Reg. And in good time you gave it. With such a number: What, must I come to you Reg. And speak it again, my lord; no more with me. favour'd, When others are more wicked; not being the worst, Thy fifty yet doth double five-and-twenty, Gon. [To GONERIL. Hear me, my lord; What need you five-and-twenty, ten, or five, 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, 1 Why, nature needs not what thou gorgeous wear'st, Stain my man's cheeks!-No, you unnatural hags, That all the world shall I will do such things, I have full cause of weeping; but this heart [Exeunt LEAR, GLOSTER, KENT, and Fool. Corn. Let us withdraw, 'twill be a storm. [Storm heard at a distance. Reg. Gon. This house '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 return'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 himself. 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 incense him to, being apt Corn. Shut up your doors, my lord; 'tis a wild night; My Regan counsels well: come out o'the storm. [Exeunt. +""Tis his own blame; hath put himself," &c.] - MALONE. A Storm is heard, with Thunder and Lightning. Enter Kent. Who's here, beside foul weather? Gent. Contending with the fretful element: Or swell the curled waters 'bove the main, That things might change, or cease: tears his white hair'; Catch in their fury, and make nothing of: The to-and-fro-conflicting wind and rain. This night, wherein the cub-drawn bear2 would couch, Keep their fur dry, unbonneted he runs, With mutual cunning, 'twixt Albany and Cornwall ; 2 the cub-drawn bear ]i. e. whose dugs are drawn dry by its young. For no animals leave their dens by night but for prey. the warrant of my art,] On the strength of my skill in phy 3 siognomy. 4 5 Which are to France the spies and speculations To make your speed to Dover, you shall find I am a gentleman of blood and breeding; Gent. I will talk further with you. Kent. No, do not. Gent. Give me your hand: Have you no more to say Kent. Few words, but, to effect, more than all yet; That, when we have found the king, (in which your pain That way; I'll this :) he that first lights on him, Holla the other. [Exeunt severally. ♦ Either in snuffs and packings-] Snuffs are dislikes, and packings underhand contrivances. SCENE II. Another part of the Heath. Storm continues. Enter LEAR and Fool. Lear. Blow, wind, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow! You cataracts, and hurricanoes, spout Till you have drench'd our steeples, drown'd the cocks! You sulphurous and thought-executing fires, 8 Vaunt couriers to oak-cleaving thunder-bolts, Singe my white head! And thou, all-shaking thunder, Crack nature's moulds, all germens spill at once, Fool. O, nuncle, court holy-water 9 in a dry house is better than this rain-water out o'door. Good nuncle, in, and ask thy daughters' blessing; here's a night pities neither wise men nor fools. Lear. Rumble thy bellyfull! Spit, fire! spout, rain! Nor rain, wind, thunder, fire, are my daughters: I tax not you, you elements, with unkindness, I never gave you kingdom, call'd you children, You owe me no subscription 1; why then let fall Your horrible pleasure; here I stand, your slave, A poor, infirm, weak, and despis’d old man : — But yet I call you servile ministers, That have with two pernicious daughters join'd Your high-engender'd battles, 'gainst a head So old and white as this. O! O! 'tis foul! 7-thought-executing-] Doing execution with rapidity equal to thought. 8 Vaunt couriers-] Avant couriers, Fr. This phrase is not unfamiliar to other writers of Shakspeare's time. It originally meant the foremost scouts of an army. 9 court holy-water-] Proverbial for fair words. 1 You owe me no subscription;] Subscription for obedience. |