To be expos'd against the warring winds??
To stand against the deep dread-bolted thunder?
In the most terrible and nimble stroke

Of quick, cross lightning? to watch (poor perdu !)
With this thin helm? Mine enemy's dog,

Though he had bit me, should have stood that night
Against my fire; and wast thou fain, poor father,
To hovel thee with swine, and rogues forlorn,
In short and musty straw? Alack, alack!
"Tis wonder, that thy life and wits at once
Had not concluded all.-He wakes; speak to him.
Doct. Madam, do you; 'tis fittest.
Cor. How does my royal lord?

majesty?

How fares your

Lear. You do me wrong, to take me out o' the

grave.

Thou art a soul in bliss, but I am bound

Upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears
Do scald like molten lead.

Cor.

Sir, do you know me?

Lear. You are a spirit, I know. Where did you

die3?

Cor. Still, still, far wide.

Doct. He's scarce awake: let him alone awhile.

Lear. Where have I been? Where am I?-Fair
day-light?

I am mightily abus'd.—I should even die with pity
To see another thus.-I know not what to say.-
I will not swear, these are my hands :-let's see;
I feel this pin prick. Would I were assur'd

2 To be EXPOS'D against the warring winds ?] The folio reads oppos'd, the quartos expos'd. "Warring winds" of those impressions seems also preferable to "jarring winds" of the folio. The next three lines and a half are only in the quartos, which, however, afterwards read mine injurious dog, for "mine enemy's dog" of the folio.

3 WHERE did you die?] So the folio, and two of the quartos: the other quarto, "When did you die?" The difference is not material, but modern editors, who profess most to follow the folio, have here, as in many other instances, deserted it without notice.

Of my condition!

Cor.

O! look upon me, sir,

And hold your hands in benediction o'er me.-
No, sir, you must not kneel*.

Lear.

Pray, do not mock me:

I am a very foolish fond old man,

Fourscore and upward, not an hour more nor less';
And, to deal plainly,

I fear, I am not in my perfect mind.

Methinks, I should know you, and know this man;
Yet I am doubtful, for I am mainly ignorant
What place this is; and all the skill I have
Remembers not these garments; nor I know not
Where I did lodge last night. Do not laugh at me,
For, as I am a man, I think this lady

To be my child Cordelia.

If

Cor.

And so I am, I am.

Lear. Be your tears wet? Yes, 'faith. I pray, weep

not:

you have poison for me, I will drink it. I know, you do not love me; for your sisters Have, as I do remember, done me wrong:

You have some cause, they have not.

Cor.

Lear. Am I in France?
Kent.

Lear. Do not abuse me.

No cause, no cause.

In your own kingdom, sir.

Doct. Be comforted, good madam: the great rage, You see, is cur'd in him; and yet it is danger

No, SIR, you must not kneel.] "No, sir," necessary to the verse, is wanting

in the folio, which also has hand for “hands" in the previous line.

5

not an hour more nor less ;] The quartos omit these words, and Malone, Steevens, Ritson, and others, decided that they were interpolated by the player. We see no sufficient ground for this belief, and though the insertion of them varies the versification of the passage, it is not complete as the text stands in the quartos. In Lear's state of mind, this broken mode of delivering his thoughts is natural; and when we find "not an hour more nor less,” in a work like the folio of 1623, we have no pretence for rejecting the words as not written by Shakespeare.

To make him even o'er the time he has lost".
Desire him to go in: trouble him no more,
Till farther settling.

Cor. Will't please your highness walk? Lear. You must bear with me: Pray you now forget and forgive: I am old, and foolish. [Exeunt LEAR, CORDELIA, Doctor, and Attendants. 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 banished son, is with the earl of Kent in Germany.

Kent. Report is changeable. 'Tis time to look about; the powers o' 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

wrought,

Or well or ill, as this day's battle's fought.

[Exit.

ACT V. SCENE I.

The Camp of the British Forces, near Dover.

Enter, with Drums and Colours, EDMUND, REGAN,
Officers, Soldiers, and Others.

Edm. Know of the duke, if his last purpose hold;
Or whether since he is advis'd by aught

6

and yet it is danger

To make him even o'er the time he has lost.] This passage is only in the quartos. For "You see is cur'd in him," the folio reads "You see is kill'd in him."

7 Holds it true, sir,] From hence to the end of the scene is wanting in the folio, but is in all the quartos.

To change the course.

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, madam.

Now, sweet lord,

Reg.
You know the goodness I intend upon you:
Tell me, but truly, but then speak the truth,
Do you not love my sister?

Edm.

In honour'd love.

Reg. But have you never found my brother's way To the forefended place?

Edm.

That thought abuses you. Reg. I am doubtful that you have been conjunct, And bosom'd with her, as far as we call hers. Edm. No, by mine honour, madam.

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

Edm.

Fear me not.

She, and the duke her husband,—

Enter ALBANY, GONERIL, and Soldiers.

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

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

[Aside.

Sir, this I hear, the king is come to his daughter,

With others, whom the rigour of our state

Forc'd 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, with others, whom, I fear,

That thought abuses you:] This and the next speech are only in the quartos. Lower down the quartos read, "Fear me not" for "fear not," of the folio, and it does not complete the line, unless we take "familiar" as a word of four syllables, which would not be unprecedented. Goneril's first speech after her entrance is not in the folio.

Forc'd to cry out.] The rest of this speech and Edmund's reply are not in the folio.

Most just and heavy causes make oppose.

Edm. Sir, you speak nobly.

Reg.

Why is this reason'd?

Gon. Combine together 'gainst the enemy; For these domestic and particular broils1

Are not the question here.

Alb.

Let us, then, determine

With the ancient of war on our proceedings.

Edm. I shall attend you presently at your tent.
Reg. Sister, you'll go with us?

Gon. No.

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

Edg. If e'er your grace had speech with man so

poor,

Hear me one word.

If

Alb.

I'll overtake you.-Speak.

[Exeunt EDMUND, REGAN, GONERIL, Officers, Soldiers, and Attendants.

Edg. Before you fight the battle, ope this letter.
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 avouched there. If you miscarry,
Your business of the world hath so an end,
And machination ceases. Fortune love you!
Alb. Stay till I have read the letter.
Edg.
When time shall serve, let but the herald cry,
And I'll appear again.

I was forbid it.

[Exit. Alb. Why, fare thee well: I will o'erlook thy paper.

1

and particular broils] So the folio: the quartos, 'door particulars," which it is impossible to strain to a meaning, unless we suppose door misprinted for in-door. The next speech by Edmund is wanting in the folio, which also makes some minor variations.