King Lear (Adapted by Nahum Tate) (Modern)

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

 EPILOGUE
3.1702526Epilogue
 Inconstancy, the reigning sin of the age,
3.1712527Will scarce endure true lovers on the stage.
3.1722528You hardly even in plays with such dispense,
3.1732529And poets kill them in their own defense.
3.1742530Yet one bold proof I was resolved to give,
3.1752531That I could three hours' constancy outlive.
3.1762532You fear, perhaps, whilst on the stage we are made
3.1772533Such saints, we shall indeed take up the trade.
3.1782534Sometimes we threaten -- but our virtue may
3.1792535For truth I fear with your pit-valor weigh.
3.1802536For (not to flatter either) I much doubt
3.1812537When we are off the stage, and you are out,
3.1822538We are not quite so coy, nor you so stout.
3.1832539We talk of nunneries -- but to be sincere,
3.1842540Whoever lives to see us cloistered there,
3.1852541May hope to meet our critics at Tangier.
3.1862542For shame, give over this inglorious trade
3.1872543Of worrying poets, and go maul the Alcade.
3.1882544Well -- since you are all for blustering in the pit,
3.1892545This play's reviver humbly does admit
3.1902546Your absolute power to damn his part of it.
3.1912547But still so many master-touches shine
3.1922548Of that vast hand that first laid this design,
3.1932549That in great Shakespeare's right, he's bold to say
3.1942550If you like nothing you have seen today
3.1952551The play your judgment damns, not you the play.

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King Lear (Adapted by Nahum Tate) (Modern)