appear by the third sound of the trumpet: he's bold in his defence.” Edm. Sound!

[First trumpet. Her. Again !

[Second trumpet. Her. Again!

[Third trumpet. [Trumpet answers within.

Enter EDGAR, armed, and preceded by a trumpet.

Her. What are you?
Your name, your quality ? and why you answer
This present summons ?
Edg.

Know, my name is lost;
By treason's tooth bare-gnawn, and canker-bit:
Yet am I noble as the adversary
I come to cope.
Alb.

Which is that adversary ?
Edg. What's he that speaks for Edmund Earl of

Gloster?
Edı. Himself:-what say'st thou to him ?
Edg.

Draw thy sword,
That, if my speech offend a noble heart,
Thy arm may do thee justice. Thou art a traitor;
False to thy gods, thy brother, and thy father ;
Conspirant ’gainst this high illustrious prince;
And, from th' extremest upward of thy head
To the descent and dust below thy foot,
A most toad-spotted traitor.

Edın. Back do I toss these treasons to thy head ; With the hell-hated lie o'erwhelin thy heart; Which,-for they yet glance by, and scarcely

bruise,This sword of mine shall give them instant way, Where they shall rest for ever.—Trumpets, speak!

[Alarums. They fight. EDMUND falls.. Gon. O, save him, save him!

Alb.

Hold, sir! Thou worse than any name, read thine own evil:-

[Gives the letter to EDMUND). No tearing, lady; I perceive you know it. Gon. Say, if I do,--the laws are mine not thine.

[Exit. Alb. Go after her ; she's desperate: govern her.

[Exeunt Officers. Edm. What you have charg'd me with, that have

I done; And more, much more; the time will bring it out. The wheel is come full circle; I am here.

Enter a Gentleman.

Gent. Help, help! she's dead!
Your lady, sir, your lady; and her sister
By her is poison'd; she hath confess'd it.

Edm. I was contracted to them both! all three
Now marry in an instant.--Quickly send-
Be brief in it—to the castle ; for my writ
Is on the life of Lear and on Cordelia.

Edg. Send thy token of reprieve.

Edm. Well thought on: take my sword; Give it the captain.

Alb. Haste thee, for thy life. [Exit EDGAR.

Edm. He hath commission from thy wife and me To hang Cordelia in the prison, and To lay the blame upon her own despair, That she fordid herself. Alb. The gods defend her!-Bear him hence awhile.

[EDMUND is borne off, Re-enter LEAR, with CORDELIA dead in his arins ;

EDGAR, Kent, and others following. Lear. Howl, howl, howl, howl !-0, you are men

of stone:

Kent.

Had I your tongues and eyes, I'd use them so
That heaven's vault should crack.-She's gone for

ever!
I know when one is dead, and when one lives;
She's dead as earth.—Lend me a looking-glass;
If that her breath will mist or stain the stone,
Why, then she lives.

Is this the promis'd end ?
Edg. Or image of that horror ?
Alb.

Fall, and cease!
Lear. This feather stirs; she lives ! if it be so,
It is a chance which does redeem all sorrows
That ever I have felt.
Kent.

O my good master!
Lear. Cordelia, Cordelia ! stay a little. Ha!
What is't thou say'st ?-Her voice was ever soft,
Gentle, and low,-an excellent thing in woman.-
I kill'd the slave that was a-hanging thee.

Kent. 'Tis true, my lords, he did.
Lear.

Did I not, fellow?
I've seen the day, with my good biting falchion
I would have made them skip: I am old now,
And these same crosses spoil me.—Who are you?
Mine eyes are not of the best :-I'll tell you straight.
This' a dull light. Are you not Kent ?
Kent.

The same, Your servant Kent. Lear.

You are welcome hither.
Kent. Nor no man else: all's cheerless, dark, and

deadly.
Your eldest daughters have fordone themselves,
And desperately are dead.
Lear.

Ay, so I think.
Alb. He knows not what he says: and vain it is
That we present us to him.
Edg.

Very bootless. Alb.

O see, see!

Lear. And my poor fool is hang'd! No, no! No

life! Thou'lt 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 !

[Dies. Edg. He faints! Look up, my lord. Kent. Vex not his ghost: 0, let him pass! he

hates him, That would upon the rack of this tough world Stretch him out longer.

CURTAIN.