I know 'tis from Cordelia;
Who hath most fortunately been inform'd
Of my obscur'd coarse, and shall find time
From this enormous state, seeking to give
Losses their remedies]
This passage, which some of the editors have degraded, as spurious, to
the margin, and others have silently altered, I have faithfully printed
according to the quarto, from which the folio differs only in
punctuation. The passage is very obscure, if not corrupt. Perhaps it may
be read thus:
--Cordelia--has been--informed.
Of my obscur'd course, and shall find time
From this enormous state-seeking, to give
Losses their remedies.--
Cordelia is informed of our affairs, and when the _enormous_ care of
_seeking her fortune_ will allow her time, she will employ it in
remedying losses. This is harsh; perhaps something better may be found.
I have at least supplied the genuine reading of the old copies.
_Enormous_ is unwonted, out of rule, out of the ordinary course of
things.
II.iii.18 (377,2) Poor pelting villages] _Pelting_ is, I believe, only
an accidental depravation of _petty_. Shakespeare uses it in the
_Midsummer-Night's Dream_ of _small brooks_.
II.iii.20 (378,3) Poor Turlygood! poor Tom!] [W: Turlupin] Hanmer reads,
_poor_ Turlurd. It is probable the word _Turlygood_ was the common
corrupt pronunciation.
II.iii.21 (378,4) Edgar I nothing am] As Edgar I am out-lawed, dead in
law; I have no longer any political existence.
II.iv (378,1) _Changes again to the earl of Glo'ster's castle_] It is
not very clearly discovered why Lear comes hither. In the foregoing part
he sent a letter to Glo'ster; but no hint is given of its contents. He
seems to have gone to visit Glo'ster while Cornwall and Regan might
prepare to entertain him.
II.iv.24 (380,4) To do upon respect such violent outrage] To violate the
public and venerable character of a messenger from the king.
II.iv.46 (380,7) Winter's not gone yet, if the wild geese fly that way]
If this be their behaviour, the king's troubles are not yet at an end.
II.iv.70 (381,9) All that follow their noses are led by their eyes, but
blind men; and there's not a nose among twenty, but can smell him that's
stinking] There is in this sentence no clear series of thought. If he
that follows his nose is led or guided by his eyes, he wants no
information from his nose. I persuade myself, but know not whether I can
persuade others, that our author wrote thus:--"All men are led by their
eyes, but blind men, and they follow their noses; and there's not a nose
among twenty but can smell him that's stinking."--Here is a succession
of reasoning. You ask, why the king has no more in his train? why,
because men who are led by their eyes see that he is ruined; and if
there were any blind among them, who, for want of eyes, followed their
noses, they might by their noses discover that it was no longer fit to
follow the king.