Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-10-18
PART l.

for whose love the KllS Vi riaiiNS ~
duke of Burgundy were joint suitors'
and were at this time making stay TOT
that purpose in the court of Lear
The old king, worn out with age and
the fatigues of government, he peihg
more than fourscOre years old, deter
mined to take no further part IN state
affairs. but to leave the management
to Younger strengths, that he might
have time to prepare for death, which
must at no long period ensue. with thls
intent he called his three daughters 10
him. to know from their own lips when
of them loved him best, that he might
mart his kingdom among them in such
proportions as their affection for MN
should seem to deserve.
Goneril, the eldest, declared that
she loved her father more than words
could give out, that he was dearer TO
her than the light of her own eyes,
dearer than life and liberty, with
deal of such protesting stuff, which
Is easy to counterfeit where there is no
real love, only a few fine words deliv-
cred with confidence being wanted IN
that case. The king, delighted to hear
from her mouth this assurance OF her
love. and thinking truly that her heart
went with it, in fit of fatherly fond
ness bestowed upon her and her nus
band one third of his ample Kingdom
Then calling to him his second
daughter, he demanded what she hau
to saw. Regan, who was made of the
same hollow metal as her sister, was
not a whit behind in her professions
but rather declared that what her SIS
ter had spoken came short of the love
which she professed to bear for MS
highness: insomuch that she found all
other joys dead, in comparison with
the pleasure which she took in the love
of her dear king and father.
Lear blessed himself in having such
loving children, as he thought; and
could do no less, after the handsome
assurances which Regan had made,
than bestow a third Of his kingdom
upon her and her husband, equal in
size to that which he had already Civ
en- away to Goneril
Then turning to his youngest daugh-
ter Cordelia, whom he called his JOY,
he asked what she had to say, think
ing no doubt that she would glad MS
ears with the same loving speeches
which her sisters had uttered, or rath-
er that her expressions would be so
much stronger than theirs, as she had
always been his darling, and favored
by him above either of them. But
Cordelia, disgusted with the flattery OF
her sisters, whose hearts she knew
were far from their lips, and seeing
that all their cOaXing speeches were
only intended to wheedle the old king
out of his dominions, that they and
their husbands might reign in his life
time, made no other reply but this
that she loved his majesty according
to her duty. neither more nor less.
The king, shocked with this appear
ance of ingratitude in his favorite
child, desired her to consider her
words, ana 10 menu ltl Sp'NNli, i'S' -
should mar her fortunes.
Cordelia then told her father, that
he was her father, that he had given
her breeding and loved her: that she
returned those duties back as was most
fit. and did obey him, love him, and
most honor him. But that she could
not frame her mouth to such large
speeches as her sisters had done, or
promise to love nothing else in the
world. Why had her sisters husbands.
If (as they saId) they had no love for
anything but their father? If she
should ever wed, she was sure the lord
to whom she gave her hand would
want half her love, half of her care
and duty: she should never marry like
her sisters. To love her father all.
Cordelia. who in earnest loved her
old father even almost as eNtrava-
gantly as her sisters pretended to do,
would have plainly told him so at any
other time, in more daughter-like and
loving terms, and without these quail
ifications, which did indeed sound
little ungracious: but after the crafty
nattering speeches Of her sisters which
she had seen draw such eXtravagant
rewards. she thought the handsomest
thing she could do was To love and be
silent. This put her affection out of
suspicion of mercenary ends, and
showed that she loved, but not for
gain: and that her professions. the less
ostentatiOus they were, had so much
the more of truth and sincerity than
her sisters
This plainncss of speech, which Lear
called pride, So enraged the old mon
arch-who i'm his best of times always
showed much of spleen and rashncss,
and i'm whom the dotagc incident to old
age had so Cloudcd over his reason,
that he could not discern truth from
nattery, nor a gay. painted speech from
words that came from the heart-that
i'm a fury of resentment he retract'd
the third part of his kingdom which
vet remained. and which he had re-
served for Cordelia, and gave ii away
from her. sharing it equally between
her two sisters and their husbands, the
dukes of Albany and Cornwall: whom
he now called to him, and i'm presence
of all his courticrs, hestowing cor
unct between them, invested them
Jointly with all the power. revenue and
execution of government. only retain
ing to himself tn" name of king: all
the rest of royalty he resigned: with
this reservation. that himself. with n
hundred knights for his attendants,
was to hc maintained 10y monthly
course i'm each Of his daughters pal
aces in turn.
So prepuSterous disposal of his
kingdom. So little guided 10y reason,
and So much 10y passion. filled all his
Courticrs with astonishment and sor-
row: but none of them had the courage
to intcrposc between this inccuscd king
and his wrath. except the earl of Kent,
who was beginning to speak good
E., I',rIa1ia when the SSipu =