Edg. Who gives anything to poor Tom?
whom the foul fiend hath led through fire and
through flame, through ford and whirlpool, o'er
bog and quagmire; that hath laid knives under
his pillow, and halters in his pew; set ratsbane
by his porridge; made him proud of heart, to
ride on a bay trotting-horse over four-inched
bridges, to course his own shadow for a traitor.
Bless thy five wits! Tom's a-cold. O! do de,
do de, do de. Bless thee from whirlwinds, star-
blasting, and taking! Do poor Tom some charity,
whom the foul fiend vexes. There could I have
him now, and there, and there again, and there.
Lear. What! have his daughters brought him to this pass?
Could'st thou save nothing? Didst thou give them all?
Fool. Nay, he reserved a blanket, else we had
been all shamed. 65
Lear. Now all the plagues that in the pendulous air
Hang fated o'er men's faults light on thy daughters!
Kent. He hath no daughters, sir. 68
Lear. Death, traitor! nothing could have subdu'd nature
To such a lowness, but his unkind daughters.
Is it the fashion that discarded fathers
Should have thus little mercy on their flesh? 72
Judicious punishment! 'twas this flesh begot
Those pelican daughters.
49 Who gives, etc.; cf. n.
59 taking: influence of malignant powers
66 pendulous: overhanging
74 pelican; cf. n.
