Had I your tongues and eyes, I'd use them so

That heaven's vault should crack. She's gone for ever!
I know when one is dead, and when one lives;
She's dead as earth. - Lend me a looking-glass;
If that her breath will mist or stain the stone,
Why, then she lives.

Kent.

Is this the promis'd end? Edg. Or image of that horror?

Alb.

Fall, and cease! Lear. This feather stirs; she lives! if it be so, It is a chance which does redeem all sorrows

Lear. A plague upon you, murderers, traitors all!
I might have sav'd her; now she's gone for ever! -
Cordelia, Cordelia! stay a little. Ha!

What is't thou say'st? Her voice was ever soft,
Gentle, and low, an excellent thing in woman.
I kill'd the slave that was a-hanging thee.

Off. 'Tis true, my lords, he did.

Did I not, fellow?

Lear.
I've seen the day, with my good biting falchion
I would have made them skip: I am old now,
And these same crosses spoil me. Who are you?
Mine eyes are not o' the best:- - I'll tell you straight.
Kent. If fortune brag of two she lov'd and hated,
One of them we behold.

Lear. This is a dull sight. Are you not Kent?

Kent.

The same,

Your servant Kent. Where is your servant Caius?
Lear. He's a good fellow, I can tell you that;
He'll strike, and quickly too:- he 's dead and rotten.
Kent. No, my good lord; I am the very man,
Lear. I'll see that straight.

་

,

Kent. That, from your first of difference and decay,
Have follow'd your sad steps.

Your eldest daughters have fordone themselves,
And desperately are dead.

Alb. He knows not what he says; and vain is it
That we present us to him.

That's but a trifle here.

Off. Edmund is dead, my lord.
Alb.
You lords and noble friends, know our intent.
What comfort to this great decay may come
Shall be applied: for us, we will resign,

During the life of this old majesty,
To him our absolute power:

your rights;

[To Edgar and Kent] you, to

With boot, and such addition as your honours

Have more than merited. All friends shall taste

O, see, see!

Lear. And my poor fool is hang'd! No, no, no life!
Why should a dog, a horse, a rat, have life,

And thou no breath at all? Thou'lt come no more,
Never, never, never, never, never!

Pray you, undo this button:

-

thank you, sir.

-

Do you see this? Look on her, look, her lips,
Look there, look there!

Edg.

[Dies.

He faints! My lord, my lord! —

Kent. Break, heart; I prithee, break!
Edg.

Look up, my lord.

Kent. Vex not his ghost: O, let him pass! he hates him

That would upon the rack of this tough world
Stretch him out longer.

Edg.
Kent.

He is gone indeed.

The wonder is, he hath endur'd so long:

He but usurp'd his life.

Alb. Bear them from hence. Our present business Is general woe. [To Kent and Edgar] Friends of my soul, you twain

Rule in this realm, and the gor'd state sustain.
Kent. I have a journey, sir, shortly to go;
My master calls me, I must not say no.

Alb. The weight of this sad time we must obey;
Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say.
The oldest hath borne most: we that are young
Shall never see so much, nor live so long.

[Exeunt, with a dead march.

OTHELLO,

THE MOOR OF VENICE.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

DUKE OF VENICE.
BRABANTIO, a senator.
Other Senators.
GRATIANO, brother to Brabantio.
LODOVICO, kinsman to Brabantio.
OTHELLO, a noble Moor in the
service of the Venetian state.

CASSIO, his lieutenant.

IAGO, his ancient.

RODERIGO, aVenetian gentleman.
MONTANO, Othello's predecessor
in the government of Cyprus.
Clown, servant to Othello.

DESDEMONA, daughter to Bra-
bantio and wife to Othello.
EMILIA, wife to Iago.
BIANCA, mistress to Cassio.

Sailor, Messenger, Herald, Officers, Gentlemen, Musicians, and

Attendants.

The first act in Venice; during the rest of the play, at a seaport in Cyprus.

ACT I.

SCENE 1. Venice. A street.

Enter RODERIGO and IAGO.

Rod. Tush, never tell me; I take it much unkindly
That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse

As if the strings were thine, shouldst know of this,
Iago. 'Sblood, but you will not hear me:

If ever I did dream of such a matter,

Abhor me.

Rod. Thou told'st me thou didst hold him in thy hate. Iago. Despise me, if I do not. Three great ones of the city,

In personal suit to make me his lieutenant,
Oft capp'd to him: and, by the faith of man,
I know my price, I'm worth no worse a place:
But he, as loving his own pride and purposes,
Evades them, with a bombast circumstance
Horribly stuff'd with epithets of war;
And, in conclusion,

Nonsuits my mediators; for, "Certes," says he,
"I have already chose my officer."
And what was he?

Forsooth, a great arithmetician,
One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,
A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife;
That never set a squadron in the field,
Nor the division of a battle knows

More than a spinster; unless the bookish theoric,
Wherein the togèd consuls can propose

As masterly as he: mere prattle, without practice,
Is all his soldiership. But he, sir, had th' election:
And I of whom his eyes had seen the proof
At Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other grounds
Christian and heathen must be be-lee'd and calm'd
By debitor and creditor, this counter-caster;

-

He, in good time, must his lieutenant be,

And I God bless the mark!

- his Moorship's ancient.

Rod. By heaven, I rather would have been his hangman. Iago. Why, there's no remedy; 'tis the curse of service, Preferment goes by letter and affection,

And not by old gradation, where each second

Stood heir to the first. Now, sir, be judge yourself,
Whether I in any just term am affin'd

To love the Moor.

Rod.

I would not follow him, then.

Iago. O, sir, content you;

I follow him to serve my turn upon him:

We cannot all be masters, nor all masters
Cannot be truly follow'd. You shall mark