Chapter 13

I will try again, and read thus,

--others you permit To second ills with ills, each other worse, And make them _trade it_, to the doers' thrift.

_Trade_ and _thrift_ correspond. Our author plays with _trade_, as it signifies a lucrative vocation, or a frequent practice. So Isabella says,

"Thy sins, not accidental, but a _trade_."

V.i.16 (273,9) Do your best wills,/And make me blest to obey!] So the copies. It was more in the manner of our author to have written,

--Do your blest wills, And make me blest t' obey.--

V.iii.41 (276,3) A rout, confusion thick] [W: confusion-thick] I do not see what great addition is made to _fine diction_ by this compound. Is it not as natural to enforce the principal event in a story by repetition, as to enlarge the principal figure in a figure?

V.iii.51 (276,4) bugs] Terrors.

V.iii.53 (277,5) Nay, do not wonder at it] [T: do but] There is no need of alteration. Posthumus first bids him not wonder, then tells him in another mode of reproach, that wonder is all that he was made for.

V.iii.79 (278,8) great the answer be] _Answer_, as once in this play before, is _retaliation_.

V.iii.87 (278,9) That gave the affront with them] That is, that turned their faces to the enemy.

V.iv.1 (279,1) You shall not now be stolen, you have locks upon you;/So, graze, as you find pasture] This wit of the gaoler alludes to the custom of putting a lock on a horse's leg, when he is turned to pasture.

V.iv.27 (280,3) If you will take this audit, take this life,/And cancel those cold bonds] This equivocal use of _bonds_ is another instance of our author's infelicity in pathetic speeches.

V.iv.45 (281,5) That from me my Posthumus ript] The old copy reads,

That from me _was_ Posthumus ript.

Perhaps we should read,

That from _my womb_ Posthumus ript, Came crying 'mongst his foes.

V.iv.146 (284,7)

'Tis still a dream; or else such stuff, as madmen Tongue, and brain not: either both or nothing: Or senseless speaking, or a speaking such As sense cannot untie. Be what it is, The action of my life is like it]

The meaning, which is too thin to be easily caught, I take to be this: _This is a dream or madness, or both--or nothing--but whether it be a speech without consciousness_, as in a dream, _or a speech unintelligible_, as in madness, be it as it is, _it is like my course of life_. We might perhaps read,

Whether _both, or nothing_--

V.iv,164 (285,8) sorry that you have paid too much, and sorry that you are paid too much] _Tavern bills_, says the gaoler, _are the sadness of parting, as the procuring of mirth--you depart reeling with too much drink; sorry that you have paid too much, and_--what? _sorry that you are paid too much_. Where is the opposition? I read, _And_ merry _that you are paid_ so _much_. I take the second _paid_ to be _paid_, for _appaid, filled, satiated_.

V.iv.171 (286,9) debtor and creditor] For an _accounting book_.

V.iv.188 (286,1) jump the after-enquiry] That is, _venture_ at it without thought. So _Macbeth_,

"We'd _jump_ the life to come." (see 1765, VII, 382, 7)

V.v.9 (288,1) one that promis'd nought/But beggary and poor looks] To promise _nothing but_ poor _looks_, may be, to give no promise of courageous behaviour.

V.v.88 (291,2) So feat] So ready; so dextrous in waiting.

V.v.93 (291,3) His favour is familiar to me] I am acquainted with his countenance.

V.v.120 (292,4) One sand another/Not more resembles. That sweet rosy lad] [W: resembles, than be th' sweet] There was no great difficulty in the line, which, when properly pointed, needs no alteration.

V.v.203 (296,8) averring notes/Of chamber-hanging, pictures] Such marks of the chamber and pictures, as _averred_ or confirmed my report.

V.v.220 (297,9) the temple/Of virtue was she; yea, and she herself] That is, She was not only _the temple of virtue_, but _virtue herself_.

V.v.233 (297,1) these staggers] This wild and delirious perturbation. _Staggers_ is the horse's apoplexy.

V.v.262 (298,2) Think, that you are upon a rock; and now/Throw me again] In this speech, or in the answer, there is little meaning. I suppose, she would say, Consider such another act as equally fatal to me with precipitation from a rock, and now let me see whether you will repeat it.

V.v.308 (300,3) By tasting of our wrath] [W: hasting] There is no need of change; the consequence is taken for the whole action; _by tasting_ is _by forcing us to make thee taste_.

V.v.334 (301,5) Your pleasure was my near offence, my punishment,/ Itself, and all my treason] I think this passage may better be read thus,

Your pleasure was my _dear_ offence, my punishment Itself _was_ all my treason; that I suffer'd, Was all the harm I did.--

The offence which cost me so _dear_ was only your caprice. My sufferings have been all my crime.

V.v.352 (302,6)

Thou weep'st, and speak'st. The service that you three have done is more Unlike than this thou tell'st]

"Thy tears give testimony to the sincerity of thy relation; and I have the less reason to be incredulous, because the actions which you have done within my knowledge are more incredible than the story which you relate." The king reasons very justly.

V.v.378 (303,7) When ye were so, indeed] The folio gives,

When _we_ were so, indeed.

If this be right, we must read,

_Imo._ I, you brothers. _Arv._ When we were so, indeed.

V.v.382 (303,8) fierce abridgment] _Fierce_, is _vehement, rapid_.

V.v.459 (306,1) My peace we will begin] I think it better to read,

_By_ peace we will begin.--

(307) General Observation. This play has many just sentiments, some natural dialogues, and some pleasing scenes, but they are obtained at the expence of much incongruity. To remark the folly of the fiction, the absurdity of the conduct, the confusion of the names, and manners of different times, and the impossibility of the events in any system of life, were to waste criticism upon unresisting imbecility, upon faults too evident for detection, and too gross for aggravation.

KING LEAR

I.i.4 (311,2) in the division of the kingdom] There is something of obscurity or inaccuracy in this preparatory scene. The king has already divided his kingdom, and yet when he enters he examines his daughters, to discover in what proportions he should divide it. Perhaps Kent and Gloucester only were privy to his design, which he still kept in his own hands, to be changed or performed as subsequent reasons should determine him.

I.i.37 (313,7) express our darker purpose] [_Darker_, for more secret; not for indirect, oblique. WARBURTON.] This word may admit a further explication. _We shall express our darker purpose_: that is, we have already made known in some measure our design of parting the kingdom; we will now discover what has not been told before, the reasons by which we shall regulate the partition. This interpretation will justify or palliate the exordial dialogue.

I.i.39 (313,8) 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 1608, and first folio of 1623; where we find it,

--and 'tis our _first_ intent.

WARBURTON.]

_Fast_ is the reading of the first folio, and, I think, the true reading.

I.i.44 (314,9) We have this hour a constant will] _constant will_ seems a confirmation of _fast_ intent.

I.i.62 (314,2) Beyond all manner of so much I love you] Beyond all assignable quantity. I love you beyond limits, and cannot say it is _so much_, for how much soever I should name, it would yet be more.

I.i.73 (315,4)

I find, she names my very deed of love, Only she comes too short; that I profess]

_That_ seems to stand without relation, but is referred to _find_, the first conjunction being inaccurately suppressed. I find _that_ she names my deed, I find that I profess, &c.

I.i.76 (315,5) Which the most precious square of sense possesses] [Warburton explained "square" as the "four nobler senses"] This is acute; but perhaps _square_ means only _compass, comprehension_.

I.i.80 (315,6) More pond'rous than my tongue] [W: their tongue] I think the present reading right.

I.i.84 (316,8) Now our joy] Here the true reading is picked out of two copies. Butter's quarto reads,

--_But_ now our joy, Although the last, not least in our dear love, What can you say to win a third, &c.

The folio,

--Now our joy, Although our last, _and_ least; to whose young love The vines of France, and milk of Burgundy, Strive to be int'ress'd. _What can you say?_

I.i.138 (318,5) The sway, revenue, execution of the rest] [W: of th' hest] I do not see any great difficulty in the words, _execution of the rest_, which are in both the old copies. The _execution of the rest_ is, I suppose, _all the other business_. Dr. Warburton's own explanation of his amendment confutes it; if _hest_ be a _regal comnand_, they were, by the grant of Lear, to have rather the _hest_ than the execution.

1.1.149 (319,6)

Think'st thou, that duty shall have dread to speak, When power to flattery bows? To plainness honour's bound, When majesty stoops to folly. Reverse thy doom, And in thy best consideration check This hideous rashness: answer my life my judgment, Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least]

I have given this passage according to the old folio, from which the modern editions have silently departed, for the sake of better numbers, with a degree of insincerity, which, if not sometimes detected and censured, must impair the credit of ancient books. One of the editors, and perhaps only one, knew how much mischief may be done by such clandestine alterations. The quarto agrees with the folio, except that for _reserve thy state_, it gives, _reverse thy doom_, and has _stoops_ instead of _falls to folly_. The meaning of _answer my life my judgment_, is, _Let my life be answerable for my judgment_, or, _I will stake my life on my opinion_.--The reading which, without any right, has possessed all the modern copies is this;

--to plainness honour Is bound, when majesty to folly falls. Reserve thy state; with better judgment check This hideous rashness; with my life I answer, Thy youngest daughter, &c.

I am inclined to think that _reverse thy doom_ was Shakespeare's first reading, as more apposite to the present occasion, and that he changed it afterwards to _reserve thy state_, which conduces more to the progress of the action.

I.i.161 (320,9) The true blank of thine eye] The _blank_ is the _white_ or exact mark at which the arrow is shot. _See better_, says Kent, _and keep me always in your view_.

I.i.172 (320,1) strain'd pride] The oldest copy reads _strayed pride_; that is, _pride exorbitant_; pride passing due bounds.

I.i.174 (320,3) Which nor our nature, nor our place, can bear;/ Our potency made good] [T: (Which ... bear) ... made good] [Warburton defended "make"] Theobald only inserted the parenthesis; he found _made good_ in the best copy of 1623. Dr. Warburton has very acutely explained and defended the reading that he has chosen, but I am not certain that he has chosen right. If we take the reading of the folio, _our potency_ made _good_, the sense will be less profound indeed, but less intricate, and equally commodious. _As thou hast come with unreasonable pride between the_ sentence _which I had passed, and the_ power _by which I shall execute it_, take thy reward _in another sentence which shall_ make good, _shall establish, shall maintain_, that power. If Dr. Warburton's explanation be chosen, and every reader will wish to choose it, we may better read,

Which nor our nature, nor our state can bear, _Or_ potency make good.--

Mr. Davies thinks, that _our potency made good_ relates only to _our place_.--Which our nature cannot bear, nor our _place_, without departure from the _potency_ of that place. This is easy and clear.--Lear, who is characterized as hot, heady, and violent, is, with very just observation of life, made to entangle himself with vows, upon any sudden provocation to vow revenge, and then to plead the obligation of a vow in defence of implacability.

I.i.181 (322,4) By Jupiter] Shakespeare makes his Lear too much a mythologist: he had Hecate and Apollo before.

I.i.190 (322,6) He'll shape his old course] He will follow his old maxims; he will continue to act upon the same principles.

I.i.201 (323,7) If aught within that little, seeming, substance] _Seeming_ is _beautiful_.

I.i.209 (323,9) Election makes not up on such conditions] To _make up_ signifies to complete, to conclude; as, _they made up the bargain_; but in this sense it has, I think, always the subject noun after it. To _make up_, in familiar language, is, neutrally, _to come forward_, to _make advances_, which, I think, is meant here.

I.i.221 (324,2)

Sure her offence Must be of such unnatural degree, That monsters it: or your fore-vouch'd affection Fall into taint]

The common books read,

--or your fore-vouch'd affection Fall'n into taint:--

This line has no clear or strong sense, nor is this reading authorized by any copy, though it has crept into all the late editions. The early quarto reads,

--or you for vouch'd affections Fall'n into taint.--

The folio,

--or your fore-vouch'd affection Fall into taint.--

_Taint_ is used for _corruption_ and for _disgrace_. If therefore we take the oldest reading it may be reformed thus:

--sure her offence Must be of such unnatural degree, That monsters it; or you for vouch'd affection Fall into taint.

Her offence must be prodigious, or _you_ must _fal1 into reproach_ for having _vouched affection_ which you did not feel. If the reading of the folio be preferred, we may with a very slight change produce the same sense:

--sure her offence Must be of such unnatural degree, That monsters it, or your fore-vouch'd affection _Falls_ into taint.--

That is, _falls into reproach_ or _censure_. But there is another possible sense. _Or_ signifies _before_, and _or ever_ is _before ever_; the meaning in the folio may therefore be, _Sure her crime must be monstrous_ before _your affection can be affected with hatred_. Let the reader determine.--As I am not much a friend to conjectural emendation, I should prefer the latter sense, which requires no change of reading.

I.i.243 (325,3) from the intire point] _Intire_, for right, true. WARB.] Rather, single, unmixed with other considerations.

I.i.264 (326,5) Thou losest here, better where to find] _Here_ and _where_ have the power of nouns. Thou losest this residence to find a better residence in another place.

I.i.282 (326,6) And well are worth the want that you have wanted] [This I take to be the poet's meaning, stript of the jingle which makes it dark: "You well deserve to meet with that _want_ of love from your husband, which you have professed to _want_ for our father." THEOBALD.] [W: have vaunted] I think the common reading very suitable to the manner of our author, and well enough explained by Theobald.

I.i.283 (327,7) plaited cunning] i.e. _complicated, involved_ cunning. (1773)

I.ii.3 (328,2) Stand in the plague of custom] The word _plague_ is in all the copies; I can scarcely think it right, nor can I yet reconcile myself to the emendation proposed, though I have nothing better to offer [Warburton had proposed _plage_].

I.ii.21 (330,7) Shall be the legitimate] [Hanmer: toe th'] Hanmer's emendation will appear very plausible to him that shall consult the original reading. Butter's quarto reads,

--Edmund the base Shall _tooth'_ legitimate.--

The folio,

--Edmund the base Shall _to th'_ legitimate.--

Hanmer, therefore, could hardly be charged with coining a word, though his explanation may be doubted. To _toe_ him, is perhaps to _kick_ him _out_, a phrase yet in vulgar use; or, to _toe_, may be literally to _supplant_. The word _be_ has no authority.

I.ii.24 (331,1) subscrib'd his power!] To subscribe, is, to transfer by signing or _subscribing_ a writing of testimony. We now use the term, He _subscribed_ forty pounds to the new building.

I.ii.25 (331,2) Confin'd to exhibition!] Is _allowance_. The term is yet used in the universities.

I.ii.25 (331,3) All this done/Upon the gad!] So the old copies; the later editions read,

--All _is gone_ Upon the gad!--

which, besides that it is unauthorized, is less proper. _To_ do upon the _gad_, is, to act by the sudden stimulation of caprice, as cattle run madding when they are stung by the gad fly.

I.ii.47 (332,4) taste of my virtue] Though _taste_ may stand in this place, yet I believe we should read, _assay_ or _test_ of my virtue: they are both metallurgical terms, and properly joined. So in Hamlet,

Bring me to the _test_.

I.ii.51 (323,6) idle and fond] Weak and foolish.

I.ii.95 (333,7) pretence] _Pretence_ is design, purpose. So afterwards in this play,

_Pretence_ and purpose of unkindness.

I.ii.106 (333,8) wind me into him] I once thought it should be read, _you_ into him; but, perhaps, it is a familiar phrase, like _do me this_.

I.ii.107 (333,9) I would unstate myself to be in a due resolution] [i.e. I will throw aside all consideration of my relation to him, that I may act as justice requires. WARBURTON.] Such is this learned man's explanation. I take the meaning to be rather this, _Do you frame the business_, who can act with less emotion; _I would unstate myself_; it would in me be a departure from the paternal character, _to be in a due resolution_, to be settled and composed on such an occasion. The words _would_ and _should_ are in old language often confounded.

I.ii.l09 (334,1) convey the business] [_Convey_, for introduce. WARB.] To _convey_ is rather to _carry through_ than to introduce; in this place it is to _manage artfully_: we say of a juggler, that he has a clean _conveyance_.

I.ii.112 (334,2) These late eclipses in the sun and moon portend no good to us: tho' the wisdom of nature can reason it thus and thus, yet nature finds itself scourg'd by the frequent effects] That is, though natural philosophy can give account of eclipses, yet we feel their consequences.

I.ii.156 (338,8) I promise you, the effects he writes of, succeed unhappily] The folio edition commonly differs from the first quarto, by augmentations or insertions, but in this place it varies by omission, and by the omission of something which naturally introduces the following dialogue. It is easy to remark, that in this speech, which ought, I think, to be inserted as it now is in the text, Edmund, with the common craft of fortune-tellers, mingles the past and future, and tells of the future only what he already foreknows by confederacy, or can attain by probable conjecture. (see 1765, VI, 27, 6)

I.ii.178 (339,1) that with the mischief of your person it would scarcely allay] This reading is in both copies; yet I believe the author gave it, _that_ but _with the mischief_ of your person it would scarce allay.

I.iii.19 (341,2) Old fools are babes again; and must be us'd/ With checks, as flatteries when they are seen abus'd] These lines hardly deserve a note, though Mr. Theobald thinks them _very fine_. Whether _fools_ or _folks_ should be read is not worth enquiry. The controverted line is yet in the old quarto, not as the editors represent it, but thus:

With checks as flatteries when they are seen abus'd.

I am in doubt whether there is any error of transcription. The sense seems to be this: _Old men must be treated with checks_, when as _they are seen to be deceived with flatteries_: or, _when they are weak enough to be_ seen abused by flatteries, they are then weak enough to be _used with checks_. There is a play of the words _used_ and _abused_. To _abuse_ is, in our author, very frequently the same as to _deceive_. This construction is harsh and ungrammatical; Shakespeare perhaps thought it vicious, and chose to throw away the lines rather than correct them, nor would now thank the officiousness of his editors, who restore what they do not understand.

I.iv.118 (347,5) Would I had two coxcombs, and two daughters] Two fools caps, intended, as it seems, to mark double folly in the man that gives all to his daughters.

I.iv.133 (347,7) Lend less than thou owest] That is, _do not lend all that thou hast_. To _owe_, in old English, is _to possess_. If _owe_ be taken for _to be in debt_, the more prudent precept would be, Lend _more_ than thou owest.

I.iv.153-170 (348,9) This dialogue, from _No, lad; teach me_, down to, _Give me an egg_, was restored from the first edition by Mr. Theobald. It is omitted in the folio, perhaps for political reasons, as it seemed to censure monopolies.

I.iv.181 (349,2) Fools ne'er had less grace in a year] There never was a time when fools were less in favour; and the reason is, that they were never so little wanted, for wise men now supply their place. Such I think is the meaning. The old edition has _wit_ for _grace_.

I.iv.219 (350,5) That's a sheal'd peascod] i.e. Now a mere husk, which contains nothing. The outside of a king remains, but all the intrinsic parts of royalty are gone: he has nothing to give. (1773)

I.iv.245 (351,3) Whoop, Jug] There are in the fool's speeches several passages which seem to be proverbial allusions, perhaps not now to be understood.

I.iv.256 (352,1) _Fool_. Which they will make an obedient father] [This line I have restored from the quarto. STEEVENS] This note [Tyrwhitt's, quoted by Steevens] is written with confidence disproportionate to the conviction which it can bring. Lear might as well know by the marks and tokens arising from sovereignty, knowledge, and reason, that he had or had not daughters, as he could know by any thing else. But, says he, if I judge by these tokens, I find the persuasion false by which I long thought myself the father of daughters. (1773)

I.iv.302 (355,7) from her derogate body] [_Derogate_ for _unnatural_. WARB.] Rather, I think, _degraded; blasted_.

I.iv.320 (356,9)

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 will transcribe this passage from the first edition, that it may appear to those who are unacquainted with old books, what is the difficulty of revision, and what indulgence is due to those that endeavour to restore corrupted passages.--_That these hot tears, that breake from me perforce, should make the worst blasts and fogs upon the untender woundings of a father's curse, peruse every sense about the old fond eyes, beweep this cause again, &c._

I.iv.362 (358,3) compact it more] Unite one circumstance with another, so as to make a consistent account.

I.iv.366 (358,4) You are much more at task for want of wisdom] It is a common phrase now with parents and governesses. _I'll take you to task_, i.e. _I will reprehend and correct you. To be at task_, therefore, is to be liable to _reprehension and correction_. (1773)

I.v.5 (358,1) I shall be there afore you] He seems to intend to go to his daughter, but it appears afterwards that he is going to the house of Glo'ster.

I.v.25 (359,2) I did her wrong] He is musing on Cordelia.

I.v.42 (359,3) To take it again perforce!] He is meditating on the resumption of his royalty.

II.i.9 (360,1) ear-kissing arguments] Subjects of discourse; topics.

II.i.19 (361,2) queazy question] Something of a _suspicious, questionable, and uncertain nature_. This is, I think, the meaning.

II.i.27 (361,4) have you nothing said/Upon his party 'gainst the duke of Albany?] I cannot but think the line corrupted, and would read,

_Against_ his party, _for_ the duke of Albany?

II.i.57 (363,7) gasted] Frighted.

II.i.59 (363,8) Not in this land shall he remain uncaught;/And found--Dispatch] [Not in this land shall he remain uncaught; And found dispatch--the noble duke, &c.]