Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

Desire him to go in; trouble him no more
Till further settling.

Cord. Will't please your Highness walk?
Lear.

You must bear with me:

Pray you now, forget and forgive; I'm old and foolish.16 [Exeunt all but KENT and Gentleman.

Gent. Holds it true, sir, that the Duke of Cornwall was so slain?

Kent. Most certain, sir.

Gent. Who is conductor of his people?

Kent. As 'tis said, the bastard son of Gloster.

Gent. They say Edgar, his banish'd son, is with the Earl of Kent in Germany.

Kent. Report is changeable. 'Tis time to look about; the powers of the kingdom approach apace.

Gent. The arbitrement is like to be bloody. Fare you well, sir.

[Exit. Kent. My point and period will be throughly 17 wrought, Or well or ill, as this day's battle's fought.

[Exit.

make the last day of his remembering tally or fit in with the present. - The late Dr. Brigham, with this speech in his eye, writes as follows: "Although near two centuries and a half have passed since Shakespeare thus wrote, we have very little to add to his method of treating the insane as thus pointed out. To produce sleep, and to quiet the mind by medical and moral treatment, to avoid all unkindness, and, when patients begin to convalesce, to guard, as he directs, against any thing likely to disturb their minds and to cause a relapse, is now considered the best and nearly the only essential treatment."

16 How beautifully the affecting return of Lear to reason, and the mild pathos of his speeches, prepare the mind for the last sad, yet sweet, consolation of the aged sufferer's death! — - COLERIDGE.

17 Throughly where we should use thoroughly. See vol. xiv. page 273, note 24.

SCENE I.

[ocr errors]

ACT V.

The British Camp near Dover.

Enter, with drum and colours, EDMUND, REGAN, Officers,
Soldiers, and others.

Edm. Know of the duke if his last purpose hold,
Or whether since he is advised by aught
To change the course.1 He's full of alteration
And self-reproving: bring his constant pleasure.

[To an Officer, who goes out.

Reg. Our sister's man is certainly miscarried.
Edm. 'Tis to be doubted,2 madam.

Reg.

Now, sweet lord,

You know the goodness I intend upon you :

Tell me, but truly, — but then speak the truth,

[ocr errors]

Do you not love my sister?

Edm.
Reg. But have you never found my brother's
To the forfended place?

Edm.

In honour'd love.

way

That thought abuses you.

Reg. I am doubtful that you have been conjunct And bosom'd with her, as far as we call hers.3

Edm. No, by mine honour, madam.

1 A military commander is apt, especially on the eve of a battle, to vary his orders frequently, or to give out an order one hour, and to countermand it the next, as he receives further intelligence of the enemy's movements. Hence, to his subordinates, he often seems not to know his own mind; and his second order appears to reprove his first.

2 Here, as often, doubted has the sense of feared. The same with doubtful in the fifth speech below.

3 Probably meaning, as far as she has any favours to bestow.

Reg. I never shall endure her: dear my lord, Be not familiar with her.

[blocks in formation]

Enter, with drum and colours, ALBANY, GONERIL, and

Soldiers.

Gon. [Aside.] I had rather lose the battle than that sister Should loosen him and me.

Alb. Our very loving sister, well be-met.

Sir, this I hear: The King is come to his daughter,

With others whom the rigour of our State

Forced to cry out.

Where I could not be honest,

I never yet was valiant: for this business,

It toucheth us, as France invades our land,
Not bolds the King,4 with others, whom, I fear,

Most just and heavy causes make oppose.

Edm. Sir, you speak nobly.

Reg.

Why is this reason'd ?5

Gon. Combine together 'gainst the enemy;

For these domestic and particular broils

Are not the question here.

Alb.

Let's, then, determine

With the ancient of war on our proceeding.6

Edm. I shall attend you7 presently at your tent.

4 To bold was sometimes used as a transitive verb for to encourage or embolden. Albany means that the invasion touches him, not as it is a befriending of the old King, and aims to reinstate him in the throne, but as it threatens the independence of the kingdom. - With has simply the force of and, connecting others and King.

5" Why is this talked about?" To talk, to converse is an old meaning of to reason. See vol. ix. page 267, note 46.

6 This is meant as a proposal, or an order, to hold a council of veteran warriors for determining what course to pursue.

7 Edmund means that he will soon join Albany at his tent, instead of going along with him. So the Poet often uses attend. In what follows,

Reg. Sister, you'll go with us?

Gon. No.

Reg. 'Tis most convenient; pray you, go with us.
Gon. [Aside.] O, ho, I know the riddle. - I will go.

As they are going out, enter EDGAR disguised.

Edg. If e'er your Grace had speech with man so poor, Hear me one word.

[blocks in formation]

[Exeunt all but ALBANY and EDGAR.
Speak.

Edg. Before you fight the battle, ope this letter.
If you have victory, let the trumpet sound
For him that brought it wretched though I seem,

I can produce a champion that will prove
What is avouchèd there. If you miscarry,
Your business of the world hath so an end,
And machination ceases.8 Fortune love you!
Alb. Stay till I've read the letter.
Edg.

I was forbid it.

When time shall serve, let but the herald cry,

And I'll appear again.

Alb. Why, fare thee well; I will o'erlook thy paper.

Re-enter EDMUND.

[Exit EDGAR.

Edm. The enemy's in view; draw up your powers.

Here is the guess of their true strength and forces

Goneril lingers to keep with Edmund; and this at once starts Regan's suspicions. When Regan urges Goneril to go along with them, the latter instantly guesses the cause, the riddle, — and replies, "I will go." Very intellectual ladies! "Dragons in the prime, that tear each other in their slime."

8"All plottings or designs against your life have an end."

By diligent discovery; but your haste

Is now urged on you.

Alb.

We will greet the time.9

Edm. To both these sisters have I sworn my love;
Each jealous of the other, as the stung

Are of the adder. Which of them shall I take?
Both? one? or neither? Neither can be enjoy'd,
If both remain alive to take the widow
Exasperates, makes mad her sister Goneril;
And hardly shall I carry out my side,10

Her husband being alive. Now, then, we'll use
His countenance for the battle; which being done,
Let her who would be rid of him devise
His speedy taking-off. As for the mercy
Which he intends to Lear and to Cordelia, -
The battle done, and they within our power,
Shall never see his pardon; for my state
Stands on me to defend,11 not to debate.

SCENE II. A Field between the two Camps.

[ocr errors]

[Exit.

[Exit.

Alarum within. Enter, with drum and colours, LEAR, CORDELIA, and their Forces; and exeunt.

Enter EDGAR and GLOSTER.

Edg. Here, father, take the shadow of this tree
For your good host; 12 pray that the right may thrive:

9 "We will be ready for the occasion, or at hand to welcome it." 10 "I shall hardly be able to make out my game." In the language of the card-table, to set up a side was to become partners in a game; and to carry out a side was to win or succeed in the game.

11 The meaning probably is, "for it stands upon me," that is, it concerns me, or is incumbent on me, "to defend my state." See vol. xiv. page 302, note 14.

12 A rather strange use of host; but Shakespeare has at least two instances of host used as a verb for to lodge. See vol. iv. page 78, note 11.

« AnteriorContinuar »