Pre-eminence and all the large effects

That troop with Majesty. Ourself by monthly course,
With reservation of an hundred knights,
By you to be sustain'd, shall our abode (14)
Make with you by due turns: only retain
The name and all th' addition to a King;
The sway, revenue, execution of the rest,
Beloved sons, be yours; which to confirm
This coronet part between you. (15)

[Giving the crown.

(14) Our abode by turns. This relates to the alternate, librations of the moon.

(15) This coronet part between you. There may be seen in fact, in the moon, the likeness of a coronet, as drawn in Fig. 82,

Kent. Royal Lear,

Whom I have ever honour'd as my King;
Lov'd as my father, as my master follow'd,
And as my 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 wouldst thou do old man? Think'st thou that duty shall have dread to speak, When power to flatt'ry bows? 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 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 thy foes; 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 of thine eye.

situate about the center, and comprizing the light intercepted between the prototypes of Albany and Cornwall, as above drawn or pointed out.

Lear. Now by Apollo--
Kent. Now by Apollo, King,
Thou swear'st thy gods in vain.
Lear. O vassal! miscreant!--
Alb. Corn. Dear Sir, forbear.

Kent. Kill thy physician, and thy fee bestow

Upon the foul disease; revoke thy doom,
Or whilst I can vent clamour from my throat,
I'll tell thee thou dost evil.

Lear. Hear me recreant!

Since thou hast sought to make us break our vow,
Which wedurst 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, (16)

(16) It being remembered that Kent has the same prototype as Talgol in Hudibras, and Laertes in Hamlet, (see figs. 17 and 57 ante,) the number 5 mentioned in Lear's speech to Kent may be easily traced, as drawn in

Fig. 83,

in the streaks of light that mark the shadows of which

To shield thee from disasters of the world;
And, on the sixth, to turn thy hated back
Upon our kingdom; if the tenth day following
Thy banish'd trunk be found in our dominions,
The moment is thy death: away! By Jupiter, (17)
This shall not be revok'd.
[appear,

Kent. Fare thee well, King; sith thus thou wilt
Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here ;
The gods to their dear shelter take thee, maid,

[To Cor.

Kent is composed: the same may as easily be conceived to form the figure 6, or, by omitting the upper part of it, a nought; and if coupled with another mark of light just before it, may together form 10, or 16, as drawn in

Fig. 84.

18

These circumstances are dwelt upon here, because it will be found hereafter that the poet frequently adopts this method of pointing to particular numbers.

(17) Death. That is, by the total disappearance of Kent's person, owing to the moon, pro tanto, becoming obscured.

That justly think'st, and hast most rightly said ; And your large speeches may your deeds approve, [To Gon. and Reg.

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. [Exit.

SCENE III.

Enter GLO'STER, with FRANCE and BURGUNDY, and Attendants.

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

Lear. My Lord of Burgundy,

We first address tow'rd you, who with this King Have rivall'd for our daughter; what at least Will you require in present dower with her,

Or cease your quest of love?

Bur. Most Royal Majesty,

I crave no more than what your Highness offer'd, Nor will you tender less.

Lear. Right noble Burgundy,

When she was dear to us, we held 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. I know no answer.

Lear. Will you with those infirmities she owes,