Of my huge forrows; better I were distract,

So fhould my thoughts be fever'd from my griefs,

And woes, by wrong imagination, lofe

The knowledge of themselves.

Edg. Give me your hand.

[Drum afar off.

Far off, methinks, I hear the beaten drum.

Come, further. I'll beftow you with a friend. [Exeunt.

Cor.

SCENE

X.

Changes to a Chamber.

Enter Cordelia, Kent, and Phyfician.

3

Thou good Kent, how fhall I live and work To match thy Goodness? life will be too fhort,

And ev'ry measure fail me.

Kent. To be acknowledg'd, Madam, is o'erpaid. All my reports go with the modest truth,

Nor more, nor clipt, but fo.

Cor. Be better fuited,

These weeds are memories of those worfer hours;
I pr'ythee, put them off.

Kent. Pardon, dear Madam,

Yet to be known, + fhortens my made intent; My boon I make it, that you know me not, 'Till time and I think meet.

Cor. Then be it fo, my good Lord. -How does the King?

3 -ev'ry measure fail me.] All good which I fhall allot thee, measure out to thee, will be anty.

4-portens my MADE intent;] There is a diffonancy of terms in made intent; one implying the idea of a thing done, the other,

K

[To the Phyfician.

Phyf. Madam, fleeps still.

Cor. O you kind Gods!

Cure this great breach in his abufed nature;
Th' untun'd and jarring fenfes, O, wind up
Of this child-changed father.

Phyf. Please your Majesty,

That we may wake the king, he hath slept long?
Cor, Be govern'd by your knowledge, and proceed
I' th'lway of your own will. Is he array'd?

Enter Lear in a chair, carried by Servants.

Phyf. Ay, Madam; in the heaviness of sleep,
We put fresh garments on him.

Be by, good Madam, when we do awake him;
I doubt not of his temperance.

Cr. O my dear father! Restoration, hang
Thy medicine on my lips; and let this kifs
Repair thofe violent harms, that my
my two fifters

Have in thy reverence made!

Kent. Kind and deareft Princefs!

[Kiffes bim,

Cor. Had you not been their Father, thefe white flakes

Did challenge pity of them. Was this a face,

To be expos'd against the warring winds?

To ftand against the deep, dread-bolted Thunder ?
In the most terrible and nimble Stroke

Of quick crofs Lightning? To watch, poor Perdu,

With

With this thin Helm? My very Enemy's Dog,
Though he had bit me, fhou'd have ftood that Night
Against my fire. And waft thou fain, poor Father,
To hovel thee with fwine and rogues forlorn,
In fhort and mufty ftraw? alack, alack!
'Tis wonder, that thy life and wits, at once,
7 Had not concluded all. He wakes; fpeak to him.
Phyf. Madam, do you, 'tis fitteft.

Cor. How does my royal Lord? how fares your
Majefty?

Lear. You do me wrong to take me out o'th' grave, Thou art a foul in blifs, but I am bound

Upon a wheel of fire; that mine own tears

Do fcald like molten lead.

Cor. Sir, do you know me ?

Lear. You are a fpirit, I know. When did
Cor. Still, ftill, far wide-

you die?

Phyf. He's scarce awake; let him alone awhile. Lear. Where have I been? Where am I? Fair daylight?

I'm mightily abus'd. I fhould even die with pity, To fee another thus. I know not what to fay; I will not fwear, these are my hands. Let's fee, I feel this pin prick. 'Would I were affur'd Of my condition.

Cor. O look upon me, Sir,

And hold your hand in benediction o'er me.
No, Sir, you must not kneel.

Lear. Pray, do not mock me;

minine. Thefe enfans perdus being always flightly and badly armed, is the reafon fhe adds, With this thin Helm

i.e. bareheaded.

WARB. 7 Had not concluded ALL—} · All what we should read and point it thus,

Had not concluded.-Ah!-

An exclamation on perceiving her father wake. WARB.

The plain conftruction is this: It is wonder that the wits and life bad not all ended.

3 I'm mightily abus'd.] I am ftrangely impofed on by appearances; I am in a strange mift of uncertainty.

I

I am a very foolish fond old man,

Fourfcore and upward; and, to deal plainly,
9 I fear I am not perfect in my mind.
Methinks, I fhould know you, and know this man ;
Yet I am doubtful; for I'm mainly ignorant,
What place this is; and all the fkill I have,
Remembers not thefe garments; nay, I know not
Where I did lodge laft night. Do not laugh at me,
For, as I am a man, I think, this lady

To be my child Cordelia.

Cor. And fo I am; I am.

Lear. Be your tears wet? Yes, 'faith. I pray you, weep not.

If you have poifon for me, I will drink it;

I know you do not love me; for

your fifters Have, as I do remember, done me wrong. You have fome caufe, they have not.

Cor. No caufe, no caufe.

Lear. Am I in France ?

Kent. In your own kingdom, Sir.

Lear. Do not abuse me.

Phyf. Be comforted, good Madam; the great rage, You fee, is cur'd in him: -And, yet 'twere danger 2 To make him even o'er the Time, b'as loft.

Defire him to go in; trouble him no more,

'Till further fettling.

Cor. Will't please your Highnefs walk?
Lear. You must bear with me;

Pray you now, forget and forgive.

I am old and foolish.

[Exeunt Lear, Cordelia, Physician and Attendants.

9 The quarto reads,

I fear I am not perfect in my mind.

2 To make him even o'er the Time,-] i. e. to reconcile

And yet, &c.] This is not it to his apprehenfion. WARB. in the folio.

Manent

Manent Kent and Gentleman.

Gent. Holds it true, Sir, that the Duke of Cornwall was fo flain?

Kent. Moft certain, Sir.

Gent. Who is Conductor of his people?

Kent. As 'tis faid, the Baftard Son of Glo'fter. Gent. They fay, Edgar, his banisht Son, is with the Earl of Kent in Germany.

Kent. Report is changeable. 'Tis time to look about; the Powers of the Kingdom approach apace.

Gent. The Arbitrement is like to be bloody.

Fare you well, Sir.

[Exit Gent. Kent. My Point and Period will be throughly wrought, Or well, or ill, as this day's Battle's fought. [Exit Kent.

ACT V.

SCENE I.

A CAM P.

Enter Edmund, Regan, Gentleman, and Soldiers.

K

EDMUND.

NOW of the Duke, if his last purpose hold;
Or whether fince he is advis'd by aught,

To change the courfe? He's full of Alteration,
And self-reproving. Bring his conftant pleasure.
Reg. Our fifter's man is certainly miscarry'd.
Edm. 'Tis to be doubted, Madam.
Reg. Now, fweet Lord,

3 What is printed in Italicks is not in the folio. It is at leaft proper, if not neceffary, and was omitted by the authour, I

fuppofe, for no other reason than
to fhorten the representation.
•-bis conftant pleasure.] His
fettled refolution.

You