Scene IV
The heath. Before a hovel.[3667]
Enter Lear, Kent, and Fool.
Kent. Here is the place, my lord; good my lord, enter:[3668]
The tyranny of the open night's too rough[3668][3669]
For nature to endure. [Storm still.[3668][3670]
The tyranny of the open night's too rough[3668][3669]
For nature to endure. [Storm still.[3668][3670]
Lear. Let me alone.[3671]
Kent. Good my lord, enter here.[3671]
Lear. Wilt break my heart?[3672]
Kent. I had rather break mine own. Good my lord, enter.[3673] 5
Lear. Thou think'st 'tis much that this contentious storm[3674]
Invades us to the skin: so 'tis to thee;[3675]
But where the greater malady is fix'd
The lesser is scarce felt. Thou'ldst shun a bear,[3676]
But if thy flight lay toward the raging sea[3677] 10
Thou'ldst meet the bear i' the mouth. When the mind's free[3678]
The body's delicate: the tempest in my mind[3679]
Doth from my senses take all feeling else
Save what beats there. Filial ingratitude![3680]
Is it not as this mouth should tear this hand[3681] 15
For lifting food to't? But I will punish home.[3682]
No, I will weep no more. In such a night[3683]
To shut me out! Pour on; I will endure.[3683]
In such a night as this! O Regan, Goneril!
Your old kind father, whose frank heart gave you all,—[3684] 20
O, that way madness lies; let me shun that;
No more of that.
Invades us to the skin: so 'tis to thee;[3675]
But where the greater malady is fix'd
The lesser is scarce felt. Thou'ldst shun a bear,[3676]
But if thy flight lay toward the raging sea[3677] 10
Thou'ldst meet the bear i' the mouth. When the mind's free[3678]
The body's delicate: the tempest in my mind[3679]
Doth from my senses take all feeling else
Save what beats there. Filial ingratitude![3680]
Is it not as this mouth should tear this hand[3681] 15
For lifting food to't? But I will punish home.[3682]
No, I will weep no more. In such a night[3683]
To shut me out! Pour on; I will endure.[3683]
In such a night as this! O Regan, Goneril!
Your old kind father, whose frank heart gave you all,—[3684] 20
O, that way madness lies; let me shun that;
No more of that.
Kent. Good my lord, enter here.[3685]
Lear. Prithee, go in thyself; seek thine own ease:[3686]
This tempest will not give me leave to ponder
On things would hurt me more. But I'll go in. 25
[To the Fool] In, boy; go first. You houseless poverty,—[3687][3688][3689]
Nay, get thee in. I'll pray, and then I'll sleep.
This tempest will not give me leave to ponder
On things would hurt me more. But I'll go in. 25
[To the Fool] In, boy; go first. You houseless poverty,—[3687][3688][3689]
Nay, get thee in. I'll pray, and then I'll sleep.
Poor naked wretches, wheresoe'er you are,
That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm,[3691]
How shall your houseless heads and unfed sides, 30
Your loop'd and window'd raggedness, defend you[3692]
From seasons such as these? O, I have ta'en
Too little care of this! Take physic, pomp;
Expose thyself to feel what wretches feel,
That thou mayst shake the superflux to them 35
And show the heavens more just.[3693]
That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm,[3691]
How shall your houseless heads and unfed sides, 30
Your loop'd and window'd raggedness, defend you[3692]
From seasons such as these? O, I have ta'en
Too little care of this! Take physic, pomp;
Expose thyself to feel what wretches feel,
That thou mayst shake the superflux to them 35
And show the heavens more just.[3693]
Edg. [Within] Fathom and half, fathom and half![3694][3695]
Poor Tom! [The Fool runs out from the hovel.[3695][3696]
Poor Tom! [The Fool runs out from the hovel.[3695][3696]
Kent. Give me thy hand. Who's there?[3698]
Fool. A spirit, a spirit: he says his name's poor Tom.[3699]
Enter Edgar disguised as a madman.[3702]
Edg. Away! the foul fiend follows me! 'Through the[3703][3704][3705][3706] 45
sharp hawthorn blows the cold wind.' Hum! go to thy[3704][3706][3707]
cold bed and warm thee.[3704][3708]
sharp hawthorn blows the cold wind.' Hum! go to thy[3704][3706][3707]
cold bed and warm thee.[3704][3708]
Edg. Who gives any thing to poor Tom? whom the 50
foul fiend hath led through fire and through flame, through[3711]
ford and whirlpool, o'er bog and quagmire; that hath laid[3712]
knives under his pillow and halters in his pew; set ratsbane[3713]
by his porridge; made him proud of heart, to ride on[3714]
a bay trotting-horse over four-inched bridges, to course his[3715] 55
own shadow for a traitor. Bless thy five wits! Tom's[3716]
a-cold. O, do de, do de, do de. Bless thee from whirlwinds,[3716][3717]
star-blasting, and taking! Do poor Tom some[3718]
charity, whom the foul fiend vexes. There could I have him
now, and there, and there again, and there. [Storm still.[3719]60
foul fiend hath led through fire and through flame, through[3711]
ford and whirlpool, o'er bog and quagmire; that hath laid[3712]
knives under his pillow and halters in his pew; set ratsbane[3713]
by his porridge; made him proud of heart, to ride on[3714]
a bay trotting-horse over four-inched bridges, to course his[3715] 55
own shadow for a traitor. Bless thy five wits! Tom's[3716]
a-cold. O, do de, do de, do de. Bless thee from whirlwinds,[3716][3717]
star-blasting, and taking! Do poor Tom some[3718]
charity, whom the foul fiend vexes. There could I have him
now, and there, and there again, and there. [Storm still.[3719]60
Lear. What, have his daughters brought him to this pass?[3720]
Couldst thou save nothing? Didst thou give them all?[3721]
Couldst thou save nothing? Didst thou give them all?[3721]
Fool. Nay, he reserved a blanket, else we had been all
shamed.[3722]
shamed.[3722]
Lear. Now, all the plagues that in the pendulous air 65
Hang fated o'er men's faults light on thy daughters![3723]
Hang fated o'er men's faults light on thy daughters![3723]
Kent. He hath no daughters, sir.
Lear. Death, traitor! nothing could have subdued nature
To such a lowness but his unkind daughters.
Is it the fashion that discarded fathers 70
Should have thus little mercy on their flesh?
Judicious punishment! 'twas this flesh begot[3724]
Those pelican daughters.[3724][3725]
To such a lowness but his unkind daughters.
Is it the fashion that discarded fathers 70
Should have thus little mercy on their flesh?
Judicious punishment! 'twas this flesh begot[3724]
Those pelican daughters.[3724][3725]
Fool. This cold night will turn us all to fools and
madmen.
madmen.
Edg. Take heed o' the foul fiend: obey thy parents;[3729]
keep thy word justly; swear not; commit not with man's[3730]
sworn spouse; set not thy sweet heart on proud array.[3731] 80
Tom's a-cold.
keep thy word justly; swear not; commit not with man's[3730]
sworn spouse; set not thy sweet heart on proud array.[3731] 80
Tom's a-cold.
Lear. What hast thou been?
Edg. A serving-man, proud in heart and mind; that
curled my hair; wore gloves in my cap; served the lust of[3732]
my mistress' heart and did the act of darkness with her;[3733] 85
swore as many oaths as I spake words and broke them in
the sweet face of heaven: one that slept in the contriving of[3734]
lust and waked to do it: wine loved I deeply, dice dearly,[3735]
and in woman out-paramoured the Turk: false of heart,
light of ear, bloody of hand; hog in sloth, fox in stealth,[3736] 90
wolf in greediness, dog in madness, lion in prey. Let not
the creaking of shoes nor the rustling of silks betray thy[3737]
poor heart to woman: keep thy foot out of brothels, thy[3738]
hand out of plackets, thy pen from lenders' books, and defy[3739]
the foul fiend. 95
curled my hair; wore gloves in my cap; served the lust of[3732]
my mistress' heart and did the act of darkness with her;[3733] 85
swore as many oaths as I spake words and broke them in
the sweet face of heaven: one that slept in the contriving of[3734]
lust and waked to do it: wine loved I deeply, dice dearly,[3735]
and in woman out-paramoured the Turk: false of heart,
light of ear, bloody of hand; hog in sloth, fox in stealth,[3736] 90
wolf in greediness, dog in madness, lion in prey. Let not
the creaking of shoes nor the rustling of silks betray thy[3737]
poor heart to woman: keep thy foot out of brothels, thy[3738]
hand out of plackets, thy pen from lenders' books, and defy[3739]
the foul fiend. 95
'Still through the hawthorn blows the cold wind.'[3740]
Says suum, mun, ha, no, nonny.[3741]
Dolphin my boy, my boy, sessa! let him trot by.
Says suum, mun, ha, no, nonny.[3741]
Dolphin my boy, my boy, sessa! let him trot by.
[Storm still.[3742]
Lear. Why, thou wert better in thy grave than to answer[3743][3744]
with thy uncovered body this extremity of the skies.[3744] 100
Is man no more than this? Consider him well. Thou owest[3744][3745]
the worm no silk, the beast no hide, the sheep no wool, the[3744]
cat no perfume. Ha! here's three on's are sophisticated.[3744][3746]
Thou art the thing itself: unaccommodated man is no more[3744]
but such a poor, bare, forked animal as thou art. Off, off,[3744] 105
you lendings! come, unbutton here.[3744]
with thy uncovered body this extremity of the skies.[3744] 100
Is man no more than this? Consider him well. Thou owest[3744][3745]
the worm no silk, the beast no hide, the sheep no wool, the[3744]
cat no perfume. Ha! here's three on's are sophisticated.[3744][3746]
Thou art the thing itself: unaccommodated man is no more[3744]
but such a poor, bare, forked animal as thou art. Off, off,[3744] 105
you lendings! come, unbutton here.[3744]
[Tearing off his clothes.[3747]
Fool. Prithee, nuncle, be contented; 'tis a naughty night[3748]
to swim in. Now a little fire in a wild field were like an[3749]
old lecher's heart, a small spark, all the rest on's body cold.[3750]
Look, here comes a walking fire. 110
to swim in. Now a little fire in a wild field were like an[3749]
old lecher's heart, a small spark, all the rest on's body cold.[3750]
Look, here comes a walking fire. 110
Enter Gloucester, with a torch.[3751]
Edg. This is the foul fiend Flibbertigibbet: he begins at[3752]
curfew and walks till the first cock; he gives the web and[3753][3754]
the pin, squints the eye and makes the hare-lip; mildews[3754][3755]
the white wheat and hurts the poor creature of earth.[3756]
curfew and walks till the first cock; he gives the web and[3753][3754]
the pin, squints the eye and makes the hare-lip; mildews[3754][3755]
the white wheat and hurts the poor creature of earth.[3756]
Saint Withold footed thrice the 'old;[3757][3758] 115
He met the night-mare and her nine-fold;[3757][3759]
Bid her alight,[3757][3760]
And her troth plight,[3757][3761]
And aroint thee, witch, aroint thee![3757][3762]
He met the night-mare and her nine-fold;[3757][3759]
Bid her alight,[3757][3760]
And her troth plight,[3757][3761]
And aroint thee, witch, aroint thee![3757][3762]
Kent. How fares your grace? 120
Lear. What's he?[3763]
Kent. Who's there? What is't you seek?[3764]
Glou. What are you there? Your names?
Edg. Poor Tom, that eats the swimming frog, the toad,
the tadpole, the wall-newt and the water; that in the fury[3765] 125
of his heart, when the foul fiend rages, eats cow-dung for
sallets; swallows the old rat and the ditch-dog; drinks the[3766]
green mantle of the standing pool; who is whipped from
tithing to tithing, and stock-punished, and imprisoned;[3767]
who hath had three suits to his back, six shirts to his body,[3768] 130
horse to ride and weapon to wear;[3769]
the tadpole, the wall-newt and the water; that in the fury[3765] 125
of his heart, when the foul fiend rages, eats cow-dung for
sallets; swallows the old rat and the ditch-dog; drinks the[3766]
green mantle of the standing pool; who is whipped from
tithing to tithing, and stock-punished, and imprisoned;[3767]
who hath had three suits to his back, six shirts to his body,[3768] 130
horse to ride and weapon to wear;[3769]
Beware my follower. Peace, Smulkin; peace, thou fiend![3772]
Glou. What, hath your grace no better company? 135
Glou. Our flesh and blood is grown so vile, my lord,[3776][3777]
That it doth hate what gets it.[3776][3778]
That it doth hate what gets it.[3776][3778]
Glou. Go in with me: my duty cannot suffer[3781]
To obey in all your daughters' hard commands:[3781]
Though their injunction be to bar my doors[3781][3782]
And let this tyrannous night take hold upon you,[3781]
Yet have I ventured to come seek you out[3781][3783] 145
And bring you where both fire and food is ready.[3781][3784]
To obey in all your daughters' hard commands:[3781]
Though their injunction be to bar my doors[3781][3782]
And let this tyrannous night take hold upon you,[3781]
Yet have I ventured to come seek you out[3781][3783] 145
And bring you where both fire and food is ready.[3781][3784]
Lear. First let me talk with this philosopher.
What is the cause of thunder?
What is the cause of thunder?
Kent. Good my lord, take his offer; go into the house.[3785]
Edg. How to prevent the fiend and to kill vermin.
Lear. Let me ask you one word in private.[3788]
Glou. Canst thou blame him? [Storm still.[3791]155
His daughters seek his death: ah, that good Kent![3792]
He said it would be thus, poor banish'd man!
Thou say'st the king grows mad; I'll tell thee, friend,[3793]
I am almost mad myself: I had a son,[3794]
Now outlaw'd from my blood; he sought my life,[3795] 160
But lately, very late: I loved him, friend,
No father his son dearer: truth to tell thee,[3796]
The grief hath crazed my wits. What a night's this![3797]
I do beseech your grace,—[3798]
His daughters seek his death: ah, that good Kent![3792]
He said it would be thus, poor banish'd man!
Thou say'st the king grows mad; I'll tell thee, friend,[3793]
I am almost mad myself: I had a son,[3794]
Now outlaw'd from my blood; he sought my life,[3795] 160
But lately, very late: I loved him, friend,
No father his son dearer: truth to tell thee,[3796]
The grief hath crazed my wits. What a night's this![3797]
I do beseech your grace,—[3798]
Edg. Tom's a-cold.[3780]
Glou. In, fellow, there, into the hovel: keep thee warm.[3800]
Lear. Come, let's in all.
Kent. This way, my lord.
Kent. Good my lord, soothe him; let him take the fellow.[3802] 170
Glou. Take him you on.
Kent. Sirrah, come on; go along with us.[3803]
Lear. Come, good Athenian.[3804]
Glou. No words, no words: hush.[3804]
We’ll remember where you stopped. All chapters