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Thrown on this shore. I op'd the coffin, and Where shall be shown you all was found with her; Found there rich jewels; recover'd her, and plac'd How she came placed here within the temple;

her

Here in Diana's temple.

Per.
May we see them?
Cer. Great sir, they shall be brought you to
house,

Whither I invite you. Look! Thaisa is
Recover'd.

Thai. O, let me look!

If he be none of mine, my sanctity

Will to my sense' bend no licentious ear,
But curb it, spite of seeing. O, my lord,
Are you not Pericles? Like him you speak,
Like him you are: Did you not name a tempest,
A birth, and death?
Per.
The voice of dead Thaisa!
Thai. That Thaisa am I, supposed dead,
And drown'd.

Per. Immortal Dian!
Thai.

No needful thing omitted.

Per.

Pure Diana!
I bless thee for thy vision, and will offer
my My night oblations to thee. Thaisa,

This prince, the fair-betrothed of your daughter,
Shall marry her at Pentapolis. And now,
This ornament that makes me look so dismal,
Will I, my lov'd Marina, clip to form;
And what this fourteen years no razor touch'd,
To grace thy marriage day, I'll beautify.

Thai. Lord Cerimon hath letters of good credit,
Sir, that my father's dead.

Per. Heavens make a star of him! Yet there,
my queen,

We'll celebrate their nuptials, and ourselves
Will in that kingdom spend our following days;
Our son and daughter shall in Tyrus reign.
Lord Cerimon, we do our longing stay.

Now I know you better.-To hear the rest untold.-Sir, lead the way. [Exe.

When we with tears parted Pentapolis,
The king, my father, gave you such a ring.

[Shows a ring.

Enter Gower.

Gow. In Antioch,' and his daughter, you have heard

Per. This, this: no more, you gods! your pre- Of monstrous lust the due and just reward: sent kindness

Makes my past miseries sport: You shall do well, In Pericles, his queen and daughter, seen That on the touching of her lips I may (Although assail'd with fortune fierce and keen,),

Melt, and no more be seen. O come, be buried Virtue preserv'd from fell destruction's blast,

A second time within these arms.

Mar.

My heart
[Kneels to Thaisa.
Per. Look, who kneels here! Flesh of thy flesh,
Thaisa;

Leaps to be gone into my mother's bosom.

Thy burden at the sea, and call'd Marina,
For she was yielded there.
Thai.

Bless'd and mine own!
Hel. Hail, madam, and my queen!
Thai.

I know you not. Per. You have heard me say, when I did fly from Tyre,

I left behind an ancient substitute.

Can you remember what I call'd the man?
I have nam'd him oft.

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Led on by heaven, and crown'd with joy at last.
In Helicanus may you well descry
A figure of truth, of faith, of loyalty:
In reverend Cerimon there well appears,
The worth that learned charity aye wears.
For wicked Cleon and his wife, when fame
Had spread their cursed deed, and honour'd name
Of Pericles, to rage the city turn;
That him and his they in his palace burn.
The gods for murder seemed so content
To punish them; although not done, but meant.
So on your patience evermore attending,
New joy wait on you! Here our play has ending.
[Exit Gower.

That this tragedy has some merit, it were rain to deny; but that it is the entire composition of Shakspeare, is more than can be hastily granted. I shall not venture, with Dr. Farmer, to determine that the hand of our great poet is only visible in the last act, for I think it appears in several passages dispersed over each of these divisions. I find it difficult, however, to persuade myself that he was the original fabricator of the plot, or the author of every dialogue, chorus, &c.

STEEVENS.

The story is of great antiquity; and is related by various ancient authors-in Latin, French, and English.

(3) i. e. The king of Antioch. (4) Ever.

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I THOUGHT, the king had more affected the

duke of Albany, than Cornwall.

Glo. It did always seem so to us: but now, in the division of the kingdom, it appears not which of the dukes he values most; for equalities are so weigh'd, that curiosity in neither can make choice of either's moiety.2

Kent. Is not this your son, my lord?

Glo. His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge: I have so often blushed to acknowledge him, that now I am brazed to it.

Kent. I cannot conceive you,

An Officer, employed by Edmund.
Gentleman, attendant on Cordelia.
A Herald.

Servants to Cornwall.

Goneril,

Regan, daughters to Lear.
Cordelia,.

Knights attending on the King, Officers, Messen gers, Soldiers, and Attendants.

Scene, Britain.

Enter Lear, Cornwall, Albany, Goneril, Regan,
Cordelia, and Attendants.

Lear. Attend the lords of France and Burgundy,
Gloster.

Glo. I shall, my liege. [Exe. Glo. and Edm.
Lear. Mean-time we shall express our darker

purpose.

Give me the map there.-Know, that we have di
vided,
In three, our kingdom: and 'tis our fast intent
To shake all cares and business from our age;
Conferring them on younger strengths, while we
Unburden'd crawl toward death.-Our son of Corn
wall,

And you, our no less loving son of Albany,
We have this hour a constant will to publish
Our daughters' several dowers, that future strife
May be prevented now. The princes, France and
Burgundy,

Glo. Sir, this young fellow's mother could: whereupon she grew round-wombed; and had, in- Great rivals in our youngest daughter's love, deed, sir, a son for her cradle, ere she had a hus-Long in our court have made their amorous so band for her bed. Do you smell a fault?

journ,

Kent. I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue And here are to be answer'd.-Tell me, my daugh of it being so proper.3

ters,

Glo. But I have, sir, a son by order of law, some (Since now we will divest us, both of rule, year elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my ac-Interest of territory, cares of state,) count: though this knave came somewhat saucily Which of you, shall we say, doth love us most 1 into the world before he was sent for, yet was his That we our largest bounty may extend mother fair; there was good sport at his making, Where merit doth most challenge it.-Goneril, and the whoreson must be acknowledged.-Do you Our eldest-born, speak first. know this noble gentleman, Edmund?

Edm. No, my lord.

Gon.

Sir, f

Do love you more than words can wield the matter, Glo. My lord of Kent: remember him hereafter Dearer than eye-sight, space and liberty; as my honourable friend.

Edm. My services to your lordship.

Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare;
No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour:

Kent. I must love you, and sue to know you As much as child e'er lov'd, or father found.

better.

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A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable;
Beyond all manner of so much I love you.
Cor. What shall Cordelia do? Love, and be si
lent.
[Aside
Lear. Of all these bounds, even from this line
to this,

(4) More secret. (5) Determined resolution. M

stirs ?

Call Burgundy.-Cornwall, and Albany,
With my two daughters' dowers digest this third:
Let pride, which she calls plainness, marry her.
I do invest you jointly with my power,
Pre-eminence, and all the large effects
That troop with majesty.-Ourself, by monthly

With shadowy forests and with champains' rich'd, | Her father's heart from her!—Call France ;—Who
With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads,
We make thee lady: To thine and Albany's issue
Be this perpetual.-What says our second daughter,
Our dearest Regan, wife to Cornwall? Speak.
Reg. I am 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 she comes too short,-That I profess
Myself an enemy to all other joys,

Which the most precious square of sense possesses;
And find, I am alone felicitate

In your dear highness' love.
Cor.
Then poor Cordelia! [Aside.
And yet not so; since, I am sure, my love's
More richer than my tongue.

Lear. To thee, and thine, hereditary ever,
Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom;
No less in space, validity, and pleasure,
Than that confirm'd on Goneril.-Now, our joy,
Although the last, not least; to whose young love
The vines of France, and milk of Burgundy,
Strive to be interess'd: what can you say, to draw
A third more opulent than your sisters? Speak.
Cor. Nothing, my lord.

Lear.

Nothing?

Nothing.

Cor.
Lear. Nothing can come of nothing: speak again.
Cor. Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave
My heart into my mouth: I love your majesty
According to my bond; nor more, nor less.

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

Lest it may mar your fortunes.

Cor.
Good my lord,
You have begot me, bred me, lov'd me: I
Return those duties back as are right fit,
Obey you, love you, and most honour you
Why have my sisters husbands, if they say,
They love you, all? Haply, when I shall wed,

That lord, whose hand must take my plight, shall

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course,

With reservation of a hundred knights,
By you to be sustain'd, shall our abode
Make with you by due turns. Only we still retain
The name, and all the additions to a king;
The sway,

Revenue, execution of the rest, 10

Beloved sons, be yours: which to confirm,
This coronet part between you. [Giving the crown.
Kent.
Royal Lear,
Whom I have ever honour'd as my king,
Lov'd as my father, as my master follow'd,
As my great patron thought on in my prayers,—
Lear. The bow is bent and drawn, make from

the shaft.

Kent. Let it fall rather, though the fork invade The region of my heart: be Kent unmannerly, When Lear is mad. What would'st thou do, old man ?

Think'st thou, that duty shall have dread to speak,
When power to flattery bows? To plainness hon-
our's bound,

When majesty stoops to folly. Reverse thy doom;
And, in thy best consideration, check

This hideous rashness: answer my life my judg

ment,

Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least;
Nor are those empty-hearted, whose low sound
Reverbs" no hollowness.

Lear.

Kent, on thy life, no more.
Kent. My life I never held but as a pawn
To wage against thine enemies; nor fear to lose it,
Thy safety being the motive.

Lear.

Out of my sight!

Kent. See better, Lear; and let me still remain
The true blank 12 of thine eye.
Lear. Now, by Apollo,-
Kent.

Now, by Apollo, king,

Ay, good my lord. Thou swear'st thy gods in vain.
Lear.

Lear. So young, and so untender?
Cor. So young, my lord, and true.

Lear. Let it be so.-Thy truth then be thy dower :
For, by the sacred radiance of the sun;
The mysteries of Hecate, and the night;
By all the operations of the orbs,

From whom we do exist, and cease to be;
Here I disclaim all my paternal care,
Propinquity and property of blood,
And as a stranger to my heart and me
Hold thee, from this," for ever.

Scythian,

The barbarous

Or he that makes his generation messes
To gorge his appetite, shall to my bosom
Be as well neighbour'd, pitied, and reliev'd,
As thou my sometime daughter.

Kent.

Lear. Peace, Kent!

Good my liege,

Come not between the dragon and his wrath:
I lov'd her most, and thought to set my rest

O, vassal! miscreant! [Laying his hand on his sword.

Alb. Corn. Dear sir, forbear.
Kent. Do;

Kill thy physician, and the fee bestow
Upon the foul disease. Revoke thy gift;
Or, whilst I can vent clamour from my throat,
I'll tell thee, thou dost evil.

Lear.

Hear me, recreant!

On thine allegiance hear me !—
Since thou hast sought to make us break our vow
(Which we durst never yet,) and, with strain'd

pride,

To come betwixt our sentence and our power
(Which nor our nature nor our place can bear ;)
Our potency make good, take thy reward.
Five days we do allot thee, for provision
To shield thee from diseases of the world;
And, on the sixth, to turn thy hated back
Upon our kingdom: if, on the tenth day following,

On her kind nursery.-Hence, and avoid my sight!-Thy banish'd trunk be found in our dominions,

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Kent. Fare thee well, king: since thus thou wilt

appear,

Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here.The gods to their dear shelter take thee, maid, [To Cordelia. That justly think'st, and hast most rightly said!1 And your large speeches may your deeds approve, [To Regan and Goneril. That good effects may spring from words of love. Thus Kent, O princes, bids you all adieu; He'll shape his old course' in a country new. [Ex. Re-enter Gloster; with France, Burgundy, and Attendants.

Glo. Here's France and Burgundy, my noble lord.

Lear. My lord of Burgundy,

We first address towards you, who with this king
Hath rivall'd for our daughter; What, in the least
Will you require in present dower with her,
Or cease your quest of love?"
Bur.

Most royal majesty,
I crave no more than hath your highness offer'd,
Nor will you tender less.

Lear.
Right noble Burgundy,
When she was dear to us, we did hold her so;
But now her price is fall'n: Sir, there she stands;
If aught within that little, seeming' substance,
Or all of it, with our displeasure piec'd,
And nothing more, may fitly like your grace,
She's there, and she is yours.

Bur.

Lear. Sir,

I know no answer.

Will you, with those infirmities she owes,*

Unfriended, new-adopted to our hate,

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France. Is it but this? a tardiness in nature, Which often leaves the history unspoke, That it intends to do?-My lord of Burgundy, What say you to the lady? Love is not love, When it is mingled with respects, that stand Aloof from the entire point, 19 Will you have her? She is herself a dowry.

Bur.

Royal Lear,
Give but that portion which yourself propos'd,
And here I take Cordelia by the hand,
Duchess of Burgundy.

Lear. Nothing: I have sworn; I am firm.
Bur. I am sorry then you have so lost a father,
That you must lose a husband.

Cor.
Peace be with Burgundy!
Since that respects of fortune are his love,
I shall not be his wife.

France. Fairest Cordelia, thou art most rich,
being poor;

Most choice, forsaken; and most lov'd, despis'd!
Thee and thy virtues here I seize upon :
Be it lawful, I take up what's cast away.
Gods, gods! 'tis strange, that from their cold'st
neglect

Is

My love should kindle to inflam'd respect.-
Thy dowerless daughter, king, thrown to my chance,
queen of us, of ours, and our fair France:
Not all the dukes of wat'rish Burgundy
Shall buy this unpriz'd precious maid of me.-

Dower'd with our curse, and stranger'd with our Bid them farewell, Cordelia, though unkind:

oath,

Take her, or leave her?

Bur. Pardon me, royal sir; Election makes not up' on such conditions. Lear. Then leave her, sir; for by the power that made me,

I tell you all her wealth.-For you, great king,
[To France.

I would not from your love make such a stray,
To match you where I hate; therefore beseech you
To avert your liking a more worthier way,
Than on a wretch whom nature is asham'd
Almost to acknowledge hers.
France.
This is most strange!
That she, that even but now was your best object,
The argument of your praise, balm of your age,
Most best, most dearest, should in this trice of time
Commit a thing so monstrous, to dismantle
So many folds of favour! Sure, her offence
Must be of such unnatural degree,

That monsters it, or your fore-vouch'd' affection
Fall into taint: which to believe of her,
Must be a faith, that reason without miracle
Could never plant in me.

Cor. I vet beseech your majesty (If for I want that glib and oily art, To speak and purpose not; since what I well intend,

I'll do't before I speak,) that you make known
It is no vicious blot, murder, or foulness,
No unchaste action, or dishonour'd step,
That hath depriv'd me of your grace and favour:
But even for want of that, for which I am richer;

(1) Follow his old mode of life.

(2) Amorous expedition. (3) Specious. (4) Owns, is possessed of. (5) Concludes not. (6) Turn. (7) Former declaration of.

Thou losest here, a better where to find.

Lear. Thou hast her, France: let her be thine; for we

Have no such daughter, nor shall ever see
That face of hers again :-Therefore be
gone,
Without our grace, our love, our benizon. 12-
Come, noble Burgundy.

[Flourish. Exeunt Lear, Burgundy, Cornwall,
Albany, Gloster, and Attendants.

France. Bid farewell to your sisters.

Cor. The jewels of our father, with wash'd eyes
Cordelia leaves you: I know you what you are;
And, like a sister, am most loath to call
Your faults, as they are nam'd. Use well our father:
To your professed bosoms I commit him:
But yet, alas! stood I within his grace,
I would prefer him to a better place.
So farewell to you both.

Gon. Prescribe not us our duties.
Reg.

Let your study

Be, to content your lord; who hath receiv'd you
At fortune's alms. You have obedience scanted,
And well are worth the want that you have wanted.
Cor. Time shall unfold what plaited cunning
hides;
Who cover faults, at last shame them derides.
Well may you prosper!
France.

Come, my fair Cordelia. [Exeunt France and Cordelia. Gon. Sister, it is not a little I have to say, of what most nearly appertains to us both. think, our father will hence to-night.

Reg. That's most certain, and with you; next month with us.

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Gon. You see how full of changes his age is; the observation we have made of it hath not been little he always loved our sister most; and with what poor judgment he hath now cast her off, appears too grossly.

Reg. 'Tis the infirmity of his age: yet he hath ever but slenderly known himself.

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Gon. The best and soundest of his time hath Edm. I hope, for my brother's justification, he been but rash; then must we look to receive from wrote this but as an essay or taste of my virtue. his age, not alone the imperfections of long-engraft- Glo. [Reads.] This policy and reverence of age, ed condition, but therewithal, the unruly way-makes the world bitter to the best of our times; wardness that infirm and choleric years bring with keeps our fortunes from us, till our oldness canthem.

Reg. Such unconstant starts are we like to have from him, as this of Kent's banishment. Gon. There is further compliment of leavetaking between France and him. Pray you, let us hit together: If our father carry authority with such dispositions as he bears, this last surrender of his will but offend us.

Reg. We shall further think of it.
Gon. We must do something, and i'the heat.
[Exeunt.
SCENE II-A hall in the Earl of Gloster's
castle. Enter Edmund, with a letter.
Edm. Thou, nature, art my goddess; to thy law
My services are bound: Wherefore should I
Stand in the plague of custom; and permit
The curiosity of nations to deprive me,

For that I am some twelve or fourteen moon-shines
Lag of a brother? Why bastard? wherefore base?.
When my dimensions are as well compact,
My mind as generous, and my shape as true,
As honest madam's issue? Why brand they us
With base? with baseness? bastardy? base, base?
Who, in the lusty stealth of nature, take
More composition and fierce quality,
Than doth, within a dull, stale, tired bed,
Go to the creating a whole tribe of fops,
Got 'tween asleep and wake?-Well then,
Legitimate Edgar, I must have your land:
Our father's love is to the bastard Edmund,
As to the legitimate: Fine word,-legitimate!
Well, my legitimate, if this letter speed,
And my invention thrive, Edmund the base
Shall top the legitimate. I grow; I prosper:-
Now, gods, stand up for bastards!

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Edm. I know no news, my lord.
Glo. What paper were you reading?
Edm. Nothing, my lord.

Glo. No? What needed then that terrible despatch of it into your pocket? the quality of nothing hath not such need to hide itself. Let's see: Come, if it be nothing, I shall not need spectacles.

If

not relish them. I begin to find an idle and fond bondage in the oppression of aged tyrrany; who sways, not as it hath power, but as it is suffered. Come to me, that of this I may speak more. our father would sleep till I waked him, you should enjoy half his revenue for ever, and live the beloved of your brother, Edgar.-Humph-Conspiracy!-Sleep till I waked him, you should enjoy half his revenue,-My son Edgar! Had he a hand to write this? a heart and brain to breed it in ?When came this to you? Who brought it?

Edm. It was not brought me, my lord, there's the cunning of it; I found it thrown in at the casement of my closet.

Glo. You know the character to be your bro ther's?

Edm. If the matter were good, my lord, I durst swear it were his; but, in respect of that, I would fain think it were not.

Glo. It is his.

Edm. It is his hand, my lord; but, I hope, his heart is not in the contents.

Glo. Hath he never heretofore sounded you in this business?

Edm. Never, my lord: But I have often heard him maintain it to be fit, that, sons at perfect age, and fathers declining, the father should be as ward to the son, and the son manage his revenue.

Glo. O villain, villain!-His very opinion in the letter!-Abhorred villain! Unnatural, detested, brutish villain! worse than brutish!-Go, sirrah, seek him; I'll apprehend him ;-Abominable villain!-Where is he?

Edm. I do not well know, my lord. If it shall please you to suspend your indignation against my brother, till you can derive from him better testimony of his intent, you shall run a certain course; where, if you violently proceed against him, mistaking his purpose, it would make a great gap in your own honour, and shake in pieces the heart of his obedience. I dare pawn down my life for him, that he hath writ this to feel my affection to your honour," and to no other pretence12 of danger. Glo. Think you so?

Edm. If your honour judge it meet, I will place you where you shall hear us confer of this, and by an auricular assurance have your satisfaction; and that without any further delay than this very evening.

Glo. He cannot be such a monster.
Edm. Nor is not, sure.

Glo. To his father, that so tenderly and entirely loves him.-Heaven and earth!-Edmund, seek him out; wind me into him, I pray you: frame the Edm. I beseech you, sir, pardon me: it is a let-business after your own wisdom: I would unstate ter from my brother, that I have not all o'cr-read;

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myself, to be in a due resolution.13

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