Page:King Lear (1917) Yale.djvu/114

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98
King Lear, IV. vi

Scene Six

[The Country near Dover]

Enter Gloucester and Edgar.

Glo. When shall I come to the top of that same hill?

Edg. You do climb up it now; look how we labour.

Glo. Methinks the ground is even.

Edg. Horrible steep:
Hark! do you hear the sea?

Glo. No, truly. 4

Edg. Why, then your other senses grow imperfect
By your eyes' anguish.

Glo. So may it be, indeed.
Methinks thy voice is alter'd, and thou speak'st
In better phrase and matter than thou didst. 8

Edg. Y'are much deceived; in nothing am I chang'd
But in my garments.

Glo. Methinks you're better spoken.

Edg. Come on, sir; here's the place; stand still.
How fearful 12
And dizzy 'tis to cast one's eyes so low!
The crows and choughs that wing the midway air
Show scarce so gross as beetles; half way down
Hangs one that gathers samphire, dreadful trade! 16
Methinks he seems no bigger than his head.
The fishermen that walk upon the beach
Appear like mice, and yond tall anchoring bark
Diminish'd to her cock, her cock a buoy 20
Almost too small for sight. The murmuring surge,
That on the unnumber'd idle pebbles chafes,

14 choughs: bird of the crow family, jackdaw
16 samphire: samper, used for pickles
20 cock: cock-boat
22 unnumber'd: innumerable