1    When shall we come to the top of that same hill?

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

3    Methinks the ground is even.

4    Horrible steep.
5    Hark, do you hear the sea?

6    No, truly.

7    Why, then, your other senses grow imperfect
8    By your eyes' anguish.

9    So may it be, indeed:
10   Methinks thy voice is alter'd; and thou speak'st
11   In better phrase and matter than thou didst.

12   You're much deceived: in nothing am I changed
13   But in my garments.

14   Methinks you're better spoken.

15   Come on, sir; here's the place: stand still. How fearful
16   And dizzy 'tis, to cast one's eyes so low!
17   The crows and choughs that wing the midway air
18   Show scarce so gross as beetles: half way down
19   Hangs one that gathers samphire, dreadful trade!
20   Methinks he seems no bigger than his head:
21   The fishermen, that walk upon the beach,
22   Appear like mice; and yond tall anchoring bark,
23   Diminish'd to her cock; her cock, a buoy
24   Almost too small for sight: the murmuring surge,
25   That on the unnumber'd idle pebbles chafes,
26   Cannot be heard so high. I'll look no more;
27   Lest my brain turn, and the deficient sight
28   Topple down headlong.

29   Set me where you stand.

30   Give me your hand: you are now within a foot
31   Of the extreme verge: for all beneath the moon
32   Would I not leap upright.

33   Let go my hand.
34   Here, friend, 's another purse; in it a jewel
35   Well worth a poor man's taking: fairies and gods
36   Prosper it with thee! Go thou farther off;
37   Bid me farewell, and let me hear thee going.

38   Now fare you well, good sir.

39   With all my heart.

40   Why I do trifle thus with his despair
41   Is done to cure it.

Kneeling
42    O you mighty gods!
43   This world I do renounce, and, in your sights,
44   Shake patiently my great affliction off:
45   If I could bear it longer, and not fall
46   To quarrel with your great opposeless wills,
47   My snuff and loathed part of nature should
48   Burn itself out. If Edgar live, O, bless him!
49   Now, fellow, fare thee well.

50   Gone, sir: farewell.
51   And yet I know not how conceit may rob
52   The treasury of life, when life itself
53   Yields to the theft: had he been where he thought,
54   By this, had thought been past. Alive or dead?
55   Ho, you sir! friend! Hear you, sir! speak!
56   Thus might he pass indeed: yet he revives.
57   What are you, sir?

58   Away, and let me die.

59   Hadst thou been aught but gossamer, feathers, air,
60   So many fathom down precipitating,
61   Thou'dst shiver'd like an egg: but thou dost breathe;
62   Hast heavy substance; bleed'st not; speak'st; art sound.
63   Ten masts at each make not the altitude
64   Which thou hast perpendicularly fell:
65   Thy life's a miracle. Speak yet again.

66   But have I fall'n, or no?

67   From the dread summit of this chalky bourn.
68   Look up a-height; the shrill-gorged lark so far
69   Cannot be seen or heard: do but look up.

70   Alack, I have no eyes.
71   Is wretchedness deprived that benefit,
72   To end itself by death? 'Twas yet some comfort,
73   When misery could beguile the tyrant's rage,
74   And frustrate his proud will.

75   Give me your arm:
76   Up: so. How is 't? Feel you your legs? You stand.

77   Too well, too well.

78   This is above all strangeness.
79   Upon the crown o' the cliff, what thing was that
80   Which parted from you?

81   A poor unfortunate beggar.

82   As I stood here below, methought his eyes
83   Were two full moons; he had a thousand noses,
84   Horns whelk'd and waved like the enridged sea:
85   It was some fiend; therefore, thou happy father,
86   Think that the clearest gods, who make them honours
87   Of men's impossibilities, have preserved thee.

88   I do remember now: henceforth I'll bear
89   Affliction till it do cry out itself
90   'Enough, enough,' and die. That thing you speak of,
91   I took it for a man; often 'twould say
92   'The fiend, the fiend:' he led me to that place.

93   Bear free and patient thoughts. But who comes here?
Enter KING LEAR, fantastically dressed with wild flowers
94   The safer sense will ne'er accommodate
95   His master thus.

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

98   O thou side-piercing sight!

99   Nature's above art in that respect. There's your
100  press-money. That fellow handles his bow like a
101  crow-keeper: draw me a clothier's yard. Look,
102  look, a mouse! Peace, peace; this piece of toasted
103  cheese will do 't. There's my gauntlet; I'll prove
104  it on a giant. Bring up the brown bills. O, well
105  flown, bird! i' the clout, i' the clout: hewgh!
106  Give the word.

107  Sweet marjoram.

108  Pass.

109  I know that voice.

110  Ha! Goneril, with a white beard! They flattered
111  me like a dog; and told me I had white hairs in my
112  beard ere the black ones were there. To say 'ay'
113  and 'no' to every thing that I said!--'Ay' and 'no'
114  too was no good divinity. When the rain came to
115  wet me once, and the wind to make me chatter; when
116  the thunder would not peace at my bidding; there I
117  found 'em, there I smelt 'em out. Go to, they are
118  not men o' their words: they told me I was every
119  thing; 'tis a lie, I am not ague-proof.

120  The trick of that voice I do well remember:
121  Is 't not the king?

122  Ay, every inch a king:
123  When I do stare, see how the subject quakes.
124  I pardon that man's life. What was thy cause? Adultery?
125  Thou shalt not die: die for adultery! No:
126  The wren goes to 't, and the small gilded fly
127  Does lecher in my sight.
128  Let copulation thrive; for Gloucester's bastard son
129  Was kinder to his father than my daughters
130  Got 'tween the lawful sheets.
131  To 't, luxury, pell-mell! for I lack soldiers.
132  Behold yond simpering dame,
133  Whose face between her forks presages snow;
134  That minces virtue, and does shake the head
135  To hear of pleasure's name;
136  The fitchew, nor the soiled horse, goes to 't
137  With a more riotous appetite.
138  Down from the waist they are Centaurs,
139  Though women all above:
140  But to the girdle do the gods inherit,
141  Beneath is all the fiends';
142  There's hell, there's darkness, there's the
143  sulphurous pit,
144  Burning, scalding, stench, consumption; fie,
145  fie, fie! pah, pah! Give me an ounce of civet,
146  good apothecary, to sweeten my imagination:
147  there's money for thee.

148  O, let me kiss that hand!

149  Let me wipe it first; it smells of mortality.

150  O ruin'd piece of nature! This great world
151  Shall so wear out to nought. Dost thou know me?

152  I remember thine eyes well enough. Dost thou squiny
153  at me? No, do thy worst, blind Cupid! I'll not
154  love. Read thou this challenge; mark but the
155  penning of it.

156  Were all the letters suns, I could not see one.

157  I would not take this from report; it is,
158  And my heart breaks at it.

159  Read.

160  What, with the case of eyes?

161  O, ho, are you there with me? No eyes in your
162  head, nor no money in your purse? Your eyes are in
163  a heavy case, your purse in a light; yet you see how
164  this world goes.

165  I see it feelingly.

166  What, art mad? A man may see how this world goes
167  with no eyes. Look with thine ears: see how yond
168  justice rails upon yond simple thief. Hark, in
169  thine ear: change places; and, handy-dandy, which
170  is the justice, which is the thief? Thou hast seen
171  a farmer's dog bark at a beggar?

172  Ay, sir.

173  And the creature run from the cur? There thou
174  mightst behold the great image of authority: a
175  dog's obeyed in office.
176  Thou rascal beadle, hold thy bloody hand!
177  Why dost thou lash that whore? Strip thine own back;
178  Thou hotly lust'st to use her in that kind
179  For which thou whipp'st her. The usurer hangs the cozener.
180  Through tatter'd clothes small vices do appear;
181  Robes and furr'd gowns hide all. Plate sin with gold,
182  And the strong lance of justice hurtless breaks:
183  Arm it in rags, a pigmy's straw does pierce it.
184  None does offend, none, I say, none; I'll able 'em:
185  Take that of me, my friend, who have the power
186  To seal the accuser's lips. Get thee glass eyes;
187  And like a scurvy politician, seem
188  To see the things thou dost not. Now, now, now, now:
189  Pull off my boots: harder, harder: so.

190  O, matter and impertinency mix'd! Reason in madness!

191  If thou wilt weep my fortunes, take my eyes.
192  I know thee well enough; thy name is Gloucester:
193  Thou must be patient; we came crying hither:
194  Thou know'st, the first time that we smell the air,
195  We wawl and cry. I will preach to thee: mark.

196  Alack, alack the day!

197  When we are born, we cry that we are come
198  To this great stage of fools: this a good block;
199  It were a delicate stratagem, to shoe
200  A troop of horse with felt: I'll put 't in proof;
201  And when I have stol'n upon these sons-in-law,
202  Then, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill!

203  O, here he is: lay hand upon him. Sir,
204  Your most dear daughter--

205  No rescue? What, a prisoner? I am even
206  The natural fool of fortune. Use me well;
207  You shall have ransom. Let me have surgeons;
208  I am cut to the brains.

209  You shall have any thing.

210  No seconds? all myself?
211  Why, this would make a man a man of salt,
212  To use his eyes for garden water-pots,
213  Ay, and laying autumn's dust.

214  Good sir,--

215  I will die bravely, like a bridegroom. What!
216  I will be jovial: come, come; I am a king,
217  My masters, know you that.

218  You are a royal one, and we obey you.

219  Then there's life in't. Nay, if you get it, you
220  shall get it with running. Sa, sa, sa, sa.

221  A sight most pitiful in the meanest wretch,
222  Past speaking of in a king! Thou hast one daughter,
223  Who redeems nature from the general curse
224  Which twain have brought her to.

225  Hail, gentle sir.

226  Sir, speed you: what's your will?

227  Do you hear aught, sir, of a battle toward?

228  Most sure and vulgar: every one hears that,
229  Which can distinguish sound.

230  But, by your favour,
231  How near's the other army?

232  Near and on speedy foot; the main descry
233  Stands on the hourly thought.

234  I thank you, sir: that's all.

235  Though that the queen on special cause is here,
236  Her army is moved on.

237  I thank you, sir.

238  You ever-gentle gods, take my breath from me:
239  Let not my worser spirit tempt me again
240  To die before you please!

241  Well pray you, father.

242  Now, good sir, what are you?

243  A most poor man, made tame to fortune's blows;
244  Who, by the art of known and feeling sorrows,
245  Am pregnant to good pity. Give me your hand,
246  I'll lead you to some biding.

247  Hearty thanks:
248  The bounty and the benison of heaven
249  To boot, and boot!

250  A proclaim'd prize! Most happy!
251  That eyeless head of thine was first framed flesh
252  To raise my fortunes. Thou old unhappy traitor,
253  Briefly thyself remember: the sword is out
254  That must destroy thee.

255  Now let thy friendly hand
256  Put strength enough to't.

257  Wherefore, bold peasant,
258  Darest thou support a publish'd traitor? Hence;
259  Lest that the infection of his fortune take
260  Like hold on thee. Let go his arm.

261  Ch'ill not let go, zir, without vurther 'casion.

262  Let go, slave, or thou diest!

263  Good gentleman, go your gait, and let poor volk
264  pass. An chud ha' bin zwaggered out of my life,
265  'twould not ha' bin zo long as 'tis by a vortnight.
266  Nay, come not near th' old man; keep out, che vor
267  ye, or ise try whether your costard or my ballow be
268  the harder: ch'ill be plain with you.

269  Out, dunghill!

270  Ch'ill pick your teeth, zir: come; no matter vor
271  your foins.

272  Slave, thou hast slain me: villain, take my purse:
273  If ever thou wilt thrive, bury my body;
274  And give the letters which thou find'st about me
275  To Edmund earl of Gloucester; seek him out
276  Upon the British party: O, untimely death!

277  I know thee well: a serviceable villain;
278  As duteous to the vices of thy mistress
279  As badness would desire.

280  What, is he dead?

281  Sit you down, father; rest you
282  Let's see these pockets: the letters that he speaks of
283  May be my friends. He's dead; I am only sorry
284  He had no other death's-man. Let us see:
285  Leave, gentle wax; and, manners, blame us not:
286  To know our enemies' minds, we'ld rip their hearts;
287  Their papers, is more lawful.
Reads
288  'Let our reciprocal vows be remembered. You have
289  many opportunities to cut him off: if your will
290  want not, time and place will be fruitfully offered.
291  There is nothing done, if he return the conqueror:
292  then am I the prisoner, and his bed my goal; from
293  the loathed warmth whereof deliver me, and supply
294  the place for your labour.
295  'Your--wife, so I would say--
296  'Affectionate servant,
297  'GONERIL.'
298  O undistinguish'd space of woman's will!
299  A plot upon her virtuous husband's life;
300  And the exchange my brother! Here, in the sands,
301  Thee I'll rake up, the post unsanctified
302  Of murderous lechers: and in the mature time
303  With this ungracious paper strike the sight
304  Of the death practised duke: for him 'tis well
305  That of thy death and business I can tell.

306  The king is mad: how stiff is my vile sense,
307  That I stand up, and have ingenious feeling
308  Of my huge sorrows! Better I were distract:
309  So should my thoughts be sever'd from my griefs,
310  And woes by wrong imaginations lose
311  The knowledge of themselves.

312  Give me your hand:
Drum afar off
313  Far off, methinks, I hear the beaten drum:
314  Come, father, I'll bestow you with a friend.