Fools had ne'er less grace in a year,1
For wise men are grown foppish;
And know not how their wits to wear,
Their manners are so apish.

[Singing

Lear. When were you wont to be so full of songs, sirrah?

Fool. I have used it, nuncle, ever since thou madest thy daughters thy mother; for when thou gavest them the rod, and put'st down thine own breeches,

Then they for sudden joy did weep,
And I for sorrow sung,

That such a king should play bo-peep,

And go the fools among.

[Singing.

Pr'ythee, nuncle, keep a schoolmaster that can teach thy fool to lie; I would fain learn to lie.

Lear. If you lie, sirrah, we'll have you whipped. Fool. I marvel, what kin thou and thy daughters are. They'll have me whipped for speaking true, thou❜lt have me whipped for lying; and, sometimes, I am whipped for holding my peace. I had rather be any kind of thing than a fool; and yet I would not be thee, nuncle; thou hast pared thy wit o' both sides, and left nothing in the middle. Here comes one o' the parings.

Enter GONEril.

Lear. How now, daughter! what makes that frontlet on? Methinks you are too much of late i' the frown.

Fool. Thou wast a pretty fellow, when thou had'st

1 "There never was a time when fools were less in favor." In Mother Bombie, a Comedy, by Lyly, 1594, we find, "I think gentlemen had never less wit in a year." It is remarkable that the quartos read "less wit," instead of "less grace," which is the reading of the folio.

2 A frontlet, or forehead-cloth, was worn by ladies of old, to prevent wrinkles. Thus in Zepheria, a collection of Sonnets, 4to. 1594:

"But now, my sunne, it fits thou take thy set

And vayle thy face with frownes as with a frontlet."
5

VOL. VII.

no need to care for her frowning; now thou art an O1 without a figure. I am better than thou art now; I am a fool, thou art nothing.-Yes, forsooth, I will hold my tongue! so your face [To GoN.] bids me, though you say nothing. Mum, mum,

He that keeps nor crust nor crum,

Weary of all, shall want some.

That's a shealed peascod.2

[Pointing to LEAR. Gon. Not only, sir, this your all-licensed fool, But other of your insolent retinue

Do hourly carp and quarrel; breaking forth

In rank and not-to-be-endured riots.

Sir,

I had thought, by making this well known unto you,
To have found a safe redress; but now grow fearful,
By what yourself too late have spoke and done,
That you protect this course, and put it on
By your allowance; which if you should, the fault
Would not 'scape censure, nor the redresses sleep;
Which in the tender of a wholesome weal,
Might in their working do you that offence,
Which else were shame, that then necessity
Will call discreet proceeding.

Fool. For you trow, nuncle,

The hedge-sparrow fed the cuckoo so long,
That it had its head bit off by its young.

So, out went the candle, and we were left darkling."
Lear. Are you our daughter?

Gon. Come, sir,5 I would you would make use of that good wisdom whereof I know you are fraught;

1 i. c. a cipher.

2 Now a mere husk that contains nothing.

3 Put it on, that is, promote it, push it forward. Allowance is approbation. 4 66 Shakspeare's fools are certainly copied from the life. The originals whom he copied were no doubt men of quick parts; lively and sarcastic. Though they were licensed to say any thing, it was still necessary, to prevent giving offence, that every thing they said should have a playful air; we may suppose, therefore, that they had a custom of taking off the edge of too sharp a speech by covering it hastily with the end of an old song, or any glib nonsense that came into their mind. I know no other way of accounting for the incoherent words with which Shakspeare ofter finishes this fool's speeches.”—Sir Joshua Reynolds.

5 The folio omits these words, and reads the rest of the speech, perhaps rightly, as verse.

and

put away these dispositions, which of late transform you from what you rightly are.

Fool. May not an ass know when the cart draws the horse? Whoop, Jug! I love thee.

Lear. Does any here know me?-Why, this is not Lear; does Lear walk thus? speak thus? Where are his eyes? Either his notion weakens, or his discernings are lethargied.-Sleeping or waking?-Ha! sure 'tis not so.-Who is it that can tell me who I am?1 Fool. Lear's shadow,

Lear. [I would learn that; for by the niarks of sovereignty, knowledge, and reason, I should be false persuaded I had daughters.

Fool. Which they will make an obedient father.] Lear. Your name, fair gentlewoman?

Gon. Come, sir;

This admiration is much o' the favor 2

Of other your new pranks. I do beseech you
To understand my purposes aright;

As you are old and reverend, you should be wise.
Here do you keep a hundred knights and squires,
Men so disordered, so debauched, and bold,
That this our court, infected with their manners,
Shows like a riotous inn; epicurism and lust
Make it more like a tavern or a brothel,

Than a graced palace. The shame itself doth speak
For instant remedy. Be then desired

By her that else will take the thing she begs,

A little to disquantity your train;

And the remainder, that shall still depend,3
To be such men as may besort your age,

And know themselves and you.
Lear.

Saddle

Darkness and devils !

my horses; call my train together.

This passage has been erroneously printed in all the late editions "Who is it can tell me who I am?" says Lear. In the folio, the reply, "Lear's shadow," is rightly given to the fool. It is remarkable that the continuation of Lear's speech, and the continuation of the fool's comment, is omitted in the folio copy.

2 i. e. of the complerion.
3 i. e. continue in service.

Degenerate bastard! I'll not trouble thee;

Yet have I left a daughter.

Gon. You strike my people; and your disordered rabble

Make servants of their betters.

Enter ALBANY.

Lear. Woe, that too late repents,1-O sir, are you come?

Is it your will? [To ALB.] Speak, sir.-Prepare my horses.

Ingratitude! thou marble-hearted fiend,

More hideous, when thou show'st thee in a child,
Than the sea-monster! 2

Alb.

'Pray, sir, be patient.

[To GONERIL.

Lear. Detested kite! thou liest.

My train are men of choice and rarest parts,

That all particulars of duty know;

And in the most exact regard support

The worships of their name.-O most small fault,

How ugly didst thou in Cordelia show!

Which, like an engine,3 wrenched my frame of nature

From the fixed place; drew from my heart all love,

And added to the gall. O Lear, Lear, Lear!

Beat at this gate that let thy folly in,

[Striking his head. And thy dear judgment out.-Go, go, my people. Alb. My lord, I am guiltless, as I am ignorant Of what hath moved you.

Lear. It may be so, my lord.-Hear, nature, hear; Dear goddess, hear! Suspend thy purpose, if

Thou didst intend to make this creature fruitful!

Into her womb convey sterility!

Dry up in her the organs of increase;

1 One of the quarto copies reads, "We that too late repents us." The others, "We that too late repents."

2 The sea-monster is the hippopotamus, the hieroglyphical symbol of impiety and ingratitude.

3 By an engine the rack is here intended.

And from her derogate body never spring
A babe to honor her! If she must teem,
Create her child of spleen; that it may live,
And be a thwart 2 disnatured torment to her!
Let it stamp wrinkles in her brow of youth;
With cadent tears fret channels in her cheeks;
Turn all her mother's pains, and benefits,3
To laughter and contempt; that she may feel
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is
To have a thankless child!-Away! away!

[Exit.

Alb. Now, gods, that we adore, whereof comes this? Gon. Never afflict yourself to know the cause;

But let his disposition have that scope

That dotage gives it.

Re-enter LEAr.

Lear. What, fifty of my followers at a ciap! Within a fortnight?

Alb.

What's the matter, sir?

Lear. I'll tell thee;-Life and death! I am ashamed That thou hast power to shake my manhood thus ;

[To GONERIL. That these hot tears, which break from me perforce, Should make thee worth them.-Blasts and fogs upon

thee!

The untented woundings of a father's curse
Pierce every sense about thee!-Old fond eyes,
Beweep this cause again, I'll pluck you out;
And cast you, with the waters that you lose,

1 Derogate here means degenerate, degraded.

2 Thwart as a noun adjective is not frequent in our language. It is to be found, however, in Promos and Cassandra, 1578:

"Sith fortune thwart doth crosse my joys with care." Disnatured is wanting natural affection.

3 "Pains and benefits," in this place, signify maternal cares and good offices.

4 The untented woundings are the rankling or never-healing wounds inflicted by a parental malediction. Tents are well-known dressings inserted into wounds as a preparative to healing them.