Enter King Lear, Cornwall, Albany, Gonerill, Regan, Cordelia, and Attendants.

Lear. Attend the Lords of France and Burgundy,

Glofter.

Glo. I fhall, my Liege.

[Exit.

Lear. Mean time we fhall exprefs our darker pur-.

pofe.

Give me the map here. Know, we have divided,
In three, our kingdom; ' and 'tis our faft intent,
To shake all cares and bufinefs from our age,
Conferring them on younger ftrengths, while we
Unburden'd crawl tow'rd death. Our fon of Corn-
wall,

And you, our no lefs loving fon of Albany,
We have this hour a 7 conftant will to publish
Our daughters fev'ral dow'rs, that future ftrife
May be prevented now.

Burgundy,

5 express our darker purpose.] Darker, for more fecret ; not for indirect, oblique.

WARBURTON. This word may admit a further explication. We shall express our darker purpefe: that is, we have already made known in fome measure our defign of parting the kingdom; we will now discover what has not been told before, the reafons by which we fhall regulate the partition. This interpretation will juftify or palliate the exordial dialogue.

and 'tis our FAST intent,] This is an interpolation of Mr. Lewis Theobald, for want of knowing the meaning of the old reading in the quarto of

The princes France and

1608, and first folio of 1623; where we find it,

--and 'tis our FIRST intent, which is as Shakespear wrote it : who makes Lear declare his purpofe with a dignity becoming his character: That the first reafon of his abdication was the love of his people, that they might be protected by fuch as were better able to discharge the truft; and his natural affec tion for his daughters, only the Jecond. WARBURTON. Faft is the reading of the firft folio, and I think the true reading. Conftant will feems a confirmation of fat intent.

Great rivals in our younger daughter's love,

Long in our court have made their am'rous fojourn,
And here are to be anfwer'd. Tell me, daughters,
Since now we will diveft us both of rule,
Int'reft of territory, cares of state,

Which of you, fhall we fay, doth love us most,
That we our largest bounty may extend,
Where nature doth with merit challenge.
Our eldest born, speak first.

Gon. Sir,

Gonerill,

I love you more than words can wield the matter,
Dearer than eye-fight, fpace and liberty;

Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare;

No lefs than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour; As much as child e'er lov'd, or father found;

A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable, Beyond all manner of fo much I love you.

8

Cor. What fhall Cordelia 9 do? love and be filent.

[Afide. Lear. Of all these Bounds, ev'n from this line to

this,

With fhadowy forefts and with champions rich'd,
With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads,
We make thee lady. To thine and Albany's iffue
Be this perpetual. What fays our fecond daughter?
Our dearest Regan, wife of Cornwall, fpeak.

Reg. I'm made of that self-metal as my sister,
And prize me at her worth, in my true heart.
I find, she names my very deed of love,
Only he comes too fhort;

' that I profess

9 So the quarto: the folio has Speak.

1-that I profefs] That seems to ftand without relation, but is referred to find, the first conjunction being inaccurately fuppreffed. I find that he names any deed, that I profefs, &c.

My

Myfelf an enemy to all other joys,

Which the moft precious fquare of fenfe poffeffes; And find, I am alone felicitate

In your dear Highness' love.
Cor. Then poor Cordelia!

And yet not 10, fince, I am fure, my love's
3 More pond'rous than my tongue.

[Afide.

Lear. To thee, and thine, hereditary ever,
Remain this ample third of our fair Kingdom;
4 No lefs in fpace, validity, and pleasure,
Than that conferr'd on Gonerill. Now our joy,
Although our laft, not leaft, to whofe young love,
The vines of France, and milk of Burgundy,
Strive to be int'refs'd; what fay you, to draw
A third, more opulent than your fifters? Speak.
Cor. Nothing, my Lord.
Lear. Nothing?
Cor. Nothing.

Lear. Nothing can come of nothing; fpeak again.
Cor. Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave

My heart into my mouth. I love your Majesty
According to my bond, no more nor lefs.

Lear. How, how, Cordelia? mend your speech a

little,

Left you may mar your fortunes.

Cor. Good my Lord,

I

You have begot me, bred me, lov'd me.
Return thofe duties back, as are right fit,
Obey you, love you, and most honour you.
Why have my fifters husbands, if they say,
They love you, all? haply, when I fhall wed,
That Lord, whofe hand muft take my plight, fhall
carry

Half my love with him, half my care and duty.
Sure, I fhall never marry like my fifters,

To love my father all.

Lear. But goes thy heart with this?
Cor. Ay, my good Lord.

Lear. So young, and fo untender?

Cor. So young, my Lord, and true.

Lear. Let it be fo, thy truth then be thy dower

For by the facred radiance of the fun,

The mysteries of Hecate, and the night, ·

By all the operations of the orbs,

From whom we do exift, and cease to be,
Here I difclaim all my paternal care,
Propinquity and property of blood,
And as a stranger to my heart and me

Hold thee, from this, for ever. The barb'rous Seythian,

Or he that makes his generation meffes

To gorge his appetite, fhall to my bofom

6 To love my father all.-] firft edition, without which the Thefe words restored from the fenfe was not compleat. POPE.

Be

Be as well neighbour'd, pitied, and reliev'd,
As thou, my fometime daughter.
Kent. Good my Liege

Lear. Peace, Kent!

Come not between the dragon and his wrath.
I lov'd her moft, and thought to fet my Rest
On her kind nurs'ry. Hence, avoid my fight!-

[To Cor.
So be my grave my peace, as here I give
Her father's heart from her;-Call France-Who stirs?
Call Burgundy-Cornwall and Albany,

With my two daughters' dowers digeft the third.
Let pride, which the calls plainness, marry her.
I do invest you jointly with my power,
Preheminence, and all the large effects

That troop with Majefty. Our felf by monthly course,
With refervation of an hundred knights,
By you to be fuftain'd, fhall our abode
Make with you by due turns; 7only retain
The name and all th' addition to a King:
The fway, revenue, execution of the reft,
Beloved fons, be yours; which to confirm,

the whole is, I will only retain the name and all the ceremonious obfervances that belong to a King; the fentials, as Iway, revenue, administration of the laws, be yours.

WARBURTON.

Execution of the reft.] I do not fee any great difficulty in the words, execution of the rest, which are in both the old copies. The execution of the reft is, I fuppofe, all the other bufnels. Dr. Warburton's own explanation of his amendment confutes it; if beft be a regal command, they were, by the grant of Lear, to have rather the bet than the execution.