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DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

LEAR, King of Britain,
KING OF FRANCE.
DUKE OF BURGUNDY.
DUKE OF CORNWALL.
DUKE OF ALBANY.
EARL OF KENT.
EARL OF GLOSTER.
EDGAR, Son to Gloster.
EDMUND, Bastard Son to Gloster.
CURAN, a Courtier.
OSWALD, Steward to Goneril.
Old Man, Tenant to Gloster.
Physician.
Fool.
An Officer, employed by. Edmund.
Gentleman, Attendant on Cordelia.
A Herald.
Servants to Cornwall.
GONERIL,
REGAN, Daughters to Lear.

CORDELIA,
Knights of Lear's train, Officers, Messengers, Soldiers, and

Attendants.
SCENE, Britain.

218943

ACT I. SCENE I. - A Room of State in KING LEAR's Palace.

Enter KENT, GLOSTER, and EDMUND.

Kent. I thought, the king had more affected the duke of Albany, than Cornwall.

Gloster. It did always seem so to us: but now, in the division of the kingdom, it appears not which of the dukes he values most; for equalities are so weighed, that curiosity in neither can make choice of either's moiety.?

Kent. Is not this your son, my lord ?

Glos. His breeding, Sir, hath been at my charge: I have so often blushed to acknowledge him, that now I am brazed 3 to it.

Kent. I cannot conceive you.

Glos. Sir, this young fellow's mother could;4 whereupon she grew round-wombed, and had, indeed, Sir, a son for her cradle ere she had a husband for her bed. Do you smell a fault?

Kent. I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it being so proper."

Glos. But I have a son, Sir, by order of law, some year elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my account:

1. Scotland was anciently called | not determine in preferring one share Albany.

to the other. 2. Curiosity, scrupulousness, cap 3. To braze, to harden to imputiousness; moiety strictly means half, dence. but Shakespeare commonly uses it for

4. i. e. could conceive: a play upon any part or division. The meaning the word. of the sentence is: The qualities and 5. A proper man was a handsome properties of the several divisions are man, a well-proportioned man. so weighed and balanced against one 6. Sore year elder, about a year another, that the exactest scrutiny could / older.

King Lear.

1

though this knave, came somewhat saucily into the world, before he was 'sent' for, yet was his mother fair, there was good sport at: his making, and the whoreson must be acknowledged. Do you know this noble gentleman, Edmund ?

Edsevind. No, my lord.

Glós, My lord of Kent: remember him hereafter as my honourable friend.

Edm. My services to your lordship.
Kent. I must love you, and sue to know you better.
Edm. Sir, I shall study deserving.

Glos. He hath been out nine years, and away he shall again. The king is coming.

Sennet 1 within.

Enter LEAR, CORNWALL, ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, CORDELIA,

and Attendants.

Lear. Attend the lords of France and Burgundy, Gloster,
Glos. I shall, my liege. (Exeunt GLOSTER and EDMUND.

Lear. Meantime we shall express our darker purpose.» Give me the

map

there. Know, that we have divided In three, our kingdom; and 't is our fast intent 3 To shake all cares and business from our age, Conferring them on younger strengths, while we Unburden'd crawl toward death. Our son of Cornwall, And you, our no less loving son of Albany, We have this hour a constant will+ to publish Our daughters' several dowers, that future strife May be prevented now.5 The princes, France and Burgundy, Great rivals in our youngest daughter's love, Long in our court have made their amorous sojourn, And here are to be answer'd. — Tell me, my daughters, (Since now we will divest us, both of rule, Interest of territory, cares of state) Which of you, shall we say, doth love us most? That we our largest bounty may extend Where nature doth with merit challenge. Goneril, Our eldest-born, speak first.

1. Sennet, flourish of trumpets. 4. Constant will, determined will; the

2. Darker purpose, secret, hidden same as fast intent. purpose.

5. See last pote but one of Scene 4, 3. Fast intent, fixed, settled intent. Act III.

Goneril. Sir, I love you more than words can wield the

matter;1 Dearer than eye-sight, space, and liberty; Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare; No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour: As much as child e’er lov’d, or father found; A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable; Beyond all manner of so much I love you.2 Cordelia. What shall Cordelia do ? Love, and be silent.

(Aside.
Lear. Of all these bounds, even from this line to this,
With shadowy forests, and with champains rich’d,
With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads,
We make thee lady: to thine and Albany's issue
Be this perpetual. What says our second daughter,
Our dearest Regan, wife of Cornwall? Speak.

Regan. I am made of that self metal as my sister,
And prize me at her worth. In my true heart
I find, she names my very deed of love;
Only she comes too short, that I profess 3
Myself an enemy to all other joys,
Which the most precious square of sense possesses, 4
And find, I am alone felicitate
In your dear highness' love.

Then, poor Cordelia! (Aside.
And yet not so; since, I am sure, my love's
More richer5 than my tongue.

Lear. To thee, and thine, hereditary ever,
Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom;
No less in space, validity, and pleasure,
Than that conferr'd on Goneril. Now, our joy,
Although the last, not least; to whose young love
The vines of France and milk of Burgundy

Cor.

1. i. e. more than words can deal comprehension; or, the full complement with, or express,

of all the senses.

But this passage 2. i. e. beyond all assignable quan- may possibly be corrupted. tity. I love you beyond limits, and 5. The use of both forms of comcannot say it is so much, for how much parison together was common with the soever I should name, it would be yet old writers. See many passages in

this play 3. i. e. in that, in as much as I pro 6. Validity, worth, value; not integfess &c.

rity, or good title. 4. Perhaps square means compass,

more.

Strive to be interess'd; what can you say, to draw
A third more opulent than your sisters ? Speak.

Cordelia. Nothing, my lord.
Lear. Nothing?
Cor. Nothing
Lear. Nothing will come of nothing: speak again.

Cor. Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave
My heart into my mouth: I love your majesty
According to my bond;1 nor more, nor less.

Lear. How? how, Cordelia? mend your speech a little, Lest you may mar your fortunes. Cor.

Good my lord,
You have begot me,

bred
me,

loy'd me: I
Return those duties back as are right fit,
Obey you, love you, and most honour you.
Why have my sisters husbands, if they say,
They love you all ? Haply, when I shall wed,
That lord, whose hand must take my plight, shall carry
Half my love with him, half my care, and duty:
Sure, I shall never marry like my sisters,
To love my father all.

Lear. But goes this with thy heart?
Cor.

Ay, goodmy lord.
Lear. Soy young, and so untender?
Cor. So young, my lord, and true.

Lear. Let it be so: thy truth, then, be thy dower;
For, by the sacred radiance of the sun,
The mysteries of Hecate, and the night,
By all the operation of the orbs,
From whom we do exist, and cease to be,
Here I disclaim all my paternal care,
Propinquity and property of blood,
And as a stranger to my heart and me,
Hold thee from this for ever. The barbarous Scythian,
Or he that makes his generation 3 messes
To gorge his appetite, shall to my bosom
Be as well neighbour'd, pitied, and reliev'd,
As thou my sometime 4 daughter.
Kent.

Good my liege,

1. i. e. As I am bound to do.
2. i. e. from this time forth for ever.
3. Generation, children.

4. Sometime, former. As thou that wert my daughter.