Alb. Produce their bodies, be they alive or dead!This judgment1 of the heavens, that makes us tremble, Touches us not with pity. [Exit Gentleman. Enter KENT. Edg. Here comes Kent, sir. Alb. O it is he. The time will not allow the compliment, Which very manners urges. Kent. I am come To bid my king and master aye good night; Alb. Great thing of us forgot ! Speak, Edmund, where's the king; and where's Cor See'st thou this object, Kent? [The Bodies of GONERIL and REGAN are brought in. Kent. Alack, why thus? Edm. Yet Edmund was belov'd: The one the other poison'd for my sake, And after slew herself. Alb. Even so. Cover their faces. Edm. I pant for life:-Some good I mean to do, Despite of mine own nature. Quickly send, Be brief in it, to the castle; for my writ Is on the life of Lear, and on Cordelia : Nay, send in time. Alb. Run, run, O, run — Edg. To who, my lord? Who has the office? send Edm. Well thought on; take my sword, Give it the captain. Alb. Haste thee, for thy life. [Exit Edgar. 1 This judgment, &c.] If Shakspeare had studied Aristotle all his life, he would not perhaps have been able to mark with more precision the distinct operations of terror and pity. TYRWHITT. Edm. He hath commission from thy wife and me To hang Cordelia in the prison, and To lay the blame upon her own despair, That she fordid herself. 2 Alb. The gods defend her! Bear him hence awhile. [EDMUND is borne off. ; Enter LEAR, with CORDELIA dead in his arms EDGAR, Officer, and Others. Lear. Howl, howl, howl, howl!-- O, you are men of stones; Had I your tongues and eyes, I'd use them so That heaven's vault should crack: O, she is gone for ever! I know when one is dead, and when one lives; Kent. Is this the promis'd end? Edg. Or image of that horror ?3 Alb. Fall, and cease !4 Lear. This feather stirs ; she lives! if it be so, It is a chance that does redeem all sorrows ? That she fordid herself.] To fordo signifies to destroy. 3 Kent. Is this the promis'd end? Edg. Or image of that horror?] By the promised end Kent does not mean that conclusion which the state of their affairs seemed to promise, but the end of the world. 4 Fall, and cease!] Albany is looking with attention on the pains employed by Lear to recover his child, and knows to what miseries he must survive, when he finds them to be ineffectual. Having these images present to his eyes and imagination, he cries out, Rather fall, and cease to be, at once, than continue in existence only to be wretched. 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, Off: 'Tis true, my lords, he did. Lear. Did I not, fellow? I have seen the day, with my good biting faulchion I would have made them skip: I am old now, And these same crosses spoil me. Who are you Mine eyes are none o'the best :- I'll tell you straight. Kent. If fortune brag of two she lov'd and hated, One of them we behold. 5 ? 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. 6 Kent. That, from your first of difference and decay, " Have follow'd your sad steps. Lear. You are welcome hither. Kent. Nor no man else'; all's cheerless, dark, and Your eldest daughters have fore-doom'd themselves, Lear. Ay, so I think. 5 If fortune brag of two she lov'd and hated, One of them we behold.] i. e. if Fortune, to display the plenitude of her power, should brag of two persons, one of whom she had highly elevated, and the other she had wofully depressed, we now behold the latter. 6 of difference and decay,] Decay for misfortunes. 7 Nor no man else ;] Kent means, I welcome! No, nor no man else. |