Thee o'er to harshness; her eyes are fierce, but thine
Do comfort, and not burn: 'Tis not in thee
To grudge my pleasures, to cut off my train,
To bandy hasty words, to scant my sizes,1
And, in conclusion, to oppose the bolt
Against my coming in: thou better know'st
The offices of nature, bond of childhood,
Effects of courtesy, dues of gratitude;
Thy half o'the kingdom hast thou not forgot,
Wherein I thee endow'd.

Reg.

Good sir, to the purpose.

[Trumpets within.

Lear. Who put my man i'the stocks?
Corn.

What trumpet's that?

Enter Steward.

Reg. I know't, my sister's: this approves her

letter,

That she would soon be here. Is your lady come? Lear. This is a slave, whose easy-borrow'd pride Dwells in the fickle grace of her he follows:Out, varlet, from my sight!

Corn.

What means your grace? Lear. Who stock'd my servant? Regan, I have

Thou didst not know of 't. -Who comes here? Q

good hope

heavens,

Enter Goneril.

If you do love old men, if your sweet sway
Allow2 obedience, if yourselves are old,

Make it your cause; send down, and take my

part!

Art not asham'd to look upon this beard ?

[To Goneril.

O, Regan, wilt thou take her by the hand?
Gon. Why not by the hand, sir? How have I

offended?

(1) Contract my allowances. (2) Approve.

All's not offence, that indiscretion finds,
And dotage terms so.
Lear.

O, sides, you are too tough! Will you yet hold? How came my man i'the stocks? Corn. I set him there, sir: but his own disorders

Deserv'd much less advancement.

Lear.

You! did you?

Reg. I pray you, father, being weak, seem so. If, till the expiration of your month, You will return and sojourn with my sister, Dismissing half your train, come then to me; I am now from home, and out of that provision Which shall be needful for your entertainment.

Lear. Return to her, and fifty men dismiss'd? No, rather I abjure all roofs, and choose To wagel against the enmity o'the air; To be a comrade with the wolf and owl,Necessity's sharp pinch!-Return with her? Why, the hot-blooded France, that dowerless took Our youngest born, I could as well be brought To knee his throne, and, squire-like, pension beg To keep base life afoot-Return with her? Persuade me rather to be slave and sumpter? To this detested groom. [Looking on the Steward. Gon. At your choice, sir.

Lear. I pr'ythee, daughter, do not make me mad; I will not trouble thee, my child; farewell: We'll no more meet, no more see one another :But yet thou art my flesh, my blood, my daughter; Or, rather, a disease that's in my flesh, Which I must needs call mine: thou art a boil, A plague-sore, an embossed carbuncle, In my corrupted blood. But I'll not chide thee; Let shame come when it will, I do not call it: I do not bid the thunder-bearer shoot,

Nor tell tales of thee to high-judging Jove:

(1) War.

(2) A horse that carries necessaries on a journey. (3) Swelling.

Mend, when thou canst; be better, at thy leisure :

I can be patient; I can stay with Regan;

I, and my hundred knights.

Reg.

Not altogether so, sir;

I look'd not for you yet, nor am provided
For your fit welcome: Give ear, sir, to my sister;
For those that mingle reason with your passion,
Must be content to think you old, and so-
But she knows what she does.

Lear.

Is this well spoken now?

Reg. I dare avouch it, sir: What, fifty followers? Is it not well? What should you need of more? Yea, or so many? sith that both charge and danger Speak 'gainst so great a number? How, in one

house,

Should many people, under two commands,
Hold amity? 'Tis hard; almost impossible.

Gon. Why might not you, my lord, receive at

tendance

From those that she calis servants, or from mine?

Reg. Why not, my lord? If then they chanc'd

to slack you,

We could control them: If you will come to me

(For now I spy a danger,) I entreat you

To bring but five and twenty; to no more

Will I give place or notice.

Lear. I gave you all

Reg.

And in good time you gave it.

Lear. Made you my guardians, my depositaries;

But kept a reservation to be follow'd
With such a number: What, must I come to you
With five and twenty, Regan? said you so?

Reg. And speak it again, my lord; no more

with me.

Lear. Those wicked creatures yet do look well

favour'd,

When others are more wicked; not being the worst, Stands in some rank of praise:-I'll go with thee;

(1) Since.

(To Goneril. Thy fifty yet doth double five and twenty,

And thou art twice her love.

Gon.

Hear me, my lord;

What need you five and twenty, ten, or five,
To follow in a house, where twice so many

Have a command to tend you?

Reg.

What need one?>

Lear. O, reason not the need: our basest beggars Are in the poorest thing superfluous : Allow not nature more than nature needs, Man's life is cheap as beast's: thou art a lady; If only to go warm were gorgeous, Why, nature needs not what thou gorgeous wear'st, Which scarcely keeps thee warm. But, for true

need,

You heavens, give me that patience, patience I

need!

You see me here, you gods, a poor old man,
As full of grief as age; wretched in both !
If it be you that stir these daughters' hearts
Against their father, fool me not so much
To bear it tamely; touch me with noble anger!
O, let not women's weapons, water-drops,
Stain my man's cheeks!-No, you unnatural hags,
I will have such revenges on you both,
That all the world shall-I will do such things,-
What they are, yet I know not; but they shall be
The terrors of the earth. You think, I'll weep;
No, I'll not weep:-

I have full cause of weeping; but this heart
Shall break into a hundred thousand flaws,
Or ere I'll weep :-O, fool, I shall go mad!

[Exeunt Lear, Gloster, Kent, and Fool.

Corn. Let us withdraw, 'twill be a storm. [Storm heard at a distance.

This house

Reg.
Is little; the old man and his people cannot
Be well bestow'd.
Gon.

'Tis his own blame; he hath put

Himself from rest, and must needs taste his folly.

Reg. For his particular, I'll receive him gladly,

But not one follower.
Gon.

So am I purpos'd.

Where is my lord of Gloster?

Re-enter Gloster.

Corn. Follow'd the old man forth:-he is re

turn'd.

Glo. The king is in high rage.
Corn.

Whither is he going?

Glo. He calls to horse; but will I know not

whither.

Corn. 'Tis best to give him way; he leads him

self.

Gon. My lord, entreat him by no means to stay. Glo. Alack, the night comes on, and the bleak

winds

Do sorely ruffle; for many miles about

There's scarce a bush.

Reg.

O, sir, to wilful men,

The injuries that they themselves procure,
Must be their schoolmasters: Shut up your doors;
He is attended with a desperate train;
And what they may incensel him to, being apt
To have his ear abus'd, wisdom bids fear.

Corn. Shut up your doors, my lord; 'tis a wild

night;

My Regan counsels well: come out o'the storm.

[Exeunt.

ACT III.

SCENE 1.-A heath. A storm is heard, with thunder and lightning. Enter Kent, and a

Gentleman, meeting.

Kent. Who's here, beside foul weather?

(1) Instigate.