King Lear (Modern, Folio)

Introduction
2. Textual Introduction
Texts of this edition
1. King Lear (Folio, 1623)
3. Modern
5. Extended modern
7. Old-spelling transcription
8. King Lear (Quarto 1, 1608)
10. Modern
12. Extended modern
14. Old-spelling transcription
15. King Lear (Quarto 2, 1619)
17. Old-spelling transcription
Contextual materials
1. Sources for the Lear story
3. Holinshed on King Lear
5. The History of King Leir
7. Albion's England (Selection)
9. Hardyng's Chronicle (Selection)
11. Kings of Britain
13. Chronicles of England
15. Faerie Queene
17. The Mirror for Magistrates
18. Sources for the Gloucester plot
20. The Arcadia
22. A Declaration of Egregious Popish Impostures
23. Literary, political, and social contexts
25. Aristotle on tragedy
27. The Book of Job (Selections)
29. The Monk's Tale (Selections)
31. The Defense of Poetry
33. The First Blast of the Trumpet
35. Basilicon Doron
37. On Bastards
39. On Aging
40. King Lear's afterlife
42. King Lear (Adapted by Nahum Tate)
Facsimiles

[Scene 15 in Quarto]
 4.1.0.121774.1
 4.1.0.22178Enter Edgar [disguised as Poor Tom].
 4.1.12179Edgar
 Yet better thus, and known to be contemned,
 4.1.22180Than still contemned and flattered. To be worst,
 4.1.32181The lowest and most dejected thing of fortune
 4.1.42182Stands still in esperance, lives not in fear.
 4.1.52183The lamentable change is from the best;
 4.1.62184The worst returns to laughter.36 Welcome, then,36.1
 4.1.72185Thou unsubstantial air that I embrace.
 4.1.82186The wretch that thou hast blown unto the worst
 4.1.92187Owes nothing to thy blasts.
 4.1.9.12188Enter Gloucester, and an Old Man.
 Owes nothing to thy blasts.  4.1.102189But who comes here?
 4.1.11My father, poorly led? 2190World, world, O world!
 4.1.122191But that thy strange mutations make us hate thee,
 4.1.132192Life would not yield to age.
 4.1.13.1[Edgar stands aside.]
 4.1.142193Old Man
 O my good lord, I have been your tenant,
 4.1.152194And your father's tenant, these fourscore years--
 4.1.162195Gloucester
 Away, get thee away. Good friend, be gone.
 4.1.172196Thy comforts can do me no good at all,
 4.1.182197Thee they may hurt.
 2198Old Man
 Thee they may hurt.  You cannot see your way.
 4.1.192199Gloucester
 I have no way and therefore want no eyes;
 4.1.202200I stumbled when I saw. Full oft 'tis seen
 4.1.212201Our means secure us, and our mere defects
 4.1.222202Prove our commodities. O dear son Edgar,
 4.1.232203The food of thy abusèd father's wrath,
 4.1.242204Might I but live to see thee in my touch
 4.1.252205I'd say I had eyes again.
 2206Old Man
 I'd say I had eyes again.  How now, who's there?
 4.1.262207Edgar
 [Aside] O gods! Who is't can say "I am at the worst"?
 4.1.272208I am worse then ere I was.
 2209Old Man
 I am worse then ere I was.  'Tis poor mad Tom.
 4.1.282210Edgar
 [Aside] And worse I may be yet. The worst is not
 4.1.292211So long as we can say, "This is the worst."
 4.1.302212Old Man
 [To Edgar] Fellow, where goest?
 2213Gloucester
 [To Edgar] Fellow, where goest?  Is it a beggar man?
 4.1.312214Old Man
 Madman, and beggar too.
 4.1.322215Gloucester
 He has some reason, else he could not beg.
 4.1.332216I'th'last night's storm I such a fellow saw,
 4.1.342217Which made me think a man a worm. My son
 4.1.352218Came then into my mind, and yet my mind
 4.1.3622191951Was then scarce friends with him. 2220I have heard more since.
 4.1.3722211952As flies to wanton boys are we to th'gods;
 4.1.382222They kill us for their sport.
 2223Edgar
 They kill us for their sport.  [Aside] How should this be?
 4.1.392224Bad is the trade that must play fool to sorrow,
 4.1.402225Angering itself and others. [Aloud] Bless thee master.
 4.1.412226Gloucester
 Is that the naked fellow?
 2227Old Man
 Is that the naked fellow?  Ay, my lord.
 4.1.422228Gloucester
 Get thee away. If for my sake
 4.1.432229Thou wilt o'ertake us hence a mile or twain
 4.1.442230I'th'way toward Dover, do it for ancient love,
 4.1.452231And bring some covering for this naked soul,
 4.1.462232Which I'll entreat to lead me.
 4.1.472233Old Man
 Alack sir, he is mad.
 4.1.4822341964Gloucester
 'Tis the time's plague 2235when madmen lead the blind.
 4.1.4922361965Do as I bid thee--or rather, do thy pleasure.
 4.1.502237Above the rest, be gone.
 4.1.512238Old Man
 I'll bring him the best 'parel that I have,
 4.1.522239Come on't what will.
 4.1.52.1Exit.
 4.1.532240Gloucester
 Sirrah, naked fellow.
 4.1.542241Edgar
 Poor Tom's a cold. [Aside] I cannot daub it further.
 4.1.552242Gloucester
 Come hither, fellow.
 4.1.562243Edgar
 37[Aside] And yet I must. [Aloud] 2244Bless thy sweet eyes, they bleed.
 4.1.572245Gloucester
 Know'st thou the way to Dover?
 4.1.582246Edgar
 35.1Both stile, and gate, horse-way, and footpath, 2247poor Tom hath been scared out of his good wits. Bless 2248thee, good man's son, from the foul fiend.
 4.1.5922492Gloucester
 Here, take this purse, thou whom the heavens' plagues
 4.1.602250Have humbled to all strokes. That I am wretched
 4.1.612251Makes thee the happier. Heavens deal so still.
 4.1.622252Let the superfluous and lust-dieted man
 4.1.632253That slaves your ordinance, that will not see
 4.1.642254Because he does not feel, feel your power quickly;
 4.1.652255So distribution should undo excess,
 4.1.662256And each man have enough. Dost thou know Dover?
 4.1.672257Edgar
 Ay, master.
 4.1.682258Gloucester
 There is a cliff, whose high and bending head
 4.1.692259Looks fearfully in the confinèd deep.
 4.1.702260Bring me but to the very brim of it,
 4.1.712261And I'll repair the misery thou dost bear
 4.1.722262With something rich about me. From that place
 4.1.732263I shall no leading need.
 2264Edgar
 I shall no leading need.  Give me thy arm.
 4.1.742265Poor Tom shall lead thee.
 4.1.74.136Exeunt.36.1

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King Lear (Modern, Folio)