King Lear: The Cambridge Dover Wilson Shakespeare

ia6 T H E COPY FOR
advance on one quarto, and handing it to the compositor
while he proceeded to correct the other'. But if the
prompt-book was actually in the printing-house why
should the F compositor(s) not have used it itself? It
Was the prompt-book text that was to be reproduced in
F; and the prompt-book itself must surely have been
1
clearly legible —as much to compositors as to prompters.
On the other hand, the players, regarding the prompt-
book as a precious possession, might well have preferred
to keep it inside the theatre. One cab imagine a scribe in
the theatre editing a number of pages of a Q i, taking
the Q i to the printing-house, then editing a number of
pages of a Q 2, takmg the Q 2 to the printing-house and
recovering the Q 1, and so on. Or the leaves of the
prompt-book might have been parcelled out between
two scribes working in the theatre, the one editing pages
of a Q 1, the other of a Q 2.
But a further complication must be faced. The
Shakespeare first folio was printed in the shop of
William Jaggard. Since the publication in 1932 of
E. E. Willoughby's book The Printing of the First Folio
of Shakespeare it has been common knowledge that two
compositors were involved—A and B, each with his own
spelling preferences. And other compositors may have
been involved in places. 3 It is believed by many that F
Lear was set up entirely by B? But in an important

* Cf. R. B. McKerrow in The Library, 4th ser. xil
(1931-2), 264—'It is a point that must be insisted on that
no copy but a good, orderly, and legible one could
possibly serve as a prompt-copy.'
* Cf. Alice Walker, Textual Problems of the First Folio
(1953), p. 8: 'It is still doubtful, I think, how many hands
•were engaged in the setting of the Folio between the start
made in 1621 and its completion in 1623.' See also Fredson
Bowers, Textual & Literary Criticism (1959), p. 78.
p
3 See, for example, Miss Walker, op. cit. . xz.

KINO LEAR, 1608 AND 1623 127

1
article published in 1953 Dr Philip Williams argues
that A was implicated also. The evidence seems to me
impressive. Spelling-tests divide Troi/us between A and
B with great precision. In i?'s passages the entrance
stage-directions are centred in the column with almost
complete accuracy, but A does not usually trouble
to centre them accurately. Williams points to pages
of F Lear where the entrances are (with just a few
exceptions) well centred; and on these pages there is
a preponderance of spellings usually favoured by B. He
points to other pages where imperfectly centred entrances
are characteristic, and where at the same time a higher
proportion of A's favourite spellings is found. That
more than one compositor was involved seems certain.
Now in Q 1—and Q 2—the name of Lear's eldest
daughter is always 'Gonorill', and if abbreviation
reaches the fourth letter that letter is always *o\ In F
the name is invariably 'Gonerill', and in abbreviation
'
the fourth letter if present is always e \ Williams argues
that 'it is difficult to believe that two (or more) compo-
sitors should have consistently made this spelling change;
it is impossible to believe that a corrector of Q 1 should
have marked this change throughout the play, even in the
speech-headings. It therefore seems safe to conclude
that in the copy from which F was set, the name was
f
consistently spelled Gonerill. And so he thinks of F as
having been printed from manuscript copy.
Q 2 was, like F, produced in Jaggard's shop. Williams
emphasizes that Q 2 was set up, from Q I, by B; and he
says—'The 1619 quarto of Lear therefore supplies the
evidence for what Folio Compositor B would do when
he set directly from Q 1 of Lear. What he did has little
if any resemblance to what he did in those parts oiLear
set by him four years later.'

1
In Shakespeare Quarterly, IV (October 1953).
N.S.K.L.-II

128 T H E COPY FOR
Williams takes four character-names—Albany, Glou-
cester, Kent, and Tom—and compares their typography
in F and Q I throughout the play. From 3. 4. 129 to
4.6.247 F, in the dialogue, prints Gloucester, Kent, and
Tom invariably in roman, whereas these names are in-
variably in italic in Q 1. It is true that on occasion,
earlier and later than this stretch of text, F prints in
roman one or another of these names which appears in
italic in Q 1. But the stretch from 3.4.129 to 4. 6. 247
is remarkable in that the setting of the relevant names in
the dialogue is always in roman—within these limits it is
not a sporadic phenomenon. Williams suggests, plau-
sibly, that here F depends directly on manuscript copy in
which the scribe had not written the names in question
in Italian script. That it was not a matter of the printing-
house having temporarily run out of italic type is indi-
cated obviously by the fact that in the lengthy passage
with which we are concerned italics appear in the normal
way in stage-directions, speech-headings, and other
proper names within the speeches.
The hypothesis that Williams suggests is that 'in
1623, the prompt-book of King Lear-was a conflation
of "good" pages from Q 1 supplemented by inserted
manuscript leaves to replace corrupt passages of Q 1.
Reluctant to let the official prompt-book leave their
possession, the company permitted a scribe to make a
transcript of this conflated text to serve as copy for the
First Folio.' (The 'good' pages of Q 1 would them-
selves, presumably, require some editing before serving
in the alleged prompt-book.)
Critics sympathetic to Williams's hypothesis must, I
think, modify it in two ways. First: on the basis of the
findings of Cairncross, the prompt-book postulated by
Williams must be supposed to have contained some
pages of a Q 2 as well as some pages of a Q 1. Secondly:
if F depends directly on manuscript copy, there would

KING LEAR, 1608 AND 1623 129

appear to have been more than one scribe involved in the
transcription; as we have seen, the passage from 3.4.129
to 4. 6. 247 exhibits consistently a characteristic found
only sporadically in the remainder of the text.
Williams!s theory, thus modified, may seem to the
reader to be over-complicated and distinctly improbable.
The theory has indeed been adversely criticized. Thus
Cairncross notes that compositor B (involved, on
Williams's admission, in the crucial stretch of text—
3. 4. 129 to 4. 6. 247), had already in Q 2 shown a
disposition on occasion to set in roman proper names
that had appeared in italic in Q 1. Thus Cairncross
thinks of B as merely carrying further in F a tendency he
had already displayed in £) 2. But that does not explain
why the tendency in F should be so remarkably exempli-
fied in a limited number of names in one continuous
passage, and nowhere else so consistently. Mr J. K.
Walton allows that two compositors were concerned in
F Lear, but argues against the notion of manuscript
copy. 1 Neither Williams nor Walton envisages Q 2 copy
as a contributory factor.
As regards the nature of the copy, agreement has not
been reached among critics. All we can be sure of, I
think, is that at certain points F depends, directly or
indirectly, on edited pages of a Q 1, at other points on
edited pages of a Q 2, with the editing reflecting the
text of an official prompt-book, and with a certain
element of inefficiency and error in the editing to be
taken account of. It is uncertain whether what was sent
to the F printing-house was these edited pages them-
selves, or a transcript of them. And it is uncertain
whether there are any passages in F which can be held
not to depend on edited quarto at all, but to depend on
manuscript pages of prompt-copy or on a transcript of
1
See his book The Copy for the Folio Text of Richard UV
6 ff
) PP. *5 -

130 TH E COPY FOR

manuscript pages of prompt-copy (cf. Williams's
theory, above). The matter remains subjudice.

From what sort of copy was Q i printed ? Pollard
declared that 'save for the mistakes in the uncorrected
1
sheets the text is satisfactory', but this is by no means a
universally accepted view. Though it has been suggested
that Q I was printed from much revised and very untidy
2
foul papers, the most widespread theory probably is
that it gives a reported text. Q I is full of memorial
corruptions of various kinds; yet, though carrying most
of the marks of a report, it is not of the same order of
depravity as the undoubted 'bad quartos'. There is no
significant variation of standard between characters
which would suggest memorial reconstruction by one or
a small number of actors. Chambers thought that
'possibly it was produced by shorthand and not memori
3
zation'; and Greg formerly argued for the shorthand
4
theory, originally advanced by Schmidt in 1879.5
J. Q. Adams regarded the text as having been procured
1
Shakespeare Folios and Quartos (1909), p. 76.
* This view was taken by Miss Doran in the volume
referred to in note 2, p. 125 above. But in fairness to her it
must be noted that subsequently, in a review of Greg's
Variants (see note 1, p. 123 above), she said—'The status of
the quarto needs re-examination. My own position, stated
in 1931, that it represents Shakespeare's much-revised
autograph, now appears to me dubious' (R.E.S. XVII
(1941), 474).
3 Op. cit. r, 465.
4 See Neopkilologus, XVIII (1933), 241 ff.; The Library,
4th ser., XVII (1936-7), 172 fit.; Variants, p. 138; The
Editorial Problem in Shakespeare (1942), pp. 88 ff. But he
has subsequently disallowed the theory; see his recent book
The Shakespeare First Folio (1955), p. 380.
5 See his Zur Textkritik des 'King Lear', and Furness's
New Variorum Edition of King Lear (1880), pp. 367 ff

KING LEAR, 1 6 0 8 AND 1 6 2 3 131
by means of Bright's Gharacterie? but this idea was
3
effectively disposed of by Miss Doran, and it was John
Willis's much more efficient shorthand system that
Greg postulated. But even this is too cumbersome a
system to yield a text of the degree of fullness and
accuracy with which Q 1 confronts us.3
In my 1949 edition I adopted for Q 1 a theory which,
had already been advanced by Dr JD. L. Patrick to
4
explain Q Richard III, namely that the text is a
memorial reconstruction made by the whole company.
I thought of the company as being m the provinces,
temporarily deprived of its prompt-book, and desirous
of producing a new one; and I imagined its personnel
gathered round a scribe, each actor dictating his own
speeches in a kind of performance without action. The
Q 1 text as it stands could hardly have served in manu-
script as a prompt-book: some stages-directions are too
vague, various necessary entrances and exits are omitted,
and the quarto is not always consistent in the ways in
which it refers to this or that character in stage-directions
and speech-headings; in addition, the manuscript from
which Q 1 was printed seems to have been extremely
untidy and difficult to read, at least in places—and
legibility is a sine qua non in a prompt-book. I was
forced to suggest, therefore, that the scribe wrote down
(as best he could) all that he heard (or thought he had
heard) in a very hasty manner, and then later produced
the required prompt-book by transcribing his work
with the necessary modifications. This theory is not
impossible, but it is cumbersome. And if the company's
1
See Modern Philology, xxxi (1933-4), 135 ff.
a
See Modern Philology, xxxni (1935-6), 139 ff.
3 See my Elizabethan Shorthand and the First Qtfarto of
'King Lear', 1949 (1950).
•» See his book The Textual History of 'Richard JJT

132 TH E COPY FOR

purpose was to produce a substitute prompt-book,
why is the Q I text so much longer than that of F,
which, as we have seen, reflects the prompt-book
in use in the early 1620's? Would the official acting
version of 1607-8 have differed from that of 1622-3 a s
Q 1 differs from F ? Greg speaks of the possibility of
'the two versions having been differently cut for
1
acting'. But Dr Alice Walker points out the objections
to this:*
What lies behind the notion of alternative cutting and two
acting versions of Lear seems on a par with the supposition
that, after a play had been written and performed, its
author continued to tinker with its dialogue....Whether a
book-keeper or the author added here and subtracted there,
the risk of confusing the actors, accustomed to the first
version of the matter, would be just the same.
Furthermore, she notes that 'what is missing from the
quarto seems...too pointless to represent a coherent
effort to shorten the play', and she thinks, probably
correctly, that the Q 1 omissions are 'not cuts but losses
due to negligence'. Q 1, then, does not look like an
actors' reconstruction, and my 1949 theory had better be
abandoned. Some telling points were made against it in
a review by Professor Leo Kirschbaum.3
Professor Kirschbaum has his own theory of the
genesis of the Q I text, and Miss Walker has hers.* The
former appears to think of it as a reconstruction made by
a single reporter who had studied and memorized an
authentic manuscript. I find this quite incredible; the
text, with all its imperfections, is too full and good for
1
The Editorial Problem, p. 93.
* Op. cit. pp. 51-2.
3 See R.E.S. (April 1951), p. 169.
4
See Kirschbaum in M.L.N. (1944), pp. 197-8, in his
1
book The True Text of King Lear* (1945), and in P.M.L.A.
(1945), pp. 697 ff.j and see Miss Walker, op. cit. pp. 37 ff.

KING LEAR, 1608 AND 1623 133

that. Miss Walker's theory is more plausible. She
thinks that the two boy actors who played Goneril and
Regan 'borrowed' the foul papers from the theatre
library and made a transcript by means of the one
dictating the text to the other. The one who dictated
was liable on occasion, in passages which he knew well
from performances, to allow his memory to usurp the
function of his eyes—and so memorial corruption got
into the scenes in which he had acted, but not into the
others, where he would have to keep his eyes continually
on the foul papers. The boy who was taking down the
text might also unconsciously slip in a memorial error
instead of writing down what his confederate had read
out. Miss Walker claims that 'memorial contamination
of the quarto is always heaviest in episodes where both
were on the stage and more evident in scenes where
Goneril only appeared than in scenes with only Regan'.
The theory is attractive, but it requires some modi-
fication. Some of Q I'S memorial corruption is of a kind
not easily attributable to Miss Walker's explanation.
Thus, in a Goneril-Regan scene, Lear intends, according
to a i»
To shake all cares and busines of our state,
Confirming them on yonger yeares,

and he goes on—>
The two great Princes France and Burgundy, etc.
Compare this with the F version of 1.1.3 8-44 (followed
in the text in the body of this volume). Q substitutes 'of
our state' for 'from our Age', memorially anticipating
line 49. Q's 'Confirming' for F's 'Conferring' is
probably an anticipation of line 137. Q's 'yeares' for
F's 'strengths' is the kind of substitution of a pale for a
vivid word that memorial reconstructors commonly
make. The Q line 'Confirming...yeares,' is metrically

i 3 4 T H E COPY FOR

defective, and it is followed by a gap, Q omitting four
complete lines and two portions of lines. Q's 'The
two.. .Burgundy? looks as if it had been patched up
with the addition of 'two great' (not in F) in order to
produce a metrically complete line after the lacuna.
Q here shows a memory faltering, failing, and recovering,
the recovery involving metrical patching. As I have
1
written elsewhere, 'We are surely not dealing with a
negligent scribe relying on his memory, his eye tem-
porarily off his copy, but with someone in desperate
difficulties with nothing but the straw of a failing
1
memory to clutch at. Why did Miss Walker's dictating
actor, in real trouble here, not simply consult the foul
papers that were in his hand ? It should be noted that the
two parenthetic lines which in F contain the phrase
'Cares of State' are omitted by Q I. In memorial re-
constructions we quite frequently find that a reporter at
point (a) anticipates a passage belonging to point (J>),
and then, arriving at point (J>), omits the passage entirely.
A full examination of i. i. 35-53 suggests that the
whole speech was memorially reconstructed for Q 1, and
not very well. Nor is this the only case in point. Miss
Walker does not in her book think of the foul papers
behind Q 1 as having been in places mutilated, necessi-
tating memorial reconstruction simpliciter; but it looks
as if this will have to be assumed. And while on the one
hand some memorial corruption in Goneril-Regan
scenes is attributable to this, there are on the other hand
memorial errors in scenes not involving these characters*
—memorial errors in places where, according to Miss
Walker, such should not exist. Thus I cannot think that
her claim that 'Goneril' and 'Regan' were the culprits
is proved.
Yet, though these modifications of Miss Walker's
1
In my 1949 edition of the play, p. 24.
2
See ch. in of my 1949 edition, passim.

KING LEAR 1 6 0 8 A N D 1 6 2 3 135

theory must be made, transcription from foul papers by
dictation, the persons involved having had some
memorial knowledge of the play, seems the most con-
vincing solution. Foul papers are suggested by the
points which earlier in this Note were adduced as
indicating that Q 1 does not convey prompt-copy.
Dictation is suggested by obvious aural errors in Q 1 —
for example, 'in sight' (4. 4. 27), 'a dogge, so bade'
(4. 6. 157-8). Frequent dictation to the compositor
1
seems untenable. Consistent pre-compositorial dicta-
tion is suggested by the fact that Q 1 contains, inside
speeches, almost no punctuation-marks apart from
commas (which are sometimes misplaced), and by the
fact that the copy for Q 1 seems to have had the entire
3
dialogue set out as if it were prose. If X dictated to T
in some haste, he would no doubt read out the words in
fairly short phrases, with short pauses between them: he
would not indicate verse-lining, nor would he dictate
punctuation (the 'borrowed' foul papers would be best
returned to the theatre as soon as possible, and speed
would thus be desirable in the transcription). Under
these conditions, Twould probably write out the whole
text in prose form, and would probably punctuate by
merely dashing in a comma after each group of words
read out. It would seem that he subsequently made an
attempt at indication of verse-lining, perhaps by insert-
ing diagonal pen-strokes, for Q I prints some 1580 verse
lines with correct division; but his attempt at lining was
hasty, incomplete, and conjectural,.for Q 1 has some
650 verse lines divided incorrectly, some 500 printed as
1
See Pollard, King Richard //.• a Ne-w Quarto (1916),
p. 35; and McKerrow, Introduction to Bibliography (1927),
pp. 241-6.
1
See Greg: The Library, 4th ser. xvir (1936-7), 172 ff.j
The Editorial Problem, p. 95; The Shakespeare First Folio,
p. 387.

I 36 T H E COPY FOR

if they were prose, and Some sixty lines of prose printed
as if they were verse. 1 Greg suggested that the Q i verse-
lining was compositorial, and envisaged two composi-
tors, one more effective in this matter than the other.
But I cannot think that the task of verse line-division
would be added to the burdens of Jacobean compositors;
and, in any case, Williams has shown that Q I Lear was
set up by a single compositor.*

If a modern editor regards Q i as giving nothing more
than a reported text, he will naturally put more trust in
folio than in quarto. He must still consider each Q/F
variant on its own merits, since it is always possible that
in a given case the reporter has recalled an authentic
reading which has been corrupted at some stage in the
transmission of F. But in cases of £)/F variants between
which there is nothing to choose on literary grounds, he
must abide by F—unless he sees good reason to emend.
And, in view of the nature of the copy for F, he must be
prepared to consider emending readings which F shares
with Q I (and/or Q 2)—for the person responsible for
producing the F copy may at any point have failed to
make a necessary correction. I followed this line (apart
from the involvement of Q 2) in my 1949 edition—
though not, perhaps, to a sufficient extent: for on the
appearance of that edition both Greg and Kirschbaum
3
felt that, still, too many £) 1 readings were admitted;
1
See Edward Hubler, in The Parrott Presentation
Volume, ed. Hardin Craig (1935), p. 427.
3
See 'The Compositor of the "Pied Bull" "Lear"', in
Papers of the Bibliographical Society, University of Virginia, I
(1948-9), 61 ff.
'
3 See Greg: M.L.R. XLIV (1949), 399, I cannot help
feeling that he has somewhat underrated the authority of
F, where it differs from Q'; The Editorial Problem, 2nd ed.
(1951), p. [e], 'My own opinion is that Duthie still accepts

KING LEAR, 1608 AND 1623 137

and perhaps there was insufficient emendation. But
now, if Miss Walker's theory of the provenance of the
Q 1 text is (substantially) conceded, the status of that
text is improved. Miss Walker seeks to improve its
status, and to increase the number of Q; I readings that
editors should accept. At the same time she seeks to
lower the status of the F text. She thLiks of F Lear as
having been set up entirely by compositor B, and she
thinks of him as in certain respects distinctly unreliable.
I am not convinced that she does not overrate the
amount of compositorial corruption in the F text of this
play; and I feel that she has too much faith in Q 1. For
1
instance, at 1. 4. 228 ff. she proposes this —
Either his Notion weakens, or's Discernings
Are Lethargied. Sleeping or Waking? Hal
Sure 'tis not so. Who is it that can tell me
Who I am?
Foole. Lears shadow.
Lear. I would learne that, for by the markes
Of soueraigntie [of] knowledge and [of] reason
I should be false perswaded I had daughters.
Foole. Which they will make an obedient father.
Lear. Your name, faire Gentlewoman?
This is a conflation, with emendation, of—
Q i either his notion, weaknes, or his discernings are
lethergie, sleeping, or wakeing; ha! sure tis not so,
who is it that can tell me who I am? Lears shadow?
I would learne that, for by the markes of soueraintie,
knowledge, and reason, I should bee false perswaded
I had daughters.
Foole. Which they, will make an obedient father.
Lear. Your name faire gentlewoman?

too many readings from Q/: and Kirschbaum: R.E.S. new
ser. II (1951), 169, 'I believe that Professor Duthie depends
altogether too much on Q for his readings'.
1
Op. cit. pp. 64-6.

138 T H E COPY FOR
F Either his Notion weakens, his Discernings
Are Lethargied. Hat Waking? 'Tisnotso?
Who is it that can tell me who I am?
Foole. Lears shadow.
Lear. Your name, faire Gentlewoman?
Miss Walker is certainly right in accepting the Q i
passage which F, no doubt accidentally, omits. She is
also right, I am now sure, in supposing that the Lear
speech which F omits is in verse—though whether the
1
two 'of V she inserts are desirable is a matter of opinion.
I cannot, however, agree with the text she proposes for
the passage 'Either...am?'. My view of this passage
is still that which is stated in my 1949 edition, pp. 3 2-4.
Miss Walker, I think rightly, regards 'Lears shadow'
as extra metrum. I take it, then, that she is suggesting for
Lear a pentameter running—
Who I am? I would learne that, for by the markes.
This can be scanned, in more than one way. But I can
scan it in no way that seems to me convincingly Shake-
spearian;* whereas F gives a pentameter that sounds
absolutely right:
Who is it that can tell me who I am?
I feel sure that in accepting Q i ' s 'sleeping, or wakeing'
Miss Walker is accepting a memorial corruption—cf.
3.6.41 ('Sleepest or wakestthou, jolly shepherd?'). In
accepting Q i ' s 'sure' she is, I think, accepting one
of those gratuitously inserted actors' ejaculations, re-
called from performances by reporters, which are not
1
See my note ad loc.
* On the other hand 'I would...markes' can be con-
vincingly scanned—
I would iearne that, | for by the markes.
The succession of single strong syllables is dramatically
effective in the context.

KING LEAR, 1608 AND 1623 139

infrequent in 'bad' texts, Q 1 Lear included. The Q I
text here is thoroughly corrupt.
In the case of this play, eclecticism is obviouslyneces-
sary; and the judgements of individual editors will
differ. In preparing this volume I have carefully con-
sidered every Q/F variant. In my judgement, sometimes
Q and sometimes F is preferable. It seems to me that the
variants in the latter category are very much more
numerous than those in the former. Thus where there
appears to me to be absolutely nothing to choose between
a Q and an F reading, I must follow F. This accords with
the opinion of Chambers, who, comparing Q and F,
1
says —
There are a good many verbal variants, and where one is
clearly wrong, the better reading, except for a dozen or
score of cases, is in F. Subject, therefore, to its usual
sophistications, F must have the preference where the
variants are indifferent.
Q has had, and still has, its champions. Van Dam
2
regarded its text as superior to that of" F. Mr Ridley
based his New Temple edition (1935) solidly on Q.
Miss Walker is much drawn towards Q. The editing of
Lear is a difficult task; and the text here presented makes
no pretence to being other than tentative and provisional.
G.I.D.

In the readings and textual notes for which I am
responsible, marked '[J.D.W.]', I have endeavoured to
follow the principles above-stated, observing that they
involve the probable existence of a good many 'common
errors', i.e. errors common to Q and F. _ _ _„
J. D» W•
x
Op. cit. I, 465.
* See his monograph, The Text of'Shakespeare's 'Lear*
(vol. X of Materials for the Study of the Old English Drama,
Louvain, 1935).

140



NOTES


All significant departures from F are recorded, in-
significant ones and irregularities in verse-lining being
generally ignored. Q readings are only cited when they
have been accepted by us, or by The (old) Cambridge
Shakespeare, that is the standard text of the late nine-
teenth aud early twentieth centuries, or when they have
some other bearing upon the present text. Readings
common to F and Q are cited in F spelling. Readings
other than those of F and Q are, when cited, followed
by the name (within round brackets and usually in an
abridged form) of the text or editor responsible. Round
brackets are similarly used when the actual words of an
authority are quoted in the commentary; square brackets
implying a more general acknowledgement. The initials
G.I.D. or J.D.W. denote a new emendation or con-
jecture by one or other of the present editors, while
these initials followed by < and the name of an earlier
editor imply the revival of a reading or conjecture hot
since generally accepted. The sign < means 'derived
from' and > 'followed by*. Formulae like '(+most)'
or '(+Camb.)' signify that most editors or at least all
those who follow the old Cambridge Shakespeare accept
a certain reading. Finally '1949 ed.'=Shakespeare's
1
'King Lear ', by G. I. Duthie (1949), upon which the
present text is immediately based.
F stands for First Folio (1623); F 2, F 3, F 4 for the
Folios of 1632,1663,1685; Q for First Quarto; Qun-
corr. and Q corr. for variant readings in different copies
of Q 1 (see pp. 122ff.); Q 2 for Second Quarto, etc.;
G. for Glossary; S.D. for Stage-direction; S.H. for
Speech-heading; Sh. for Shakespeare or Shakespearian;
sp.=spelling or spelt. Common words (for example,

NOTES 141

prob.=probably, wh.=which, subs.=substantially),
together with names of characters, the plays and poems
of Sh., and other well-known works, are also usually
abbreviated; for example F.^.^The Faerie Qyeene.

The following is a list, with abridged titles, of
authorities cited:—Abbott=A Shakespearian Grammar,
by E. A. Abbott (1889); AL-ed. of Sh. by Peter
Alexander (1951); Aspects•=Aspects of Sh. (Brit.
Academy Lectures, 1930); A.W.=Walker, A. (q.v.);
Bald=ed. by R. C. Bald; Barker=G.-B. (q.v.);
Blunden=<S"i.'.r Significances (1929) ap. Bradby, Sh.
)
Criticism (1919-3 5 ; Bradley=Shakespearean Tragedy,
=
by A. C. Bradley (1904); Cairncross ' The Quartos and
the Folio text of "King Lear'", by A. S. Cairncross,
R.E.S. new ser. vi (July 1955)5 Camb. The Cambridge
Sh. (3rd ed. 1891-3); Cap.=ed. of Sh. by Edward
Capell, 1768; Cap. Notes=Notes and Various Readings
to Sh., by Edward Capell (1774-80); Chambers, El.
St. = The Elizabethan Stage, by E. K. Chambers
(4 vols. 1923); Chambers, Med. St. —The Medieval
Stage, by E. K. Chambers (2 vols. 1903); Chambers,
Wm. Sh.^ William Sh., Facts and Problems, by E. K.
Chambers (2 vols. 1930); Chambers, R. W., King
Lear•=King Lear; W. P. Ker Memorial Lecture, by
R. W. Chambers (Glasgow, 1940); Chambers, R. W.,
Man's Unconquerable Mind (1939); Clarke=ed. of Sh.
by Charles and Mary Cowden Clarke, 1864; Coleridge
^Coleridge's Sh. Criticism, ed. by . M. Raysor (2 vols.
T
-
1930); Coll. ed. of Sh. by J. P. Collier (2nd ed.) 1844;
Craig=ed. by W. J. Craig (old 'Arden Sh.') 1901, see
also O.S.; Daniel, Q. facs.=Introd. to the Praetorius
facsimile of Q 1 by P. A. Daniel (1885); Daniel, Time-
Anal. = Time-analysis of Sh.'s Plays, by P. A. Daniel
(1877-9); Delius=ed. of Sh. by N. Delius (1854);
D.N.S.-ed. by D. Nichol Smith ('Warwick Sh.'), n.d.j

142 NOTES
Douce=Illustrations of Si., by Francis Douce (1839);
Drayton, Polyolb.^Tke Poly-Olbion, by Michael
Drayton (1612, 1622) [cited from ed. by R. Hooper,
1876]; Diyden = The Poems of John Dry den, ed. by
James Kinsley (4 vols. 1958); Dyce—ed. of Sh. by
Alexander Dyce (1857); E.D.D. = The English Dialect
Dictionary, by Joseph Wright (6 vols. 1898-1905);
Edwards =Cz»e».r ofCriticism, byT. Edwards (1745);
Florio's Montaigne=trans, of Montaigne's Essays by J.
Florio, 1603 [cited from 'Tudor Trans.']; Furn.=ed.
by H. H. Furness, ('Variorum Sh.') 1880; G.-B.=
Prefaces to Sh. (1st ser.), by H. Granville-Barker
(1927); Gordon, Sh. Com.=Sh. Comedy, by G. S.
Gordon (1944); Greg, Ed. Prob.=The Editorial
Problem in Sh., by W. W. Greg (1942,2nd ed. revised,
1951); Greg, F.F.=The Sh. First Folio, its Biblio-
graphical and Textual History, by W. "W. Greg (19 5 5 );
Greg, Dr Faust. =Marlowe's Doctor Faustus, ed. by
W. W. Greg (1950); Greg, Lib.=*'Date of King Lear
and Sh.'s use of earlier versions of the story', by W. W.
Greg, The Library, 4th ser. xx, 377-400; Greg,
Variants=The Variants in the First Sfj/arto of' King
Lear' by W. W. Greg, 1940; (as at p, 123, n. 1.);
Han.=ed. of Sh. by Thomas Hanmer (1743); Hars-
nett —A Declaration of Egregious Popish Impostures, by
Samuel Harsnett (1603) [cited from K. Muir's ed. of
K.Lear, App. 7,or from his art.in R.E.S.(i95i), pp. 11—
a 1]; Herf. =ed. by C. H. Herford ('The Eversley Sh.'),
1900; Hudson=ed. by H. M. Hudson (1879); J.=ed.
of Sh. by Samuel Johnson (1765); J.C.M.=J. C.
Maxwell (priv. contributions); Jennens=ed. by Charles
Jennens (1770); Jonson=ite# Jonson, ed. by Herford
and Simpson (11 vols. 1925-52); Judges=!T/k Eliz.
Underworld, by A. V. Judges (19 3 o); K.=ed. by G. L.
Kittredge (1940); Kirschbaum=r<k True Text of
t
KingLear\ by Leo Kirschbaum (1945); C. Knight**

NOTE S 143
ed. of Sh. by Charles Knight (1867); Kokeritz=Sh.'s
Pronunciation, by H. Kokeritz (1953); Leir=The True
Chronicle History of KingLeir and his Daughters (1605)
(Malone Society Reprints, 1908); \jmt\iiaim = Costume
in Elizabethan Drama, by M. C. Linthicum (1936);
Mal.=Boswell's Variorum ed. of Malone''s Sh., 1821;
M.ason = Comments on Several Editions of Sh.'s Plays,
byJ.M. Mason (1807); M.L.R. = The Modern Language
Review, Moberly=ed. by C. E. Moberly ('The Rugby
Sh.') 1876; Muir=ed. by Kenneth Muir('NewArden
Sh.'), 1952; ibid.=art. on 'Samuel Harsnett and King
Lear\ in R.E.S. (1951); M.S.R. = Malone Society
Reprints; Noble—Sh.'s Biblical Knowledge, by Rich-
mond Noble (1925); On.= i Sh. Glossary, by C. T.
Onions (1911); O.D.E.P. = rA? Oxford Dictionary
of English Proverbs (1948); O.E.D. = I^<f Oxford
English Dictionary; O.S. = The Oxford Sh., ed. by W. J.
Craig (1905); Percy's Reliques=Reliques of Ancient
English Poetry, by Bp. Thomas Percy, 1765 (4th ed.
1794), ed. by H. B. Wheatley (3 vols. 1876); Pope=ed.
of Sh. by Alexander Pope (1725); R.C.B.=R. C Bald;
~R.E.S. = The Review of English Studies; Ridley=ed. by
M. R. Ridley ('New Temple Sh.'), 1935; Rowe=ed.
of Sh. by Nicholas Rowe (1709); 2nd ed. (1714);
Schmidt=Sh .-Lexicon, by Alexander Schmidt, 1874-8,
1902; Schmidt ed.=his ed. of King Lear (1879); Sh.
Eng. = Sh.'s England (2 vols. 1916); Sh.'s Hand = Sh.'s
1
Hand in Sir Thomas More', by A. W. Pollard and others
(1923); Singer=ed. of Sh. by Samuel W. Singer (1826);
Sisson=ed. of Sh. byC. J. Sisson(i954); Sisson, N.R. =
New Readings in Sh., by C. J. Sisson (1956); S.P.E.==
Society for Pure English, Tracts; Sprague=Si. and the
Actors, by A. C. Sprague, 1954; S.Q.=Sh. Quarterly;
Staunton=ed» of Sh. by Howard Staunton (185 8-60);
Steev.=ed. of Sh. by George Steevens (1773); Stud.
Bib.=Studies in Bibliography; Taylor—Sh.'s Debt to
N.s.K.L.12

144 NOTES
Montaigne, Tby George Coffin Taylor (1926); Theob.**
ed. of Sh. by L.Theobald, iy^;TiHey=J Dictionary of
ike Proverbs in England in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth
Centuries, by M. P. Tilley (1950)5 TJu.S.^The Times
Literary Supplement; T.R.=The Troublesome Raigne of
King John (1591) (Praetorius Facsimile, 1888);
Tyrwhitt=Observations and Corrections upon some
Passages of Sh., by Thomas Tyrwhitt (1766); Van
D a m = 7 ^ Text of KingLear ('Materials for the Study
of Old English Dramas'), by B. A. P. van Dam (1935);
Ver.=ed. by A. W. Verity ('Pitt Press Sh.'), 1897;
Walker, A.=Textual Problems of the First Folio, by
S
Alice Walker (1953); Walker, .=^ Critical Exami-
nation of the Text ofSh., by W. Sidney Walker (1860);
W.A.W. (see Wright); Warb.=ed. of Sh. by William
War burton (1747); Welsfbrd - The Fool; his Social and
Literary History, by Enid Welsford (1935); Wright=»
ed. by W. Aldis Wright ('Clarendon Sh.'), 1876.
Names of the Characters. Rowe first supplied a list,
imperfectly. 'Leir', the sp. of the old play, of Holinshed,
and (as 'Leyr') of Spenser (F.Q. 11, x, 27) crops up
occasionally in Q though 'Lear' is the usual form, as it is
invariably in F. ' Gonorill', which is the sp. in Q, is that
of Holinshed also and Spenser. The name 'Oswald' is
only found in the F text at 1. 4. 314, 328, 344, where
he is called for; he is always' Steward' or its abridgement
r r
in S.D.'s and S.H.'s elsewhere. SeeGreg,2 J .pp. 378,
385-80 for other variations, none of much significance.

Punctuation. For that of Q see p. 13 5. The F collator,
helped of course by the prompt-book, tidies this up
fairly successfully. The punctuation of the present text
on the whole follows that of the 3rd edition (1891-3) of
the standard old Cambridge Sh. and the F punctuation
is only recorded when it suggests a different interpreta-
tion of the context from that of our own.

NOTES 145
Acts and Scenes. Q has no divisions. Those in F have
been generally followed by edd., except that after Scena
Secunda it has no later divisions in Act 2. See head-note
2. 3. Granville-Barker (p. 145) suggests that this play
should be performed with only one definite interval—
at the end of Act 3. To this point the play is carried by
'
one great impetus of inspiration, and there will be great
gain in its acting being as unchecked. If the strain on
actors or audience seems to be too great, I should choose
a breathing space after Act 1, scene ii, for all the Folio's
authority to the contrary. But the strain should not be
excessive upon either audience or actors.'

Lineation. Verse divisions being often absent in Q or
when present incorrect as often as not, the F collator
found a good deal to do in this respect; and on the whole
did the work well. The lineation has however been still
further regularized in the old Cambridge Sh., and we
have here generally followed its example, only recording
the F differences when they raise points of interest.

Stage-directions. So far as is convenient in a modem
ed. for readers, F and Q stage-directions are utilized in
the text, their presence being indicated by inverted
commas. When those of F are not so used they are cited
in the notes; those of Q being cited only when of special
interest*


1. r
S.D. Loc. (after Cap., 'A Stateroom in...'). Entry
(F) K. gives 'Edmund stands back.' Coleridge (1, 56)
says that Glo. speaks in Edmund's presence about his
birth with 'a most degrading and licentious levity*.
Some are doubtful whether the subject wd be thought
too delicate for discussion in Shu's day. But cf. 'blushed
...brazed' Ql. 9-10).

146 N O T E S x.x.
5. equalities...that i.e. their shares are so precisely
balanced that.... equalities (Q) F 'qualities'.
11. conceive you (Q, F) see G. Van Dam (p. 45)
conj. om. 'you', thus giving a neater quibble in 1. 12;
and 'you' may be a common error (see p. 139).
16. issue Quibble.
18-19. some year Cf. 1. 2. 5.
19-21. this,...yet was ( <Theob.) F 'this; who,...
account, though...for: yet was'. Theob.'s punc. gives
the sense understood by most edd. G.I.D. withdraws
F
defence of in 1949 ed. p. 359.
20. knave see G. to (F) Q (+Camb.) 'into'. But
c£ Cor. 5. 3. 125.
31. out=abroad.
31. (middle). S.D. Q, F'Sennet'—both prefixed
to the next S.D. See G. 'sennet'.
32. S.D. i (g) F om. (see 1. 138, n.); S.D. ii (F).
34. liege (<Q+Camb.) F 'Lord'—wh. sounds
very tame after 'Lords' in 1.33 (1949 ed. p. 165). S.D.
(after Cap.) F 'Exit.'. _
35. darker purpose i.e. the great sc. of love-contest
between the daughters he is preparing to spring upon the
world.
35-53. Q is here defective and corrupt; see p. 133-34.
36—7. we have divided...our kingdom Ominous to a
Jacobean audience many of whom would recall Matt,
xii. 25: 'Every kingdom divided against itself is brought
to desolation.' Cf. Tilley, K 89.
43. dowers Gon. and Reg. have been married only
recently.
52. nature...with merit i.e.naturalaffection (ofchild
towards father) along with merit. Lear implies that the
most fulsome declaration of natural affection will be
the most meritorious, and so most deserving of reward.
54. word(F) Collective.
55. space and liberty Hendiadys.

x.i. N O T E S 147
56. valued rich (Q) F (+Camb.) 'valewed, rich'.
valued— estimated. Cf. Err. 1.1. 24 [Muir].
11
60. Beyond... so much" Beyond comparison of
any kind. Inverted commas ours.
61. Pope's 'aside', speak (F) Q (+Camb.) 'do'.
'She first asks herself what she shall say; then gently but
firmly stills the question with two commands to herself
(ed. 1949). Love...silent Tilley, L 165,cites Gent. 2. 2.
16: 'What, gone without a word? | Ay, so true love
should do: it cannot speak; | For truth hath better deeds
than words to grace it'—a perfect comment.
62. S.D. (edd.).
63-4. F puncts. 'forrests,...rich'd...Riuers,. .
Meades'.
65. issues (F) Q (+Camb.) 'issue'. The plur.
suggests successive heirs. Cf. 'seeds' Macb. (reprint
New Shakespeare) 3. 1. 69, and Paul, The Royal Play
of Macbeth, p. 176, n.
67. o/(F) Q (+Camb.) 'to'. After Cornwall? £>
(+Camb.) has 'speake'; but this may anticipate 1. 85.
Cf. the metrically incomplete 1. 53.
68. metal see G.
69. prize me=va.hie myself. K. takes 'prize' as
imperative. 70. deed see G. 71. that=in that.
73. spirit of sense (J.D.W. <Han.) F, Q 'square
of sense' (Q 'sence')—a common error (see p. 139).
Edd. explain 'square' (///. a carpenter's measure) as
fig. 'criterion, estimate', citing no parallel. But see
Trail. 1.1.60; 3. 3. 106, where 'spirit of sense'= 'the
essence of sensibility' (On.) and see G. 'spirit'. The
word 'spirit' or 'sprite' might be misread 'square'.
possesses (Q) F 'professes', repetition from 1. 71.
77, More ponderous (¥+Camb.) Q(+many)'More
richer'—'prob. an inexact memorial anticipation of
11. 249, 229-30 (see 1949 ed. pp. 28-30). 'Perhaps
suggested by "metal" (1. 68). Cordelia cannot "coin.

148 NOTES I.I.
her heart in words" but her heart haslove of a better and
weightier metal' (Muir). 'Ponderous'itself suggests the
balance used to distinguish false coins from genuine.
Cf. Gent. 2. 2.16, cited 1. 61, n.
82. our last and least (F)=latest born and least in
precedence. Camb. 'the last, not least' <Q 'the last, not
f
least in our deere loue,' Edd. freq. conflate, reading our
last, not least'; but Q is very corrupt here (see 1949 ed.
pp. 25-30); and the prov. 'last, not least' (see Tilley,
L 82 and Caes. 3.1.190) might easily be substituted for
the true text, least prob. refers also to Cord.'s stature.
84. interessed F 'interest'—a variant sp. See G.
France and Burg, have presumably argued their cases by
referring to the particular riches of their domains—
hence 'vines', 'milk' (Burg, having good pasture land).
draw see G. The gambling metaphor is significant.
89. Nothing...nothing Ex nihilo nib.il fit. Prov.
ultimately derived from Aristotle. Cf. Tilley, N 285.
92. no more-($)~ Q (+Camb.) 'nor more'.
96. as...fit An eSipsis='as they are most fit to be
returned'. Cf. Abbott, §384.
99. Haply F 'Happily' (a variant Eliz. and Jac
form).
103. To...all (Q) Fom.
109. mysteries (F 2) Q 'mistresse*, F 'miseries'.
n o . operation of the or£r=working of the stars
(influencing the lives of mortals).
115. this sc. time. 116. messes see G.
119. liege— (Rowe+Camb.) Q, F 'Liege.*
121. the dragon The traditional crest of ancient
British Icings, but Sh. need not have had this in mind.
Cf. Cor. 4. 7. 23.
his wrath Conceived as an extension of his personality.
Cf. Ham. 3.4.113,' O step between her and her fighting
soul', and below, 1.169 [J.C.M.].
122-3. set...nursery see G.'nursery*. Lear had

x.x. NOTES 149

intended to live with Cor. alone; her refusal to bid for
her portion forces him to adopt the plan of living in turn
with Gon. and Reg. [Bradley, p. 250]. rest see G.
123. S.D. (<Rowe) Q, F om.
125. Who stirs?—'Be quick about it, somebody!'
(K.).
126. Burgundy! (Camb. 'Burgundy.—' <Theob.)
Q, F 'Burgundy,'—a common error. S.D. (G.I.D.).
127. the(F) Q (+Camb.) 'this'.
134. turn (<F) Q (+Camb.) 'turnes*. shall (F)
Q (+Camb.) 'still'. F.'s 'shall' effectively throws all
the emphasis on 'only'.
y
135. all th addition to (F)='the title, precedence,
honour, marks of distinction, undiminished, which
belong to'. Q (+Camb.) 'all the additions to'.
136. Revenue Accent on second syllable.
138. This coronet Brought in at 1. 32 (Q only), and
prob., Muir there suggests, 'intended for Cord.' The
idea of dividing between Corn, and Alb. is absurd and
obviously ad hoc. Certainly not Lear's crown wh. he
'retains on his own head...as symbol of "The name,
and all th'addition to a King"' (cf. Greg, F.F. p. 384,
n. 27). between (<F) Q (+Camb.) 'betwixt'.
141. prayers— (Rowe+Camb.) Full stop in Q, F.
145. zoouldst (Camb. <F 4) F 'wouldest'.
148. stoops (Q+Camb.) F (+Pope, etc.) 'falls'.
Q 'stoops' parallels 'bows' in 1.147, and is intrinsically
preferable to F, in wh. a scribe or compositor perh.
recollected 'fall' in 1.143. 'Stoop'='bow (the head or
neck)...submit' (On.).
Reserve thy state (<F) Q (+Camb.) 'Reuerse thy
doome'. Both rdgs. make good sense. Kent is con-
cerned about (1) Lear's safety, (2) Cord.'s welfare; F
relates to (1), Q to (2). That 11.150-3 relate to (2) does
not mean that 11. 148-50 cannot relate to (1). Q may
well be memorial conflation of 'sue not to reuerse Our

IS© NOTES i.i.
censure, which is now irreuocable' with 'this ruthlesse
doome', in heir (M.S.R. 11. 104-5). J.C.M. notes
'reverse...doom' in Tit. 3. 1. 24, and Rom. 3. 3. 60.
'Doom'=judgement, sentence. For 'reserve', 'state',
see G.
150. Answer...judgment= 'Let my life be answer-
able for my judgement' (F).
152-3. Nor...hollowness <prov. Tilley, V 36,
'Empty vessels sound most.' sounds Reverb (<F) Q
( + Camb.) 'sound Reuerbs'. low Cf. 5. 3. 272-3, and
In trod. pp. xxiv-xxv. Reverb=reverberate. A word
specially coined for the occasion, poss. in order to
quibble upon'verb'= word. 154. a (Q) F om.
155. wage see G. ne'er feared (Sisson <Furn.) F
'nere feare' Q (+Camb.) 'nor feare'. The F collator
prob. changed Q 'nor' to 'nere' but overlooked 'feare'.
156. motive (<F) Q(+Camb.)'themotiue'.
158. The...blank of thine eye Lit. the centre of
your eye's target; fig. the faithful servant you will always
look to. See G. 'blank'. Ironic modification of'out
of my sight' (1. 156).
159. Apollo— (Q 2) Q I, F 'Apollo'.
160. in vain i.e. they will not hear you. S.D. (Rowe).
162. Kill (F) Q (+Camb.) 'Doe, kill', where
'Doe' = 'go on!'. But this, wh. detracts from the
dignity of F, is surely an actor's interpolation, the fee
(Q+Camb.)' F 'thy fee', where the F comp. has prob.
repeated 'thy' from earlier in the line. [G.I.D., with-
drawing the note in 1949-]
163. the...disease i.e. flattery, cf. 1. 147. thy gift
(<F) Q (+Camb.) 'thy doome'—prob. a memorial
error; see 1. 148, n. and cf. 3 H. VI, 2.6. 46 [J.C.M.];
'thy gift' = the giving of Cord.'s portion to Corn, and Alb.
166. thine (F) Q (+Camb.) 'thy'.
167. That (F)='seeing that'; £> (+Camb.) 'Since'.
See 1949 ed. pp. 126-7.

I.I. NOTE S 151

167, 169. vow (Q+Camb.) F 'vowes'. sentence
(Q+Camb.) F 'sentences'. It is poss. to defend F by
claiming the 'fast intent' (11. 37ff.) as a kind of 'vow',
and a kind of 'sentence'. But this is far-fetched and an
audience will only be conscious of one vow, the terrible
oath in 11. 107-19, and of one sentence, that at 11. 126—
38, wh. decides the future of the kingdom. Q is also
preferable on grounds of metre and style. F's plurals
must be credited to comp. or scribe [see 1949 ed. p. 16j].
171. Our potency made good=' Our royal authority
maintained' (D.N.S.) 'Kent's opposition... displays
Lear's incapability of resigning the sovereign power in
the very act of disposing of it' (Coleridge 1, 61).
173. disasters (F)= misfortunes. Q (+Camb.)
'diseases'—prob. a memorial echo of 1. 163.
178. This...revoked A retort to Kent's 1. 163.
179-86. 'After the storm comes the equanimity of
Kent's rhymed couplets' (Craig).
179. thus i.e. 'so self-willed and despotic' (Ver.).
wi/t—art determined to.
180. Freedom...here. See Introd. p. xxviii.
181. 183. S.D.'s (Han.).
186. He'II...course i.e. he will continue true and
plain-spoken. S.D. (i) F 'Exit'; (ii) Camb. (<F).
187. sp.-hdg. Q(+Camb.)'Glost.', F'Cor.'.
189. this (F+Camb.) Q 'a', accepted in 1949 ed.,
now withdrawn. See Greg., in M.L.R. XLIV, 399.
193. hath (F) Q ( + Camb.) 'what', offered—
(G.I.D.) Comma in Q, F.
194. less? (<Q, F). F 4 (+Camb.) 'less.'. The
query may indicate an exclamation. Burg, is taken aback
by 11. 190-2—he does not know Cord, is out of favour.
195. so i.e. dear (quibble).
196. fall'n (F 3 + Camb.) Q, F 'fallen'.
196-7. there...substance i.e. that little creature has
nothing but herself to offer and even that is false.

IS 2 NOTES I.I.
that...substance=that little piece of pretence sincerity.
(<Ver. and K.). See G. 'substance', seeming-sub-
stance K. conj. hyphen. 'A kind of antithetic com-
pound' (Ver.).
203. strangered with=ma&e a stranger by. Cf.
1. 114.
204. Take...her? Cf. Tilley, T 25, 'Take it or
leave it'.
205. Election...up 'No one can choose' (Muir).
on Q (+Camb.) F 'in'.
207. S.D. (Pope) For=As for.
213. whom (F)—conversational grammar. Q
(+Camb.)'that'. best(Q) Fom. object see G.
215. The best, the (F) Q (+Camb.) 'most best,
most', prob. memorial echo of 11. 249-50.
217. fo/ds of favour i.e. fig. like clothing that
protected Cord.
220. Fa//(F) Q (+Camb.) 'Falne'. J. noted that
if'or'='ere' (as often in Sh.), F makes excellent sense
Q.D.W.]. But see 1949 ed. p. 169.
221-2. that...in me i.e. wh. I could not believe
unless it was vouched for by divine revelation. Cf.
Introd. p. xxii.
222. Should(F) Q (+Camb.) 'Could'=the mod.
meaning of F. majesty—(<Q) F 'Maiesty.'
223. ,/or=because.
224. we//Q (+Camb.) F'will'.
226. murder 'Blot' is a weak word for 'murder',
and is more apt to some form of'unchastity' with which
the rest of the context deals. What is wanted here is not
any specific crime but some general term like 'stain', as
a link between 'blot' and 'foulness'. S. Walker's
'umber' (=smirch; cf. A.T.L. 1. 3. 112), though not
fig. elsewh. in Sh., is often so in 15th and 16th cent, (see
O.E.D. 2), and is graphically similar to 'murder'
[J.D.W.J, But see the 1949 ed. pp. 363-4.

I.I. NOTES 153
227. dishonoured— dishonourable.
230. still-soliciting Theob.'s hyphen.
231. That (F) Q (+Camb.) 'As'—but 'such...
that' is good Eliz. and Jac. English.
236. intends? (A.W., subs.<Seymour conj.) Q
'intends to do,'; F 'intends to do:'. 'To do', clearly a
common error, makes neither good verse nor good
sense. 'Cord.'s fault has been her refusal to express the
volume ("history") of her love and not a refusal to say
what she intended (in our sense of the word) "to do".
The contaminator of the quarto had clearly in mind
Cord.'s lines at 11. 223-5, but had not understood the
Sh. implications of "purpose" and "intend"' (A.W.
p. 7). [G.I.D. retracts 1949 reading.]
238. regards (F+Camb.) Q (+Mal. etc.) 're-
spects'—prob. anticipation; cf. 11. 247, 254. The
'regards' are considerations of dowry, stand (Pope
+Camb.) F, Q 'stands'—a poss. Sh. plural but here
prob. a common error as 'the line sounds better without
the J' (Muir).
240. Royal king {<¥) Q (+Camb.) 'Royall Leir\
F is not tautological, since 'royal' can mean 'noble,
majestic, generous, munificent' (On.). Cf. 4.6.198-9;
X
5-3- 75- Q is prob. a recollection of 1. I. 138.
247. respect and fortunes (<F) =deferential esteem
and material considerations. Q (+Camb.) 'respects Of
fortune'—prob. memorial corruption (see 1949 ed.
pp. 50-5). L. 254 confirms F.
249-50. most rich...despised Noble cites II Corin.
vi. 10, 'As poor, yet making many rich; as having noth-
ing, and yet possessing all things'.
253. Gods, gods /No t vocative; = ' O, the gods, the
gods!'—who have 'neglected' Cordelia.
254. My love...respect His answer toBurg.'s type of
love(1.247). 257. wat'rish Contemptuous;seeG.
258. unprized by others; precious tome.

J54 NOTES z.i.
260. here...where Nouns.
265. Come etc. He takes Burg, by the hand. Cf.
Greg in M.L.R. (1940), 444. S.D. (after Cap.) F
'Flourish. Exeunt.'.
266. jewels see G. washed sc. with tears.
269. as they are named i.e. by their proper names.
love (F) Q (+Camb.) 'vse'. Cf. 'professed' (1. 270).
The question of Lear's treatment has not yet arisen. See
Greg, Edit. Prob. p. 93. Q prob. anticipates 1. 5. 14.
277. And well'...wanted'—And well deserve to lose
the dowry you have lost (after Toilet, ap. Furn.). Some
take 'want' to refer to her father's affection, but Gon. is
interested in property, not love, and sneers at Cord.'s
penniless condition.
278. plighted (F) see G. Q 'pleated'. Pope +
Camb. 'plaited'. Gon. and Reg. have covered up their
true feelings with folds of cunning. Cf. 'folds of
favour' (1. 217).
279. Who...derides Which in the end brings hid-
den faults to scorn, who Antecedent Time, covert
(J.D.W. <Mason conj.) Jennens (+Camb.) 'cover';
F, Q 'couers'—a common error. It is 'plighted cun-
ning' not Time that covers faults. Q reads 'Who couers
faults, at last shame them derides'—the reporter not
realizing that 'Time' is the antecedent of 'who'. The
F collator correcting 'shame them' to 'with shame'
overlooked the MS. 'covert', if indeed he did not take
it for an error.
280. Well...prosper. Prob. alluding to Prov.
xxviii. 13: 'He that covereth his sins shall not prosper.*
[Henley ap. Furn.]. S.D. (G.I.D.) F 'Exit France and
Cor.'.
281. little {Y) Q(+Camb.)'a little'.
287. not (Q) F. om.
292-3. The best...rash=Hewas always hot-headed
even in the prime of life. Cf. Introd. p.liv,.and 1.2.51-2.

x.x. N O T E S 155
294. Iong-engraffed (<F 'long ingraffed') Q
(+Camb.) 'long ingrafted'. See G. 'engraffed'.
299. compliment etc. Prob. sarcastic; cf. 1. 2. 23.
300. hit (Theob. <Q + Camb.) F 'sit'. See G.
'hit'. Cf. 1949 ed. pp. 169-70.
301-2. with...bears i.e.'with his usual impulsive-
ness' (Ver.). See G. 'carry', 'disposition', 'bear',
'offend'.
303. of it (F) Q(+Camb.) *on't\
304. i' th' heat see G. S.D. Q, F 'Exeunt.'.


1.2
S.D. Loc. (Cap. *A Hall in...') Entry (Rowe,
subs.) F 'Enter Bastard.'.
1. sp.-hdg. Q 'Bast.', throughout sc; so F until
1. 169, where it changes to 'Edrn.'. Thou, Nature etc.
see Introd. § viii.
3. Stand...custom Cap. explains 'be subject, or
exposed, to the vexation of custom'. But J. and others
suspect 'plague' is corrupt. If so 'pillory' (sp.
'pilorye', misread 'plauge' or 'plaige') leading on to
'curiousity of nations', wh. suggests staring eyes, wd fit
the context (J.D.W.).
4. deprive me sc. of inheritance. Even if legitimate,
a younger son wd not inherit. 6. base see G.
9. honest see G.
10. baseness? bastardy? (Camb.) F 'basenes
Barstadie?'
13. dull...bed sc. the bed of ordinary married
couples.
15. a sleep (Q, F) Cap. (+Camb.) 'asleep'. Cf.
lE.lV,^. 1. 216.
21. top th' (Cap.+Camb. <Edwards conj.) F 'to'
th'', Q 'tooth'' Some explain F 'Shall to' th' as 'shall
fight against', but this is absurd after 'if this letter speed',

156 NOTES r.2.
etc. (see 1949 ed. p. 367); Sisson explains it 'shall turn
into' wh. seems far-fetched. Cap. notes 'top' goes
well with I grow', lends aptness to that exclamation,
'
and forms a good contrast with 'base' (=low). It also
supplies the actor 'with the right note of triumph' for
the end of the speech [Muir]. Cf. 5. 3. 206, 'top
extremity'. Sisson writes (1956) that ''to or too as a mis-
reading of top is highly implausible'; Greg {Aspects,
1928, p. 165) that 'if the tail of the p were somehow
obscured, top would naturally be misread as too'. Cf.
G.I.D. 1949 ed. pp. 366-8.
23. choler France had presumably been incensed
during the interview ref. to at 1.1. 299-300. See Greg
in M.L.R. (1940), 444.
24. to-night=la.st night. Prescribed (F) see G. Q
(+Camb.) 'Subscrib'd'—prob. anticipates 3. 7. 64,
also spoken by Glo. (see 1949 ed. p. 130).
25. exhibition see G.
26. Upon the gad see G. 'gad'.
27. S.D. (<Rowe) 'Putting up the letter'.
30. Nothing see Introd. p. xxxix.
41-55. This 'letter' sets before us the main theme of
the whole play.
47. policy and reverence Hendiadys. Customary (or
obligatory) reverence for. But 'policy' also suggests
craft on the part of the aged.
48. to...times i.e. to us in our prime of life.
49. fortunes i.e. inheritances, relish see G.
50. idle and fond useless and stupid.
52. suffered endured.
56. waked (Camb. <Q 'wakt') F'wake'—a poss.
e:d misreading of'wakd'. Glo. is re-reading the letter.
59. came...this (F)=came you by this. £)(+Camb.)
'came this to you'.
68. his. (F+Camb.) Q 'his?'. In 1949 G.I.D.
read Q explaining that Glo. asks again because Edm.

r.a. NOTES 157

evades; J.D.W. finds F better since it marts the point at
which Glo. is convinced. Edm. 'dare swear' the
character is Edg.'s; that is enough.
71. Has (F) Q (+Camb.) 'Hath', before (F) £>
(+Camb.) 'heretofore'.
75. declined (<F) Q (+Camb.) 'declining'.
75-6. as ward...revenue Lear's position [Ver.].
78. detested see G.
79. r//(<F) Camb. 'ay'(<£'!')'
84. should...course=would follow a safe course.
where=whereas.
88. pawn down my life Sh. ironically echoes I. 1.
154. writ(J?) Q (+Camb.) 'wrote'.
89-90. io...danger—with, no more dangerous
intention, ofher (F) Q (+Camb.) 'further', antici-
pating 1. 95.
92-3. I will place you... But he never does. This
may spell a 'slight change of plan' on Sh.'s part; perh. he
remembered 'that he had lately used this none too fresh
device in OthJ (G.-B. p. 149, n.).
94. auricular assurance Cf. Oth. 3. 3. 362 'ocular
proof.
97-9. Edmund. Nor.,.earth! (<Q) 1? om.,
prob. accidentally.
100. wind...him=insinuate yourself into his con-
fidence ('me', ethic dative).
I o 1-2. unstate myself What Lear has already done.
to be...resolution to be sure about this.
106ff. These late eclipses... See Introd. pp. xi, xiv.
J07. the wisdom of nature natural science.
109. by...effects by what follows therefrom.
112-17. This...graves. (<F) Q om.
114. bias of nature natural tendencies, (here)
paternal instinct. 120. S.D. F 'Exit', Q om.
121. excellent foppery supreme folly.
122. surfeits (<F) £)(+Camb.)'surfeit'.Wemust

* 58 N O T E S x.2.
suppose an ellipse; i.e. when we are sick in fortune,
[such misfortunes being] often diseases caused by our
own behaviour.
124. moon and stars (J.C.M. <F 'Moone, and
Starres',) Q (+Camb.) 'Moone and the Starres'. on
(F) = 'by'(Q+Camb.).
126. by spherical predominance i.e. because a given
planet occupied a predominant position in the heavens
at the time of our birth. 128. of= to.
130. whoremaster man (Q) F'Whore-master-man*.
to(Q) Fom.
134. Fut (Q) F om., Jennens (4-Camb.) 'Tut'.
*Fut' (='Christ's foot') is apt to the context while the
expletive may well have been 'purged' in F. See 1949
ed. p. 170, and Greg, F.F. pp. 149-52.
135. maiden/test (F 3) F 1, Q 'maidenlest*. bas-
tardizing 'extra-marital conception' [Muir].
136-7. bastardizing. Edgar— Enter Edgar. Pat?
(G.I.D. <Steev. 1773), F'bastardizing. Enter Edgar,
Pat:', Q 'bastardy Edgar; and out'. F om. 'Edgar', but
without it 'Pat' (1.137) lacks point: Edm. is not calling
Edg., but is about to speak of ham. Steev. 1778+ Camb.
conflate:'bastardizing. Edgar—Enter Edgar. And pat
he comes*.
137. like...comedy *An allusion to the clumsy
structure of the early comedies, in which the conclusion
seemed to come by chance at the very moment it was
wanted' (D.N.S.).
138-9. Tom 0' Bedlam see 2. 3. 14, n.
140. S.D. (G.I.D. <Han., 'Humming') Edm.
humsa very sad tune (in the key of C the notes F, G, A, E).
146. writes (F)Q (+Camb.)'writ'.
147-54. as...astronomical? (<Q) F om. (?cen-
sored).
151. dissipation melting away by desertion and
disease—a common fate of military bands in Sh.'s day.

i.a. NOTES 159
160. nor(F) Q(+Camb.)'or*. countenance seeG.
164. until (Y) Q (+Camb.) 'till'.
166. with i.e. even with; see G. 'mischief, 'allay*.
169-74. /...brother? <F. Q om.
175. best. F ' best,'; Q (+Camb.)' best, goe arm'd,\
Q's 'goe arm'd' is recollected from its omitted passage,
11. 169-74. See 1949 ed. p. 133.
176. toward (?) Q (+Camb.) 'towards*.
178. image and horror=&n exact picture of the horror.
Hendiadys cf. G. 'image' and 5.3. 264.
181. S.D. F'Exit.'(at L180).
i82ff. Cf. Oth. 1. 3. 390 ff. The same cynicism.
187. fashion fit adapt to my ends. S.D. Q, F
'Exit.'.
'An interval of something less than a fortnight' takes
place between sc. 2 and sc. 3; cf. 1.4. 296, 'Within a
fortnight' [Daniel, Time-Jnal.].




S.D. Loc. (Cap.) Entry (Coll.) F 'Enter Gonerill
and Steward.' Q 'Enter Gonorill and Gentleman.*
For the name 'Oswald' see p. 144. Sh. does not invent
it till Gon. has to call for him. Later references suggest
he is foppishly dressed (see 2. 2. 14-17, 52-5), e.g. in
Alb.'s cast-off garments.
3,12,22. sp.-hdgs. F 'Ste.', Q 'Gent.*.
4. night (Q) F 'night,'. Many take 'By day and
night' as an oath (cf. H. Fill, 1. 2. 213). But 'Every
hour' suggests the ordinary sense of'By day and night'
[W.A.W.].
5. crime=offence. Not the strong modern sense.
11. S.D. (<Cap. 'Horns within.').
15. my (F) Q 'our'.
17-21. <Q. F om.—the kind of gnomic passage
that tempted a prompter to cut.

160 NOTES 1.3.
20. Old fools...again Prov. Cf. Tilley, M 570,
'Old men are twice children'.
20-1. must...abused Obscure; poss. corrupt (N.B.
<Q only). Which is the antecedent of'they', 'fools' or
'flatteries'? And what does 'as' mean, 'as well as' or
'instead of ? In short should we paraphrase the passage
—'must be treated with rebukes instead of flatteries,
when flatteries are seen to feed their folly' (D.N.S. after
Tyrwhitt), or 'old fools must be given rebukes as well as
flatteries when they begin to suffer from delusions'?
We prefer the former.
22. Well (F) Q (+Camb.) 'Very well'—wh., in
more mod. Eng., is what F means.
23-7. And let...dinner. Prose in Q and F, but F
om. 'I would...speak', and 'very'. Cap. div. as verse.
The F om. of 'very' is prob. accidental, e.g. (J.C.M.
conj.) by an eye-slip from 'my' to 'ry\
26. speak i.e. speak out.
27. S.D. F 'Exeunt.', Q 'Exit.'.


1.4
S.D. Loc. (Mai.) Entry (<£>, F)+Rowe 'dis-
guised'.
1. as well sc. as I have disguised my appearance.
well (Q) F 'will'.
2. diffuse (Theob.+O.E.D. 6) F Q (+Camb.)
'defuse'. See G.
6. So...come (F) Q om.
7. full of labours=very serviceable. S.D. (G.I.D.)
<F 'Homes within. Enter Lear and Attendants.' Rowe
added the 'Knights'. Lear so dressed wd at once en-
gage King James's interest with his passion for the chase.
9. S.D. (<Cap. 'To an Attendant, who goes out'.)
1
12. What...proj"ess f'=What is your occupation?
Kent replies in another sense. 16. converse see G.

1.4. NOTES 161
5
17. judgement 'In the Biblical sense (cf. Ps. i. )...
Kent means that he fears God' (Noble, p. 229).
18. eat no fish i.e. he is either no papist (Warb.) or
'a jolly fellow, and no lover of such meagre diet as fish'
(Cap.). For a poss. indelicate quibble see Rom. G.
'fish'. 28. countenance see G.
33-4. mar...telling it <prov. 'A good tale ill told
is marred in the telling' (Tilley, T 28).
41-2. me. If ...dinner I (most edd. subs.) Q, F
punc. ambiguously 'me, if...dinner, I'.
43. knave boy.
44. S.D. (i) <Dyce,'Exit an Attendant.' Q,Fom.
(ii) <Q, F 'Enter Steward' (at 1. 38)—we place as
Cap.
46. S.D. (G.I.D.) Q, Fom.
46-7. So please you=Excuse me; I'm busy. Cf. 1.3.
13-14. you— (F). S.D. F 'Exit.', Q om.
49-50. S.D.'s (after Dyce) Q, F om.
52. daughter (Q) F 'Daughters'.
69. most faint As Lear, the self-deceiver, still sees it
though the Knight (1. 61) finds it 'great'.
76. well(F) Qom.
77-8. S.D.s (after Dyce) Q, F om.
78. S.D. i(<F'Enter Steward.'at I.79) We place
i
as J. Q om.
81,83. S.D.s (G.I.D.+J.D.W.) Q, Fom.
81-2. (G.I.D.S punct.) Camb.'Mylady's father!
my Lord's knave: you whoreson dog! you slave! you
cur!'. F 'My Ladies Father? my Lords knaue, you
whorson dog, you slaue, you curre.'
81. my lord's i.e. Alb.'s.
86. strucken(F) Q (+Camb.) 'struck*.
87. base Cf. Elyot (Governour, 1531, Everyman
Lib. p. 113) 'Foote balle' is 'to be utterly abiected of al
noble men...wherin is nothinge but beastly furie and
extreme violence' Q.C.M.]. S.D. (Rowe) Q, F om.

i6z NOTES 1.4.
90-1. arise, away! (<F) Q om. differences sc. in
rank between you and the king.
92-3. have you wisdom? (Theob.+Camb. Al.,
Muir) i.e. are you mad? see G. 'wisdom'. F (G.I.D.
1949) 'haue you wisedome,'. 'Sh. may intend an
imperative' (Schmidt). J.D.W. accepts Theob.
S.D. (<Muir) Theob. ( + most edd.) 'Pushes the
Steward out.' Q, F om. <SV.='that's right!' (Muir)*
95. earnest see G. S.D. i (J.), ii (F, Q).
96. S.D. (Cap. <Rowe,'Giving his cap.') Q,Fom.
The traditional fool's cap had asses' ears and a cock's
comb.
99. <£>. F (+Camb.) 'Lear. Why my Boy?'—
prob. ocular anticipation of 1. 107.
101. an (Pope+)=if. Q 'and', F '&'. smile...
«7.r='take sides with the party that's in power' (K.).
102. catch cold=become cold; see G. 'cold'—•
prophetic; cf. 3. 2. 68-9.
105. How now—'Hullo, how d'ye do?' (K.).- He
has so far impudently ignored Lear, nuncle see G.
108-9. If I gave...myself Cf. Tilley, A 187,
'He that gives all before he dies is a fool'. See G.
'living'.
109. beg another, etc. Mai. explains'it is by begging
only' he 'can obtain anything from two daughters; even
a badge of folly in having reduced himself to such a
situation'.
113. the Lady's Brach (J.D.W. <Letherland conj.
found by Steev. in a copy of Warb.'s edition) F 'the
Lady Brach', Q 'Ladie oth'e brach'. 'The Lady's
brach', i.e. Gon.'s 'favourite animal' as Letherland
explained it, refers to the effeminate puppy Oswald who,
the Fool implies, had thrust him from his accustomed
place by the fire. The abusive 'brach' is well suited to
one who is 'of her bosom' (4. 5. 26) and would 'be a
bawd in way of good service' (2.2.18), while it forms a

i.4. NOTES 163
fitting climax to the epithets 'mongrel', 'whoreson
dog', 'cur' that the angry Lear had just been heaping
upon the Steward. Moreover, by 'Truth's a dog' the
Fool clearly means himself, who he says in 1. 183 had
been 'whipped for speaking true'. His antithesis should
therefore be another person, a member of Gon.'s
household, and one Lear wd know as a liar. It is this
indubitably personal note behind the corrupt text that
other emendations lack. E.g. Steev.'s 'Lady the brach',
accepted by most edd., because 'Lady' happens to be
the name of Hotspur's 'brach' (1 H. IF, 3. 1. 235),
provides no antithesis either to Truth or to the Fool
himself, while it leaves the Q reading unexplained.
Equally lacking in satisfactory antithesis are 'Liar the
brach' (G.I.D. in the 1949 ed. p. 373) and 'the lie o'
th' brach' (Alice Walker, Text. Prob. p. 66) where 'lie'
(
is taken to be a quibble on 'lye' ='the detergent made
from urine'). Finally if Sh. wrote 'the Lady's brach'
the F variant is seen to be an ordinary misprint of the
omitted letter type, while the Q 'Ladie oth'e brach'
suggests that the reporter remembered the two names
'lady' and 'brach', remembered that one should be in
the possessive case, but forgot which it was.
115. A pestilent...me! Some take this as referring
to the Fool (cf. 1.137), though there seems nothing in the
context to justify such an outburst. Moberly (ap. Furn.)
rightly sees it as 'a passionate remembrance of Oswald's
insolence'—which had been past bearing in 11. 79-95,
and which the Fool's words now calls to mind, gall (F)
see G. Q misprints it 'gull'.
116. Sirrah As usual the Fool inverts, applying to
his master the term his master has just applied to him
( I )
( )
118. Mark it, nuncle! The speech' bids Lear be
everything a Fool is not: canny, close-fisted, unsociable,
strait-laced, in short a miser or usurer whose sole aim
N.S.K.L.-13

164 NOTES 1.4.
in life is to make money 'breed'. Cf. Shylock at
M.F. 1. 3. 93.
119. Have...slowest Hoard your goods.
120. Speak...knowest Be reserved. Cf. Tilley,
A 202. 121. ozoest=ownest.
122. Ride.. .goest Presumably to save shoe leather.
See G. 'go'.
123. Learn...trowest Cf. Tilley, A 202, 'Believe
not all you hear.'
124. Set...throzaest 'Don't stake all at a single
throw' (<Muir). Cf. 1 H. IF, 4.1. 46-7, 'To set...
All at one cast.
126. keep-in-a-door Cf. M.F. 2. 5. 52-4: 'Shut
doors after you | Fast bind, fast find, | A proverb never
stale in thrifty mind.'
127-8. thou...more...score Not just 'nonsense'
(Muir) or 'nothing' (Kent) but=You'll make a score
(of money) grow to more than 'two tens' (through
usury). See 11. 131-2.
130-1. 'tis like...for't Cf. Tilley, L 125, 'A
lawyer will not plead but for a fee'. Thus 'an unfeed
lawyer' utters no 'breath*.
131-2. Can...nuncle?—as the wise man can by
making more than 'two tens' out of a 'score', you is
emphatic, use—interest.
133-4. nothing...nothing Cf. 1. 1. 89, n. and
Introd. p. xxxix.
135-6. S.D. (Rowe) Q, Fom. so much...to i.e.he
must expect nothing now, having given the land away,
but before he did so the rent was as much 'something out
of nothing' as the money-lender's interest. A little
lesson in pol. economy.
137. bitter^sarcastic; but in 11. 139, 145 it=piti-
able, grievously afflicted; see G.
138. my boy see 1. 116, n.
139. one (F) Q (+Camb.) 'foole\

i. 4 . NOTES 16$
141-56. That...snatching from Q. Fom. (.'cen-
sored); the ref. to 'monopoly' might be thought un-
desirable, 'James I constantly granted them to his
needy courtiers, and there was a great popular outcry in
consequence' (Muir). Cf. Greg, F.F. p. 387.
141-42. That lord...thy land In Leir the king is so
counselled by a lord. Sh. rejects this in 1. 1, but here
puts it to a new purpose; the 'lord' being of course
Lear himself. Cf. Greg, Lib. p. 387.
144. for him stand=impersonate him.
145. bitter seel. 137, n.
147. S.D. (G.I.D.) Qom.
148. out—there! (G.I.D.) Q 'out there.'. S.D.
(Coll.) Qom.
153. The Fool catches up 'altogether', substituting
the sense 'the only' for 'entirely', let me sc. be the only
fool.
154. out i.e. officially granted to me. on't (Q2)=of
it. Q 1 'an't'.
156. Nuncle...egg (<F) Q (+Camb.) 'giue me
an egge Nuncle'. 161. crown (Q) F'Crownes'.
162. bor'st...back i.e. acted as preposterously as
the old man in Aesop who carried his ass over the dirt
instead of letting it carry him.
164. like myself i.e. foolishly.
165. whipped sc. as a lying fool. Cf. 11. 181-4.
166. 175. S.D. (Rowe) F, Q om.
166-7. Fools...foppish 'There never was a time
when fools were less in favour, and the reason is that they
were never so little wanted, for wise men now supply
their places' (J.).
166. grace (F) Q(+Camb.)'wit'. J. read'grace',
but when Cap. discovered in Lyly's Mother Bombie
(Bond's Lyly, in, 191) I think a Gentleman had neuer
'
lesse wit in a yeere', Mai. suspected 'the original [Q] to
be the true reading' and thus led W.A.W. astray. But

x66 NOTES 1.4.

Lyly was prob. parodying a proverb familiar to the
audience, the speaker being Silena a she-fool. In any
case Sh.'s Fool is clearly himself parodying either Lyly
or the original proverb: 'Fools had never less wit in a
year'(Tilley,F 535).
169. Their... apish They behave so idiotically.
172. e'er (F'ere') Q (+Camb.) 'euer'.
173. mothers (F) £) (+Camb.) 'mother'. Two
daughters=two mothers. Perh. the Fool recalls Lear's
hope to find with Cord, a 'kind nursery' (1.1.123); the
nurseries of Gon. and Reg. not being kind.
173-4. thou gav'st... breeches Cf. Tilley, R153,
'He has made a rod for his own back'.
17 5-8. Then... among Adaptation of the first stanza
of a well-known godly Ballet of John Carelesse
(1586): 'Some men for sodayne ioye do wepe, | And
some in sorow syng: | When that they lie in daunger
depe, j To put away mourning' [H. E. Rollins, M.L.R.
(1920), pp. 87-9; cited Muir].
177-8. play bo-peep...fools among Cf.'Bo-peep'in
J.'s Diet. 'The act of looking out, and drawing back as if
frighted or with the purpose to fright some other'—
wh. well describes the childish way Lear has been going
on (e.g. cf. 1.1.171, n.). App. a game usual with fools
as well as children. Cf. Skelton Image Hypocrisy {Wh.
11, 420), 'Thus you make vs sottes And play with vs
boopeepe' [cited Tilley, B 540]. Not elsewh. in Sh. but
occurs on p. 61 in Harsnett, as Muir notes, fools (Q)
F 'Foole'.
183-5. they'II...peace Such has been his treatment
since he came with Lear to live with Gon. Cf. 1.113, n.
for...peace Perh. because he is too sad to jest.
187. zoit= judgement, intelligence.
188. S.D. (F,Q).
189-90. frontlet=lk. a band worn across the fore-
head; here fig. a wrinkled frown. [<D.N.S.]

i.4. NOTES 167
X90. You (F) Q (+Camb.) 'Me thinks you*.
192-3. an...figure=& zero with no number before
it to give it value; a mere cipher. Cf. Wint. 1.2. 6-9,
and Tilley, C 391. 194. S.D. (Pope).
197. Mum, mum:=Hush, hush! (to himself).
198-9. He that...some, see Introd. p. xxix. nor
cruml>(<Q) F'notcrum'. Weary of all (Q,F) = tired
of life. Poss. a common error for 'weary to all'=tire-
some to everyone—wh. wd fit the context better, since
'shall want some' is inconsequent after 'weary of all'.
want some=have neither.
200. S.D. (J.) Q,Fom. shelled'(Cap.) Q'sheald',
F (+Camb.) 'sheal'd'. We modernize, a shelled
peascod=an emptied pea-pod. Cf. 1. 1. 134—7.
204. Hyphens Craig's, endurid riots. (Theob.,
Warb.) Q 'indured riots,) Sir'. F 'endur'd) riots Sir.'
We now take the metrically disturbing 'Sir' to be a
common error (G.I.D. withdrawing note in 1949 ed.
p. 374) Camb. (<Cap.) reads 'endured riots. Sir'.
207. too late=only too recently.
211. in the...weal=\n my care for good govern-
ment. 213. shame i.e. shameful in us.
214. Will call=wi]l make men call.
216-17. The hedge-sparrow ...young, see Introd.
p. xxx. Trad, bird-lore, as seems clear from Chaucer,
e
Parl. of Foules (612-13; ^ Merlin to the Cuckoo):
'Thou mordrer of the heysugge on the braunche j That
broghte the forth, thou rewthelees glotoun!'; Massinger,
The Picture, n, ii: 'Soldiers—that like the foolish
hedge-sparrow | To their own ruin hatch this cuckoo,
peace.'; and Bullokar, Engl. Expos. 1616: 'Heisugge, a
bird which hatcheth the cockooes egges.' [O.E.D.]
Every English boy of course knows that cuckoos lay in
hedge-sparrows' nests. At 1 H. IF, 5. 1. 59-66, n.,
J.D.W., following T. W. Baldwin (Parrott Presenta-
tion Volume (1935)1 pp. 157-63; Sh.'s Small La tine, 1,

x68 NOTES 1.4.

pp. 633-4), cited Pliny's Nat. Hist. Bk. x, ch. ix (sic,
Holland's tr., Leob tr. xi) as the source. But that the
murderous cuckoo, with the wood-pigeon (palumbd) as
its victim, is found in Pliny only proves the fable to be
ancient and widespread.
217. ithad(Q) F 'it'shad'. Q is better for a traditional
jingle, it head...it young Here 'it' is the old genitive.
218. out...darkling Ver. cites F.Q. n. x. 30 [the
story of King Leyr]:
But true it is, that when the oyle is spent,
The light goes out, and weeke is throwne away;
So when he had resignd his regiment,
His daughter gan despise his drouping day.

220. / (F) Q (+Camb.) 'Come sir, I', your (F)
Q (+Camb.) 'that'. 221. F's brackets.
222. which (F) Q (+Camb.) 'that', transport (F)
see G.; cf. Cor. 1. 1. 77. Q 'transforme'.
224. an ass...horses i.e. even an ass like me can see
how preposterous this is. Cf. Heywood 'To set the cart
before the horse' (Tilley, C 103).
225. Whoop...thee Prob. refrain of an old song,
used as an ironical cry of admiration for Gon. N.B.
'Jug'=contemptuous for 'Joan', and 'Joan' often==
whore. Cf. Gambys'es, 11. 2 51-2 (J. Q. Adams, Pre-Sh.
Dramas): 'Rufe. I wil give thee sixpence to lye one
night with me. Meretrix. Gogs hart, slave, doost thinke
I am a sixpenny jug?'
226-7. Does...Does (<F) Q (+Camb.) 'Doth...
Doth'.
226-32. On the text here see pp. 137-9, and 1949
ed.pp. 32-4, 375-6.
229. lethargied— Rowe'sdash. Ha! Waking? Am
I awake?
231. Lear's shadow! (G.I.D.) F 'Lears shadow.'
Q 'Lears shadow?' (cont. to Lear).

i.4. NOTES 169
232-5. / would...father (<Q) F om. "The F
comp., having set up the short speech of the Fool, may
have accidentally let his eye return to the copy after the
Fool's next speech' (1949. ed. p. 376). For A.W.'s
emendation and lineation see Note on Copy, p. 137.
Prose in Q. The scansion seems convincingly verse; the
succession of strong accents underlining Lear's agonized
insistence. that=i.e. who I am. He has not heard the
Fool's (extrametrical) reply [G.I.D.]. Yet a problem
remains; see next n.
c
232-4. for by...daughters K. interprets this the
outward signs of sovereignty, which would persuade me
that I am Lear—and he, I know, had daughters.
knowledge and reason are not to be taken in opposition
with "the marks of sovereignty"'. But 'sovereignty'
surely implies not self-recognition but a realization that
he should command obedience and respect; and J.C.M.
interprets therefore 'judging by the normal signs of
sovereignty...my belief that I have daughters must be
false; for if I had daughters they would obey me, but
these creatures do not'. Yet this also leaves 'knowledge'
and 'reason' as a loose end. Despite last note, J.D.W.
finds 1. 232 unmetrical, and conj. the reporter shd perh.
have written 'Of knowledge, reason—and of sove-
reignty', wh. wd make sense.
235. Which Antecedent 'I' .
237. admiration = (pretended) astonishment.
240. should (Q, F) Q 2 (+Camb.) 'you should'.
F poss. transmits a common error. Yet the elision of an
understood 'you' is also poss.
242. debauched (Pope) F (+Camb.) 'debosh'd'.
We modernize. 244. Epicurism see G.
245. Makes it (F) Q ( + Camb.)'make'. 'Tavern
refers to epicurism, and brothel to lust' (Muir).
246. graced see G.
250. remainders (F) Q (+Camb.) 'remainder*.

170 NOTES 1.4.
252. know...you i.e. know how to behave and
recognize that you are an old man whose foibles should
not be encouraged. Note the ironical echo of 1.1. 291.
257. S.D. (F). 258. Woe that=woe to him who.
e
O...come? <Q O sir, are you come?' F om. The
'sir' [in Q] may be anticipated from 1. 258; the metre
wd. be better without it; cf. 1. 204, n. [G.I.D],
J.D.W. leaves it out; two 'sirs' being ill-suited to Lear's
anger. 263. S.D. (Rowe).
267. worships For the plur. see Franz, Sh. Grant'
matik, §680.
269. Which (F) Q(+Camb.)'that\ engine seeG.
frame of nature=natural affection, thought of as- a
structure or building. See G. 'nature (v)'.
270. From...place i.e. from its foundation or centre
(i.e. Cord.) Cf. Rom. 2.1. 2. As the centre of the earth
was the only 'fixed place' in the macrocosm, so was
Cord, in 'his little world of man' (3.i.10).
272. S.D. (Pope) Q, F om.
273. S.D. (G.I.D.) Q, F om., and edd. ex. AL
Cf. 1. 311, S.D., n.
276 ff. Hear, Nature etc. Garrick, falling upon his
knees and with eyes uplifted, uttered this as a solemn
prayer. See Sprague, p. 286.
276. Hear...hear! (punct. G.I.D. <F+Cap.) F
'Heare Nature, heare deere Goddesse, heare:'; Q
'harke Nature, heare deere Goddesse,'. Most edd.
(<Theob.) 'Hear, Nature, hear; dear goddess, hear!'
(or so subs.). F may inherit.faulty punc. from Q; but
not necessarily so.
283. spleen see G.
284. disnatured without filial affection.
287. pains cares.
289. How...tooth Cf. Ps. cxi. 3: 'They have sharp-
ened their tongues like a serpent.' [Mai.]
290. S.D. (G.I.D.) F 'Exit.', £> om.

i.4. NOTES 171
291. gods An oath, not vocative.
292. more of it (F) Q (+Camb.) 'the cause'.
294. As (F)=which. Q (+Camb.) 'that'. S.D.
(J.D.W.) F 'Enter Lear.', Q om.
295. fifty The dismissal he has just discovered must
have taken place before her demand at 11. 247—9 that he
reduce his retinue 'a little'. Yet doubtful whether Sh.
intended the audience to be aware of this.
297. S.D. (Theob.).
300. Blasts see G. fogs sc. plague-bearing. Cf.
Caliban's curse, Temp. 1.2. 322—5.
301. untented see G. Cf. 'detested', 1. 2. 78, n.
303. Beweep Conditional.
304. loose (F + Staunton) Q (+many) 'make',
prob. recollected from 1. 300. 'Loose' is a freq. sp. of
'lose', which Camb. reads and K. interprets 'waste—
since these tears are of no avail'. But 'loose' (=shed
involuntarily, see G.) seems best in the context.
[<Muir.]
305. To...clay see G. 'temper'. Since their tears
cannot 'temper' her hard heart.
.305-6. Yea...this? (<Q) Fora. Ha!...so (<F) Q
om. Prob. F comp. thought collator's 'Ha!...so' was
meant as a substitute for 'Yea...this?'. Cf. 1949 ed.
p. 172.
307. comfortable see G.
311. S.D. F 'Exit', Q om. Most edd. 'Exeunt
Lear, Kent, and Attendants'. But Lear tells his
'people' to go at 1. 273.
313. you— (Theob.) F 'you.'.
314. Oswald First mention of the name in the text.
Cf. p. 144.
315. S.D. (J.) more...fool Cf. Tilley, K 129.
master! (<Q 'master?') F (+Camb.)'Master.'.
316. take...thee. He quibbles. 'The literal sense is
obvious; but the phrase was a regular farewell gibe:

172 KOTES 1.4.
Take the epithet "fool" with you as you go!' 'Good-
bye, fool as you are!' (K.). Cf. 11.148-50, and Introd.
p. xxxi.
318-21. A fox...halter Now they are leaving Gon.'s
house he can speak out. But Lear has not 'caught her'.
A fox see Introd. § ix.
321. cap See 1. 96, S.D.n. where he also treats his
cap as current coin.
321-2. halter after Pronounced'hauter','auter*.
322. S.D. (G.I.D.) F 'Exit', Q om.
323. This...counsel/ i.e. he would not insult me
thus had he not been encouraged.
329. Fear too far...trust too far Cf. Tilley, F 135,
'Fear is one part of prudence'.
331. Not...taken, i.e. 'rather than always live in
fear to be attacked by them' (K.).
334. unfitness— Rowe's dash. S.D. F 'Enter
Steward.'.
336. Ay (<F) Q (+Camb.) 'Yes'.
341. S.D. <Rowe 'Exit Steward.' Q, F om.
342. milky see G. A mother's milk is a symbol of
the 'benign Nature' which Gon. rejects. Cf. 4. 2. 50;
zndiMacb. 1. 5.16,47; 1.7. 5554.3.98. milky...course
=this affectionately gentle course of action. Hendiadys.
343. Though...not, But she does, under pardon=»
pardon me.
344. You are (F 2) F 'Your are', attaxed (Greg)
Quncorr. 'alapt',corr. 'attaskt',F 'at task'. Seep. 123.
Kellner first proposed 'attaxt' {Restoring Sh. 1925,
IX
p. 73» § 3)- S e e G.
345. praised'=worthy to be praised.
347. striving...well Cf. Tilley, W 260, 'Let well
alone.' 348. then— (F).
349. tV event (Q 2) F 'the 'uent' Q 1 'the euent',
s= we'll see what happens. S.D. Q, F 'Exeunt'.

i.5. NOTES 173


1-5
S.D. loc. (Cap.) Entry (Q 2) Q 1 'Enter Lear.%
F 'Enter Lear, Kent, Gentleman, and Foole.'.
I. Cornwall (G.-B.; Greg conj.) Q, F (+edd.)
'Gloster'—wh. cannot=the Duke, so gen. taken as the
place, but both G.-B. (p. 229) and Greg (M.L.R. 1940,
p. 434, n ) suggest it may be Sh.'s slip for Cornwall (the
place), since the letter is for Corn.'s wife Reg. J.D.W.
conj. that the slip was the Q reporter's, uncorrected in F.
Kent and Osw. are both sent with letters to Reg. which
they deliver (cf. 2.2.48) and meet outside Glou.'s castle
on their return. For Kent's account see 2. 4. 26 ff.
these letters=this letter (Lat. Htterae).
3. demand out of= questions arising from.
7. S.D. £>, F'Exit.'.
8. were't (Rowe+most) Q,F'wert\ V=his brains
(sing.).
II. thy wit sc. in posting off so foolishly to Reg.
not (F) Q (+Camb.) 'nere'—wh. misses the point.
12. slip-shod see G.
15. kindly see G. this i.e. Gon.
16. I can...can tell. Cf.Tilley,K 173'I know what
I know'.
17. <F Q(+Camb.) 'Why what canst thou tell
my boy?' (actor's textual expansion).
19-20. Thou...face? The Fool now tries to stop
Lear brooding by asking some stock 'philosophical'
questions, but gives the answers a turn apt to his plight.
Cf. 3. 4. 154, n. on's=of his.
22. of =on. side's^side of his.
23. smell out Cf. Tilley, S 558.
25. I...wrong. Brooding on Cordelia.
28-9. why a snail...house. Cf. Tilley, S 580, 'Like
a snail he keeps his house on his head' =he is a stay-at-
home.

174 NOTES 1.5.

32. horns Not that Lear is a cuckold but that horns
are 'the inevitable adornment of married men' (K.).
33. forget my nature sc. forget I was once her
(Gon.'s) father.
36. the seven stars=the Pleiades, moe (<F) Q
(+Camb.) 'more'.
39. again=hack. He is meditating either (a) 'on
his resumption of royalty' (J.)—a continuation of the
hint in 1. 33 (cf. 1. 4. 258) or less likely (/>) 'on his
daughter's having in so violent a manner deprived him
of those privileges which before she had agreed to
grant him' (Steev.).
45-6. O, let me not etc. This sudden fear is occa-
sioned by the Fool's last remark; since 'wise' often =
4
'in one's right mind' being a poss. Cf. Oth. .1. 2 39, n.
(N.S.) and G. 'wisdom'. S.D. (<Theob.) Q, F om.
50-1. She...shorter Addressed to the audience.
'The maid who sees only the funny side of the Fool's
gibes, and does not realize that Lear is going on a tragic
journey, is such a simpleton that she won't know how to
preserve her virginity' (Muir). departure...shorter—a
rhyme in Sh.'s English, and Muir sees a homonymic pun
in 'deporture'=deportment, i.e. the Fool's goings on.
Unless...shorter Cf. Chaucer's Wife's Prol. 1. 121 and
G. 'thing'. S.D. F 'Exeunt'.


2. I
S.D. Loc. (Mai.) Entry (Q, subs.) F 'Enter
Bastard, and Curan, seuerally.'.
1. sp.-hdg. Q, F have 'Bast/ throughout the scene.
Saz>e=}Aa.y God save.
2. you, sir (<Q) F 'your sir'.
8. bussing (Q) F (+Camb.) 'kissing'—perh. so-
phistication or misreading. The two words mean
the same, but 'bussing' is also a play upon 'buzz-

2.i. NOTES 175
ing' (= whispering). Cf. H. Fill, 2. I. 145; Ham.
4. 5. 89.
10-11. Have you heard tic. Cf. 3. 3. 8-9.
14. S.D. F 'Exit.', Q om.
15. The better! best! (Pope) i.e. 'so much the
better! In fact, as good as it could be! Q,F 'The better
best,'—a common error.
18. of ...question sc. needing careful handling.
19. Briefness...work!' = May I be lucky enough to
bring it off quickly!
20. Descend! Need not. imply use of an upper-
stage; see Greg, R.E.S. (1940), p. 300. S.D. (Q, F)
Theob. (+most) place iiere^ F at 1. 19,
21. sir Note the deference.
27. Upon = 'm support of. 28. o»'/=of it.
29-30. com ing...cunning (punct. <Camb.) F 'com-
ming, pardon me: | In cunning,'.
30. In cunning i.e. 'to avoid the appearance of
collusion' (Muir). upon—against.
31. quit you well put up a good fight.
33. S.D. (G.I.D.) F 'Exit Edgar.'.
35. S.D. (<Rowe) Q, F om.
35-6. I...sport. 'A wild gallant would sometimes
stab his arm and mix the blood with the wine when he
drank his lady's health' (K.). Cf. Marston, Dutch
Courtesan, iv, i (ed. H. H. Wood, 11, 113).
37. No help? (F) i.e. is no one coming to help me?
Cf. 'No rescue?' 4. 6. 189 [J.C.M.] S.D. (F).
39-40. Mumbling...mistress Edm. appeals to Glo.'s
superstitious nature. Cf. 1. 2. io6ff. Mumbling (F)
Q 'warbling'—a misreading.
40. stand (F) Q (+Camb.) 'stand's', see G.
41. Look...bleed. Distraction to give Edg. time to
escape.
42. this way Points the wrong way. could— (Q+
Camb.) F 'could.'.