Cor. 'Tis known before; our preparation stands
In expectation of them.-O dear father,
It is thy business that I go about,
Therefore great France

My mourning, and important tears, hath pitied.
No blown2 ambition doth our arms incite,
But love, dear love, and our ag'd father's right:
Soon may I hear, and see him.

[Exeunt. En

SCENE V-A room in Gloster's castle. ter Regan and Steward.

Reg. But are my brother's powers set forth?

Stew.

Reg.

In person there?

Stea.

Ay, madam.

Himself

Madam, with much ado:

Your sister is the better soldier.

Reg. Lord Edmund spake not with your lord at home?

Stew. No, madam.

Reg. What might import my sister's letter to him? Stew. I know not, lady.

Reg. 'Faith, he is posted hence on serious matter. It was great ignorance, Gloster's eyes being out, To let him live; where he arrives, he moves All hearts against us: Edmund, I think, is gone, In pity of his misery, to despatch

His nighted life; moreover, to descry

The strength o'the enemy.

Stew. I must needs after him, madam, with my

letter.

Reg. Our troops set forth to-morrow; stay with us;

The ways are dangerous.

Stew.

I may not, madam;

My lady charg'd my duty in this business.

Reg. Why should she write to Edmund? Might

not you

(1) Importunate.

(2) Inflated, swelling.

(3) i. e. His life made dark as night.

Transport her purposes by word? Belike, Something I know not what :-I'll love thee much, Let me unseal the letter.

Slew.

Madam, I had ratherReg. I know your lady does not love her hus

band;

I am sure of that: and at her late being here,
She gave strange œiliads, and most speaking looks
To noble Edmund: I know, you are of her bosom.
Stew. I, madam?

Reg. I speak in understanding; you are, I

know it:

Therefore, I do advise you, take this note :2
My lord is dead; Edmund and I have talk'd;
And more convenient is he for my hand,
Than for your lady's :-You may gather more.3
If you do find him, pray you, give him this;
And when your mistress hears thus much from you,
I pray, desire her call her wisdom to her.
So, fare you well.

If

you do chance to hear of that blind traitor, Preferment falls on him that cuts him off.

Stew. 'Would I could meet him, madam! I would show

What party I do follow.

Reg.

Fare thee well.

[Exe.

SCENE VI.-The country near Dover. Enter Gloster, and Edgar, dressed like a peasant.

Glo. When shall we come to the top of that same

hill?

Edg. You do climb up it now: look, how we

labour.

Glo. Methinks, the ground is even.

Edg.

Horrible steep:

No, truly.

(1) A cast, or significant glance of the eye. (2) Observe what I am saying. (3) Infer more.

Edg. Why, then your other senses grow imper

fect

By your eyes' anguish.

Glo. So may it be, indeed; Methinks, thy voice is alter'd; and thou speak'st In better phrase, and matter, than thou didst. Edg. You are much deceiv'd; in nothing am I chang'd,

But in my garments.

Glo.

Methinks, you are better spoken. Edg. Come on, sir; here's the place :-Stand still. How fearful

And dizzy 'tis, to cast one's eyes so low!
The crows, and choughs, that wing the midway air,
Show scarce so gross as beetles: Half way down
Hangs one that gathers samphire;2 dreadful trade!
Methinks, he seems no bigger than his head :
The fishermen, that walk upon the beach,
Appear like mice; and yon' tall anchoring bark,
Diminish'd to her cock; her cock, a buoy
Almost too small for sight: The murmuring surge,
That on the unnumber'd idle pebbles chafes,
Cannot be heard so high :-I'll look no more;
Lest my brain turn, and the deficient sight
Topple4 down headlong.

Glo.

Set me where you stand. Edg. Give me your hand: You are now within a foot Of the extreme verge: for all beneath the moon Would I not leap upright.

Glo.

Let go my hand Here, friend, is another purse; in it, a jewel Well worth a poor man's taking: Faxes, and gods, Prosper it with thee! Go thou further off; Bid me farewell, and let me hear thee going. Edg. Now fare you well, good sir. [Seems to go. Glo. With all my heart.

(1) Daws (2) A vegetable gathered for pickling. (3) Her cock-boat. (4) Tumble.

Edg. Why I do trifle thus with his despair,
Is done to cure it.

Glo.
O you mighty gods!
This world I do renounce; and, in your sights,
Shake patiently my great affliction off:
If I could bear it longer, and not fall

To quarrel with your great opposeless wills,
My souff, and loathed part of nature, should
Burn itself out. If Edgar live, O, bless him!-
Now, fellow, fare thee well.

Edg.

[He leaps, and falls along.

Gone, sir? Farewell.

And yet I know not how conceit may rob
The treasury of life, when life itself

Yields to the theft: Had he been where he thought,
By this, had thought been past.-Alive, or dead?
Ho, you sir! friend!-Hear you, sir?-speak!
Thus might he pass indeed:1-Yet he revives :
What are you, sir?

Glo.

Away, and let me die. Edg. Hadst thou been aught but gossamer, feathers, air,

So many fathom down precipitating,

Thou hadst shiver'd like an egg: but thou dost breathe;

Hast heavy substance; bleed'st not; speak'st; art sound.

Ten masts at each make not the altitude,
Which thou hast perpendicularly fell;
Thy life's a miracle: Speak yet again.
Glo. But have I fallen, or no?

Edg. From the dread summit of this chalky bourn :2

Look up a-height;-the shrill-gorg'd3 lark so far
Cannot be seen or heard: do but look up.
Glo. Alack, I have no eyes.-

(1) Thus might he die in reality.

(2) i. e. This chalky boundary of England. (3) Shrill-throated.

Is wretchedness depriv'd that benefit,

To end itself by death? 'Twas yet some comfort, `
When misery could beguile the tyrant's rage,
And frustrate his proud will.

Edg

Give me your arm:

Up: So-How is't? Feel you your legs? You

stand.

Glo. Too well, too well.

Edg.

This is above all strangeness.

Upon the crown o'the cliff, what thing was that Which parted from you?

Glo. A poor unfortunate beggar. Edg. As I stood here below, methought, his eyes Were two full moons; he had a thousand noses, Horns whelk'd, and wav'd, like the enridged sea; It was some fiend: Therefore, thou happy father, Think that the clearest2 gods, who make them honours

Of men's impossibilities, have preserv'd thee.

Glo. I do remember now: henceforth I'll bear Affliction, till it do cry out itself,

Enough, enough, and, die. That thing you speak of, I took it for a man; often 'twould say,

The fiend, the fiend: he led me to that place. Edg. Bear free and patient thoughts.-But who comes here?

Enter Lear, fantastically dressed up with flowers.
The safer sense will ne'er accommodate
His master thus.

Lear No, they cannot touch me for coining; I am the king himself.

Edg. O thou side-piercing sight!

Lear Nature's above art in that respect.-There's your press-money. That fellow handles his bow like a crow-keeper: draw me a clothier's yard.3Look, look, a mouse! Peace, peace ;—this piece of (1) Twisted, convolved. (2) The purest. (3) An arrow of a cloth-yard long.