyns.

Come, no matter [Edgar knocks him down.. Villain, take my

Stew. Slave, thou haft flain me. purf.

If ever thou wilt thrive, bury my body,'

And give the letters, which thou find'ft about me,
To Edmund Earl of Glofter; feek him out

I

Upon the English party. Oh, untimely death! Dies. Edg. I know thee well, a ferviceable villain;

As duteous to the vices of thy Mistress,

As badness would defire.

Glo. What, is he dead?

Edg. Sit you down, father; reft you...

Let's fee these pockets; the letters, that he speaks of,
May be my friends. He's dead; I'm only forry,
He had no other death's-man. Let us fee

By your leave, gentle wax and manners.,, Blame us not; 7 To know our enemies' minds, we rip their hearts.; Their papers are more lawful.

This is darkly exprefied: The meaning is, Qur enemies are put upon the rack, and torn in pieces to extort confedion of their fecrets; to tear open their letters is more lawful, WARB.

K 3

3

Reads

Reads the Letter.

LET our reciprocal Vows be remembered. You have many opportunities to cut him off: if your Wil want not, time and place will be fruitfully offer d. There is nothing done, if he return the conqueror. Then am I the prifoner, and his bed my gaol; from the loathed warmth whereof deliver me, and supply the place for your

labour.

Your (wife, so I would fay) affectionate Servant,
Gonerill,

Oh, undiftinguifh'd space of woman's Will!
A plot upon her virtuous hufband's life,

And the exchange my brother. Here, i' th' fands
Thee I'll rake up, the poft unfanctified

Of murd'rous lechers; and in the mature time,
With this ungracious paper ftrike the fight
Of the death practis'd Duke; for him 'tis well,
That of thy death and bufinefs I can tell.

Glo. The King is mad; how stiff is my vile sense, That I ftand up, and have ingenious Feeling

Oh, undiftingui'd space of woman's Wit!] So the first Quarto reads, but the first Foo better, Will. I have no idea of the meaning of the first reading, but the other is extremely fatirical; the warium mutabile femper, of Virgil, more ftrongly, and happily expreffed the muta bility of a woman's Will, which is fo fudden that there is no space or distance between the present Will and the next. Honeft San zbo explains this thought with Infinite humour, Entre el fiye no de la muger, no me atreveria yo à poner una punta d'Alfiler. Between a woman's yes and no

f

I would not undertake to thrust a pin's point. WARB.

9 Ther I'll rake up,] I'll cover thee. In Staffordshire, to rake the fire is to cover it with fuel for the night.

-the dath practis'd Duke ;] The Duke of Albany, whofe death is machinated by practice or treafon.

2-and have ingenious Feel

ing] Ingenious Feeling fignifies a feeling from an underftanding not disturbed or difordered, but which, reprefenting things as they are, makes the fenfe of pain the more exquifite.

WARBURTON.

Of