Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-10-18
80 v*ea V*sA v*Sa v*A v*ss v*s~ V*s~ V*sSS VI
= KING L E A r =
The Story That is Contained in
Shakespeare's Famous Play
By Chas. and Mary Lamb
"A ss*A ss*A sss*A ses*A sS*A see*A sss*A sss*A :

not so 10 De repelleu. he Hdu Deeil
ever loyal to Lear whom he had hon
ored as a king, loved as a father, fol-
lowed as a master; and had never
esteemed his life further than as a
pawn to wage against his royal mas
ter's enemies, nor fear to lose it when
Lears safety was the motive; nor now
that Lear was most his own enemy,
did his faithful servant of the king for
get his old principles, but manfully OPP
posed Lear, to do Lear good; and was
unmannerly only because Lear was
mad. He had been a most faithful
counsellor in times past to the king
and he besought him now, that he
would see with his eyes Gas he had
done in many weighty matters), and
go by his advice still; and in his best
consideration recall this hideous rash
ness: for he would answer with his
life, his judgment that Lear's youngest
daughter did not love him least, nor
were those empty-hearted whose low
sound gave no token of hollowness.
When power bowed to flattery, honor
was bound to plainness. For Lear's
threats, what could he do to him,
whose life was already at his SER
vice? That should not hinder duty
from speaking.
The honest freedom of this good earl
of Kent only stirred uD the kings
wrath the more, and like a frantic pa
tient who kills his physician, and loves
his mortal disease, he banished this
true servant, and allotted him but five
days to make his preparations for de-
parture: but if on the sixth his hated
person was found within the realm OF
Britain, that moment was to be his
death. And Kent bade farewell to the
king, and said, that since he chose to
show himself in such fashion, it was
but Punishment to stay there; and be-
fore he went, he recommended Cordelia
to the protection of the gods, the maid
who had so rightly thought, and so
dscreetly spoken; and only wished
that her sisters large speeches might
be answered with the deeds of love;
and then he went, as he said, to shape
his old course to a new country.
The king of France and duke of Bur-
gundy were now called in to hear the
determination of Lear about his young
est daughter, and to know whether
they would persist in their courtship to
Cordelia, now that she was under her
fathers displeasure and had no for
tune but her own person to recommend
her: and the duke of Burgundy de-
clined the match. and would not take
her to wife upon such conditions; but
the king of France, understanding
what the nature of the fault had been
father, that it was only a tardiness of
speech, and the not being able to frame
her tongue to flattery like her sisters.
took this young maid by the hand, and
above a kingdom, bade COrdelia to
take farewell Of her sisters, and Of her
father, though he had been unkind, and
she should go with him. and be queen
of him and of fair France, and reign
over fairer possessions than her Sis
ters: and he called the duke of Bur-
gundy in contempt a waterish duke,
because his love for this young maid
water.
Then Cordelia with weeping eyes
took leave of her sisters, and besought
them to love their father well, and
make good their professions: and they
sullenly told her not to prescribe to
them, for they knew their duty; but to
strive to content her husband, who
had taken her (as they tauntingly eX-
pressed it) as fortunes aims. And
Cordelia, with a heavy heart, departed,
for she knew the cunning of her Sis
ters. and she wished her father in bet
ter hands than she was about to leave
him in.
Cordelia was no sooner gone, than
the devilish dispositions of her sisters
colors. Even before the expiration Of
the first month, which Lear was to
spend by agreement with his eldest
daughter Goneril, the king began to
ises and performances. This wretch,
having got from her father all that he
had to bestOw, even to the giving away
Of the crown from off his head, began
to grudge even those small. remnants
of royalty which the old man had re-
served to himself, to please his fancy
with the idea of being still a king. She
could not bear To see him and his hun
father she put on frowning counte-
nance; and when the old man wanted
to speak with her, she would feign
sickness. or anything to he rid of the
sight of him: for it was plain that she
esteemed his old age a useless burden,
and his attendants an unnecessary ev-
pense: not only she herself slackened
i'm her expressions Of duty to the king,
but 10y her example, and Git is to be
feareD not without her private in
StruCtions, her very servants affected
to treat him with neglect, and would
either refuse to obey his orders. or still
more contemptuously pretend not to
hear them. Lear could not but per-
Ceive this alteration in the behavior
of his daughter, but he shut his eyes
against it as long as he could, as peo-
pie commonly are unwilling to believe
the unpleasant consequences which
their own mistakes and ubstinaCy have
brought upon them.
True love and fidelity are no more to
he estrang"d 10y i'll. than falsehnod and
hollow -hcartedness can be ConCiliated
10y good usage. This emineEtly APP
pears in the instance of the good earl
of Kent. who, though hanished by Lear,
and his life made forfeit if he were
found i'm Britain. chose to stay and
abide all consequences, as long as there
was a chance of his being useful to the
king his master. See To what mean
shifts and discusses poor LOYALTY is