Kent. I cannot conceive you. she grew Glo. Sir, this young fellow's mother could ; whereupon she round-womb'd; 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. Glo. But I have a son, Sir, by order of law some year elder than this, (6) who yet is no dearer in my account: 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. you know this nobleman, Edmund ? Edm. No, my Lord. Do Glo. My Lord of Kent ; Remember him hereafter as my honourable friend. The King is coming. away (6) Edgar is the same as Rosencrantz in Hamlet, drawn ante in figure 68. His person in the moon is larger than that of his brother Edmund, which may be the case of his being called elder, (7) The shadow which composes Edmund's right shoul Enter King SCENE II. King LEAR, CORNWAL, ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, CORDELIA, and Attend ants. Lear. Attend the Lords of France and Burgundy, Glo'ster. (S) der and side is like the figure of 9 in shape, which may be here alluded to (vide fig. 67). I scarcely dare observe that the heads of Edmund and Edgar, situate just before that 9, have been aptly assimilated in a former note (in the 50th note upon Hamlet) to two ears: but there are worse puns in Shakspeare. (8) The Kings of France and Burgundy I take to be referable to the first and second of the three outlines of the prototype of Hudibras in the moon, such as they are drawn in Fig. 79. 吗 Glo. I shall, my liege. [Exit. Lear. Mean time we shall express our darker purpose. Give me the map here: know, we have divided, The first, or nearest on the right hand, is marked by the vine-like appearance of the streaks of light on his person, as alluded to by the mention of the vines of France; and the second as having the appearance of milk running down his face, noticed by the mention of the milk of Burgundy. We have not hitherto seen so prominent a figure as that of Hudibras in the moon assigned to characters that fill so inconsiderable a part as those of the Kings of France and Burgundy in this play. Where nature doth with merit challenge. Goneril, Our eldest born, speak first. Gon. I love you, Sir, (9) Dearer than eye-sight, space, and liberty; Cor. What shall Cordelia do? love, and be [Aside, Lear. Of all these bounds, ev'n from this line to this, With shadowy forests and with champions rich'd, With plenteous rivers, and wide-skirted meads, We make thee lady. To thine and Albany's issue. (11) (9) Goneril has the same original in the moon as the Queen in Hamlet, drawn in fig. 59. (10) Cordelia is the same as Ophelia in Hamlet, being made up of those streaks of light in the moon which cross the prototypes of the Kings of France and Burgundy above pointed out it is said of them accordingly, that they both strive to be interested in her. The expression of heaving her heart to her mouth, alludes to the likeness of a heart just before her mouth; and her loving Lear according to her bond, alludes to her prototype constituting in fact a part of his. (11) Albany is the same in the moon as the figure of Be this perpetual.-What says our second daughOur dearest Regan, wife of Cornwal? speak. [ter; Reg. I'm made of that self-metal as my sister, (12) Fame in Hudibras (No. 25), and the King's Ghost in Hamlet (fig. 51). His name may be derived from the white colour of the explosion of light at the south side of the moon, of which his person is composed there, and which is hereafter alluded to under the term milky gentleness. (12) Regan has precisely the same original as Trulla in Hudibras (fig. 20); but as she now fills a higher character, she is drawn accordingly in fig. 80, with a crown and jewels, but still like a virago. Fig. 80. A |